Oxbridge applications 2027 entry

[Justlurkingmostly]

Starting up a new thread for anyone whose YP might be applying this autumn for entry next year!

It’s difficult to assess for insurance I think!
We qualify for contextual offers, so that will make a difference.
Last year my eldest (STEM) had offers from Durham, Warwick, UCL & St Andrews. I think Durham was actually her lowest offer, so her “insurance” was not particularly valid - I think it may have been the same grades? Warwick was definitely higher.
I feel like humanities is a bit harder to predict as it is more subjective?

Bear in mind that lots of places will have a standard offer that is higher than the grades required in clearing and typical grades of their students. AAB from 4A⭐ predictions should be fine especially if the AAB place is regularly in clearing.

Many Universities will automatically offer the BSc in place if the MSci if the grades for the former are achieved but not the latter. Progression is dependent in how they do in the first 2 years. We were told that it is better to apply for the longer funding in case they add a year in industry or international year and Masters and need an extra 2 years.

DD is predicted 3 A star. She feels very confident on 2 of them.
Cambridge minimum offer is A star AA.
Her other preferred course is Warwick and their standard offer is ABB so shes sure she doesnt need any other insurance. To the extent that like @Justlurkingmostly she says she wouldn't go if she didn't get that and why she won't add other Ucas options until she knows about Cambridge.
The very local RG university doesn't offer the same course, but something similar went for CCC in clearing last year, so if she changed her mind last minute after a very 'difficult' results day, she has that as a back stop.

DD is predicted four A stars and wants to study engineering (aerospace everywhere other than Cambridge).

Cambridge - typical offer 2x A star 1xA but could be higher

Three universities - 1x A star and 2x A BUT two of these should hopefully give contextual offers based on our home post code so would be AAB

Final choice - 3 x As but known for accepting people who drop one, sometimes two grades on the day

So hopefully a bottom grade level of AAB or ABB. She has already said that if she doesn’t get those results then something has gone very wrong and she would want to resit and have a gap year rather than go through clearing.

If the contextual offers weren’t in there though I would have made her have one university on the list that is AAB or ABB as standard.

For DD applying for History, all her second choices ask for AAA but looking at the stats on acceptance helps decide which is most likely to take her if she drops one. York has a very high rate suggesting they would so that’s probably her insurance.
Also York and Warwick both had History in clearing this year which (as I understand it) means they would have taken applicants who missed one or maybe even two grades, still not filled their course then gone to clearing.

My DD has submitted her UCAS application today and it already says it is with universities. She is really hoping to have one offer before she sits the ESAT to take the pressure off.

Two of her choices normally offer within two weeks of applying based on info available on the Chat University offer database, particularly so early on in the application cycle and with grades far in excess of their standard offer. I’ve told her not to get her hopes up, but I agree with her it would be really nice to have one.

DS is another applying for aerospace engineering elsewhere and engineering at Cambridge. He’s predicted 3A, everywhere he’s applying apart from Cambridge has AAA as the standard offer, but he should qualify for contextual so potentially could get AAB offers. It gets complicated though as I know for Sheffield you only get the contextual if you firm them, and not sure with the others.

My DD is applying for History at Camrbridge so I think that would be Astar AA if she got an offer.

Her other four are UCL, York, Manchester and Leeds. I think UCL York and Manchester are AAA and Leeds AAB.

Shed be happy with any but second/third choice are probably UCL and York though not sure which way round!

I think it’s hard to say what you would do until you get the actual offers.

The DOS at the cambridge college my dd wants to apply to said that they might well set an offer of Astar Astar A for students from leading schools. (My Dd is not at that kind of school - a good comp but not in the league of independents and certainly not the leading ones like Westminster etc)

Think DD’s school might give her A star, Astar. A star A (they are still to decide about 1 of the A stars). They do not like to over-predict, but have said the A is aspirational, and they think it will be a B (up to now performance in one part is A leaning to A star, but it is Bs in some of the other material). So this would all be okay if she got close or met the predictions, they are excellent predictions, but I’m feeling frustrated that DC doesn’t take this as a motivation to prove them wrong. She thinks she’ll can get that A, but I would feel better if she put rather more work in (and then it would be more assured).

Having said that, whilst overly relaxed might have less chance of meeting goals, not being hyper stressed is more likely to support mental health. I just worry about overly relaxed, goals missed and subsequent regret. However, sometimes I guess they have to find their own path. I am hoping it is alright to share here because I know she has still achieved very strong predicted grades. Predicted just need to translate into an end result 🤦‍♀️

If you can’t tell from the username, we’re in Scotland. Oxford is likely the only English application DS will make, the others will be Scottish as the free tuition is such a big positive.

He sat Highers in S5 (Y12) and got 5 A’s (A stars don’t exist here). Most Scottish unis look as though they will make unconditional offers based on those. He’s sitting 3 Advanced Highers this year, predicted A’s again and this seems to be what Oxford would look at. UCAS place a slightly higher value on Advanced Highers over A Levels - it looks as though any offer would be AAB.

Coming from the Scottish system just makes it all a bit more unknown though - is anyone else coming from Scotland?

Anyone else had to navigate the issue of 2 pupils from school applying for the same course at the same college? School said this is not a good idea and that one should pick an alternative college. Does it really matter?

No idea if it actually matters but same thing happened to DS, he’s chosen another college as the first kid had apparently decided some time ago. DS is ok with it.

Sure I spotted this question being answered on insta earlier by Cambridge. Possibly Caius

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdwZ50Mhg_h/?stkn=dDdrZ25laWoycWw=

@MissMogs thanks - although it's the same course and college in this instance. School are saying they will be competing directly against each other. School are fine if applying to same college but different courses. Not that the school can stop them, just highly advising they don't. Neither applicant wants to back down and pick a different college.

That’s really tough for them. Thing is though, at the end of the day they both deserve to be able to go for the course/college they feel suits them best. They’re going to be competing against the best of the best come what may. The only difference here is that it’ll feel much harder if their competition is known to them - hard if the other person gets in and they don’t, but also hard the other way around! I think I’d be having an honest chat. If they feel they’re the stronger candidate then that’s encouraging. If they feel the other person is stronger, then maybe dig down into whether it really would make all the difference which college if they might stand a higher chance of getting in? Kids tend to know where they sit. Also worth bearing in mind that at both Ox and Cam, applicants often get re-allocated anyway and apparently they all end of thinking the college they ended up in is the best!

I wish they did a ranking system for colleges. My child likes one best but to be honest would be very happy with most. There’s a couple they really didn’t like though, so wish they could rule those out!

@MissMogs you can see online how many people apply for how many places at each which might give you some idea - seeing how many people they take from the pool also helps.. But it's more obvious for some subjects than others whether it will matter, as if she's one of three it's going to be more of a problem than if she's one of 100.
Agree it's tricky - we were pleased when DD said she was the only one going for hers, but people tell me the pool system does work. As a rule the women only colleges I think get fewer, and the modern/less central ones. In my day you could specify 3 if you wanted, which was more helpful.

My DC is looking at Nat Sci at Cam.

It does not matter to colleges but it matters a lot to schools as they don’t like two of their pupils feeling like they are so directly in competition (speaking here as someone who has done admissions at Oxford - we do not care and it not make a difference to your chances of getting in, but schools will sometimes put pressure on applicants to avoid this scenario and it is up to the DC whether they are willing to take on the school over it). To be fair to schools, I can see how it could increase the emotions and fall out if one gets in and the other doesn’t, and why they would feel it is not a good idea socially.

I have a year 12 DD also potentially interested in biology at Oxford (or elsewhere!). We're also in Wales and she's just had the invitation to join the Seren academy. Just wondering if your DC has found it helpful in general, and specifically re: biology?

Hi there - yes, she’s had a couple of online meetings with her Seren mentor who’s a third year biological Nat sci student and who’s been very helpful, talking through different uni courses, will do a mock interview as mentioned and she also read her PS.
DD did the Seren autumn and spring academic challenges which featured some online lectures on biology topics which she found interesting and some unis (iirc Bath and Exeter) will give a reduced offer for participation in these. She also did the Seren Oxford summer school which was brilliant at demystifying the place and gave a really good taste of what it’s like to study there. They had to prepare a short essay then defend it in a tutorial, which was a very useful exercise and should she get/meet an offer to attend I think will feel a lot more confident than she otherwise would have. So I think she’d definitely say it was worthwhile!

Also have a look at the St Anne’s college Bright Matter programme - not Seren specific but again some online lectures related to different STEM subjects and then a STEM taster day in the spring at an Oxford college. GL!

DD’s UCAS application is in and she’s had her link to her My Cambridge form. You definitely only get the relevant bits in your link. Hers didn’t take any time at all to fill in. She just has her supplemental personal statement bit (either 1200 or 1400 characters - can’t remember) left to do. It all seemed very straightforward.

Yay @QueenMabby you are one step further along.

DD is having a nightmare. She only wants to apply to 2 choices at this stage as she can add later having heard back if being interviewed and giving her more time to decide on others. If she puts them in now they may just be completely wasted. Her insurance will have to depend on what her first choice is and the second one she has already submitted requirements are already so much lower than Cambridge (ABB to AstarAA).

Her school admin keep rejecting the application. She's had a conversation about what she is doing with her tutors and the Oxbridge lead, who have agreed it, but admin keep rejecting it, saying "we recommend you put 5".
She's sent an email copying them all in to try to get it sorted. So frustrating.

DS's UCAS application was submitted on Tuesday and he received an offer from Bristol yesterday! He still has to submit essays and other bits for Oxford, but it was a nice boost for him and made it feel very real!