Oxbridge applications 2027 entry

[Justlurkingmostly]

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

@RatherBeOnVacation wow, on hold with 5 A stars predicted ? That’s incredible! Thank you, DD has rebounded thank goodness and managed to get some work done last night.

Good to hear of all the applications going in!

UCAS is in. Predictably my entire involvement in this process has been a whatsapp demanding £35.

In my day, it was a crossed postal order.

Now, we wait.

This made me smile. I very much relate to that feeling of being there to address cost needs. And that my enthusiasm and excitement need to be strongly tempered in the face of (apparent) nonchalant cool.

I don’t remember the process at all, it was way too long ago!

Had a message, the My Cambridge form arrived by email this morning, along with an acknowledgement email and intranet login instructions from Jesus, Cambridge. DD says she will fill us in tonight.
Starting to feel very real.

@summernameandthelivingiseasy Back in my day it was 2 applications (perhaps called UCCA and PCAS but probably not?🤔) That was soooo long ago.

Question: One of DDs teachers has queried why she doesn’t mention her A levels in her PS - I’m sure I heard or read there’s no need to include information which is readily available elsewhere in the application. Does any one know or have experience to offer? Many thanks!

One of the questions is how your studies and qualifications prepared you, which is generally a good place to mention A-levels, especially if they're directly relevant to the degree you're applying to, or if you've learned transferrable skills you can link to the degree.

You are correct that you shouldn’t repeat information elsewhere on the application, nor simply list what you have studied at school. My DD has, however, talked specifically about her NEA for one subject (kind of like how you would if you’re doing an EPQ) as it’s relevant to what she wants to study.

Obviously it’s written rather more eloquently than this but it goes:

• I was interested to learn about this in my A-level
• I took that knowledge and applied it to something (an extra curricular school club)
• I took this further by doing this super curricular and learnt this
• I then took that additional knowledge and applied it to my NEA and extra curricular in this way and these were the results

So how her super curricular interest was started by the A-level really.

I'm presuming we won't hear anything from Cambridge till after TMUA results are out for maths. Choices 2 and 3 are also TMUA. Waiting is tough! He is doing well in practice tests, but who knows what can happen on the day!

DD's aren't in hers, I don't think. Just her EPQ because it's relevant.

@Justlurkingmostly and @coldcalling my DD mentioned her A-level subjects in that second question and her teacher had commented that it might make it sound like she was applying for something different, because one of the subjects was similar but different to her degree subject choices. She pondered changing it and taking out the subject names, but was exactly a bit confounded by the fact that the question asked about a-levels. In the end she decided it might be overthinking it, and so left it.

I should say the point being, as long as the response does address the question in some way, I don’t think it matters if the exact subjects aren’t mentioned.

My DD's PS mentions in passing one A level module of the subject she is applying for in the 2nd section and uses it to lead into more supercurriculars. She hasn't mentioned the other 2 at all as it just seemed it would be taking up space she could use better on other stuff. Noone at school has queried it. They can see which A levels are being taken elsewhere.

We've got an offer from Sheffield!

And the My Cambridge firm is returned - its much more straightforward than the example mammoth version available online as an examplar!

To whoever asked, yes, we are not expecting you hear from Cambridge until after ESAT results.

Congrats @SnapAndTap. Dd has had an offer today too - from York. It’s her insurance-insurance but good to have the backstop in the bag.

Great to hear of offers! DS got an offer from York today too.

We got a Sheffield offer today too! Yeay! Now back to more ESAT prep…..

Can I ask which ESAT prep tools you (and anyone else on this thread who's taking it would recommend)? Daughter is going to be taking it next year and I was just wondering how much prep is necessary and how people prepare. Is it advisable to get an ESAT tutor?

@XelaM might be worthadking again in November when everyone knows the outcomes!

Personally, DS gas used old ESAT papers, plus their predecessors (ENGAA?). Also looked st done of the TMUA papers.
No tutors.

No tutors here either. There are very few available ESAT past papers as it’s pretty new. DD’s been using the NSAA past papers as she’s going for Natsci. ENGAA is the one to use for engineering.

^^i posted some ESAT prep tools I saw on iirc one of the Cambs colleges social media channels - scroll back and you should spot x

^^ thanks all for the PS advice. DD panicking as she’s right on the word limit I think and doesn’t want to cut other things 😩

Hi all, joining late here. DS has applied for history at Jesus Cambridge.
…it went in on Wednesday but we haven’t heard anything from my Cambridge yet??
I hope the school have done it right….

Hello @namechanged221 - my Dd is applying for history at Cambridge too - at Pembroke I think (unless she changes her mind last minute and swerves to her second favourite Trinity but don’t think she will!)

Her form hasn’t gone in yet but hopefully school are on the case.

@BumpyaDaisyevnathat's great! Has she visited those colleges?
I have no clue if my DS will get an interview or not, though I think he’s got the requisite predictions and GCSEs.

He chose Jesus because his school were involved in an outreach project from
the college. (Large state school in Newcastle upon Tyne)
they funded a group of students to visit and stay over for the weekend in the college. They had talks on personal statements and guidance on how to apply. He had a fantastic time.

Then over summer there were further online sessions to support them.
….it’s been really good.

@namechanged221 DD also applied to Jesus. Within 24 hours of college saying they had submitted it (Monday) she received the MyCambridge email and then about a day after that got the acknowledgement email from Jesus with the intranet login instructions. Have they checked their spam just in case?
Glad to hear of your DS Jesus college experience being positive. Dd has no connection with it but chose it after really loving it at the open day.