Your children may be rejected when applying for Oxbridge?

[moved]

One of the major problems with university application is the archaic use of predicted grades.

51% are incorrect. Oxford cite the fact that they use predicted grades to offer places. A media article commented on the fact that many rejected state-school applicants then went on to get better A levels.

Sadly, I know of several privately educated students who were predicted extremely kind grades. Well done to those schools/colleges as they are getting places for their students.

[Guest55]

Post A level applications would be better but unis rejected that.

[leanmeamum]

Are Oxford and Cambridge really so desirable??

Think I'd be tempted to take my clutch of A* and find a top, non Oxbridge uni that was less up its own b**kside! I'm amazed people want to jump through so many hoops to get there. But good luck to them all, I hope they get what they'd like and enjoy it when they get there.

I think it is the label - I'm guilty of suggesting Oxbridge to my daughter for her Masters even though she had a firm offer from Nottingham. Notts is placed 2nd worldwide for her chosen Masters (Zurich University is placed 1st), Oxford is placed 4th and Cambridge not even making the top 10 for her course.

It felt criminal suggesting that she should go to Oxford (ranked below Nottingham for few years running for her course!) but labels are very tempting.

[Amber]

Are Oxford and Cambridge really so desirable??

Think I'd be tempted to take my clutch of A* and find a top, non Oxbridge uni that was less up its own b**kside! I'm amazed people want to jump through so many hoops to get there. But good luck to them all, I hope they get what they'd like and enjoy it when they get there.

I think it is the label - I'm guilty of suggesting Oxbridge to my daughter for her Masters even though she had a firm offer from Nottingham. Notts is placed 2nd worldwide for her chosen Masters (Zurich University is placed 1st), Oxford is placed 4th and Cambridge not even making the top 10 for her course.

It felt criminal suggesting that she should go to Oxford (ranked below Nottingham for few years running for her course!) but labels are very tempting.

Well I wonder what she said? If she is anything like some daughters (!), suggestions from mother don't feature heavily when choosing what to do. I too wonder how Oxford and Cambridge get away with pretty much holding the entire UCAS system to ransom - insisting that applicants apply early, insisting they choose only one of them, that kind of thing. I agree with you Yasmin - I can't see the magic. But then I was dragged off to Cambridge on some kind of 'get some underprivileged city kids into Cambridge' initiative way back in the 1980s and ran a mile, just as some young people of my acquaintance have done far more recently. It isn't for everyone - though suits some down to the ground of course, before anyone says I have some kind of shoulder-chip; but it is kind of frustrating that so many see it as the ultimate goal of education.

[marigold]

Re the original point:

If you look at Cambridge admission statistics , easily google-able , sorry my IT skills are so lacking I have no idea how to post a link, you can see exactly what grades all those admitted to Cambridge got in 2013. Looks like less than 3% got a B/C in any of their A levels.
I suspect the comments of the crusty old Don and her memory of them may have been influenced by one too many sweet sherries at the feast.

[mad?]

I suspect the comments of the crusty old Don and her memory of them may have been influenced by one too many sweet sherries at the feast.

[Peridot]

So will someone patient fill me in on what happened to 7th-term Oxbridge entrance please??? That's what I did many years ago: so I got my A-level grades, applied to Cambridge, did the exam, had an interview, didn't get in (but never mind!) and in the meantime had interviews/offers from other lovely universities and it was all very straightforward as no-one had to predict anything. It also meant that once I started my degree I caught up with my proper age-group as I was far too young for my year (have posted my views on that topic before). Has that all gone completely then?

[mad?]

Sadly yes Peridot, although at DC's school a number of DC re-apply or apply after their A level results, grow up, get some good work experience and so on. Success rate for those applicants is higher then from our school, where getting the offer rather than the grades is the issue.

[Peridot]

Thanks, mad? Px

[Peridot]

The growing up bit was the bit that was good for me actually. I didn't do anything excitingly gap-year-ish - didn't have the money - just worked, and learned an extra language because it was interesting and I had time to do it.