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Admissions Tutors' Perspective

Oh wow I couldn't do that - it's bad enough trying to calm down applicants who think they've screwed it all up and want to withdraw (ESPECIALLY for my subject where I know when they start telling me everything they said whether they really have or not) - I couldn't face being there on results day.

Reply 41

warioland3

4

*ellen marine*

Totally agree - saying putting up with abuse an an admissions tutor can't be crappy because you get paid to do it is not really any different to saying it can't be crap to take abuse as a nurse or police officer or whatever, because they're getting paid to do it. All the pay does is makes them do a job no-one would do voluntarily... doesn't stop it being 'crappy' though. :s-smilie:

As for me, I met some lovely admissions tutors for whom I imagine it would be unpleasant to have to reject people. I also met some who seemed like they wouldn't care less.

*shrugs*

I do feel sorry for people who do feel bad about rejecting applicants, though.

Nice original post and it does remind us that interviewers have a tough job to do although being an applicant myself doesnt make me sympathetic :smile:

I think some people get a rough ride at interview but usually that is because every other applicant (e.g. for that day if the interviewer is in a bad mood) has had the same treatment so I dont think that it would ave that much an effect on their application.

My interviewER was fantastic to me, but the other two were pretty harsh on me but thats that and I can only hope for the best.

Good luck to everyone in the next couple weeks with their decisions and congratulations to every one who got an offer so far!!

Reply 42

parkerpen

nosnibor

Oh wa wa, the admissions tutors have a terrible time around interview time.... No-one forced them to do that job! Surely they understand that they will have to cope with pushy parents and desperate kids, just as most people have to cope with bitter clients and arsy customers in their own jobs.

Is this just another way of insulting the people that didn't get in or that were stressed out by the admissions process by telling them to consider the poor admissions tutors? Oh please...

No one forced those people to apply who didn't get in. If they got stressed out by the system then why should I feel bad for them?

The interviewers do have a terrible time aruond interview time. They have to listen to a bunch of 18 year old spotty kids who think they are gods gift to their subject for hours on end when they could be doing much more exciting work. You don't have to feel sorry for them, just respect the job they do

Reply 43

Bumblebee3

OP

8

parkerpen

No one forced those people to apply who didn't get in. If they got stressed out by the system then why should I feel bad for them?

The interviewers do have a terrible time aruond interview time. They have to listen to a bunch of 18 year old spotty kids who think they are gods gift to their subject for hours on end when they could be doing much more exciting work. You don't have to feel sorry for them, just respect the job they do

LOL, right on. They have so many %%%%%%%%%%%%s to sift through just to find a few decent applicants to populate the year with. It's bad enough that they have to see so many who are just clueless, but the ones who love themselves... that's bad. It's especially bad when the parents hang around in college (shudder).

I remember one of our guys storming out at the end of the day saying 'I saw 10 people today and only one was any good whatsoever - what are these schools thinking?!' Then a girl goes back to her mum after interview and says 'I'm worried because they asked me about X and I didn't know' Mum replies with 'you stupid girl, I told you to read that book!'

The whole thing is so awful, it's comic.

Reply 44

Jigglypuff

16

Bumblebee3

LOL, right on. They have so many %%%%%%%%%%%%s to sift through just to find a few decent applicants to populate the year with. It's bad enough that they have to see so many who are just clueless, but the ones who love themselves... that's bad. It's especially bad when the parents hang around in college (shudder).

I remember one of our guys storming out at the end of the day saying 'I saw 10 people today and only one was any good whatsoever - what are these schools thinking?!' Then a girl goes back to her mum after interview and says 'I'm worried because they asked me about X and I didn't know' Mum replies with 'you stupid girl, I told you to read that book!'

The whole thing is so awful, it's comic.

Aww my parents did that! I told them to just sit in the bar while I went to my interview...didn't see anything wrong with that! They aren't the pushy type though, they weren't like some of the parents I've come across who are like 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT DIDN'T GO WELL?'

Reply 45

Bumblebee3

OP

8

Jigglypuff

Aww my parents did that! I told them to just sit in the bar while I went to my interview...didn't see anything wrong with that! They aren't the pushy type though, they weren't like some of the parents I've come across who are like 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT DIDN'T GO WELL?'

Lol, there's nothing wrong with the odd supportive parent... but I hate the ones who just generate stress and evil eye the other candidates. We used to give tea and buscuits to them in the JCR and some just sat there chomping away and saying to terrified candidates 'so my daughter has 6 As, what about you?' and that sort of thing. Sometimes we spent more time advising and counselling the parents than the actual applicants :mad:

'You know it really isn't the end of the world if she doesn't get in...'

Reply 46

Chess Piece Face

Bumblebee3

'so my daughter has 6 As, what about you?'

Argh! Quality, not quantity, people!

Reply 47

Jigglypuff

16

Bumblebee3

Lol, there's nothing wrong with the odd supportive parent... but I hate the ones who just generate stress and evil eye the other candidates. We used to give tea and buscuits to them in the JCR and some just sat there chomping away and saying to terrified candidates 'so my daughter has 6 As, what about you?' and that sort of thing. Sometimes we spent more time advising and counselling the parents than the actual applicants :mad:

'You know it really isn't the end of the world if she doesn't get in...'

Uggh that must be so embarassing for their son/daughter. And so annoying for the other candidates. Luckily my parents just amused themselves on the quiz machine; it was my dad's birthday and as he is self-employed he usually takes the day off for it so thought it would be nice to come and see where I was applying.

I helped out on the interview desk last year though, and there were a few parents who insisted on walking to the interview with myself and the applicant. :s-smilie:

Reply 48

HCD

16

That's really overprotective and ridiculous! I travelled up to Oxford without my parents, and I'm damn glad they didn't want to come!

Reply 49

DannyBoy123

15

My dad offered to come and I kind of scoffed and said thanks but no thanks lol. Didn't realise it was such a common occurence! If I had been asked about my results by a parent I would have claimed 8 AS level's, with 6 of them at 300/300 and that I was in the top 5 in the country in 6 of my 15 GCSE's...just to see the look on their face lol. And then cooly add that I am not really sure I want to come to Cambridge as I have a 100% scholarship to Harvard :biggrin:

Reply 50

*pitseleh*

20

Although there are bound to be some psychotic parents who turn up, I don't think it's necessarily overprotective of parents to come - to be honest, at 17 (and probably still now) I would have valued the company as I'm quite shy and don't find it all that easy to talk to people right away. And I bet there are quite a few people at the age of 17 who have never travelled by themselves before - catching a train and two buses by yourself can seem like a big deal if it's not something you're used to.

Reply 51

Cirsium

19

For Cambridge I can see the point - if you're just there for the day and they're having to take you / bring you back... and for internationals going abroad for the first time, or having never flown alone before... But some people at Oxford - who may be staying for e.g. 3 days bring parents which I completely can't understand. I'd feel like I had to spend time with them, when really I wanted to get to know the city...

Reply 52

*pitseleh*

20

Of course. I mean, for most people (especially the more outgoing ones), it's not going to be that big a deal. But I reckon familiar company could be a huge advantage to some of those who get absolutely terrified. I don't think they would necessarily see having to hang around with their family as a burden - probably more a relief. :smile:

Reply 53

Helenia

20

Bumblebee3

Lol, there's nothing wrong with the odd supportive parent... but I hate the ones who just generate stress and evil eye the other candidates. We used to give tea and buscuits to them in the JCR and some just sat there chomping away and saying to terrified candidates 'so my daughter has 6 As, what about you?' and that sort of thing. Sometimes we spent more time advising and counselling the parents than the actual applicants :mad:

'You know it really isn't the end of the world if she doesn't get in...'

We have signs at the entrance to Mem Court saying (effectively) "No parents beyond this point." We have tea and biscuits for applicants but parents have to go and entertain themselves/stress elsewhere.

I went without mine though, it didn't occur to me to bring them.

Reply 54

thomasjtl

9

I can understand parents wanting to see where their children are applying, and for me at least i was reliant on my mum for a lift down to oxford- 2hrs by car, or 3 1/2 to 4hrs by coach. She came up with me to my room, but after a quick look at it, a hug and a 'good luck!' she left. I think she went shopping with some mother we met on the park and ride, also with a son being interviewed at lincoln.

Reply 55

Undiscovery

I think it's nice to see a parent with their child at the interview, but really only when the parent looks passive and ... nice. You can really tell the pushy ones. Personally, I went to Cambridge on my own and discuss my application there very little with my family.

Reply 56

Vesicle

6

Eventhough I'm used to travelling alone, and being out at night, I would say that my train journey to Cambridge was one of the most horrendous hours of my life. Not only was it pitch black (oh why oh why did I decide to go down after school?) the train was small, stopped at many stations and I had to change at Ely in what felt like the middle of the night, in complete isolation. I felt as though I was travelling to my impending death- also the prespect of the interviews with completely unknown strangers wasn't particularly comforting either.

The college seemed rather sinister in pitch-blackness as well, but thankfully the porter was really nice so I calmed down a bit and managed to get an okay night.

If I had talked to my parents about how I was travelling to my interview that experience may have been avoided. They probably would have suggested that I took an earlier train, or had taken the direct train into London, and then another one out. But no, I was stubburnly independent, and arranged everything myself.

Reply 57

Undiscovery

Yeh I had to change numerous times, at Peterborough and Grantham, but in daylight Ely seemed a nice little village!

Reply 58

Cataclysm

2

People bring parents, it seems like a perfectly normal idea but it never ever occurred to me! Well it actually depends on my parents. I applied alone (well with the school's support of course), I went alone, got interviewed alone, got rejected alone. My parents were indifferent to it all. Meh, they didn't even care that I applied to Oxford!

Reply 59

marbles

parkerpen

No one forced those people to apply who didn't get in. If they got stressed out by the system then why should I feel bad for them?

Just a thought - some people are "forced" to apply; in that their parents or teachers pressure them down the Oxbridge route which they may not have chosen for themselves.

Of course, that still doesn't imply that you should "feel bad for them". :smile:

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