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Have you rparents every doubted your ability to get into Oxbridge?

Reply 20

gyrase

3

"There is always a better applicant than you out there."

Reply 21

Greatleysteg

19

Cowz

Don't wanna wee all over your bonfire, but you've still gotta get your A-level results yet havent you?

When I said it worked, I meant I was offered a place, i.e. I "got in" in the same way that everyone else in the 2008 has "got in", provisionally.

Reply 22

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Cowz

But it's true! My girlfriend's former lecturer applied to the same college his dad went to and was interviewed by his former headmaster ffs!

THe true nature of the admissions procedure is reflected in the percentage of public school kids who go there at one end, and the wide variety of degree marks obtained at the other.

[ok 3rd post in as many minutes on this thread...should really get back to work]

It's not Oxbridge's fault that there are less applicants from state schools than private schools, but I can't be bothered to debate this as it's been done far too much on TSR and I also need to get back to work :smile:

Though I should have mentioned in my last reply to you that at my college, there is an unofficial extra test not mentioned in any of the prospectuses. So admissions talks on open days aren't irrelevant :wink:

Reply 23

rainbow drops

17

Cowz

But it's true! My girlfriend's former lecturer applied to the same college his dad went to and was interviewed by his former headmaster ffs!

THe true nature of the admissions procedure is reflected in the percentage of public school kids who go there at one end, and the wide variety of degree marks obtained at the other.

[ok 3rd post in as many minutes on this thread...should really get back to work]

i honestly don't think it's true, but carrying this on will cause a huge discussion which will get us nowhere, so i'll shh now :p:

Reply 24

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Cowz

Then you have a dim view of university life.

Why?

Reply 25

Cowz

Vazzyb

Yeah they used to put up 'YOU WONT GET IN' banners all over the house to keep reminding me :frown:

Hehehehe. I think I'll do that when I have children, 'You'll amount to nothing child so stop trying.' All in the interest of science of course.

Reply 26

*stars and stripes*

6

The_Lonely_Goatherd

I have the opposite problem, in that my parents were convinced that I'd get in, do really well and come out with a First. I'm sure what your parents said was quite hurtful, but at least you can surprise them/prove them wrong, rather than prove them right/disappoint them :s-smilie:

In any case, don't listen to your parents. You loved the open day, so if you stand a chance, just go for it! If I'd listened to everyone who told me I'd never get in, I wouldn't have just finished my first year at Oxford! :smile:

My dad was/is the same. No matter how much I tried to tell him that it was competitive and that I didn't think I'd done well enough at interview (if I recall correctly, the chances of me getting an offer were "so slim that pigs would fly before that ever happened" :redface:

) he refused to acknowledge the fact that a rejection was even a possibility :s-smilie:

Now, he talks as if I'm already there, despite the supposedly 'minor' hurdle of A Level results to come :rolleyes:

Basically, if you think you have a shot, don't listen to your parents! Focus on what you want and concentrate on doing everything to the best of your ability that will get your there...try and prove them wrong! I've had many a teacher tell me that I shouldn't bother applying and sometimes that was what I needed to give me the extra determination. Good luck :smile:

Reply 27

SsEe

13

I didn't tell my parents what universities I was applying to. So it was a nice surprise when I told them I was going to Oxford :smile:

.

Reply 28

tomster

13

Greatleysteg

When I said it worked, I meant I was offered a place, i.e. I "got in" in the same way that everyone else in the 2008 has "got in", provisionally.

This may sound like a bit of an irrelivant question, but did you go to state school?

Reply 29

200428

3

I have the opposite problem. I'm pretty doubtful of my ability to get in, but I thought I'd give it a go because the course looks good, I liked it when I went to visit, and even if I don't get in, I'm quite excited about the prospect of just having a really big academic literary discussion with an expert at interview, because I think it'll be a really good experience and it's not something I get the chance to do normally (coming from a friendship group full of medics and a family consisting of a radiotherapist, a 6th form drop-out, a building supervisor, a banker, a secretary and a German teacher.) I'd kick myself if, next year, I got three As and hadn't at least tried...I'd spend the rest of my life thinking 'what if?', but my family have pinned all of their aspirations on me and keep talking about it like I'm going to get in for sure...it's terrifying! They're like "PRESSUREPRESSUREPRESSURE" on me, which I don't appreciate.

Reply 30

Greatleysteg

19

tomster

This may sound like a bit of an irrelivant question, but did you go to state school?

Yes, a comprehensive :smile:

Not that irrelevant - you're wondering if it's parents of state-schooled pupils who try to put them off applying/doubt their ability?

Reply 31

Cowz

tomster

This may sound like a bit of an irrelivant question, but did you go to state school?

Good question.

Reply 32

mavoury

My parents were cautiously supportive. My mum said she hadn't even considered Oxbridge for me until a teacher said I was good enough to apply at a parent-teacher evening. It was entirely my decision to apply, but they were very encouraging. But I let my imagination run away with me, and spent hours looking at pictures of my college and researching accomadation and societies, before I even got an interview. My mum had to keep reminding me how slim the chance of getting an offer was (as did my teachers), and after I did get an offer, she kept reminding me I wasn't in yet, and I never would be if I didn't get off TSR/Facebook and do some work. It worked though, and I slogged it out, and got in!! After I got my results on Thursday, my parents were in shock, I think they must have thought that me ever going to Cambridge was a dream. A nice idealistic dream, but a dream all the same!

Overall the reaction I had from people was encouraging, except from one teacher. She and my mum (also a teacher) don't get on, so she took it out on me. After giving me a practice interview she told me I wouldn't get in in a million years. After I got the offer, she told my friend's sister's class that I didn't deserve a place at Cambridge and that I would never make my offer. HAH.

Reply 33

Quistis

My mum was pleased when I got a B in one of my AS levels, because she didn't want me to apply to Oxford, and hoped that one "bad" grade would put me off :eek:

My parents were absolutely sure I'd get a place at at least one medical school, and have never doubted my intellectual ability, but they didn't want me to apply to Oxford because they thought it "wasn't for people like us". When I got in, they were delighted, and I think they only warned me off initially because they didn't want me to be disappointed if I was discriminated against by the awful snobs they thought ran the place. My dad is a professional with a degree himself, and my mum works in education, but I suppose their perceptions were coloured by the Oxbridge stereotypes seen in the media.

Reply 34

tomster

13

Greatleysteg

Yes, a comprehensive :smile:

Not that irrelevant - you're wondering if it's parents of state-schooled pupils who try to put them off applying/doubt their ability?

Achieving your grades at a comprehensive is a brilliant achievement, and for that I congratulate you :smile:

As for your question, that what I was pretty much trying to imply.

Reply 35

Greatleysteg

19

tomster

Achieving your grades at a comprehensive is a brilliant achievement, and for that I congratulate you :smile:

As for your question, that what I was pretty much trying to imply.

Thanks

I know I still could (should) have done better, though.

(Especially at GCSE... I got an E in my Physics coursework and a D in Chemistry coursework. Needless to say, they were my worst grades, As)

Reply 36

eulerwaswrong

13

personally i dont think there is any pressure from my parents, if anything sometimes i think my dad doesnt want me to do well (he is a maths teacher but point blank refuses to help saying it is a different exam board - he isnt sure about it (basically he got a 1st from imperial in mahts then did nothing with it and always seems bitter about it))

I do feel sometimes my school puts pressure on me to apply to oxbridge - ive talked to the head, the head of sixth and the head of the governors about it - it kinda makes me feel a bit uncomfortable

Reply 37

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Cowz

Good question.

I went to a state school as well.

You still haven't told me why I'm dim :wink:

Reply 38

soph!e

My mum was pretty emphatic that I wouldn't get a place- she still doubts I'll get the grades and get it :frown:

. She said if I was going to apply I should go for one of the apparently 'less competitive' old -girls colleges despite my GCSE's and AS's being strong. I ignored her. I got an offer. On the other hand I can't say this is cos I'm at a state school cos she's had the college my sister (who hasn't got her GCSE's yet!) should apply to picked out since she was 7. And she claim she doesn't have favourites :rolleyes:

Reply 39

supernovastarfish

OP

8

Quistis

My dad is a professional with a degree himself, and my mum works in education, but I suppose their perceptions were coloured by the Oxbridge stereotypes seen in the media.

that could actually be the case with my parents cause i haven't seen them in about a year. they never read my school report, went to the parents evening etc or even at the time when Oxbridge specially came round to my school (which is state btw) , arms extended to get people to apply to them.

Have you rparents every doubted your ability to get into Oxbridge?

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