Post Assessments, pre-interview Admissions Tutor thread

OP

Original post by theravadaz

Sorry to ask such a trivial question, but do you know if there's a certain time in the day after which no interviews will be sent? Do the admissions departments have a 'closing time'? I'm just asking so that I can coordinate my obsessive email refreshing schedule :tongue:

Thanks very much for all your help :smile:

Hello and thanks for the question. Most admissions offices will close between 5 and 6pm during the week. Occasionally at this time of year, Admissions Co-ordinators will work weekends in order to schedule interviews, especially if they are at a college with a lot of applicants. Generally, though, you should expect to hear between 9am and 6pm on weekdays.

Reply 143

OP

Original post by blue2337

Hello! I've just heard back and have managed to bag myself an interview (yippee!). I was just wondering if you could elaborate on the difference between the two interviews: general interview and subject specific interview. Will the general interview be questions about A Levels, general academic performance, academic history etc, and the subject interview be focused on questions about the subject? Or will both be similar in assessing general academic competence?

If you look further up in this thread, I have discussed what general interviews involve so have a look there and that should help. Both will aim to assess your ability and potential, the subject interview will be more important and more focused, while the general interview is likely to approach the subject in more general ways.

Reply 144

OP

Original post by unknowntsr

Hi!

I did an open application and got given Medwards!

Quick qs - will we be able to discuss our ELAT in the interview because I would really like to!
- will we be penalised for not remembering things that happen in the books we read if we've read a lot (like specific quotations, not whole chunks of text!)
After interview is the ELAT still an important factor in decision making?

Thank you so much and hopefully I can see the college soon!

Hello and thank you for your questions and nice to know that you got Medwards! No, you won;'t be asked about the ELAT in the interviews - it's college policy not to discuss Admissions Assessments in the interviews, so as not to double weight their importance.

No, we don't expect you to remember specific quotations or chunks of texts from things you have read. You should be able to discuss themes from what you have read, though.

The ELAT will be part of the decision making process but only a part.

Reply 145

ibprocrastinator

2

Hello,

Thank you for doing this (I've been lurking around for a while, but I have a pressing query now :tongue:

)
I am a post-IB applicant, but I have planned to take A-Level exams this June. The AT recommended that I submit a predicted grade for this, but as a private candidate, I do not have access to anyone who would provide A-Level predicteds (my school teaches only the IB). How do you think I should go about this? (My subjects aren't related to Land Economy explicitly, but were related to a course at another Uni, which I reported nonetheless to avoid any non-disclosure.)
Do you think this could have any ramifications on my application, now that the interview invitations phase has begun?

Thank you for making the time to answer this.

Reply 146

OP

Original post by ibprocrastinator

Hello,

Thank you for doing this (I've been lurking around for a while, but I have a pressing query now :tongue:

)
I am a post-IB applicant, but I have planned to take A-Level exams this June. The AT recommended that I submit a predicted grade for this, but as a private candidate, I do not have access to anyone who would provide A-Level predicteds (my school teaches only the IB). How do you think I should go about this? (My subjects aren't related to Land Economy explicitly, but were related to a course at another Uni, which I reported nonetheless to avoid any non-disclosure.)
Do you think this could have any ramifications on my application, now that the interview invitations phase has begun?

Thank you for making the time to answer this.

Hello and thanks for the question. If you're self-teaching the A Levels then there is no way of providing a prediction. If you are having private tuition, then you might get your tutor to provide a prediction.

Without predictions, we will have to rely solely on your IB results when thinking about public exams which, I am guessing are lower than the standard offer? If so then it will be difficult for you to get an offer.

Reply 147

ibprocrastinator

2

Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions

Hello and thanks for the question. If you're self-teaching the A Levels then there is no way of providing a prediction. If you are having private tuition, then you might get your tutor to provide a prediction.

Without predictions, we will have to rely solely on your IB results when thinking about public exams which, I am guessing are lower than the standard offer? If so then it will be difficult for you to get an offer.

Hello,
Thank you for the prompt response.
I'm teaching myself the A-Levels content, yes. Would it be okay to email the AT explaining that I cannot provide the scores?
I hope I do make it, considering the offer for Land Economy is 40-41 points? *fingers crossed*

Reply 148

OP

Original post by ibprocrastinator

Hello,
Thank you for the prompt response.
I'm teaching myself the A-Levels content, yes. Would it be okay to email the AT explaining that I cannot provide the scores?
I hope I do make it, considering the offer for Land Economy is 40-41 points? *fingers crossed*

I think that would be a good course of action. A plurality of IB offers are made at 41 points and more are made at 42 than 40.

Reply 149

Student1256

13

Which colleges send interview invites via letter instead of email? I'm interested to know and if you don't have the data or the time to answer for all colleges just tell me about my college, Trinity Hall, does it send invitations via email or letter? I'm an international student so it would take very long to receive the letter as well. Thank you very much!

Reply 150

OP

Just to update people - the only Section 1 results delivered to colleges thus far are Natural Sciences, Engineering and Economics. There won;t be any more before tomorrow. Students in those subjects, therefore, could hear about interviews any time from now but I remind you to have patience as (in most cases) colleges will need to have their Section 2 results and for the DoS and AT to meet before they communicate decisions to candidates.

For other subjects with pre-interview AAs, you are unlikely to hear until those Section 1s have been delivered unless your college decides that it regardless of that score they would call you to interview anyway. In a lot of cases colleges will feel that anyway but won't contact you before they get the results of the AAs as they want to contact everyone together, so if other people have heard and you haven;t it doesn't mean anything about the strength of your application.

Reply 151

OP

Original post by Student1256

Which colleges send interview invites via letter instead of email? I'm interested to know and if you don't have the data or the time to answer for all colleges just tell me about my college, Trinity Hall, does it send invitations via email or letter? I'm an international student so it would take very long to receive the letter as well. Thank you very much!

I'm afraid I don;t know how the exact processes of individual college admissions offices, but if you're an international student, I can't foresee any circumstances where your college won't write to you by email.

Reply 152

domaths

11

Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions

Just to update people - the only Section 1 results delivered to colleges thus far are Natural Sciences, Engineering and Economics. There won;t be any more before tomorrow. Students in those subjects, therefore, could hear about interviews any time from now but I remind you to have patience as (in most cases) colleges will need to have their Section 2 results and for the DoS and AT to meet before they communicate decisions to candidates.

For other subjects with pre-interview AAs, you are unlikely to hear until those Section 1s have been delivered unless your college decides that it regardless of that score they would call you to interview anyway. In a lot of cases colleges will feel that anyway but won't contact you before they get the results of the AAs as they want to contact everyone together, so if other people have heard and you haven;t it doesn't mean anything about the strength of your application.

How long have colleges had section 2 results?

Reply 153

OP

Original post by domaths

How long have colleges had section 2 results?

Colleges mark the Section 2 scripts themselves so we have to generate the results ourselves. The vast bulk of scripts were delivered to colleges by Thursday last week. It's up to DoSes to mark them and then report back to Admissions Offices.

Reply 154

ibprocrastinator

2

Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions

I think that would be a good course of action. A plurality of IB offers are made at 41 points and more are made at 42 than 40.

I shall do that then, thank you so much for your time :smile:

And thanks for the hope!

Reply 155

OP

Original post by ibprocrastinator

I shall do that then, thank you so much for your time :smile:

And thanks for the hope!

No problem, and best of luck. :smile:

Reply 156

Bobbib

1

Is it rare to have only one subject interview for HSPS? Just got invitation from Queen's College.

Reply 157

OP