how to cope with not getting into oxbridge?

Hiya - I just finished doing the MAT and I know I’ve done pretty bad. Whenever I practiced I never got above 25%, let alone 50%, and I know it’s really important for shortlisting. I want to let go of getting an offer from Oxford, so it hurts less when I get rejected, but I’m struggling to give up. Any advice? (and don’t say to keep my hopes up. I know how I did. I’m not getting in.

I've just done it today and, like you, found it horrendous like many others I'm sure. I feel like there was lots of issues with how they actually do the test, for example having different questions on different days is kind of rubbish but I guess it makes sense to stop cheating. One thing I would say is that I feel kind of freed now as all I have to focus on now is a levels as I've already done the applications. Plus I have a half term holiday now which I can enjoy. Also try and find some other fun things to do outside of school (for me it's producing music). Also hanging out with cool people is great if you're lucky enough to have any near you. I think people in year 13 forget that there's so much more to do than academic stuff. Maybe this helps, Idk. Just know that you're not alone 🫡

Honestly that really helps. Thank you sm for the advice! Have a good break

OP
(1) You never know til' you know.
(2) Oxford and Cambridge are not the only two universities worth going to! My mates from school who are at UCL, Durham, KCL, Edinburgh etc are having a great time.
(3) If Oxford say no, you could always try again next year. I know people who got in on the second go. Last night at a dinner I met the head of a college who got into her college years ago on the second go, and now she runs the whole college.
To thegeek888 -
Sad, sad, sad. I notice that harbouring grudges and seeking vengeance are part of your psychosis. Dr Freud says: nutjob (technical term).
Will you hang your framed rejection e-mail next to your McDonalds employee of the month (runner up) certificate?

Are you an Oxbridge student? You sure sound like one.

To thegeek888 -

Sad, sad, sad. I notice that harbouring grudges and seeking vengeance are part of your psychosis. Dr Freud says: nutjob (technical term).

Will you hang your framed rejection e-mail next to your McDonalds employee of the month (runner up) certificate?

Strange response. That post was clearly tongue in cheek, so clearly that it even had an emoji in it.
And there is actually an important point behind it. Strictly speaking, not going to Oxbridge means you miss out on what is likely to be a world class education. So there is some reason to be upset about it. But not going to Oxbridge doesn't make you any less of a person or candidate than you would already have been, and it doesn't stop you from going on to be successful elsewhere. Students at Oxbridge have better outcomes in large part because Oxbridge recruit the best students to begin with. There is correlation there, but the causative link isn't nearly as strong as people think it is. Students don't have success because they go to Oxbridge. They have success because they are strong students. They just happen to go to Oxbridge. There are a lot of strong students that do not go to Oxbridge, and can still go on to be successful. That's the point, and it's one that the OP should bear in mind. Not getting into Oxbridge, if that indeed does happen, has not adversely affected the OP's ability or career prospects in any way. They are exactly the person now as they will be as and when they are rejected, and they can and hopefully will go on to study and enjoy success elsewhere.

Maybe you haven't met thegeek888 before. He doesn't do irony. He's a weird Incel Oxford obsessive with some very strange hangups, who fantasises about being a billionaire and getting revenge on all his enemies (real or imaginary, it's hard to tell). I don't recommend you waste your time reading his stuff, but, if you do, you may see what I mean.

I'm familiar with them. But even a stopped clock is right twice a day. On this occasion, I do think the post was written in the right tone and, as I say, did at least hint at a point that was worth elaborating on.