Mumsnet Talk

We can join in stressing about ucas forms interviews etc?

I am finding it all a very steep learning curve - we could support one another - celebrate and commiserate?

I've got the joys of that next year but am getting stressed already as DS has set his sights a little high as where he wants to go requires 2 x A* and 2 x A.

He has just returned to college today and starts UCAS lessons next week so hopefully he will get all the guidance he needs.
Hope all goes well for you x

mum of satan

we are the first year of A* and so far no one has made offers including the * but two stars

what is he applying for?

Where does he want to go that is asking for 4 alevels?

I have a DS who is applying but is on his gap year. He did UCAS last year but decided to reapply this year for slightly different courses. He's completed his application and his college is now adding the references.
(He is not in the A* league!)

he wants to read law at Churchill college in Cambridge and apparently that will be their requirement. I'm as shocked as you are and am hoping he might start thinking of plans B and C

mumofsatan are you sure about that?
I have only heard of cambridge offering A*AA as their standard offer - that is for this year entry ( 2010)

sorry for not reading your post more closely mos....2 a* AND 2 A's not heard of that either

ucas lessons??????

Surely colleges offer alot of support as well???

Ucas applications for Oxbridge closed a while ago. If he is only getting around to coaching for Ucas next week, he will have missed the boat by a long way.

I didn't think anyone asked for more than three A-levels, or more than one A*.

wicked mumofsatans son is hoping to apply NEXT year

Ah, my bad

Just checked Law at Cambridge he only needs A* and 2 A's so easy after all!!

Ah - but he wants to go to Churchill whose website states:
"Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to take at least four A-level subjects."
"Virtually everyone admitted during the last decade has attained at least 9A*s at GCSE"
"We ordinarily favour students completing 4 A-levels and normally attach a condition of A* A* AA to any offer of admission in Law"

gosh milliways...

i thought churchill was modern and slightly less competitive i think i was wrong

There is nothing like aiming high is there? I'm just hoping that he will start looking at all the options available to him.
Not quite sure what the UCAS lessions are but they apparently have a dedicated member of staff who deals with all that. Hopefully I'll know a bit more next week after he has had his first lesson. I'm relieved about this as feel rather helpless as so far away (he is at a full boarding school as I am overseas)

Milliways, you are the official MN expert on Cambridge as you have a child there <mos curtseys to Milliways>

JCOS has your DS any idea where he wants to go?

omg a boy at ds school has today received a letter from churchill saying offers now A* A* AA - i think it a wee bit unfair that they announce this after close of play....

DS1 has come hom from school saying that when he asked for his predicted grades he was told he had to pay UCAS £10 for them. Something about an agreement the school has with UCAS. Is this usual or are they taking the piss?

Mumofsatan's son isn't apply until next year so of course he isn't late.

JesusChristOtter - That does seem terribly unfair to move the goal posts after a student has commited. Will they be put in the pool I wonder? What college has your DS applied to?

DS1 has applied to read medicine. I couldn't bribe persuade him to apply to Cambridge. He sat BMAT last week and UKCAT in September.

SOunds rubbish about the £10 thing. Predicted grades are decided upon by the teachers at the school. Nothing to do with UCAS.

lazymumofteenage sons i dont think you are allowed to know your predicted grades...

never heard of that £10 thing

Swedes has he put his ucas form in yet - any replies??

swedes ds has applied for Peterhouse

dd is in midst of perfecting her Personal Statement atm

Dd1 has just handed in her personal statement and now is waiting on the teachers' references. I think they do a mini-interview with each.

With regard to predicted grades - dd1 had hers before half-term. She got 4 Cs at AS and has been predicted BBC. SHe was really upset because she needs ABB. Her History teacher has agreed to up it from a C to a B because she has convinced him she will get a B in her AS retake. She is working on her PE teacher now for an A...

Total rubbish not telling you your predicted grades! How on earth can you ensure you don't waste all your options on unattainable places??

Now, seing your teachers reference is another matter though - maybe they are confusing that?

MOS: DD is loving BEING at the Uni, but finding the workload/expectations etc VERY hard, and quite demoralising as you are no longer anywhere near being top of anything. She has to produce an average 3 essays a week plus other work / preparations for tutorials etc. However, the medics have SATURDAY lectures, so it could be worse.