DS doing ostrich impression at the moment but needs an action plan. I think getting no offers has really really kicked his self confidence.
DS applied to medicine. 2 interviews. Kept dangling till end of march. 2 rejections at almost the last possible minute.
Has reserve place. AAB offer. Assuming meets these grades, takes place and has a relaxed time at uni!
Exceeds this.... I guess he rings the places he was interviewed first to see if they have a space ( yeah I know not likely but the only " box he didn't tick" as far as we could see was that he got a B in AS chemistry, so maybe they didn't think he'd get the grades?).
Are there any other med schools that are worth ringing? He thinks not. I can't see why not as the worse case is a no!
Doesn't get into reserve place... awful situation- tempted to say unless he has a clear idea of what courses to look at via clearing in advance then just take a gap year rather than grabbing a subject he doesn't want or a uni he doesn't want.
How long do we have to think before he firms reserve offer assuming he gets the grades? I think he'll need a bit of head space to think does he go and do reserve course if has exceeded grades, as it is still a realistic thought to re apply next year with grades in hand and some work experience etc BUT that's a huge thing to choose at 18 when " everyone" is off away to uni and you arent...
Argh! what to do to help?
Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.
Higher education
OK don't know how to help him. Advice pls
Theas18 · 12/08/2014 11:38
Theas I am sorry to hear about your DS. My DD is also waiting for A level results on Thursday and is taking a gap year, so I fully understand the problem of all his friends going off to uni and him being left behind.
I have found with a lot of issues with education that if you don't ask you will never know, and I personally would be keen to get him to ring around other med schools, as you say the worst case is a refusal. I know though how hard it is to get them to do something they don't see any point in, and of course UCAS doesn't want to deal with parents on the phone. What might make him feel better is on Thursday itself when other people have missed courses by a grade or so, and are subsequently accepted, or other people have some luck doing what you would like your DS to do. He may then feel empowered to try with the rationale that he has nothing to lose.
Good luck, you have my sympathy, it is such a stressful and tense time for them and for us 
I'd assume anyone claiming all medical students use a writing service to work for the service since my experience is that they don't generally do so. Nor do I know of any evidence that the courses help, although the books do. Every year good students miss out on places at medical school, he's far from the only one, and those who decide to reapply often have a place the next year.
Too many young science students think they have to apply for medicine. He will do a degree he enjoys, get a great job and you'll (hopefully) still get to see him at Christmas when his doctor friends are in hospital. And you wont have to fund him for 5 or 6 years 
.
Glad he's made a decision. He had great results and I love alreadytaken's spin on the positives 
Don’t want to miss threads like this?
Weekly
Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!
Log in to update your newsletter preferences.
You've subscribed!
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.