What counts as extenuating circumstances?

[Jux]

DD has had offers from 4 RG Unis.

She has been being harrssed, near stalked, by her ex for the last 6 m, and the police have been involved for 2m, but it drags on and takes time, and br8ngs her a huge amount of stress.

Her grandfather was admitted to hospital (200 miles away so visits not easy) in October; she and dh visited just before Xmas where he seemed OK but couldn't be discharged until a nursing home place was found. He died at the beginning of January and the funeral was last week.

For nearly 8 years dd has also been struggling with her own health. They are now looking at fibromyalgia, but of course there's no definitive test for it so it's been a long journey ruling other things out. It has taken this long because dd gets to a point where she can't take any more prodding and just wants to concentrate on, for eg, her GCSEs (which she did very well on).

Would that lot count as extenuating circumstances? Her tutor has said that she won't make the application, not because she thinks dd will get the grades and won't need it, but because she thinks dd will do so badly that it isn't worth it.

I am v angry. DD has been working her socks off, got the grades required for all her subjects in mocks, except the one which her tutor teaches, where she got a D. No one in the class got higher than a D and the majority either failed or got E.

Can I email the college expressing my disgust, and demanding they apply for extenuating circs?

[RedHelenB]

Think it's up to your daughter to aooky for extenuating circumstances rather the man college.

[senua]

There must be a system/protocol - investigate it and use it. I should imagine that you have to work through the College's internal procedures before you can appeal to other bodies (eg exam boards or Universities). It might be an idea to check up on any deadlines you might bump against because I'll bet this will be a long slog.

However, something must be going right for her to have got the four offers. Well done her.

[NotAQueef]

Sorry I am being a bit thick
Where would you be submitting the extenuating circumstances claim?
To the college? What have these circumstances affected?

[LadyLance]

Firstly, you can't apply for extenuating circumstances from both the exam board and the university. If she has fibromyalgia and gets extra time for her exams, for example, she can't also have special consideration from the uni.

Generally, if universities agree there are mitigating circumstances, they may lower an offer by a grade or two but not more. As a first step, she could email and see how unis view her circumstances and what they suggest.

What sort of outcome are you after?

[Jux]

First, we wouldn't be submitting anything ourselves! I have assumed it's something the College would have to do.

I'm not sure what outcome I want, just if she misses a grade a bit of leeway perhaps? Her tutor has been very negative, despite her hitting her grades in the mocks. It's a bit strange.

LadyLancaster, thank you. I didn't know that, and her tutor has not told her that. She is supposed to get extra time in her exams, so it'll be that which prevents the College from doing whatever you do about Ext. Circs. probably. Would have been more helpful if her tutor had just said that, wouldn't it?

[Jux]

Senua, thank you. She is a bloody star and has worked through all sorts of pain, vertigo, blood pressure crashes, you name it she's had it, but she just puts her head done and works, sleeps, works. It's a crap life atm but she knows it'll be worth it.

The Unis must have liked her; the offers came in within a week, didn't even ask for interviews. Just "yes, we'll have you, thank you very much"

[LadyLance]

So I would have expected her referee to mention a few of these things which might lead to more leeway on results day, but not in any formal way.

Universities can give contextual offers based on ongoing issues during a-levels but these circumstances would usually be mentioned in the initial application and would be things exam boards would not consider- e.g. difficult family circumstances.

I don't think, sadly, the death of a grandparent in January would be considered by university or exam board. If she gets extra time in exams, unis will say she has already had consideration for her health issues as the extra time is supposed to level the playing field. However, she should have mentioned this in her application and got her referee to mention it.

In general, if new circumstances arise after applying it is down to the applicant to contact the university in the first instance, though college may provide supporting evidence if asked.

I do think the college could have been more helpful and explained things more clearly.

[Icouldbeknitting]

The term you want is "special consideration", the maximum allowance by the exam board is 5% so it would never make a massive difference. There are lists on line of what they will take into consideration and the relevant %. The application has to be made through college, at ours it goes through the exams officer. It's to do with being disadvantaged at the time of the exam or assessment rather than the run up to it so being ill on the day is valid, being ill over the months beforehand isn't.

[AramintaDePea]

She sounds like she's really been going through the mill, bless her.

The maximum amount is 5%, which would be something such as death of a very close family member immediately before the exam etc. If you look at the exam board websites they give you examples.

I hope she gets good offers.

[marine04]

We have long term fairly substantial health issues in our family which flare up at short notice and cause stress within the entire family. Although the dd that went off to university in September isn't directly affected, when it happens it has a noticeable effect on her. Because of this the head of sixth form wrote to her first choice university explaining the situation and the concern that things might flare up just before or during exams. The plan was that she would contact them at exam time if this happened to let them know. I presume this was to try and make sure that they might take her if she dropped a grade.
As it happened things did flare up immediately before and during the exams but in totally unexpected way and direction, and things were very, very difficult. We spoke to the Head of Sixth Form again and the first choice university was notified and at this point the exams officer got involved and they applied for Special Consideration. We were never officially told that this had been awarded to her (not sure if you are told - may be she didn't get it if you are) but she went on to get stellar A levels and is at her first choice. The key to the extenuating circumstances/special consideration did appear to be the fact that it happened during the exam period. It was a horrendous period and I'm glad the safety net was there but I think generally if it is stuff that has been happening for a while then a letter to the university explaining the circumstances from school is probably the best way forward.

[AtiaoftheJulii]

Have a read of this which should cover everything.

[sashh]

Fill the forms in.

I don't now about A Level boards but a BTEC student who lived with her grandparents was denied EC when one died, death if a parent counts for Edexcel but not grandparent.