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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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How aspirational?

39 replies

Notsureabouthis · 12/12/2019 18:19

UCAS in now so it’s too late! But he’s having a gap year so we may be going back through this next year with the grades in hand.

Predicted BCC and school advised we took off anything that had an A in pretty much. So he went for a BCC and then integrated foundation courses for the other 4 so entry quite low. They seemed to advise going low then phoning and asking to do the 3 year course if grades were better.

If grades include an A then he will reapply.

It’s History and has applied to Cardiff (BCC for ancient and medieval), Reading foundation(each application on own merits), Manchester Met integrated foundation(CCC), Royal Holloway integrated Foundation (CCC) and Northampton integrated foundation (DDE).

What do you think? Aiming too low? They took out Liverpool and Leicester at ABB saying he might end up with no offers and he could always reapply if grades were good.

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titchy · 12/12/2019 21:43

Yeah I think that was poor advice tbh. One or two aspirational would have been sensible. He'll likely get 5 offers, and will presumably keep one of the foundation year offers as insurance, so the other foundation year choices were a bit of a waste.

Liverpool and Leicester are both well ranked and took two grades lower this year (low birth year.)

Notsureabouthis · 12/12/2019 22:10

@titchy thanks- that was my gut feeling too. Oh well! Do you know if he could apply through clearing and defer?

To be fair to the school those predictions are quite optimistic as he’s very inconsistent!

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Justneedatemporaryname · 12/12/2019 22:28

He can still switch some choices out, can't he?

Notsureabouthis · 12/12/2019 22:28

I’m a bit annoyed at myself as I spent ages helping him research/visit and then just got UCAS fatigue and said right fine press the button! 🙈

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Notsureabouthis · 12/12/2019 22:29

@Justneedatemporaryname oh can he? I didn’t know that!

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MadameJosephine · 12/12/2019 22:32

Don’t forget there’s always the option of adjustment if he exceeds the grades needed for his firm offer

www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/ucas-adjustment-if-youve-done-better-expected

Justneedatemporaryname · 12/12/2019 22:33

You've got 14 days to switch them. When did he submit it?

LIZS · 12/12/2019 22:34

Definitely aimed too low, should not need a foundation year if he achieves b and c's . He could go through adjustment or clearing when results are out if he changes his mind or betters his firm offer.

Notsureabouthis · 12/12/2019 22:40

He submitted today!

Help! Should we change one for an aspirational? Also I wasn’t sure whether he should put the foundation or the 3 year course down?

It’s hard because he is pretty dyslexic and his grades are very inconsistent.

The school said to have a think after they advised on taking Liverpool and Leicester out and I said let’s just get on with it! It’s being going on forever 🙈

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titchy · 12/12/2019 22:41

You can apply through clearing to start that cycle (so Aug 2020 to start Sep 2020). You CANNOT use clearing to apply for the following year.

titchy · 12/12/2019 22:43

Yes change one. And yes apply for year 1 entry - he'd be offered foundation year entry in any case if his grades turn out to be not good enough.

Notsureabouthis · 12/12/2019 22:56

Cardiff BCC (Ancient and Medieval History)- he’s very keen although we haven’t visited. Satisfaction quite low and drop out high which worries me- possibly because it’s such low entry requirements relative to other courses. Luckily it’s the area he’s interested in!

Reading BBB but drops to BCC as he’s dyslexic and there’s the foundation which is each on its own merits. He loved the department but wasn’t so sure about the Uni- he likes more of an urban feel.

Man Met - BBC or DDD foundation. Really liked the Uni, the city. Course looks good with lots he was interested in. Department not as impressive as Reading. Nice people though and cool campus.

Royal Holloway. AAB foundation CCC. Didn’t visit - campus looks beautiful which he was enthusiastic about. Courses look amazing - he was very excited by them. A bit worried to read that it empties out at weekends as we live at the other end of the country! Also not very urban but he was still enthusiastic.

Northampton - BCC or DEE foundation. No views on this really- a late addition. I think this might be the one to go if we switched out.

If you got to the end of this well done! If you’ve got any advice then I would be very grateful!

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MarchingFrogs · 13/12/2019 00:25

Applying to university being a sort of distance selling, there is a 'cooling off' period:

www.ucas.com/undergraduate/after-you-apply/making-changes-your-ucas-undergraduate-application

University or college

You can swap a choice for a different one within 14 days of the date on your welcome email. You can only swap eachchoice once.

Within 14days of the date on your welcome email you can swap the choice in Track. The 14 day period starts from the day you receive your email.

Definitely agree no harm in your DS swapping one of the Foundation courses (I would probably suggest for Leicester, but Liverpool seems to be one of the universities - and cities - that everyone loves when they visit).

Notsureabouthis · 13/12/2019 00:42

@Marchingfrogs - thanks! Can I ask why you say Leicester rather than Liverpool?

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Stillabitemo · 13/12/2019 00:49

I would definitely suggest Liverpool! They accepted BCC this year

TinklyLittleLaugh · 13/12/2019 00:53

Liverpool seem to allow a drop of two grades on their offer. I think they’re worth a shout.

Notsureabouthis · 13/12/2019 01:17

Brilliant thanks and he loved it there . Which would you drop out of our list?

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Notsureabouthis · 13/12/2019 01:21

@TinklyLittleLaugh do you know which course that was for?

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MarchingFrogs · 13/12/2019 06:27

Reputation for History / relative attended for higher degree / contact with academics there (albeit not in History dept) / personally liked university / city when visited (albeit not History dept). So not entirely scientific, I'm afraid. If your DS has visited Liverpool and loved it, go Liverpool.

Notsureabouthis · 13/12/2019 06:34

Emailed the school and they said that Liverpool unlikely to offer with his predictions and we should stay as we are. Is that right? I think I’ll phone them and ask.

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Boyskeepswinging · 13/12/2019 06:41

Notsure I would definitely advise phoning the Admissions Team this morning. They will be able to advise if they could make an offer.

MarchingFrogs · 13/12/2019 06:57

Your DS will get offers - even those predicticted 4A* don't necessarily get offers from all the universities to which they apply, so swapping one of the 'fallback' preferences for somewhere more aspirational (or, more importantly, preferable for him) really doesn't matter. He's not going to get an offer from anywhere he hasn't applied. And his UCAS application is his UCAS application- if it has been submitted, the school can't actually prevent him from making the changes that UCAS allows him to make. So get him to ask the universities and decide on that basis.

Also, there is no requirement even to have used all five options in the first place, so being offered places by four 'safe' choices and not by the one aspirational one is no different from not having used that fifth 'slot' for the aspirational one at all. Apart from, of course, a bit of a feeling of rejection - but 'nothing ventured, nothing gained', as the saying goes?

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titchy · 13/12/2019 07:13

Seriously the school is giving you very poor advice. Swap Liv for Northampton. You could also consider swapping RH for Leics. MMU would be a good insurance one, with Cardiff/Liv/Leics as firm.

Notsureabouthis · 13/12/2019 07:38

Hi, thanks all. I’ll call the Unis today. My son is going to go ballistic as he was so relieved it was all away! 🙈

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LIZS · 13/12/2019 07:51

Can I suggest he calls. The uni are under no obligation to discuss it with you, unless you have his express permission. They also will not commit to giving an offer until they review his application.

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