Rejected from all five choices

I think she probably has several options…

A foundation year (if she’s desperate to go to uni in September)?

She repeats a year at college to get better grades?

She takes a year out and will then have her results in hand next year?

It sounds like she has been getting poor advice from college.

My DD missed most of 6th form due to illness, only took one A level, but managed to put together a good personal statement and with only 34 UCAS points got several unconditional offers for Foundation years in fashion (she has never been well enough to go in the end but that's not relevant to this post). Before she applied anywhere, I rung the admissions team at each uni she wanted to apply for, went through the issues she was having, not enough points etc., and got a lot of really good advice for her.

My older DD had some problems with her college, luckily she also had unconditional offers although in the end she would have got in anywhere on her grades. But she told me that those students whose parents didn't understand the UCAS system were just left floundering by the college (wonder if this is more prevalent in colleges than schools).

Its ENTIRELY reasonable to expect the college or school etc to handle this - its essential they do the work required, its not an optional "extra". However, it is also essential that a parent knows when the college isn't supporting applications so that the parent can step in and help - just as if your DD wasn't doing the application properly, you'd help them - theres a formal process to be followed. What about kids without parents, those in care, or whose parents DGAF? The buck definitely stops with the colleges/schools etc.

But now you know OP, so if you can get a meeting with the college then do so and ask them to whole-heartedly support your DD. As previous posters have said there are plenty of options and I see early on in the thread a poster said they'd worked as a UCAS adviser and offered a DM. Good luck to you and DD.

Fully agree with this. I never went to uni so I had to learn about the process, what my DCs needed to do, what school did as well as the timescales involved, grades required for each course/uni. All the information is out there, to put this on the tutor is unreasonable, as parent OP should have been helping out with this too.

If she's unlikely to get in this time round she can apply again in future. It sounds like work wise she has great opportunities and a lot of it is about who you know so she would be wise to take the year working, getting real industry experience and building her own portfolio. A foundation will help boost ucas points for future applications and build her portfolio

There is a difference between an Art Foundation course and degrees with Foundation Years. The former is free and usually available via local Further Education Colleges but the latter has fees as part of a uni, especially if you live away from home.

As a PP has said, Nottingham doesn't offer Fashion Marketing, so that would be Nottingham Trent. Both Leeds and Leeds Beckett do, though.

To my knowledge, Nottingham and Leeds are two of the highest ranking universities in the country, it’s not surprising they wouldn’t take someone with super low/no grades.

I mean this kindly but are you sure university is the right path for your DD if she’s getting low grades, she would only struggle?

Don’t get disheartened. IF she gets 5 rejections then probably the best strategy is go all out to get the best grades she can - prove she can exceed expectations maybe.

then apply next year , grades in hand knowing she can tailor applications for a win.

plan a good gap year either positively earning and saving - remember time in any employment will put her head and shoulders above other students when applying for any jobs either whilst at uni or after ….. or go travel and have a cracking time !

this is not a “ disaster “ it’s a change of path with many positives.

the talk of changing to applications with grades in hand has come and gone over years

Op
Apologies if I missed a post, but your daughter is spinning you a line.

I have experience with many colleges, and I’ve never come across one where students weren’t aware of predicted grades.

The grade requirements are very clearly marked on ucas and university course pages.
There is guidance all over UCAS on how to choose courses.
There are parent guides as well.
Open days discuss grade requirements.
Her story doesn’t ring true.
Are you really saying that after a year of receiving average grades, her final grade would be enough to get to those universities?
I work in a college and see this all the time. Student knows they aren’t doing well, but can’t face the reality and applies for top unis. Then when they start being declined, they start blaming staff.

It’s ok if you and your daughter couldn’t be bothered to access all the resources available online to see how the system works, but don’t blame others.

I really believe in learning on the job. It's what I did (after a BA degree). I'm very successful in my field but don't hold formal qualifications in it. Perhaps just lucky.

I hope she gets sorted OP and finds her career path.

Unfortunately, in most creative/marketing jobs, apprenticeships are very very rare. There are so many degree courses in those areas now that many companies prefer to recruit graduates rather than train their own. Supply and demand.

😂 thanks @Lifeinlists my angry fingers were working at lightening speed

Foundation Diploma in Art year is funded if under 19

Not to keep banging on but honestly the industry is brutal. I had to work 7 days a week for over a year when I graduated so I could be an intern and then work the other days to pay my rent.

There will be plenty of people who can afford to work unpaid and live in London, Paris and NYC for free and that's what she will be competing with.

Also the drug culture is still very much a thing and I was the only one not on coke....I would highly try and discourage your daughter, especially with how expensive the fees are now!

Best typo of the week.
You are fab for that alone!

OP you and DD need to think very carefully whether University is the best next step right now.

Fashion marketing? Can she get an apprenticeship/internship instead and go from there?

Is there a possibility of a L3 apprenticeship and any if the places she did internships? It would be repeating L3 but it may be easier yo get a degree apprenticeship from there. I don't know much about the fashion industry, although I think the foundation year course is the same as the one my DS was considering in games art and design, just a separate branch.

I get that but clearly the OP hasn't done their research either. They could have read up about courses and entry requirements, helped book open days to learn about the universities, done UCAS parent events. There's lots of ways parents can learn about how to support their child. You can't just hand all responsibility over to the college.

@lavenderphase I didn't have a clue where to start when it came to university applications. I never went, and DH went to university in 1970 and wouldn't have known either. The guidance from the school was invaluable, as was the experience of other parents.

That's obviously meant to say fat and not fab however I will now call myself fab 😂

Just to say I studying fashion marketing and MMU and it was brutal!! I was bullied and the kids were mainly from VERY wealthy backgrounds (mainly boarding schools).

I did work in fashion for my 20s but quit due to how horrible the industry is. I was called fab, common, crass just to name a few 😂. Unless she is extremely passionate, I would recommend an internship to see if she likes it or work her way up in retain or something similar for now.

I honestly wouldn't recommend it.

I think she should consider whether university is the right choice for her at all. Someone who is predicted to get the lowest grades at A level would struggle at university IMO.

Her parents have some responsibility here too, not just the college. It's a bit late now to start querying why she hasn't got any offers.

and I am wondering maybe she isn’t very clued up.

@Rolla23 There is no "maybe" about it. She is as useless as a chocolate teapot. She clearly hasn't a clue.

Why doesn't the college have a dedicated UCAS advisor?
What open days did your DD go to?
Was there a UCAS parents evening?

You can't apply to any university unless you know your predicted grades because you wouldn't know which ones to apply to.

I am shocked and disappointed at the lack of support your DD has had, and I would absolutely complain about the tutor to the principal. I would be spitting feathers over this debacle.

At DD's school 6th form the assistant principal was in charge of all UCAS applications. The students worked on their personal statements at the end of year 12. They wre invited to a UCAS fair in the next city which was held in the June of year 12. We had a UCAS parents evening (I can't remember when). Basically the school were keen to support university applications because it made them look good to get as many students into RG universities as possible

The fashion marketing courses are really competitive. They often read Personal Statement carefully and request portfolios .

The Nottingham you refer to must be NTU?

It doesn't sound much like she did much research herself... try to encourage her to be more proactive.