University - we don't know where to start!

My niece was interested in plants too, but decided to apply for a broader biology degree rather than plant science, as they were often a bit agricultural.

I remember Royal Holloway was a strong contender, as it had a lot of plant modules, which was unusual. And it was close to Wisley and Kew, and I think there was some exotic field trips offered.
She didn’t go there in the end, but I just looked at the entry requirements, BBB/BBC so might be an achievable choice. It’s a very pretty and green campus.

I agree with that. Working backwards from the type of job he wants is the best way, as that gives you the pathways, degree subject if necessary, right back to A level choices.

Now we have so many kids at Uni, the old ways of "any degree will do" for jobs is declining and many employers are looking for applicants with more relevant degrees, or workplace apprenticeships, or relevant workplace experience. They can do that because of the greater numbers of applicants so in a lot of industries supply is outstripping demand, hence why a lot of employers now use ever increasing levels of aptitude tests etc in their application processes and AI to automatically reject applicants without pre-selected qualifications/experiences, etc.

Listen to the person who talks about earning and alternatives. You need to work backwards from where he wants to work. Do they usually hire only people with degrees? What degrees are in favour? If he doens't make his dream, then what is the employment and pay prospect of graduates with the degree?

I saw an article recently about people regretting their degrees. A lot of them have fine arts degree. One from the Central Saint Martin art school which is very prestigious. The problem is only rich kids who don't need to earn a living can afford that kind of degree. I'm not trying to crush anyone's dream. But perfumery is quite niche and he really needs to understand employability.

Lots to think about!
We started off by visiting the most local universities at the open days and speaking to the tutors in the subject departments our dc was studying. Everyone was incredibly helpful and helped her shortlist the area she wanted to study. Once we sorted that, we looked at the unis that offered her course. A really good piece of advice we had was not necessarily to choose based on the uni, but more the lifestyle of where she wanted to study - ie town, city, countryside, seaside. We looked at where the accommodation was in relation to the uni buildings and whittled it down that way. You list 5 universities in your application, and once the offers (hopefully come in) you have the opportunity to look again seriously on applicant's days, which will start this spring for September's intake.

Op I know you said he was thinking of looking at plant science and that's fine if it's really what he wants to do.. But encourage him to look at other courses that may be better suited to a career in perfumery. There are courses in cosmetic science and that looks more relevant. He may not know these courses exist or have considered them.

Whether there is an interview or not may depend on subject (plus Oxbridge for everything, and clinical degrees - medicine, vet, dentistry). When my dd was applying for elec eng, all of her 5 choices interviewed. I got the impression quite a few chemistry degrees did too - we joked that it was the subjects where there was a realistic chance of blowing the place up so they wanted to look you in the eye.

That's your son's experience.

Interviews may not be required for every institution or course but that doesn't mean they aren't an entirely normal and routine part of the application process at many universities.

That's not normal these days. Our son got five offers after no interviews at all. These included Durham, Leeds and Warwick. In fact, of all the Open Days we went to, on the "application process" talks, none said anything about interviews - the presentation slide timeline went straight from UCAS application to offers.

I'm a lecturer (course leader currently), I'm not confusing the OP. We interview all of our applicants with the right predicted grades (and some without for widening participation) to make sure we're a good fit for each other, then offers are made based on the Applicant Days.

It's been the same in every university I've worked in, 20 year career.

Warwick is a bit of both, but students often live in Coventry and commute to Warwick (not that far).

Warwick is a full campus university in Coventry (not Warwick)

Odd last message. None of these courses will be running interviews. Don't confuse the OP (op- very few courses interview, largely just Oxbridge, imperial and healthcare. Some exceptions, but biology degrees at the unis your son will be looking at won't)

I'd say most students can improve a grade or 2 from their first year to final grade

Offers are made on predicted grades.

His offers won't take a potential massive grade improvement into account.

If he's getting Cs and Bs in Lower 6th offers will be made based on the assumption he will get those grades as his final result.

It's vanishingly unlikely that an institution that's entry requirements are AAA will make an offer to a student who is predicted BBB. The likliehood is he won't even be invited to interview, sorry. They need a broadly similar level of academic ability in the cohort.

If he somehow miraculously got AAA on results day and his heart was set on say, Bristol, his best bet would be to take a year out and apply with his AAA already in place.

Also an offer is just that, an offer not a place. Unless, and these are quite rare, he got an unconditional offer.

Otherwise he'd have to at least come close to the grades the offer is based on.

If his offer is BBB and he gets CCC, chances are he will lose his place at his Firm.

If he gets BBC they might still take him, a chat would most likely be involved.

It's wise to make sure the Insurance offer is lower.

Firm should be based on the most realistic best possible outcome.

Insurance based on a worse than expected outcome.

I used to be a University housing officer at a Russell Group University, my specialism was looking after all students with declared disabilities but I also had input in to allocating self catering and catered accommodation. When looking at who went in to what flat I just didn’t mix people that had long-standing issues between their countries.

I had enough and moved and got a post as an admissions officer which was a much nicer environment to work in. You learned too much about the dark underbelly on campus as a housing officer.

Some Universities make contextual offers. We used to use first in family but this is a few years ago. I know the University DH works in currently uses postcodes. We live in a really deprived ex mining area. We do however live in the ‘nice road ‘ and ‘ooh you live there’ place. So if DS had applied to DH University we think he would automatically have been placed in the contextual offer pile.

Do Reading still do plant sciences/botany? That might be an option. Also have a look at what the RHS offer through wisley

@Unicycle82 Are those apprenticeships? Could be worth a look.

@Unicycle82 Realistically, with his grades, he won’t have a massive choice. So don’t waste lots of time and money looking at unis he might not get into. It’s all about choosing roughly the right level of entry standards for the course. If AAA is not likely, don’t go and look around those unis that want it. It’s pretty pointless. Start looking at league tables and then look at who wants BBB if that’s what he might stretch to. Look at what jobs graduates get. Do any match what he wants? Contact perfumiers. What profile do they want? How much perfume is made here? What jobs are there and how do people get them?

@3WildOnes Those top 3 are not really attainable though in this case are they? Bristol wants AAA! Let’s be realistic here.

https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/subjects/plant-science

If he can get his grades up the I would advise applying for Bristol, Nottingham or Edinburgh. His grades look good for Aberystwyth too.

Can he find companies / people doing what he wants to do and ask them about their career route and education. Eg beauty/!pharma companies? Best to get info from the horse's mouth! If he approaches in the right way he may also get info about internships etc that will help him secure a job post uni.

Presumably he's looked at things like https://www.fragrancefoundation.org.uk/working-in-the-industry

https://boisdejasmin.com/2014/02/career-in-fragrance-where-to-start.html

https://www.perfumeartschool-uk.com/employability--careers.html#/

https://www.quora.com/What-qualifications-do-I-need-to-work-in-the-perfume-industry

Be wary of anyone trying to sell you a course but look at suggestions for places that might offer work experience.

He will benefit from working hard now at his A levels. If his nose is not good enough he'd have other options for working in the industry.

He might want to consider this as his aspirational option https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/university-of-reading-r12/courses/chemistry-with-cosmetic-science-with-a-year-in-industry-bsc-hons-2024-a77002659d9e

A year in industry can be really helpful in getting a job later. There are straight Cosmetic Science courses he may want to investigate.

Some universities offer quiet accommodation, although I think looking at some reviews some students find them too quiet

I can't answer for all universities but if you mean in terms of accomodation, yes Edge Hill asks about whether students would prefer to be housed with non drinkers. Interests don't tend to come into it. I've never actually come across students from the same course for example who were put in halls together. After 1st year, students tend to rent privately with friends that they've made.

I've found that in the universities I've worked in, if there are housing problems they get rectified quickly via SU or Student Life services. I've had lots of students unhappy with who they lived with get moved in anything from a week to three weeks.