D of E - how relevant to university applications?

Ds did gold, there didn't seem much point in doing anything less, but even then I'm not sure how helpful it was. He could always write a storming personal statement and is a huge schmoozer so he made it sound relevant and fabulous. Just listing it as achieved is no good at all. Also you could make pretty much anything sound relevant and fabulous if you put your mind to it. Any volunteering, any private research, most jobs, most extra curricular courses, even run ins with the law, previous failures, yada yada they can all be turned to advantage. It's not the thing itself that is important, it's what they learned from the thing.

DofE was really useful for DD1, but not for uni applications (she didn't go).
However of itself it got her do do things otherwise out of her comfort zone or things we wouldn't have done otherwise. She did refer to it in job applications to show examples of required skills.

Not relevant at all, and there probably there isn't going to be room for it on a strong personal statement demonstrating commitment to your chosen subject. But it is a fun and interesting thing to do, and my dc enjoyed it for its own sake rather than as personal statement material. It's true that you could tailor the volunteering to your own interests/future career plans if you were very motivated and organised, but you could do that anyway without doing all the camping and orienteering if you really loathed that sort of thing.

One did. One didn't. Both got good offers.

NB. I am talking about university application forms.

We will have to agree to differ, then.

Not necessary.

But - the volunteering my dd did turned out to be relevant to her course so she mentioned that on her application.

It’s also good to do outdoor stuff/camping if their lives don’t tend to include it just for their own personal development so worth it for that alone.

Always particpate in DofE (obviously if it interests you) and mention it on your university application form.
Those advising against it have not waded through multiple samey forms (for one of the most academic degrees). And/or do not realise the determination involved.

Not usually relevant for uni applications but can be very useful when applying for jobs. Can be relevant for uni if their volunteering or skill is linked to what they want to study eg I have some students doing conservation for volunteering for volunteering who want to study environmental science so the practical experience is very important. Same with medical students - have volunteered in hospitals and care homes.

We got caught up in the ‘it’ll be important for Uni applications’ fervour…spent an absolute fortune on the kit & persuaded our not very outdoorsy DS1 to go through it (he hated every second!). I’m the end he didn’t complete it due to COVID restrictions, I wish we hadn’t bothered tbh!

I’d encourage other extra-curriculars if it’s not something they actively want to do - I can’t see the benefit of forcing them to do something they despise rather than encouraging something they enjoy!? Also can’t see how it’ll make him any more appealing when he’s applying for academic courses unrelated to an endurance event whilst wearing wet socks in a tent?

Ironically DS2 loves everything that the DofE challenge will present (tramping miles in the pissing rain with a heavy backpack, camping etc!) & can’t wait to do it. At least we have all the kit!!

Not needed at all, unless you literally do nothing else. My two got offers from all their chosen unis without it.

It is really pushed and if you enjoy that stuff then do it but not otherwise imho.

Agree not important at all. DD1 didn’t do it and got 5 offers from well regarded universities. DD2 did Bronze but only for the fun of doing it.

My sample of one suggests it makes no difference. You’re very constrained in how much you can write in a PS and unless it’s relevant to course, lots ends up being left out anyway. Do DoE for fun - but not ‘for university’.

My children didn’t mention D of E when applying for University . All are or were at RG universities.

Irrelevant in itself. Even gold. But the activities could be useful for a CV to show transferable skill etc.

My DC are at or aiming for Russell Group, and don’t think they even mentioned DoE on their personal statement.

Not really anymore.

Mine is off to LSE in Sept. No DofE. Did acting, got a job, and read intensively about her chosen subject and wrote about this in her personal statement.

Tbf I think gold is probably worth mentioning

A friend of dds didn't do very well and wnet into clearing - the uni she approached was interested in the gold D of e she said.

Dds was something like "I play football to a high level and help coach younger players." thst was literally it.

Not relevant at all.
Get subject experience instead, like exhibitions, courses, work experience, lectures, even tutoring.
As pp, in his statement, Ds's extra curic. stuff was "I play the violin, cricket and football."
Job done. Offers from all (top ) uni's.

DofE itself is irrelevant.
Showing evidence of independence, teamworking skills, self-reliance etc might be helpful in marginal cases, but the reality is that for most academic uni courses it's grades that matter.
OP - it sounds like your DD would have more than enough for her uni applications!

Schools like to big it up as they can only run it if they have enough kids enrolled and of course it looks good on their marketing materials.

In reality it only appears in uni applications on the personal statement which is less than one A4 page (and less than 4000 characters).
In DS's personal statement he only had enough room for "Completed D of E awards."

Mine never did it and all got good offers from RG unis. They only mentioned their interests briefly, both did sport to a high level which they mentioned and one went on to coach it which she mentioned.

Not remotely useful for uni applications. Most unis don't read the personal statement, with offers made automatically. Some courses at some unis want to see evidence of RELEVANT activities to the course (eg working with women for midwifery, debate team for politics, and how such experience have helped you), but DofE - no!

A nice thing to do in its own right of course.

I think it’s more important to be passionate about the subject that you want to do, and have things that you can talk about in your personal statement and in person. My dd did summer schools and taster sessions for her subject, entered competitions, was subject rep and did an EPQ.