Anyone else got DC applying for uni this year - beyond annoyed

[Lionlover11]

DD is 18 and applying for uni this year and the grades are literally insane. Good Russel groups
are asking for grades previously only oxbridge would ask for and former poly universities that previously would have been easier to get into have now shot up to 3 B’s. All because of covid deferrals. I’m absolutely livid on DD’s behalf that predicted of ABB (very good results imo) will not be enough to get her into a Russel group for the course she wants to do. It feels like this year group have suffered so much already because of the pandemic and now because of covid deferrals it’s bitten them on the backside again. I’m half considering telling DD to forget applying for this year, get the best a levels she can and just apply next year when hopefully the grades have eased off. Anyone else in the same boat?

I meant to add to the above that my husband does not have a single higher or A level to his name but he still managed two university degrees in architectural technology and building surveyor. He found another way of achieving it and got straight into third year for his second degree (Scotland so four year course). Not getting the grades doesn’t mean you can’t achieve what you want it may just take a slightly different or creative approach.

I went to a RG University almost 20 years ago and I needed AAB then (A had to be in that subject). It went up after the introduction of A* grades. I do agree that children going to uni at the moment and over the last couple of years have it tough, but it's not just due to covid. Also, students are still competing against each other as they always have - if they're good enough they'll get in. I don't think ABB would ever have been good enough though, at least not for the more academic, reputable courses.

Grades at Leeds University are the same as they have been since 2015 when DD went, I have just checked.

DD1 applying this year. Needs AAA or AAB for most of the unis she applying for. Really wants to study at Edinburgh but apparently hard to get in. We weren't surprised at those grades needed.

but AAA can also be bought by those with money to fund extracurricular activities

What extra curricular activities can you buy to get AAA unless it is extra tuition?

DD had to work hard to achieve AAA in 2018, and I find it depressing that her achievement is being dismissed by some posters. I suppose her first class degree in a STEM subject from an RG university is nothing to shout about either these days 😢

If they have enough quality applicants with high grade requirements then RG universities don't really have an incentive to make lower requirements.

Agreed. sometimes its easier to get into a joint honours course, especially if a course involves modern languages. She may be able to switch courses once she gets there.

I wouldn't say they've gone up loads? I needed BBB to get into Plymouth Uni nearly 10 years ago now and that's not a redbrick or Russell group. When I look at places like Exeter they were all AAB or above which I knew was too much for me

You say ‘ex poly’ like they’re shit.
Loughborough is an ex poly, regularly top 10 and beats RG Unis now.

@RampantIvy I don't think a first class degree has the same kudos as years ago. I got a First in a difficult subject from a highly ranked university twenty five years ago. I remember it being asked about at length by interviewers at graduate interviews and I'm sure job offers came mostly on the back of it. Wouldn't be such a big deal now.

RG is just a marketing group. People get too hung up on it. Exeter got into the club on the back of incorporating a medical school. It's not such a huge deal and for some courses RG isn't best.

@Lionlover11 isn’t coming back I don’t think but what I suspect was a goady little thread has turned into an interesting discussion!
glad most people have a decent perspective on the issue

I agree. When I graduated only 4 people (all female!) out of at least 200 achieved a First on my course.

It's the introduction of the A star which makes a difference.

So years ago the highest you could get was AAA.

Now it's Astar AStar Astar.

Therefore in modern terms a ABB. Is the equivalent of an old BCC. Which is perfectly fine, but not good or high grades.

If you think that she's going to do better than predicted then might be worth delaying application. But if that is likely what she is going to get then no point delaying.

I don't think that's anything new. But don't get caught up on the Russell Group unis. It just means they are good for research which may be irrelevant for what your daughter wants to do anyway. Look at The Times review of universities and see which uni's are rated best for the subject area you want. As others have said look at the grades for different course. My daughter is at a Russell Group uni - her offer was A,B,B because of the course she was doing.

Very few employees will give a shit which Uni you went to.

When I applied to uni 13 years ago RG unis wanted AAB+. The most popular courses like English and Law needed AAA even then.

You need to be realistic. ABB is good but not amazing (I got A*BB myself so it's not a dig). Your DD needs to be looking at less popular courses or lower ranked unis.

Actually the 'poly-universities' have been around since 1994 so that's nearly 30 years, although there are some instituations that got their uni status later that were not polytechnics but colleges of various types who previously had their degrees awarded by a partner university. And some of these 1994-or-later universities are very high up in the tables especially for certain subjects. Most of them deliver excellent teaching, often better than Russell group unis - check out the teaching and satisfaction tables.

OP although I understand to an extent where you are coming from you sound like a university snob who doesn't actually know what you are talking about and therefore not best placed to advise your DD.

Also dare I say it but in practice, a 2:1 from a slightly 'lesser' university is usually more useful than a 2:2 from a Russell group one as 2:1 is a threshold for entry to some jobs, master's and for PhD funding. Don't encourage her to go somewhere she might struggle.

This is the cohort that your daughter is going to have to go through uni with and apply for jobs againt, bearing in mind that courses are 3-5 years long and some people take a year out first, so the yeargroups get scrambled anyway. She needs to apply to somewhere she thinks is just about attainable, do her best, and see how the cookie crumbles. If she is prepared to be flexible, she can also attempt to get something in clearing if she doesn't hit her choice(s).

My offers for Russell group unis were the same as my Oxbridge one (very popular subject) so I couldn’t use them as my insurance choice. This is going back a good 20 years so not a new thing (sorry OP).

Well 30 years ago I needed ABB to do law at most Russell Group Unis. I can remember when we started one of the lecturers saying everyone in the room was in the top 3% of A level grades (well those who did A-levels)

Theres been significant grade inflation, I did an A level a while ago for fun and the required level to get an A was significantly lower than 30 years ago. Im not surprised at needing 3 As now.

And depending on what course she wants to study, and why will determine what is the best course and university for her

I don’t think this is a new thing. I went to a RG university almost a decade ago and my offer was AAB (with an A needing to be in the subject studied).

To be fair though, no one since (career wise!) has cared what university I attended. In fact, very few have even asked for proof of my degree classification so I wouldn’t get hung up on needing to go to a RG uni

but AAA can also be bought by those with money to fund extracurricular activities

Could you have any less understanding about what you’re talking about? 😂

I know, but I still think it is something to be celebrated.

It depends what studying and what career aims are. If it’s something like City Law then stats are something like over 80% of trainees went to a RG uni/Oxbridge.