support thread for those of us who have DC submitting UCAS applications in the next few months

[mumoverseas]

Thought we should all get together and calm each other down/mop fevered brows/hand around glasses of wine etc. We've seen other go through it over the past few months and it will be our turn soon.

DS has just got his AS results which were not too bad. AAAB. The B suprised him as it was for maths and we'd expected a B for french which he had not studied for a few years as sat his GCSE early. He says he will re-sit one of the maths modules and one of French ones to get a higher A

He (we!) has been considering various Unis over recent months and has visited 4.
PS is all in hand as is extended project (whatever all that is about) but time is creeping by and not long now til his mid Oct deadline (one of his choices is Oxbridge)

There has been so much in the papers over recent days about the lack of places at University at the moment and stories of how so many good students did not get places as they didn't put 'insurance' choices.

How is everyone else coping and how do we get our children to make realistic choices?

[overthemill]

brilliant!
and did yours get offers based on original or resit result? That is what worries me

[webwiz]

Her offers were based on predicted grades but the course she wanted to do needed ABB with the A in Biology not French.

DD2 is in the same situation with Chemistry she got a C at AS(just missed a B by two marks) but will need an A prediction for the course/unis she wants. Since she has had glandular fever this year and one of her teachers was away for 5 months with no proper replacement I'm hoping that we don't have to go in an argue her case. She got an A in January and an A for coursework but the summer paper was a disaster. At least she did so badly it should be easy to improve on it!!

[overthemill]

webwiz oh that's really helpful and reassures me no end! I hope your dd2 now gets what she needs too.
I think our dd did well on mocks and coursework and was predicted an A. So this result is 'off' her normal range. Lots of hard work in store :)

[JustGettingByMum]

Has anyone considered going to University abroad?

This article on the BBC website about Dutch Universities started me wondering...

[overthemill]

well, my dsd doesn't want to go abroad to Uni although we did discuss it. If she gets on teh French course she hopes to have a year abroad anyway. But my nephew is considering this (though only just started AS's). Another nephew is abroad studying. But he is from the USA anyway and has gone to study in Romania!

I would definitely encourage my other two dc to consider study abroad , not just UK

[mumoverseas]

overthemill DS got an A at AS in french but is re-sitting one of papers to get a higher A in the hope of an A star next year. He said the same as webwhiz has said about it not involving any extra work as the A2 builds on what has already been done so no extra revision/study time really.

I have started to wonder about university abroad but DS has his heart set on cambridge so I'll let him get on with it. A little bit frustrating as I know he wants to go next year when most of his peers will go but we are 99% sure he will be forced to have a gap year due to a rule about students having to have been in the UK for 3 years prior to commencing Uni and he will only have been here 2 years due to a few years at school abroad which is a pain. I have wondered whether it is actually worth contacting different Unis to see whether they do actually enforce this rule as if so it would not be affordable hence him having to wait a year.

[overthemill]

i think that unless they have been resident for 3 years prior then they are treated as a non resident student and that means, I think, higher fees. But if just at school abroad wasn't his main residence here with you?

[mumoverseas]

Overthemill, we were all living abroad for a few years (on and off) due to DH working abroad. We had wanted to come home but DS was mid-way through his GCSEs and we couldn't get him into a school here until he'd finished them so he only returned permanently to the UK last June and started his AS/A levels here last September. Therefore looks like he will be treated like an overseas student (even though technically we are UK residents as own property and pay taxes here etc) which is a pain On the brightside, it will (hopefully!) give him a year to save up

[overthemill]

do check as i think its the taxes that swings it

[mumoverseas]

DS has emailed several Unis to try to find out what their position is on the residency issue. One (rather unhelpful) reply simply said they would assess it AFTER he applied. Doesn't really help him decide whether to defer or not!

Just got his predicted grades:
A/B
B
A*/A
A

He had guessed he'd get a B (maths) but was going to go and talk to the head of maths and ask to sit an exam paper every week for a month to prove he was worthy of an A. Not sure about the A/B. Does anyone know if they do actually put A/B on the form. Seems to be hedging bets a bit. He got an A at AS so not sure why they've put A/B.
The unis he is looking at require AAA/AAB

How is everyone else doing? Are there many of us going through the torture of the Oxbridge/Medical applications in the next month?

[webwiz]

We've gone a bit quiet on this because DD2 has decided not to apply to Oxford after all. She felt that as she only had a slim chance of getting in the preparation for the maths test would be a lot of hard work and that her time would be better spent making sure she got back up to an A in chemistry. After being either ill or not quite 100% from January to June I think she is probably being sensible as a stress overload in the run up to Christmas wouldn't be a good idea. She's had a few long chats with her further maths teacher about it who said that school would write her a fab reference if she still wanted to apply but she seems happy with her choice.

She has set her heart on Bath who want AAA and an A in all the core maths modules so not exactly an easy option.

I think this year is the first year in ages that there have been no Oxbridge candidates in DD2's school. That gives and indication as to how bad the AS results were! DD2 was the last to drop out.

[senua]

MOS: It's a bit difficult with you being abroad but can you have a pointed discussion with the Maths teacher along the lines of "if he's only predicted a B in this subject then perhaps he's better off dropping it and concentrating on making sure that he gets his As in the other subjects"
Do you think that they might then re-visit the prediction?

[senua]

Oh webwiz, sorry to hear that. Sorry for the x-post (had to divert attention there: DS was actually talking to me)
Sort of confirms my post. Good luck to her.

[webwiz]

Thanks Senua - she is happy with the decision and if it means she stays well, gets into a good university and gets three A's then that is the important thing. She seems to be complying with my nagging about eating properly and taking her vitamins but I'm not having much luck with the going to bed at a reasonable time. She's gone to see Muse at Wembley tonight so that won't be an early night and neither will tomorrow as the endless round of 18th birthday parties has started already!

[mumoverseas]

Webwiz, it sounds like your DD has a very sensible approach although I can understand it if you are a bit disappointed. If you find a way of getting her to understand the importance of sleep please let me know and I'll pass it on to DD1 Fingers crossed your DD stays in good health.

Senua, just got an email which DS sent late last night saying maths teacher (who is knew this year) will talk to his previous maths teachers and doesn't see a problem with predicting an A (he is re-sitting one of maths papers to bump B to A hopefully)

Have to say I'm very reassured about how things are going having finally got off my butt and looked at the parents section of school website where I'm able to see all his challenge grades, predicted grades and UCAS stuff. I've always felt quite helpless being so far away but the good thing is DS is very focused and I know I won't have to chase/nag him from 3,000 miles

He is 99% certain he is not applying for Cambridge now although he did really want to go there having spent 4 days on a law conference there earlier in the year. He feels it is too much of a risk as they want at least AAA and probably an A. Oxford apparently are not using A the next year or two so probably a safer bet. I know he is being very sensible about it but I'm a bit disappointed for him as he really loved it up there. Just as well one of us is being realistic though

Hope everyone is doing ok and remaining calm.

[JustGettingByMum]

Morning everyone, I wrote out a long post last night and then somehow managed to delete the darn thing before posting !

webwiz I'm sure your DD will love Bath. My DD has just started swimming there on Sunday mornings with her swim club. It's a beautiful campus, really green and leafy. I hope she gets her offer, and as others have said, she is being really sensible and I am sure it will pay off with some great offers.

mos hi! , Are you back in the sun? Or still in the UK?
Your DS predicted grades are really good, I'm sure you're very proud of him. I'm pleased that the Maths tutor is willing to revisit the grade for him. Hope it works out.
I am very envious that your DS is getting so much good advice and help from the school. So far we have heard Zilch!

DS is on what feels like V99 of his PS, it is much better, but far too long. I am hoping the school will gear up this week and start some proper feedback. DS did ask about his predicted grades from his form tutor who looked at him rather blankly and suggested he talk to the exams officer

[mumoverseas]

, yes, I'm back, got back here Tuesday morning.

DS did around 4 versions of PS but it is far too long and he will have to cut around 25% of it. One teacher he spoke to said better to have to much and reduce rather than too little and shove in extra stuff that may not be relevant.

I know DS is very lucky to have all the support and advice he is getting but to be honest, I think he is being very pushy as he knows how important it is and that time is of the essence as it were as only just over a month until his application has to be in. I think you just have to push. And push.
Not helpful of your DS's tutor

Good luck

[JustGettingByMum]

I know, and I hate people who say "I don't mean to be rude but...", well I don't mean to be rude but, she's the Food tech teacher who has never taught DS for any lessons, she's quite new to the school (her second year) so this is the first time she's had a group of Y13s and she is not filling me with any confidence.

I think I may need to work round her and perhaps go direct to DS old G&T co-ordinator or his previous tutor, both of whom have been promoted and are now the 2 Deputy Heads.

Enjoy the sun it's peeing down raining rather heavily here.

[mumoverseas]

Am assuming G & T isn't gin and tonic? wishful thinking back here in the 'dry'. Think you are probably wise to get DS to talk to his previous tutors who actually know him!

sorry about the rain, its around 45 degrees here

[webwiz]

MOS I was more disappointed when she decided not to apply to Durham as me and DH both when there (actually that may be the reason that she didn't want to apply- well that and the fact that they want AAA for Maths!)At least your DS seems to be getting some guidance from his school, DD2 has had to bypass her form tutor and ask her further maths teachers for advice so I sympathise JGBMum*.

I'm very glad DS is only in year 9 and we get a bit of a break before he starts taking exams every year.

[mumoverseas]

DS has been thinking of applying to Durham but has been warned by teachers at his school that Durham don't touch students that they know have applied to Oxbridge. Difficult decisions ahead of him the next month or so.

DD1 has just started her GCSEs so I've got this stress for a few years yet. Then a bit of a gap. DD2 starts 'big' school (Foundation 1) next week and DS2 starts nursery. Nothing like dragging out the torture

[brimfull]

mumoverseas-dd's friend at durham and he applied ot oxford as well

[brimfull]

don't they nickname durham as doxford as most there are oxford rejects

[mumoverseas]

I'm sure DS will be overjoyed to become an Oxford reject!

[webwiz]

Me and DH are both Oxford rejects and both ended up at Durham. I'm not sure about the Durham/Oxbridge thing, the rumors been around about that for years.

I read somewhere that you didn't need to apply to all your courses at the same time when you apply to UCAS so you could leave Durham till after the 15th October deadline and they wouldn't know that you were an Oxbridge candidate. My friends DS is at a school where everyone does their UCAS application by 15th Oct whether they are applying to Oxbridge or not so I'm not sure if they could be certain that you'd applied there anywhere.