DD disappointed with uni course - what are the options? Would appreciate your thoughts!

[AnonAnora]

DD has had a most difficult time with choosing a uni. She is very bright and had all As predicted, got offers from all the RG unis she put down. Took a really long time to firm up and then before the results day decided to switch unis via clearing. All those courses were in Clearing this summer. She was absolutely set on Bristol. We had visited and she loved it.

On the results day, her first choice was confirmed but she was adamant she wants to switch. Unfortunately, she just missed out on the course at Bristol that she wanted but was offered a course in a similar subject. She still wanted to go and thought she would try to transfer later.

Well, she is now at Bristol and her tutor said that she cannot switch as there are no places. She cannot change to a combined degree either, for the same reason.

She doesn't know what to do. She regrets not taking up the other offer - although she was absolutely sure when she made the choice and that she was happy with the risk. What can she do now? Start the other course and see how it goes? Transfer in the end of Year 1, back to Year 1 in her chosen subject (and pay 20k plus for the loss of the year)? Withdraw now and take a gap year?

And to think, she had her pick of the great unis!

@SheilaFentimanThe op said her DD had the grades for Oxbridge!!! Read her post. Yes, she’s dismissed it. She has also listed other universities she apparently doesn’t want. I’ve no idea why Oxbridge was mentioned but people do change their minds! She could do that in 3 weeks plus this is a dc who doesn’t know what she wants, hence the dilemma!

It's an expensive option but she could of course continue as she is but then make a new application in two weeks' time for Bristol Politics and IR. She'd keep her friendship group that way (assuming she got an offer which there's no reason to think she wouldn't).

The OP explicitly said her DD “wasn’t planning to apply” - I suggest you take your own advice to read her posts…

(or better still, offer advice on the actual problem)

OP was clearly illustrating that A-star A A were good enough grades for all the places DD put down on her original UCAS application as well as meeting stated grade requirements for some other places that she didn’t put down first time.

HTH with why OP listed some other universities in her reply.

I mentioned DD's grades and various uni options in response to the posters which expressed doubt that she may not get in elsewhere (or even into Politics at actual Bristol) if she were to withdraw and reapply. Her (confirmed) grades are plenty for top unis in this subject. I did notice that STEM courses tend to require Astars more often than Humanities and Social Sciences.

Thank you for your post @SheilaFentiman

@SheilaFentiman I have offered advice! The OP knows what I thought pages back! As DD here isn’t great at decisions, she is now faced with a big one of her own making. I’d probably leave and reapply for what I wanted. She’s tried the high risk strategy and it’s not paid off. A year out can be useful with local elections coming up. If I was op, I’d not support further indecision though!

Get some life experience and job then apply next year.

@AnonAnora - what did your DD do in the end? I hope she’s happy.