Anyone want to join a year 13 UCAS THREAD?

[JesusChristOtterStar]

We can join in stressing about ucas forms interviews etc?

I am finding it all a very steep learning curve - we could support one another - celebrate and commiserate?

JCOS, May is the latest a university is allowed to reply, I don't think I can last that long though. The talk by the department admissions tutor at Durham said that the definites (yes/No) are told within a couple of weeks of when they arrive, then they hang on to the rest and sort them out when they've got most applications in. There seem to be 3 waves - by Oct 15th (the oxbridge ones) then before Xmas (the other school applicants) then by Jan 15th which includes mature students and other independent applicants. At least this is the way he deals with them, but there is no hard and fast rule.

Slight aside here:

Just had DD's A level certificate award night (local co-ed Comp). The Boy who got the Academic prize achieved:
5 A grades (Maths, 2 Sciences, language & History I think) + 1 A grade AS (Further Maths) + a Merit at an AEA.

He was predicted 5 A grades and still didn't get an offer from Cambridge (But is now studying physics at Imperial).

It was lovely seeing them all get the certs, and see the incredible diversity of courses (as well as employment & gap years) that they have all gone on to.

Her 6th form had >300 pupils last year!

how depressing milliways

did he get an interview at Cambridge?

Yes, but they interview 90% of applicants.

I think he applied for Maths and said the Entrance Exam paper did not go too well. I think he was relieved as meant he didn't have to sit the STEP exams and he is in a Top Uni now anyway.

well done i am glad he is happy

Milliways, the lad from dcs school who got 6As at A2 (all hard academic subjects and including 1190/1200 UMS across his modules for maths & f. maths - I think they were all lost in one module) messed up his maths interview at Cambridge & hence didn't get an offer from his first choice college (but was pooled succesfully).

I find this especially scary as ds is considering maths...

At my DCs' school (grammar school) about 30ish get places at Oxbridge. Mainly they do 3 academic A2s plus General Studies (which doesn't count...). Some do 4 A2s but not the majority. No-one does 5 or 6, as far as I know. Some do the AEAs in their subjects. I think it is quality over quantity. The rest all get places at Russell Group universities. Most of the ones doing Oxbridge this year have been predicted 3 X A*.

the mere thought of maths interview gives me a headache

6 was a first for the school to be honest: and one was a native language, so perhaps can be downgraded a bit.

so glad DS doesn't want to do maths and wants to do law which thank god is something I understand

Milliways, that was really interesting about the lad with all those A's not getting an offer. By the looks of it a lot of it is down to the interview then? That is hopefull as DS tends to do very well at interviews and that might make up for the fact he may not have any/many A*.

A boy at son's school just got rejected by UCL without interview, but has an interview at Cambridge. Maybe Oxbridge do interview a higher proportion to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I wonder how they work it out - ds didn't apply to Oxbridge because he didn't think his grades were sound enough, and yet has got an interview at UCL.........not an offer though!!!

just checking in - not much to report as barely speaking to all 3 of my teenagers due to disrespect

ds has just had an email from the college he applied to at cambridge saying 'although they like to interview all candidates this year they have been unable to - due to an increase in number of applicants'

just looked at it and wording more to effect of 'don't want to cause undue expense and effort' therefore some rejections

Have you Oxbridge hopefuls seen The Cambridge Handbook with details of dates, selection criteria etc?

thanks milliways
cannot make head nor tail of the points system though!

Hello all
DS1 had his first medics interview last week. He has another interview in London next week.

Jesus -
I can't cope with 2 - the thought of 3 brings me out in a rash!
Swedington -
Good luck to your DS.
And to everyone else with interviews.

but ajandj, she hasn't JUST got 3, she has 6! 3 are teenagers.

JCOS, I'll trade my 3yr old DD for a teenager. At least you can bribe them. 3 Year olds are evil. I went out last night for the first time in months leaving DH in charge. When I came back she had crayoned all over her bedroom wall

Do you think it is all Cambridge colleges that have more applicants this year or just some?

Milliways thanks for that useful info, will pass onto DS.

Swedington good luck with DS's interview

aj and jj mum i thought i would love having teenagers

swedes oooh exciting !! let us know how he gets on!

mumoverseas - you see she just loves you so much she cant be without you and abstract expresionism is how she verbalises!

ds said there are a steady flow of rejections at school as well now with lse and ucl being high on list ! ( i feel terribly sad when i hear of them)

I love having teenagers - for about 20% of the time!!!

JCOS the rejection thing surprised me a bit last year when DD1 was applying. In my day it seemed that you got offers from everywhere but now I think nearly everyone DD1 knew got rejected by at least one university.

yes webwiz i have heard 5 offers is rare..

any updates today?