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?

doh ! i see! [dim emotion]

I'm finding all this '3 or 4 A2 levels' very confusing. One one hand, we are reading reports of offers on 4 and yet DS's teachers are saying he only needs 3 but bearing in mind he wants to read law at Cambridge I'm not sure we can take that chance of him dropping one next year.

I had no idea about UCAS changing cut off date. Ds1 still waiting for Durham*2 and LSE. Both these seem to be well known for giving out very late offers. One of Durham courses still with a college, been there for a month now.

Mumoverseas, this is based on no real knowledge of the system, but if your son is trying for law at a very highly regarded Cambridge college which states offers of 2A*2A then if he is at a school where doing 4 A2s is no problem he should be doing them. He will be competing with others doing 4 and I would think they will wonder why he is doing 3 in the academic environment he comes from. They would overlook this if he was at a school which simply cant timetable 4 A2s in.

Otter - I hope they don't come up with that for ds - although I think Economics is amazingly competitive, whereas no-one in their right mind would want to do Physics!

Lazymum - glad ds is not the only one in college at Durham for over a month. It's driving me mad, never mind him!

lazymum, thanks for that, that is precisely what I think. I think its only one or two of the Cambridge Colleges that are asking for 4 A2, the rest (at the moment) seem to be asking for 3 but I don't want to to rule any out by dropping one if he doesn't need to (ie if he can cope with it)

Isn't it more likely next year that a lot of the Russell Group and other better universities will have A* in their offer. At them moment it's only UCL, Cambridge and Imperial.

So for a student who thinks they might be spreading themselves a bit thin across four subjects, might it be better to aim for some A*AA rather than AAAA, let's say?

Habs Boys only do three A2 levels. I'd phone them and ask them.

DS1 had his maths exam today.

a an js mum and lazymumofteenage sons - if they are 'referred to college' or whatever i think that means deffo an offer...i would ring them - that's a long long wait

agree swedy although ds friend for medicine asked AAAA

nearly all the cambridge offers have specified the A* subject wise too (bad english)

Otter - Yes, we know Cambridge are doing the AAA offers this year, and the occasional AAAA but next year all the better universities are likely to ask for one A, possibly? In which case will the A be difficult to achieve if they are spread across 4 subjects, rather than three.

If Habs don't do 4, I really can't see the problem. They got 32 boys into Oxbridge this year, they know what they are doing.

swedes i see where you are coming from

tbh the whole A* thing has become a real bug bear now... A although not easy - is easier to achieve and at ds school a lot of the staff are bricking it really sceptical about the whole thing and terribly nervous of results day

i am pretty certain that top universities will see how A* goes and then start to look at changing their offers to a standard of 3 or 4

ds offer although only asking for 3 - stressed that he must keep up the others

sorry all my 20.24 post should read

A A A A

an horrific offer if ever i saw one

Otter - Yes. The A* has been very poorly implemented. DS1 has his Sheffield interview tomorrow and UCL next week. DS1 sat C3 today and came home saying low B. I think he's been preparing more for his Med School interviews than the exams in all fairness, which is probably v sensible. And once the last of his interviews is over next week, he can hunker down and do some proper work.

He'll hear from Newcastle med school in Feb/March - they interview everyone first and then start rejecting in mid Feb and offering in March. SHeffield and UCL apparently let them know within a week or two. And of course he has his Barts offer of AAA.

gosh it is a long haul this medicine lark!

good luck to him swedes

Swedey
I think the general concensus was that C3 was a 'challenging' paper - infact DS came up with a new equation - C3 = SHIT!

I suppose the benefit is that they can re-sit it at this stage, but DS was disheartened because it was the one he had really concentrated on, and felt that he should be on top of it.

Oh well!!

Good luck for the interviews.

ajandjj lol at C3 = SHIT. Yes consensus seems to be that it was a v hard paper. I'm sure it will all work out in the end. Thanks for interview good wishes.

At last!! Ds has just got his Durham offer. AAA for Physics. You'll be hearing any minute Lazymum!!!

Bless him - he's worried now that he's aimed too high.

fabulous news ajandjjmum, congratulations to your DS and fingers crossed for Lazymum's DC

I've just got an email from my DS who just had a meeting with the Uni advisor at his school who appears to have persuaded him to consider Oxford instead of Cambridge
Something to do with having to get at least 90% in each module with Cambridge but Oxford not having that requirement.
Anyone know if that is the case, can't see anything on Cambridge website.

DD2 is looking at Oxford because she wants to do straight Chemistry rather than the Natural Sciences that Cambridge offer. Obviously as she is in year 12 we are still in the finding out stage I only know what we have gleaned from the Oxford website. But they do seem to have a different approach to Cambridge ie Cambridge want to know every detail whereas Oxford seem much more "chilled" (if you see what I mean!) I'm not sure about the module stuff but Cambridge do ask about module results and Oxford don't, also Oxford haven't asked for the A* this year and according to their website won't be using it for 2011 entry.

The Oxford FAQ is quite helpful and includes info on the old 3 versus 4 A2's
debate!

www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/finding_out_more/frequently_asked. html

DD2 is going to this as well:

www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/oxbridgeconference/london.html

Which I am hoping will be helpful, now I just have to get her off facebook and get her revising for Mondays Mechanics paper

Congrats ajandjjmum . Did you hear that through UCAS track or did Durham AES change?

Mumoverseas, from what i've heard Oxford does not require AS module results whereby Cambridge does and most successful applicants seem to have all modules in high 80s and 90s. Or they could be talking about A* at A2 level which requires all A2 modules to be 90+. Whichever it is I think he should apply where he wants to go and if at first you don't succeed..............

Thanks webwhiz and lazy really useful information.
Thank link looks fab. DS had applied to attend a law conference at Cambridge in March and was accepted last week so he will still go and see what he thinks but that conference in London looks excellent. Many thanks x

Ajjmum congratulations to your DS. That is fantastic news.

Through UCAS track lazymum - AES still says a decision hasn't been made!

It is fab news Swedey - but it has made him realise that there's lots of work to be done. Shame really (in a very ungrateful sort of way!!) that it didn't come through a couple of weeks ago - he may have been more focussed on the current modules.

What will be..........

dd has had an offer from cardiff
AAB , she's a bit miffed as they've upped it from there ABB entry requirements .

I think it's really unfair that they do this .

To be fair ggirl, I think a lot of the unis have done that. Durham offer is was supposed to be AAB/ABB - but I suppose we have to be grateful that there's an offer at all!

Well done your dd!

yes suppose it's to be expected this yr

anyone know if sheffield are upping their offers

last one dd is waiting for and her favourite