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?

Am I the only person to wish someone who's DC is probably only going to get C's would post on this thread ?
I suppose Uni is only for people getting A's and people getting below a B don't apply.

violetqueen-I know it does seem like every mumsnetter has genius child alwasy getting all A*s sometimes.

DD def not in that category. Where is your dc applying?

Violetqueen, my DC did not get all As and Bs at A Level, nowhere near in fact. However, DC is now studying first choice subject ( physics) at first choice university. They interviewed DC because their entry requirements were higher than DC had achieved ( Dc fluffed A2s due to prolonged ilness in Y13). They liked Dcs Personal Statement and said that they had received over 200 applications for about 20 places, so there was a lot of competition. However, based on the interview, a maths test and the personal statement, they made a firm offer only a day or so after the interview. Dc has been there since September and is loving every minute. I am so glad that Dc decided to aim high!

FWIW, Dc received offers from all 5 universities and only one called DCfor interview, all the other made offers based purely on A2s, PS and school reference.

ggirl - dc As results not brilliant ,currently in year 13 and plan is to spend another year resitting modules.
But much will depend on current and summer resits /modules.
I don't know where you do go if you get C's - was reading this thread hoping for enlightenment .
Only added to my dismay !
And of course it's going to be even more competitive next year with reduced funding for Universities.
Maybe C's is all dc will /can manage ( is doing Physics ,Chemistry ,Biology and not sure his Gcse 's really prepared him )and wonder what next step will be.
Think would benefit from HE ,not the practical ,clever with hands go into plumbing type.
But seems that only A's and B's will do these days.

ggirl - ds's offer from Sheffield was as he expected - thank goodness!

violetqueen - I know how you feel. Dd is involved in loads of aspects of her school, always gets good reports etc., but struggles with exams. I don't know what she will get - has only just sat her first two AS modules - but it won't be all A/B's - if any! Looking thru' university requirements, it does seem that so many require such high grades, and it's hard to get the balance right. Your ds is doing really sound subjects, which should stand him in good stead. Has he looked through the UCAS website at the various courses available? Maybe he may spot something that would interest him. I keep hoping dd will!!

Violetqueen - although currently posting on here re. DS1 I also have DS2 who is in year 10 and is certainly not in the all As league. I am hoping that at A level he will find his niche and get into a 'decent' university. BUT your DC is doing highly regarded subjects there and I would definitely look at the UCAS website to check whats on offer with lower grades. Does your DC know what they want to do at university?

I mucked up my A levels and ended up at Poly and career wise did very well thank you! I know it was many moons ago, but the early 80s was also not the easiest time to find a job.

There is a route for everyone.

Sayithowitis, that is a story of hope and well done to your DS.

Whilst my DS is quite bright and will hopefully get A grades, DD in year 9 simply isn't as bright as him and it is a worry that she will feel she can't compete.
She has recently decided that she wants to be a nurse which I was really pleased about until I did a little research and found out that from 2013 you have to do a degree to get into nursing
When I was at school (many years ago) a few of my friends went into nursing straight after O levels (showing my age now) Its a real worry now that this is all changing

"Am I the only person to wish someone who's DC is probably only going to get C's would post on this thread ?"
No you aren't - DS2 took A2s last year and got 3 Cs. He was planning to take a gap year anyway and is in the middle of retaking 4 papers (he was only 2-12 UMS points off Bs in each subject).
He applied to UCAS last year and got offers based on his predicted grades (notably from Hull and Keele) but has reapplied this year and has five offers varying from BBB to CCC to study Business Economics.
And ... he didn't get one A in his GCSEs (6 Bs and 4 Cs).

Lilymaid, that is very encouraging. Good luck to your DS with his re-takes

Thanks everyone for posting - feeling a little encouraged now.
Guess I ought to start a new thread but ...
Lilymaid ,any advice on how /where one resits - school ,Fe college ,home ?
And does anyone know anything about Foundation years ?
I can see a lot are targetted at foreign students and those with Arts backgrounds wanting to do sciences ,but some do actually say that they are for people whose
A levels are not compatible (either in respect of grades or subjects) with the normal entrance requirements .
Apologies again if I should butt out of this thread and on to a new one -
What do kids who get low A level results do ?

Hi, I know that if you don't get the results needed to get straight onto your first choice degree course, then a number of universities offer Foundation Courses in some subjects (eg engineering) to bridge the gap between A levels and BA/BSc.
Friends son didnt get his predicted grades, took a year out and resat some modules but was still unsucessful. However, he went on to take a foundation year, and has now started Y1 of an MSc in Engineering and is having a great time. Hope this is reassuring

That's terrific news justgetting by .
I wasn't sure if such a route was really possible or not .
It's so helpful to hear of someone who has gone down this route .
Could you say what University it was ?
DC is summer born and this plus other factors means he seems quite young for age ,so might blossom later.
Thank you so much for posting.

Violetqueen my DS has done his retakes through an independent sixth form locally - it would have been possible to sit the exams at the local state sixth form colleges but they wouldn't be able to offer tuition. So for us it has cost quite a lot paying for tuition fees. It may vary from our area - where we live the FE college does not teach A Levels so that was not an option and the state sixth form colleges only offer a few A level subjects as evening courses, generally taught over 2 years. for anyone beyond Y13.

Thanks Lillymaid ,that's helpful to know.
I think I should allow you all to get back to University offers now!
( Though would love to hear any replies to my particular concerns .)

Hi Violetqueen

This is at Brunel, where I understand they can even learn to fly as part of their course!

I've heard of good things about foundation degrees/foundation years for students who are motivated to do a particular subject but who haven't done well enough in A Levels to get straight on to the honours degree course. Many universities offer these courses now so they are worth investigating.

DS1s Durham offer through for Anthropology and Sociology, all he needs is ABB in any 3 of his 4 subjects! Since this would be his insurance thats perfect. Well it might be his firm if he doesn't get offer for Combined Honours in Social Sciences also from Durham which is standard AAA.

Did anyone's teen take the A2 biology paper that's making the news? DS1 was rather pleased it was nothing to do with biology as he hadn't revised.

Yes ,mine did .
He felt there was a lot to get through in the time allowed ,otherwise no complaints.
There's a thread just started over on Secondary Education.

lazymum - Fantastic!!! Told you it would be on it's way! Do you know what college?
Swedey - DS did the OCR paper which is solely responsible for the increase in popularity of clubbing seals (JOKE!!!). He said that he may as well have not revised.
Suddenly seems to have realised that having the offers is great - but you now have to get the grades.

ajandjj - I think he got the college he chose (Van Mildert). A bit difficult to tell, but UCAS is still ahowing a 'V' against campus and that probably denotes the college. DS1 does OCR biology but none of them took an early paper, his school does not seem to do this. Although he took maths S1 but i think that is an AS paper - its all a bit of a mystery to me. Some schools seem to use early modules as a sort of mock exam and you just do it again in the summer.

Lazymum - Good news. Well done your DS.

DS1 has now completed all his interviews and awaits news. He'll hear from UCL and Sheffield within a fortnight and from Newcastle by mid-March. Hoorah that the interviews are all over.

Congrats to everyone's DC who have their offers and fingers crossed for those waiting.

DS had her audition at Goldsmith's today (and has her audition at King's in a couple of weeks) but has been told that she will now not hear anything for at least 8 weeks. I understand that they probably have a lot of people to get through (as they appear to audition all candidates applying for music or related subjects), but this seems like an awfully long time to wait.

Anyone else have any experience of this type of thing??

Drayford - that's a long time to wait!
Swedey - UCL came back to DS on the 14th day - that two weeks really seemed to drag.
Lazymum - that's great that he got his College - you can confirm that by looking at tthe 'Personal Links' section on AES. Although hopefully you'll have had the letter through by now. DS is going up for the post offer open day on the 22nd/23rd - we've decided to leave him to it - he'll enjoy it far more without us!

Lazymum, well done to your DS on his offer, must be a relief to have such a good offer, must take the pressure off a bit.