DDs dreams in tatters

[OneHandFlapping]

She's been predicted AAA based on her AS results, so the unis she most wanted are out of reach. I don't know what to advise her to do.

1. Accept her limitations, and apply to the 2nd tier unis - and to be fair, I'm not sure to what extent her problems are academic or motivational
2. Work her socks off, get kickass grades and apply next year - she may not exceed her predictions, and a year would be wasted, except she could do with growing up a bit
3. ??

Has anyone got any advice? The school don't seem to.

Well those are very good grades s they are so I assume she is applying to Oxbridge or similar or a very popular course.
Personally I would have a serious chat about how hard she will need to work and then advise applying once she knows her real grades.
A year in between is not wasted if she uses the time to do something - gets a job, saves some money, travels, does volunteering etc, etc...
If she has her heart set on a particular place then she should be motivated enough to at least try and get there. She is clearly a clever girl I would say let her go for it.

Unless it's a very long degree course, what difference does a year make?

I think it's ridiculous to talk about 'second tier' universities. There are very few bad universities, most have reputations as good universities for certain courses.

My advice would be to manage expectations, and apply this year for courses. Then work really really hard and if she exceeds her predicted grades she can take a year out and reapply. If she doesn't, she should take the course that she has achieved.

Is this a joke?

If it's serious, then you both must be devastated at such poor grades. Or you could be ecstatic?

What grades does she need and for what? I would be delighted with those grades.

Work her socks off, get kickass grades and apply next year

That is the standard approach if you believe you can get grades which make a particular university's admission requirements, but don't (for whatever reason) believe you will get made a conditional offer.

I presume this is for some fairly esoteric course? My department's standard offer has A*s in it, but we make offers to students predicted AAA because (1) a lot of schools as a matter of policy don't predict anything above A (2) such predictions are pretty unreliable anyway and (3) if they make the offer, we're happy anyway. Obviously there are courses with tighter limits on numbers who can't do this, but are you really sure that AAA predictions with the potential to do better really is an eliminator?

Oh dear. Nothing wrong with AAA, and they are only predictions. If she's predicted AAA then there is every chance she'll get them. Unless she HAS to get higher I'm struggling to see what your issue is. You do know that there are many great universities, don't you? Or are you one of those snobby people who thinks nothing but Oxbridge? If it's that, then I have absolutely no sympathy.

Oh FGS does the hysteria never stop?

Of course they are not poor grades anthony but if your child is expecting A*s then they would be disappointed.
It all about expectations and ability. If you are expecting three C grades and come out with all B's you'd be ecstatic. On the other hand if your child has been predicted to produce A's and then for whatever reason (lack of effort, poor teaching) gets B's that child (and its parents) are within their rights to be disappointed.

Dreams in tatters? Get a grip. Seriously.

This may seem like a radical question but what does SHE want to do?

Only on mumsnet!

My condolences op. Personally, I'd have a chat with her about applying to work in some fast food restaurants now and give up on her dream. It'll be a tough conversation but better you do it now, rather than let her waste her time completing her A-levels.

Again, of course there are many excellent universities in this country.
But if the child has her heart set on one particular place then she should go for it.
It's not snobby to want to attend one of the best universities in the world if you are able. Who would not want the best education they can get??
Different places suit different people.
And I'm afraid, academically, some universities are more successful than others. It's just a fact of life.

As a PP has said she can apply for the best she can get with those excellent predictions and that doesn't preclude working really hard with maybe motivation to go for her dream places and then re-applying after results with a bonus exciting year of adventure if that seems sensible at the time.
Dreams often need a bit of re-adjusting in this life but that doesn't ever mean we should stop having them

She can still go to an excellent university with AAA. What does she want to study? Can she follow that path as a post graduate? I have friends who have done Physio, medicine and other stuff after a first degree.

What are her AS results?

I don't understand. Is 3 As not good now?

I got AAB and was allowed into my first choice of uni in 2000

Well I posted a long reply but my phone ate it. She wants to do computer science at Warwick.

What? My son is actually AT Oxford and he got 2 A's and an A in his A2, he got similar at AS (but maybe not A's, I forget) . Don't be so ridiculous and hysterical. She can still get into pretty much any university with those grades. They are also only predicted grades. She can go to Oxbridge, Bristol, Durham, LSE, UCL and on and on and on. Christ.

"Second tier", "her problems" "dreams in tatters", get a grip, seriously. I really hope you aren't talking like this around your daughter, this will give her huge self esteem problems.

What do Warwick require?

3 predicated As and you are using words like "accept her limitations"?
Jesus.

Frome the Warwick Computer Science page:

Our typical A-level offer is AAA (MEng) / AAA (BSc) including an A in Mathematics.*

Grip, get one, please.

Why not apply for a mixture of A and AAA courses? And ask if any of the teachers would be willing to predict an A- some teachers just won't predict A*s (it's much less reliable than an A) so if they know there's an actual reason she 'needs' one they might?

That's a mixture of 1 and 2 I suppose - the only thing I would say is that is she gets an A* offer for her firm choice, put an AAA in as her second choice in case she slips. If she doesn't get offers from her preferred universities she could always choose to take a year out at that point anyway.

AAA is fine for most good universities anyway (and I thought Oxford still set their top offer at AAA anyway?).

I would have thought she is well placed to do computer science at a good Uni. I think I'd question slightly why she has her heart set on one particular Uni. (No offense Warwick!) Maybe a few more visits to others on open days might help?