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.

I've still got the copy of my 1983 ucca form as like Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g we had to do it by hand, get it approved and then copy it neatly onto the real form. Its cringeworthy! I had 5 offers including RGs but didn't once mention anything about the courses I was applying for! If that went in these days, it would be 5 straight rejections by return of post.

I had to write a personal statement in 1974. I have absolutely no memory of it at all - my father wrote it for me. As he had done for my brothers, 8 and 12 years earlier. He also wrote my brother's application for the British Council, and mine for the Civil Service Fast Track scheme.

You must be the same age as me bertrand. I can't remember writing a personal statement at all, although no one would gave done it for me. I'm certain I don't still have a copy although I do still have my first payslip from 1972 for ??1.82

Oh, my father wrote all our applications for things - he was so incredibly good at it! I was quite disconcerted when my dd didn't even want me to proof read her personal statement- I never even saw it!

I don't subscribe to the "my life is over scenario". I just want to give her the best advice.
The very best advice is stop being so dramatic, learn some resilience, and look at what she can do with 3xAs, which sounds like it does include Warwick.
Honestly, I would show your DD this thread. She is being very silly and you are pandering to her drama.
From a mum with 3 teenagers, inc 1 studying at Warwick. And a teenage DD who is also prone to be overly dramatic - we encourage her to channel it into her drama lessons!

I think everyone should be aware that there is a difference between MEng and BEng when it comes to becoming a Chartered Engineer. Warwick makes it clear on their web site that MEng or a further year of study after BEng is required to follow the normal CEng route. I would see whether any good computer science MEng courses look for AAA. There are 4 other options to be chosen on the UCAS form and there is far more choice than just Warwick! Where else is in the top 10?

Completely missing the point of the thread, but I'm chuckling at the idea of Warwick wondering what the heck caused this evening's sudden surge in this particular course's webpage hits as so many MNetters check out the entry requirements.

Unless CS has changed massively since my day I would be utterly astounded if they didn't usher a girl with predicted AAA's in to do CS. All the get girls into STEM initiatives and here's one actively wanting to do the most male-dominated bits of it.

I suppose universities aren't allowed to overtly state a gender bias are they but surely they will be keeping an eye on their gender targets which would favour a girl getting an offer with those predicted grades has certainly kept me gainfully employed

Have to agree, that this is not the end of the world. If she wants a place at university this year then she will be offered one at a good university. If she wants a place only at Oxford, and she must have it, then simple, tell her to resit each year until she gets the 3 A*. TC both of you.

Don't the rules of supply and demand fit? The D of E used to be something different that could be put on an application. If vast swathes of young people do it, then it's not unusual and doesn't set an applicant apart from others. Similarly 'grade 8 x' -if every third applicant has it, then it's not rare anymore.

I recruit graduates for a large technology company. If your DD gets AAA and a Computer Science degree, she'd be well placed for a role with us..

As already asked...has she actually looked at Warwick Uni?

If it's her dream to go there, and she thinks her dreams are in tatters, she better do some work, apply herself and sew those dreams back together.

Or she could just plod on, get AAB next summer, go to a different uni, and live a completely happy life.

wonders who actually dreams of spending years of their life at Warwick Uni

This thread is hilarious. I hope my daughter suffers a similar dilemma of what to do with her straight As in 15 years time....

More seriously, my predicted grades were bad (c and ds). I couldn't do the course I wanted (physio) so applied in gap year for something totally different and I'm so glad I did. By the way I got a double first class degree and a commonwealth scholarship for my masters abroad. I left my very average a level results behind the day I started uni.

Can't you apply for 6 courses so her dream is not in tatters at all.

I'm not sure our school ( grammar) even predict A*.... But the kids get thrm in spades and go to " top" unis.

From what you've said I reckon a strategy to ace the exams, take a gap year and apply next time is going to be best. She seems to have little resilience, if her " dreams are in tatters" at this stage ,her self confidence woukd be crushed by the applications / rejections coming up. She needs to sound a gap year doing something to get her inner " nadiya" going ( did you see GBBO?)- both the I can do it and I will , and the " worse things 'happen at sea" aspect.

Uni is tough even for high fliers. Resilience is a huge skill to learn.

But most of us went through the system in the 80s/90s/00s complete with stats on how universities had x applications for every place and sixth form tutors who pushed the personal statement and having something to fill it with.!

I had to write a personal statement in 95. I also got offers from every university I applied to, including RG as they are now.

I pmsl at the grade 7 trumpet v DOE....

Op in the nicest possible way dd needs to get used to everything not always going her way in life. Everyone has their knocks and struggles at one time or another.

OP, how has your DD got on. Did she end up getting an offer from Warwick. I completely understand the over reaction with her AS results - it's got nothing to do with the levels achieved but more to do with the expected levels. One of my DDS got a very unexpected AS result which really upset despite doing well in her other subjects. It didn't make a jot of difference to where she ended up at Uni.
BTW she had friends get into Warwick with AAB for chemistry subjects.