Class of '18 nervously waiting.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

They've left college, now we are trying not to think about a certain date.

DS1 is one of those B/C grade candidates referred to above. He got one unconditional offer from a low-ranking university, and was able to put this as his insurance (not always possible with unconditional offers). It has been important to his mental health to have this as a back-up.

His other offers were conditional, so he chose as his firm the middle-ranking university he really wants to go to. It's unlikely he'll get the grades for this, but at least it gave him motivation to work as hard as he could for the exams.

I have one of those old fashioned calendars and am turning over the page with a certain date in capital letters until next week!
As dd is applying for apprenticeships, the recruiters (so far) seem more interested in the skills that she has acquired doing her A levels than the actual grades. They are also interested in the vocational level 2 IT qualification she did in Y11 which her old school said didn't count for sixth form entrance!
We went to the local IKEA yesterday to get in before the new student rush and it was fairly quiet (and not too hot). We needed new dining chairs as one collapsed on me the other day which the rest of the family thought was funny!

ursula we'll have our own drinkfest on here

It does seem so unfair that all of these anxious teens have to wait so long for their results. If other countries can mark papers quicker, why can't we?

Can we have a foam party? That's what my DD is doing! Sounds very 90's to me!

DS went to a paint party and a foam party whilst on holiday. It did look very 80's on the photos.

He is anxious - hiding it well but you just know don't you...?

Not helped by the email he received from one of his choices yesterday saying welcome to XXX University and then another half an hour later saying "we sent you this email in error please delete". One of his friends had the same emails...DS said it's a sign of doom and that everything is going to go wrong.

90'S!!!!

Good grief Starfleet that would worry DD senseless.

Eek. Better get DD to check her emails!

I'm here. We've been away for a few days, camping in the ridiculous heat!

I've missed loads already.

to Chocolate's DD. Brilliant news

to all those with health issues and sorting out other people's issues. I'm so sorry you are all having to go through this.

DD's first choice is unhelpfully sending her a daily countdown, she days she can't turn it off as it comes via UCAS but its adding to the stress!

She is currentyly wishing she had accepted the unconditional she was offered.

Anyone else put Liverpool as first choice?

lashings - yes, we will definitely do that

marmite - you're on

raspberry thank you and welcome back

@FantasyAndHope

That second star should have been flowers in my post above!

Old news now but there were a fair few people I know that got unconditionals, and cocky as it sounds not people who you would expect to get them.

I’m in for the Drinksfest.

DD accepted her unconditional as it was her first choice anyway, and there are financial incentives as well. She was predicted 4 A*s, but she really doesn't think she'll get them, she's thinking at least one will be a B, and possibly two. I can't really criticise as my highest grade at A Level was a B.

These unconditional offers have opened a can of worms, haven't they? Some people:

Seem happy for those who got unconditional offers.
Are annoyed at the unconditional offers because it could demotivate students from working hard.
Quietly seething with disdain but mask it with, 'Its only for low achievers' .
Seething with disdain but mask it with, 'Its a low ranking uni', .

If it gives them peace of mind and so long as they work hard wherever they're going, good luck to them.

Thinking back I know of people who've had unconditional offers for Oxbridge. Or I may have dreamt it.

I agree though. It is a can of worms.

How are your worms knitting?

I am going to have a teeny rant about unconditionals. They work perfectly well in Scotland and always have. Why is it that no one thinks they can work in England? Apart from the relatively new problem that AS are disappearing. Rant over.

I would love DD to have had an unconditional. I really wish she had - it would make the wait much less anxious for her (and me!).
In fact, if I'm wishing for stuff, I wish the whole system was different, so all dc apply after getting their results, the whole process would be fairer and there would be none of this agonising wait!

Back in the 1980s Oxbridge gave unconditionals - I know of students who needed 2 Es if they passed the entrance exams.
One student in Ds's year was offered an unconditional (very small sample size as only 8 or so applied to UK) to uEA - her first choice. She had high predicted grades and achieved them so continued to work hard.

Lobster
Agree with you - whole system is bonkers. Most of my son's cohort will apply to university with their results (going to Australia, Korea, Germany) which means no mad scramble through clearing, no unconditionals - all based on what you have already achieved - much more sensible and less stressful.

I had an EE offer in 1981 for a course that had a BBC standard offer (and interestingly enough is AAB now). It was rather like getting a cheap holiday deal, you keep very quiet about it in case it upsets those who paid full price.

Ursula George the worm says it's too hot. He started sulking the week we were on holiday when no-one fed him and sprinkled water on him twice a day. There are loads of George in there but they are now hanging out in the bottom tray rather than the top. As soon as my bulb order comes they are being rehoused into the top layer of the wormery because I want the lovely muck that they are living in.

Grumble, grumble. Despite DS having an offer of EE it is still a conditional offer and he has to wait for results day. You would think that if you selected primarily by entry exam and your standard academic offer was therefore EE then there would be nothing for you to lose by making it unconditional if firmed. I am telling myself that thus happens every year and it won't be the case that all the accommodation will have been already allocated to those with unconditional offers.

It has been the lack of information for students about unconditional offers and how to look at them which has concerned me this year.

Many of DD2's cohort are first generation HE aspirants. They arent surrounded by people who have been through the process before them. On the one hand the school has pushed Oxbridge applications in an 'aim to the top' sort of way and on the other hand 'if not Oxbridge then anywhere will do'.

This group of students has had little support in how to look at universities & courses to find the right fit.

Into this the unconditional and unconditional-if-firm offers have dropped. Some of DD2's cohort have seized on the unconditional offers as a sign that the course/uni is the right one to choose as in a way it has chosen them.

By comparison to the risk averse conditional offers then look a lot more chancy. 'I can only go there/do that if I'm good enough but what if I'm not?' What if those predicted grades were delusional? What happens if I dont do well enough? Far safer to take the unconditional and put all that worry to one side. Even if it isnt quite the right uni/course.

It is a crazy-arse system that requires students to guess what they might get. Unconditionals are really about getting people in through the doors though.