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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

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Original poster

A level results day 2021 support thread

859 replies

Mrs08 · 31/07/2021 15:46

Hi 👋
I thought it might be nice to have a support thread for us parents? (Can't see one in further Ed yet??)
It's been such a difficult time for our kids - and for us! - but the end is in sight!
Ds will get an e mail at 8.30am (apparently) and can go into college in person if he needs help/advice.
Good luck everyone!
X

OP posts:
Appledrop · 09/08/2021 10:10

Thought I would join. Our only child is off to university also in September, just waiting like everyone else for his grades tomorrow. He spent the weekend with a mate, on Saturday night they watched the rugby down a pub and were mean't to stay to have laugh with the karaoke but he said he suddenly had a panic and was feeling very down so they left. He has been fairly placid about it all up to now bless him. Today he's out with his Dad getting his Men B vaccine, the first one, his second will be just before he goes to uni. Wanted to get him the HPV vaccine as well as he would have missed out on having that at school as they only started to give it to boys in 2019, year he left and went into sixth form. Will see if we can get it done next year now.

He'll be home shortly, just had a phone-call so I imagine he's going to just hang around here. As for me, well I have been like many on here, nervous, worried, sad for him to be leaving, all the emotions. Can't wait for tomorrow morning to be over so we can focus and do what needs to be done. He's going in to collect his results and although we have his ucas log in, we have told him we will leave it all to him unless he specifically asks us.

All the best to all your lovely DSs and DDs x

Bryonyshcmyony · 09/08/2021 10:16

So dd is now annoyed that her course is in clearing Hmm and wants to go into adjustment if she's done as well as she hopes. Presumably adjustment is for 2021 entry only though and she has a gap year job lined up so I guess she just reapplies next year if she really wants to

Blueskythinking123 · 09/08/2021 10:22

My DD's firm and insurance choice are both in clearing. I'm really surprised as we were lead to believe they were oversubscribed. They haven't dropped their offers, so just got to hope she has got the grades.

RufustheBadgeringReindeer · 09/08/2021 10:32

Ive just seen ds2 course is in clearing

But the grades required are higher than his offer….how does that work? He should exceed the grade required in his politics A level

He does have another uni in mind which he should absolutely get in but its further away

RufustheBadgeringReindeer · 09/08/2021 10:34

Whats adjustment?

Right I’m off to google…this is obviously why I’m too calm, my ignorance is protecting me!

Didnt have this with ds1 as he only needed Es! Or dd as its drama schools shes looking at (for the last few years)

BigWoollyJumpers · 09/08/2021 10:53

I think maybe take clearing space on WhatUni with a pinch of salt. Having just re-looked, DD's course is listed as clearing, but her university site states that it isn't! Also I was wrong about the her course needing lower grades, that was a different campus, durrrhhhh.

On TSR the uni team are also saying no courses in clearing for UK students until released tomorrow.

Appledrop · 09/08/2021 10:55

Sorry new to this but what is the problem with a course going into clearing?

RufustheBadgeringReindeer · 09/08/2021 10:55

I was on the uni site

Maybe it was an old site or something

BigWoollyJumpers · 09/08/2021 11:08

@Appledrop

Sorry new to this but what is the problem with a course going into clearing?
It's a status thing.

Hypothetically, a course could ask for 3 x A* for offers, and then put the course in clearing at 3 x B. It is seen as lowering the course status.

Appledrop · 09/08/2021 11:23

Appledrop

Sorry new to this but what is the problem with a course going into clearing?

It's a status thing.

Hypothetically, a course could ask for 3 x A* for offers, and then put the course in clearing at 3 x B. It is seen as lowering the course status.

Wow, I wasn't aware of that, quite shocked to be honest. Hoping my child won't need to go through clearing then if he's only going to end up being looked down upon.

Thanks BigWoollyJumpers for enlighting me.

igelkott2021 · 09/08/2021 11:30

Wow, I wasn't aware of that, quite shocked to be honest. Hoping my child won't need to go through clearing then if he's only going to end up being looked down upon

well to be fair nobody will know your child got the place thruogh clearing, and I haven't found any historical data about what universities put what courses into clearing, so I guess that once the process is over for a year, the data has gone, so employers wouldn't be able to trawl through and find out if there was a chance that you were "let in" on lower grades.

Bryonyshcmyony · 09/08/2021 11:35

Tbf dds course is an esoteric humanities course so was almost a given it would end up in clearing somewhere!

Georgie8 · 09/08/2021 11:41

😱 when I mentioned whatuni I didn’t think people would feel misled by it.
I used it with my child so she could see that the,”I didn’t get the grades” scenario wouldn’t be the end of the world. As I said, it showed her that there were still a lot of courses available at a lot of good unis and as someone else said, it really isn’t the end of the world if she doesn’t get her first choice.
However, we thought being prepared for the possibility that she didn’t get the grades she wanted was important and meant that she could make informed choices on Tuesday if things didn’t pan out.
If it’s of any interest, a friend who works in ‘student recruitment’ at a Russell Group Uni thinks whatuni is useful.
However, it works on UCAS points, which isn’t what most unis do eg if you want to study German and are offered ABB, the uni might specify an A in German, not Chemistry.
Ultimately, Tuesday’s UCAS is the holy grail in terms of websites.
However, if your child just misses out on their preferred choice, please do encourage them to call the university and plead their case.

Olympicfan · 09/08/2021 11:48

Had to Google 'esoteric'

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.

How ironic!

NotSorry · 09/08/2021 11:50

Also please don’t feel your dc will be looked down upon for having to go through clearing. It’s never been an issue for ds2 (see my previous posts)

whatisthisinhere · 09/08/2021 11:51

Neither my ds's firm or insurance are in clearing. It makes me nervous because it might mean that if he doesn't make his grades, the universities ( Warwick and KCL) are going to be harsh. I'm worried about tomorrow but putting on a cheerful face, which I suspect ds has noticed. He always knows when I'm putting on a front, but I need it as much for myself as I do for him.

frugalkitty · 09/08/2021 11:57

I've just had a nose through clearing and DS's firm choice is there (on whatuni). What does that actually mean? That there are spaces even after they've had applicants results? Does it mean he's likely to have got his place?

I went through clearing back in the dark ages 90s but that was because I'd changed the subject I wanted to study, so I've no idea how clearing works these days.

Boulshired · 09/08/2021 11:59

Many courses in clearing will only reduce by a grade, however in recent years unconditionals and large ucas points drops for short term gain has knocked some universities reputations even within the Russell group. This is only really important if the degree is in high demand and it’s just as important where you get the degree as the grade. For most clearing is an excellent opportunity especially for anyone having regrets on their firm.

Blueskythinking123 · 09/08/2021 12:16

I have used the complete university guide to look at Universities in clearing. If you put the subject in the search, you can see which universities have that course in clearing.

I've only looked quickly and it appears to be fairly accurate.

Georgie8 · 09/08/2021 13:01

apple.news/AQZePC5AWRDuc_E1iD_82Hg

cptartapp · 09/08/2021 13:27

The complete University Guide uses UCAS points. I thought the better universities stuck with their required 'grades', even in clearing? Or are they more lenient?

RainBow725 · 09/08/2021 13:43

Anyone else's DC tested covid positive the day before results day? Because we needed more stress... 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

Artdecolover · 09/08/2021 13:49

@RainBow725

Anyone else's DC tested covid positive the day before results day? Because we needed more stress... 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️
Omg...hope they don't get too many symptoms x
pistachioicecream · 09/08/2021 14:00

@RainBow725

Anyone else's DC tested covid positive the day before results day? Because we needed more stress... 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️
Oh dear @RainBow725 - I feel your pain.

We're all still in self-isolation following DS' positive result last weekend. We don't get out until Wednesday - good job his results are being emailed!

Hope they're not too poorly with it and no one else catches it.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 09/08/2021 14:02

Today is going to drag. Good luck to everyone