Thread 18 - Corona Cohort Enrolling to Year 13 2021, Invasive Infections & Uni Uncertainty

[Orangecinnamon21]

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@Horace123 so far for DD: Oxford, Exeter and either UCL or Kings
Durham (my alma mater) is too close to home as she wants a moving away experience.
St Andrews is a no as it’s deemed to be too quiet.
A lot of friends she made during her course are of the same mindset- so it’s not ‘just her’ or your DS
Glasgow is a maybe rather than Edinburgh and also Bristol
The clock is ticking so hopefully 5 will be chosen soon!

@ProggyMat don't forget that you can submit by 15th Oct with Oxbridge choice and add others later.

In case anyone wants to know a friend who is an academic at Bristol said that for Engineering, at least, personal statements are not read during the offer prices at all. It is all fine centrally by an algorithm which looks at schools, achieved and predicted grades. The friend thinks it is the same for all subjects.

process not prices
It is all done centrally

Good morning.

@AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore My daughter is looking at Lancaster too and although we didn’t manage to go to an open day, we did all the ones on line. My understanding is that although it says it has a collegiate system, it’s more about the accommodation. I have heard York is the same too. For Durham we found an YouTube video explaining what the colleges were about.

I have been reading the A-Level support thread and already panicking about next year. Some people are saying that their DC’s subject isn’t available in clearing. Do you know how to find this out? Are their certain subjects that won’t be available in clearing? What happens if you can’t get through on the phone to get clearing spaces? I feel like today is a turning point as last years cohort have finished their A-Level journey and now it’s our turn.

@BlueMarigold

Here's where you can see what's in clearing. It will keep changing throughout the day I think. You can search by course or browse subject areas.

www.ucas.com/clearing-launch

That’s great thanks @singingstones

Namechange here. @BlueMarigold I have been through clearing with someone. It does change throughout the day and some of the places went very quickly early on . Some schools and colleges release their results by email and they have an advantage over those who have to go and get their results as they can hit the phones earlier.

We had 3 of us ringing then when somewhere answered passed to the DC concerned. It often took up to about 40 mins to get someone to answer. Reception dropped mid call once which was a bit of a nightmare. Things we learned is you need chargers for the mobiles at hand plus extension lead and charger for lap top, food and drink.

Some places someone from the department rings back and they have a mini interview. You can hold a couple of offers for places whilst you think about it, the deadline for how long you have to decide varied.

We weren’t prepared for the logistics of it and started late as there had been an error by the exam board which must be incredibly rare, so it was a bit stressful. I think if you know the deal and have everything at hand it would be much better.

@Volterra OMG that sounds scary. Our school is one of those that give you a timeslot based on surname so she won’t get her results till later. Maybe they will change the process by next year.

I read somewhere that there won’t be as many places in clearing as there shouldn’t be any surprises as it’s TAGs this year and they aren’t standardised. I expect everyone to be happy. Not sure what will happen next year as it’s back to exam boards isn’t it?

I’m delighted to wake up to he news that the Education secretary has said universities who have refused to return to face to face reaching should not charge full fees. About time.

Hi all, it has taken me a while to find this thread. It looks like everyone is going through the same trials as us, glad to say DS did his driving test (a location far away) and passed-it seems to have changed our family as he is able to help out more and not reliant on us.
@SandyBayleywell done on your UCAT survival, my DS does it in a few weeks. I've tried some of the tests and not done so well, my DS is a bit laid back about it all.
@Shimy
My DS is also into clean eating and eating loads of protein, his body shape has gone from a bit overweight to muscular and slim. I do worry about the focus on body, but he is going to the gym and seems to be eating enough. The worst bit is the looks he gives me when I get a packet of crisps/sweets etc.
*@Shimy I totally agree with you, how can they charge such fees with no f2f teaching. The costs of running the uni's will go down, obviously a lot of overheads remain but some of the savings should be passed on. I hope by the time ours go, it will be more normal. Such a shame for them to have a crp uni experience.

@BlueMarigold this is a weird year, the grade inflation means that people have not missed their places - apparently normally 40% of medicine offer holders do not make the grades, but this year that is not the case, so universities have over-offered and do not have the usual flexibility to pick people up in Clearing. It would not surprise me if next year universities are much more cautious, and it could be a really good year for Clearing.

There's a lady on the Facebook page who's son has been rejected. He got 10 As at gcse. Today he got A* star times 2 and an A in his A levels. Yet rejected. She said his course isn't in clearing. I am worried for next year now.

A*s that should say. But when I post it takes the star off.

@icanbewhatiwant it is very worrying for next year. I think our year will be the most screwed over, I am very worried for them.

I too am feeling worried for DD next year. My nephew this year has got AAB and secured aspirational place but his predictions were BBC. We're over the moon for him but feeling dread towards next year.

@icanbe that person will more than likely get in next year with those grades.
If it's a medical/dental/vet course some applicants are rubbish at the Mmi ( mini multiple interviews) and don't get any offers.

I posted yesterday that a large group of dd2 school didn't get medical offers in spite of high grades. Dd1 had just pointed out to me that as mainly overseas students there's a cap on the numbers allocated places apparently.

Sometimes something going wrong can be the making of you. It may be very tough at the time but you will learn from it.

@Fferny1 he got rejected by his 2 choices. I'm assuming he needed 3 A star grades. He only got one (I put 2 above but reading again he got one) so the insurance must have been 2 A star grades. Which he also didn't get. They are still very good grades.

The problem is it is so crowded at the 'top' as it were that it doesn't leave much room for manoeuvre.

DNephew was in clearing this morning but managed to secure his third choice of RHUL

I guess it is worth considering re: insurances choices how far apart you wish the grades to be. If you.arent too worried about ringing up Uni's in clearing days then two offers fairly close together are not a bad choice. If you want a chance of less stress on results day than pick a much lower insurance that you are happy with (can always trade up) .

Two nephews off to Uni better get some high street shopping vouchers for them !

I am not surprised there was no leeway on grades this year as some schools handed out top grades like smarties. I have not seen proper analysis yet, but Guardian said that the inflation was mostly from private schools and academies, with the main state system allocating grades more in line with previous years, which ties up with what teachers I know have said. This means that if you went to a school which was moderate in grade allocation and were a bit marginal, you were stuffed.

Every year I hope the people in authority will learn from what happens, but I fear the private/state gap will continue to grow for another year, and comparisons of pupils' abilities by using grades will just get harder.

To clarify, I am not private school bashing, but this year, the divergence of results, driven by some schools, is very sad.

Found you!
Thanks for the new thread, Orange.
Get well soon, Piggy and anyone else suffering from Covid currently.

We were away last week near York. Managed to drive through the uni and DD liked what she saw (first actual experience of seeing a uni in RL and it was clear she had NO previous concept of size etc).
She still hasn’t properly looked at courses and is now muttering about London…just because, well, it’s London 🤦‍♀️
She’s off to Boardmasters on Thursday, which is clearly taking up all her headspace.

DNephew has had his A level results today. Hoping for 3A*, needs 3As to study law at Glasgow (turned down by Oxford and Durham, insurance is Aberdeen but he doesn’t want to go there).

Monkey, I think it was you I chatted to about NYO? DS (15) has been offered a final round audition, following his video audition.

Haven't had time to look at it but here is the government analysis of the results which came out today in case anyone is interested -
www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-results-a-levels-summer-2021/summer-2021-results-analysis-and-quality-assurance-a-level

Hope link has worked.

Yes ds1 was offered AAB firm choice by UEA. ABB from insurance. He was fairly sure he would get more than the ABB but his insurance had offered BBC if they were put as firm choice. He was tempted incase he got bad grades. But he was set on UEA so accepted them as firm and got the grades. But his choices weren't the top universities that want all A's and A* star grades. A friends son got 2 A stars and 2 A's but didn't make his firm choice (2 years ago) seems tough when the grades are still so good.

Ds1 was weakest in biology which is the subject he studies at university, the B was in biology. Ds2 is the same, he wants to do history with philosophy, his history was the lowest grade in the mocks, B again the same as as DS1.

@Horace123 the graph and table with cumulative grades on shows the massive increase in AAA's. Normally c1.5% last year up to 4.3% this year 6.9%. It is going to be tough to compete with any of this cohort (I'm not blaming the students, it's not their fault).