2025 A Level Results Day and Sept Uni Starters - All Welcome

[SlightlyJaded]

I couldn't see board specifically dedicated to results day for our DC who have sat A levels this spring. And I know some of us STILL have questions about Uni starters.

DS has Liverpool as his first choice and Notts Trent as his insurance - both to study History. Anyone who recognises me from previous boards might remember the hell we went through with DD a couple of years ago, so DS has applied quite a lot of caution to his choices - perhaps too much, perhaps not enough. Neither of us have any idea what to expect with his results. He has genuinely fluctuated between a D and an A in some of his mocks....

I still haven't done anything about accommodation which is one of the reasons I am starting this thread.

But mostly, it's for nail biting, relief, tears, support, advice and all the other things needed to get us through the next few weeks.

Welcome :)

DS is very disappointed in his grades but he did still get his place at Sussex to read Politics & International Relations. I know that the BBC is reporting big increase in top grades, but DS and his friends and a lot of others we know all seem to have seen lower grades, while still getting into their offered Unis.

@Alevelsarehere82 just chipping in here. Some universities (lower tariff) will do this. Northumbria did for our daughter. It was great to get it done and dusted. We called them and explained and they said to apply through clearing and then apply for a deferral separately . It was all good

DC got A in Maths and Chemistry and a B in computer science, very disappointed as predicted an A star. Did anyone else’s DC do OCR computer science? We are going to get the papers back.
DC is very overwhelmed but has managed to go out with friends, did get in to first choice uni.
Well done to all the students getting their results today!

Just to say foundation year can be great. A real confidence boost and gives them time to work on how to study/uni life/ referencing etc…

DD got AAB so exceeded grade offer and got first choice .
She then tried to transfer to another course at same uni - available in clearing with the higher grades .
However although they will accept her she would have to give up her guaranteed firm accommodation offer and be treated as clearing .
So abit unsure what to do .

Was that AQA? DD came home saying something about the sources on the Russia paper being outside the specified time period. She got a B in History which was a bit of a surprise, but with her others A star and A she was pleased overall and got her firm by a good margin.

@Denialsheaven DD has one friend doing Law at Sussex who is loving it. Reading Law is in clearing at CCD which looks like a steal to me - we though the Law dept came over exceptionally well at open day and DD was seriously considering it for her firm.

@Winterwanderings yes we are thinking that! Thansk for your support.

Congrats to your DC! If you haven't already do join in here with a friendly supportvie group of parents who already have DC at Oxbridge https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/5159139-current-oxbridge-students-continued-again?page=31

Yes I agree re Reading DD has a place for LLB but now had a look at York and it is BBC in clearing!

Could she accept her place and accommodation and then change once she's there? I know many people who did that, even transferring to courses with higher grade requirements.

No it's a legal contract and they have to accept. Which is why in the COVID years where they raised grades unis had issues with space.

They can offer incentives to defer a year though.

How different are the subjects? Might it be easier to swap once she has started?

It's a hard decision for them to make financially but I was shown some data that said students who do foundation years get higher grades on average than those who don't. The difference is modest, but considering everyone comes to a foundation year for a reason I think that is really impressive.

DD got into her first choice course at Leeds Beckett with more points than required. Generally in good spirits and excited to celebrate with friends tonight.

She’s seen the exams officer though as realised she was one mark off a C for her psychology A-level (was happy enough with a D after she failed her mock in January) so they’ve suggested requesting a review.

She also got an unexpectedly low grade in one module of her Btec where she was meant to have special consideration due to missing an assessment while she was competing at the world championships. It’s taken her down to a Distinction from her expected Distinction*, so that’s being queried too.

Super proud of her. Congratulations to all the DC for making it through sixth form!

Ooh can I join as DD has banned me from bragging on FB but I can do b itv here - she got three A*s and is off the Bristol UWE in September. Amazing!

My sons were lower than predicted and he missed his firm and insurance which is a shame.

DD got her first choice (Warwick maths), 3Astars and an A. Just so pleased for her and relieved.

Mixed bag here as DD given a slightly different course as missed by only a few marks the A in needed in 1 subject but very happy with the course and uni but also gutted to get AAB as she genuinely felt she’d got 2 A star and A

Hopefully he’ll find something good in clearing. It’s such a lot to take in in one day.

My Dniece went through clearing a few years back was accepted after phone call and confirmation via email she then rang them to see if she could change from civil engineering to architectural engineering (5yr course with yr in industry and MSc. She graduated this year with a 1st ( Russell Group). And walked straight into her job of choice.
Five years ago she was flappy around ringing everyone to ask if she was doing the right thing. We are so proud of her, she was the 2020 group but because her 6th form was brand new they had no data to correctly grade their A levels. She missed her first choice, architecture at Sheffield and didn’t want to take her second choice.
It will all seem overwhelming at the moment but even if your DD takes the offer she will be able to change her course within the first couple of weeks. A lot do.
As long as the uni dept agree to swop and send email confirming it your DD can go through clearing. She may have to spend the rest of the day on the phone to them though. Contact the accommodation office to ask about her place. They may be able to transfer it. They don’t sort out accommodation immediately since the A level results day can create havoc.
DS’s transition to uni was much easier since he had a year out and applied with grades in hand. His uni had two accommodation allocation deadlines so his was confirmed early although he was only allocated after results day.
It was much easier in the old days before everything was online. You didn’t apply for halls until you accepted your offer after results day.

Friend’s DS has just finished engineering at Durham. Not sure which college but he loved the university and the town. Stayed in halls first year (with meals) then in a flat for the others. Nothing negative has ever really been said.

After much faffing and technological glitches, we have booked accommodation for Exeter. He's seeming much happier. I don't know when he will be allowed to move in to it etc? It's a 5 hr drive for us, so we'll ideally need to stay overnight. I am not sure I have enough holiday left from work though!
I need a break as I am too wired to make any sense of the practicalities ahead atm

My DD missed her predicted grades of A* AA and her offer of AAA. She got AAB but was still accepted by Bristol, which was her firm choice so we're all thrilled, particularly as shed convinced us all that she'd got BBB at best. We spent a lot of time looking at clearing options!

I literally love everything you have just said. Made me tear up a bit to be honest! 🥹 Sometimes the meandering path is the best one!!! I hope your DC got the results they are happy with.

And well done to you to for your own resilience. You did amazing!

What a morning! After an 11th hour email offering a different course at his first choice, ds has gone with his insurance and seems happier with how it's panned out. Lancaster it is! 🥳

He did his accomodation preferences a month or so ago to be on the safe side so 🤞 he gets an email. No deposit was requested though, presumably because it was his insurance 🤔