A level results day ( part 2)

[Twiglets1]

A thread to carry on discussing A level results and Uni applications as the previous one got full 😀

thank you!

We are stuck in a bit of a cycle

Uni wants DS to register but won’t complete registration without confirmation of payment from sfe

SFE is still showing his Firm but he is now at Insurance and we cant seem to update it. SFE also saying it wont release funds without proof of enrolment.

We need the maintenance loan asap as accom wants a big chunk of money now

Any suggestion?

Why haven't his Firm choice uni formally rejected him?

Normal practice is he wouldn't have got a Firm offer from his Insurance uni until his first choice uni had rejected him.

You probably already said but too many posts to remember what everyone said.

Firm rejected him on UCAS. He was offered Insurance (feels like the only kid in the country not to get his Firm this year) but anyway....

If we amend SFE application manually, we go back to the beginning of the finance application process and it seems that his Insurance won't let him complete enrollment without evidence of SFE approval...

I am bamboozled

I'm remembering a bit more about how it works now (didn't ever do student finance as part of my job but I did have 2 kids applying for it).

My daughter's uni changed as she went via Clearing. We were told that this would not delay her getting student finance as only the name of the uni changed not any other detail and she was already in the system.

I seem to remember that she just logged into her student finance and changed the name of the uni. And this is what UCAS still say is the system.

Already applied?
If you’ve applied already, it’s easy to change your details by logging in to your account at www.gov.uk/studentfinance and going to: Your Account>Change your application>University/college course.

Once we’ve got this information, we’ll re-assess your application and let you know of any changes to the amount of student finance you can get as quickly as we can.

Try asking the advisors on The Student Room. They do have a lot of knowledge about who to contact at UCAS and the universities. They won't still be together as a group, but the volunteers will be at home and still answering.

My dd used to volunteer, and I'll ask if she has any ideas.

DD says that it should not go back to the beginning. The only issue would be if he is changing status eg going from living at home to not to the other way round. Possibly if changing from London based to non-London based.

But even then she doesn't think it should go back to the beginning, so probably best to get on with it. You have to tell SF as they don't hear from anyone else.

just to let you know, even when this is sorted you won’t receive your maintenance loan right away. It only comes in September once the student has started their course

True ... the uni has to inform student finance that the student has actually started the course before the money arrives.

thanks, everyone. We’ve amended student finance to reflect his insurance choice

And the accommodation hIt isn’t as big as I thought it was going to be . We’ve opted to pay termly so I was thinking they wanted a whole terms rent, but that’s not the case. Phew!

Still a bit frustrated that he can’t complete his enrolment, I think that’s a ‘me’ problem,though. I’m still pretty gutted that he didn’t get his firm choice when everyone in the world seems to have got in this year, and a bit of me is worrying, irrationally, that someone is going to swipe his insurance away from him as well I know that’s nonsense, I’m just feeling a bit shit for him.

Found you! DD now not wanting to take the clearing uni place and retake next year so she can reapply for the firm. Trouble is they wanted AAA and she got BBC… So she’d most likely have to retake them all to even stand a chance.

I don’t want her to go somewhere she’s unhappy, but I just don’t know if she should put herself through all that again - and what the realistic chance of her getting her dream uni is.

I do think that unis should be discouraged/not allowed to ask for deposits before student loans are given - or maybe student loans should be able to release some money for deposits early.
It's not fair on people who cannot then get their place guaranteed because they can't pay the deposit.

Ds is very chilled now. I need to at some point pin him down and find what exactly he needs. I suspect he will be thinking something along the lines of:
One spare change of clothes
One towel
One sheet
Weighted blanket
His favourite trainers that have more holes than otherwise
Anything else he'll do without or borrow...

Is a foundation year at her preferred Uni an option? A year is a year whether you are doing retakes or a foundation and at least she'd know she is 'in'.

Tough one.

It might be a good move to suggest taking a gap year and then thinking about resits in a month or so's time, when the disappointment has receded a little.

I was disappointed in my own A levels and for many years thought about doing one just for the hell of it. Eventually I realised even if I got an A it couldnt replicate the joyous day I missed out on. So I let it go but it took a long while.

I can’t tell if she qualifies to apply @SlightlyJadedIt doesn’t look like it’s open to everyone

@MargaretThursday That made me laugh! My Ds is much the same. He was horrified to see the stuff I’d started to put together for him to take. He genuinely thinks he’ll be good to go with a few changes of clothes and his tool box!

My DS is the opposite ruined by his DSis He currently thinks he needs to buy an Air Fryer, Toaster, Toastie maker, Soda Stream and Nespresso machine. When I suggested that he get to halls and perhaps see what others have brought, he was hotrified because he thought he was going to set them all up in his bedroom.

He has got nice-ish accommodation, but 12m2 is 12m2 however you spin it….

He is also broke

He also needs to check what's allowed. Most halls won't let even a kettle in their rooms. If there's a communal kitchen they might provide a kettle and a toaster there.

@MargaretThursday He has a massive communal kitchen. He won't be brining half of that lot! A toastie thingy possibly which will live in the kitchen where it belongs!

I’m not sure … my son got ABB and applied to AAA unis with his achieved grades and got offers (at ABB).

You might be surprised how flexible unis will be on grades, unless it’s a crazy competitive uni like Oxbridge or Durham. It a crazily competitive subject like Medicine.

She probably should retake the C though, unless she hates the subject now.

I agree @MargaretThursday it does discriminate against some students.

I guess from the unis point of view they want a firm commitment that the student is actually going to turn up & take the accommodation offer.

Soda Stream? Excellent 😀

Do check though, DS's accommodation says no kitchen appliances at all.

@petitdonkey DS is Langwith too, his first choice was Alcuin but he seems happy enough.

Does your daughter still feel disinclined to accept the offer she got made via Clearing @Mogandbrew ?

Yes. She’d had her heart set on her first choice and can’t see herself at the clearing uni right now.

It may well be she chooses to have a gap year - it was mentioned way back. At least then she came come to terms with things/retake.

It would take the pressure off - though obviously there’d be no guarantee she’d get in to her first choice, and she might well end up at a similar uni to the one she’s got into now.

It wouldn't hurt to have a gap year if she feels all confused and doesn't feel happy about going to the Clearing uni. Sometimes it feels like a bit of a race to get the kids through formal education though God knows why - it's not that great once you enter full time work!

Like you say, it would take the pressure off and gives her time. She can reapply to her first choice uni if doing resits and could also apply to another 4 unis she has chosen from the whole range of unis, rather than panicking over what is available in Clearing.

She will end up in a uni she has chosen next time round. Even if she still doesn't get into the one she ideally wants, her insurance uni can be a safe one.

In her position, some students choose a first choice uni that depends on resits but have as their Insurance choice one that makes them an unconditional offer based on the grades they have already achieved.