Year 13 2026/2027: Support Thread 1

[QueenMabby]

Sorry - I was not on it on getting new thread open. I hope you all find this one! I’ve updated the
year as we’re basically at the end of year 12 now. Scary!

Only UCAS updates for offers. Sometimes emails about other things though.

@MissMogs DS had his first offer a couple of days ago. He had a UCAS email saying there was an update and he could see the offer when he logged in, then the next morning he also had an email from the uni itself with the offer too.

Thank you that’s interesting to know! I also thought UCAS updates would be emailed to them, but my YP hasn’t received any emails from UCAS 🤷‍♀️ despite checking that the email address is correct and nothing in junk. No offers yet but didn’t even get a confirmation when application submitted! Has had email confirmations from unis directly though…

@Greenbriarmy friends dc’s didn’t go to open days nor offer holder days. They just chose their courses for content at good universities. They both enjoyed their time. For us, ds1 went to one open day for his firm and one offer holder day. Ds2 went to one open day and that was it. I don’t think offer holder days matter unless they are really undecided on uni choices.

DS1 only went to one offer holder day (under 2 hours from us), to confirm his first choice.

Some unis don't even hold an offer holder day (many Oxford colleges don't, for example), and they're definitely not unmissable - just an extra opportunity to visit if you need it.

DC2's UCAS form is in. They've currently only applied for two places because they are only really interested in going to one or the other. If they don't get interviews (and hopefully, offers!) at these two, DC2 will need to make some decisions about compromises. I think there are another two places that offer the course and the sport. As the sport is likely to be the way DC2 makes friends and stays sane, I'm quite pleased they've recognised this and aren't rushing to fill the gaps with random places.

Just checking in.

Hi @Oblomov26- how are you? It’s half term for dd but she has so much homework it’s basically like homeschool for her!

We have a Ucas evening tonight at the college. The date for them to be in at college keeps moving forward it's now before the last two open days we've booked.

The college in the end wanted her to continue on with the three A-levels she was doing - she planning to re-take one maths paper and one chemistry AS paper - which is reaonable but make it harder to push grades up.

Helpfully we've not been told the predicted grades yet - so no idea if she better of applying directly for foundation year or degree she wants.

She is now pleased we pushed her to do the textile art project work in the summer months - she ahead of rest of the class though now dragging her feet with one item - but means she has time to focus on samples written background work and showing a progression of ideas which is where the marks are.

DD is trying to look at a few Art Foundation courses, although she looked last year too. She’ll get her portfolio and personal statement together over half term and then apply. She’s not applied to UCAS or for funding. She says it’s a bit odd not being part of it all.
Then her practical mocks will be just before Christmas, and written exams just after.

Anyone heard from UCL or Bath yet?

@MissMogs DD2 applied to Bath a couple of years ago and her offer wasn’t out til early March. They did jeep sending emails though saying it was being processed, PS read by first person, PS will be read by a second, blah blah. But it did feel like forever! Her others came back in 48hrs!

DD3 submitted her ucas on Wed and had an offer from one of her first choices. I’m really suprised it was so quick. She meets the grade requirement rather than exceeds. Hoping others are nice & quick too.

@StPancreas yes I can imagine that feels very different! Good she’s carving her own way. I’ve a few friends who’ve had kids doing art foundation - does your DC want to continue with the Arts? My friends children were a mix of serious artists, ones giving it a go, and others seeing it as a gap year.

Ds passed his driving test today, it was rainy and windy so not the best day. The car insurance was void as soon as he passed, so it was easier to insure myself for the day. I drove his car home and was criticised all the way back 😬
We are off to Warwick university tomorrow, that’s about 2.5 hour drive away, so I hope he won’t continue the criticising. Then Sunday we go to Durham, that is about 5.5-6 hours away. We are staying the night and have a discover Durham tour on Monday, plus I emailed to ask if we could look round the physics department, then home again. Im really not looking forward to all the driving. I’d have stayed a second night in Durham but I have to be at work 7am on Tuesday. They made enough fuss about me taking Monday off as the boss has let half the staff have half term off.

Well done for passing the driving test today. What a day for it!

DD doesn’t know what’s after the art foundation but she does know she’ll always want to do something creative. So serious artist/designer/maker I guess? She’s looking forward to trying new techniques and seeing what happens.

is it half term for everyone next week?

Yes half term for us. It was a PD today so no school. I didn’t know it was a teacher training day when I booked ds’s driving test. So it worked out well.

DC2's UCAS form was submitted by school last Friday and today they received an email saying they will be invited to interview. No date yet but a positive start to the half-term for DC2!

College application deadline is 20th next month - that weekend after is last two open days we will take her to. Think she re-touching the persoanl statement but most of application is there.

DD2 did look at art based textile courses but decided no she wants to stick with chemistry. Think after ucas evening happier to take a punt with chemsitry degree and hope if they think foundation is better they offer that. Didn't know about UCAS extra - so if in unlikely event she gets no offers she can apply for an extra one.

Congratulations to your DS on passing his driving test @icanbewhatiwant!

And congratulations to all the young people who have got offers and interviews already!

DD2 submitted her UCAS with only Cambridge and Durham on it (plans to add more after ESAT results come out) so has got nothing to report yet.

DD1 has not even finished writing her personal statement 🫣 and says she doesn't need to worry until 20 Nov (that's her college deadline).

Personal statement written here ( at last ) and currently trying to firm up Uni choices . Predicted grades , even if his appeal is granted are not what he wanted so needing to pivot . School deadline only a week or so away .

Has anyone been to an open day at either Leeds or Liverpool ?

Congratulations on the driving test pass, especially in those conditions! And hope the open day visits go well.

Has anyone been to an open day at either Leeds or Liverpool ?

Not done Liverpool this time for DD2 - but did it for DS two year ago and DD1 4 years ago roughly. DD1 didn't like it - DS did but in end prefered Sheffield had Liverpool as second choice.

@waitingquietly we looked at Leeds in summer and it is DD’s 2nd first choice if that makes sense (it’ll become her firm if she isn’t offered her first choice) - she really liked it. Although it’s a city uni rather than a campus, all the buildings are so close together it’s got quite a campus feel and most of the student accom is pretty nearby. I have several friends whose DCs are there and DD has a friend in yr2 who all love it regardless of their very different courses. What degree is your DC considering at Leeds?

@waitingquietly I have 2 friends (they don’t know each other but both from the north of England) whose DCs went to Liverpool one to study English Lit and the other Geography and who both left after first year - one transferred to York uni and the other to Exeter. I don’t know anyone else who’s gone to Liverpool but there’s obviously lots who are very happy! The one who transferred to Exeter said it was because the accom was miles away and found it hard to settle / integrate which did surprise me as they’re super social. The one who transferred to York was because the geog course was much more physical geography than they had hoped - I think Liverpool had changed the spec maybe - they’re doing Global Development at York instead. Both are much happier.

Leeds is a campus university 🙂 Just a city campus rather than an out-of-town one.

Although it's true a lot of the first year accommodation isn't on campus.

We are back from our “discover Durham” trip. It’s a lovely city and university. I think it will be ds’s firm if he gets an offer. Such a long way though. We drove there on Saturday in the strong winds. The journey took about 5 hours. The homewards journey yesterday took the same with a couple of hours in the dark, I don’t like driving in the dark anymore. The journey home from Warwick was in the pouring rain, again the last part in the dark, I don’t like rain on the motorways, so a combination of both on that journey!

I don’t think Ds has decided which he’d like to have as insurance out of Warwick and Birmingham. He will wait to see what offers he gets. I don’t think they send ucas forms until mid December. Durham will wand AAA the other 2 just one A*