Choosing Universities, help please!

[Tiredpanda]

Son wants to study Finance. Grade 5 Maths GCSE prevented him from being accepted at Bayes Business school at City st George. Originally wanted to stay at home so London uni's was only ones on the list. Diagnosed ADHD and on meds after last mocks in which he got DEE. Final result was AAB so he now wonders if City st george was the right choice. Grade 5 Maths was a result of undiagnosed adhd. He has now changed his mind and thinking of going through clearing for Reading university's Henley Business school. Anyone have experience of both these universities and supportive they are or how reputable they are? His A levels doesn't include Maths which holds him back from Russell group universities. Any advice what to do? He doesn't want to take a gap year

Have you considered Surrey? Good business school and if you van use Waterloo it’s very commutable from London.

We visited Surrey and liked it. Clearing is closed for surrey now though otherwise yes we would consider it

Ring the university admissions teams - sometimes phone calls can be much more informative and helpful than the websites. Good luck - this must be a stressful time.

I have a child at Reading and it's a lovely uni. You could contact the Disability Advisory Service if you have specific questions about support but IME they have been supportive. The accommodation is also plentiful - you could stay on campus for 3 years if required. Commuting from London is very possible also - but £££.

I have sent you a PM if thats ok?

You will need to check whether either Bayes or Reading will accept a 5 for maths GCSE.

My son looked at Bayes and it required a 7 for GCSE maths from memory, if not taken at A level for most of its Business/Finance type degrees.

Some universities aren't flexible on required GCSE grades even in clearing.

It is completely understandable that he feels a bit bruised after having a Grade 5 in GCSE Maths block his path to Bayes (formerly Cass), especially given that his ADHD was undiagnosed at the time. Jumping from DEE in mocks to an incredible AAB final result is a massive achievement, and he should be so proud of turning that around.If he wants to lock something in without a gap year, Henley is a brilliant, highly reputable landing spot that won't penalize him for his route there. Has he managed to check if Henley's specific finance or business courses still have Clearing spots available for his AAB grades?

He has decided on a gap year. Because Henley Business school is strict and won't allow him to get into the courses without a minimum 6. He wants to do Economics and Finance and that requires a 7. They offered foundation in Finance but he feels that a foundation will be debt and tied to that course. So a gap year it is now to resit gcse maths and buying him more time to look around at unis

Henley and Cass Bayes are top business schools though. They can afford to be strict. I assume they accept resits. His B is probably going to cut out UCL and possibly Kings and Bath. Reading is very good in my view and I’d have done the foundation year because he cannot improve his A levels.

just a bit of a cautionary tale. I went to study what they called commerce then but it’s similar to the courses your son like with only c at gcse maths - I struggled so much because you need good maths. I actually complained to the university that they should insist on a level maths as a prerequisite which they actually did 2 years later. During he gap year I would highly recommend him studying maths even if he doesn’t take an exam, ti get his skills up

Wishing him so much luck with the resit. He's already proven he can turn things around massively.