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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

UCAS applications

468 replies

mumblechum1 · 12/10/2012 09:24

When are people's DCs planning on finalising their personal statements, with a view to getting the UCAS applns sent off?

DS's school have done the grade predictions but as far as I know haven't done the reference bit yet.

DS has done the first draft of his PS, has feedback from his tutor and is aiming to polish it up this weekend.

OP posts:
JustGettingByMum · 12/10/2012 11:58

Hi DS is working on his as I type (I hope).

School have been really pushing the PS since May in Y12, and first draft had to be in before the summer hols - bit daft considering many of the students had summer placements so wanted to write about them in the PS.

Luckily, the teachers have been really good about looking over "late" PS and DS has an agreed final draft which he is trying to upload today. But UCAS seems to be on a go slow. I guess its the last day for the Oxbridge entrants so its prob very busy.

Now he just needs to decide on his final 5 choices Wink

socharlotte · 12/10/2012 13:20

Our school have only done the oxbridge/med applications so far.

Copthallresident · 12/10/2012 14:00

Final date for submission of forms is mid January. Some unis delay offers until February to ensure they give fair consideration to the applications that come later in the process. However most schools get the Oxbridge applications out of the way then focus on the rest. Unis will start offering now because they want to woo the Oxbridge applicants but they will keep offering, they plan it so they don't run out and miss out on good applicants applying later!!

Milliways · 12/10/2012 16:02

The Oxbridge & meds have gone already. DS has had his personal statement agreed (finally - many drafs later) and the school are now ready to add their references as DS wants his submitted this month.

His school try & get loads done by half term and all boys are being pushed to complete them now. They are much better at this than DDs school were.

senua · 12/10/2012 21:03

One of DS's mates has just finalised his position. He's done a cost/benefit analysis and decided against.

Original poster
mumblechum1 · 13/10/2012 01:17

Senua, so do you mean he's decided not to bother going to Uni as he doesnt think the salary difference will be worth the cost of going?

OP posts:
JustGettingByMum · 13/10/2012 08:03

Mumblechum - what's your DS hoping to study?

JustGettingByMum · 13/10/2012 08:04

Milliways - whats your DS hoping to study?

creamteas · 13/10/2012 10:42

At my uni applications tend to arrive in waves. The first batch is just before the Oct deadline where students are applying to Oxbridge/medicine etc.

The second big arrival time is first half of Nov after half-term. I always imagined that the applicants had a half-term deadline for their applications and then the references are done during and after half-term.

The third wave is just before the cut-off in Jan. This tends to be more sixth form and FE colleges than schools.

We start making offers in November but do so on the basis of fairly predicable trends in the numbers arriving.

mumeeee · 13/10/2012 11:22

DD3 is thinking of going to Uni next year. Her college has only just started talking about the Uni applications.

JellicleCat · 13/10/2012 15:30

Trying to get DD to do hers by the end of the October break, rather than leave it to December which will be her inclination. Trying to get through to her that early in means early offer, but procrastination is her middle name.
She wants to do Physics btw.
School has a cut off of early Dec for the non-oxbride/med/vet etc which is good as she can't leave it till mid-Jan that way.

fussychica · 13/10/2012 16:09

When DS applied he began contacting Unis in September as he needed to know what offer they might make against his Spanish qualifications, most were really helpful but a couple of them were useless. He went to Open days in October and sent his application in first week of November and had all five offers by the end of the month Shock Remember it was really exciting for him getting an offer every few days.

Original poster
mumblechum1 · 13/10/2012 16:19

Well, ds said last night that today, he was going to write an essay (due in Monday) and finish his personal statement.

Was out on the lash last night, went out this morning for a loaf of bread at 11am, got back 4pm, has now got his coffee and sat down at his desk at 4.15pm to start his working day.

OP posts:
ISingSoprano · 13/10/2012 16:24

Ds is on about draft version 4 of his PS - it is a looooooong and painful process! His sixth form have an internal deadline for mid November for all applications to be complete. We have one more open day to go to at the end of the month so I guess he will complete his application once we have done that.

SugariceAndScary · 13/10/2012 17:38

I am hating this UCAS stuff!

DS1 who has always been a placid, laid back sort has turned into an arse of late. Whatever I suggest is met with 'meh' and a just audible sigh before he tells me it's all fine and in hand.

He has to send off by mid November, that is if I haven't finished him off by then. Wink

Original poster
mumblechum1 · 13/10/2012 17:42

Sugarice, same here, ds reckons he really wants to get into a decent Uni but doesn't seem to equate working hard with achieving that.

The essay he's been putting off for two weeks was just rattled off in 45 minutes and he's now watching the Big Bang Theory. Ipromised yesterday I wasnt going to mention the PS today but I'm biting a hole in my tongue.

He's away all next weekend with Army training then off to Washington for 10 days before the elections so this is his last free time till early November.

OP posts:
Bossybritches22 · 13/10/2012 17:51

Gone off.... confirmations of application returned... although offers won't be made till Jan.

Been chewing my nails too over Dd1's horizontally laid back approach -the predicted A's at AS were a little less (high B's +a C ) so having to do resits has sharpened up her attitude a tad. Whether its too late only time will tell.

SugariceAndScary · 13/10/2012 17:58

mumblechum dh has told me to back off and let him sink or swim but where does that leave him if he sinks? He is predicted C's, that's not good enough but I'm sure he could reach two B's if he'd get his head down.

< pours a glass of wine before ds gets in from work and will avoid nagging him Hmm>

Original poster
mumblechum1 · 13/10/2012 17:59

Smile Sugar.

OP posts:
SugariceAndScary · 13/10/2012 18:05

mumble meant to say in my last post I bet your boy will have a fantastic time in Washington, what an atmosphere that'll be. Lucky Spud!! Smile

TessCowDirect · 13/10/2012 18:09

DS2 submitted his UCAS application yesterday. He said he was fed up of tweaking his personal statement every time he looked at it.

ISingSoprano · 13/10/2012 18:13

So what is everyone applying for? Ds is applying for Marine Bio/Oceanography.

JustGettingByMum · 13/10/2012 18:15

Can I ask whether your DC have put (or are intending to put) their AS grades in? DS did well in his AS exams, so I think he should put in the overall grades, but not the module scores. But I've heard that some schools recommend not putting in your grades.
Any thoughts?

TessCowDirect · 13/10/2012 18:18

Yes, DS2 has put his AS grades in.

DS1 (already at University) did the same. I thought they had to!

FrankensteinWippery · 13/10/2012 18:25

DD2 did hers a couple of weeks ago. She has said since she was bloody 7 what she wants to do and it would appear that she's going to do it! She's 18 today and her mind has never changed since the day she announced she wants to be a lawyer. She'll bloody do it too. Hoping for Oxford, back up choices are LSE, Bristol (where DD1 has just started) and Exeter.