UCAS forms sent - just the waiting game now !

[snowyowl70]

My super organised DD1 has had email today to say her forms/reference have been received and should be at her chosen Unis in the next 48 hrs !!!!! So the waiting begins - to those seasoned parents who have done this before can you remember how long they had to wait for their first responses ? At least 2 out of her 5 may call her for interview (MFL) so am guessing these might be fairly on the ball ?

hattie and bonsoir PM or new thread, don't you think? There are lots of issues that people might come to this thread to share experiences, find out about as our DCs go through UCAS, but the last ten posts will be unlikely to be of any interest or help really and will more than likely kill the thread. I don't normally bother about people going off thread, it can take things in interesting new directions but this feels to me like two people talking loudly in a room about themselves when the rest of the people there are trying to share other, important, issues. I am sure you wouldn't do that in real life?

Oops - sorry - didn't realise we'd posted so much. Just having a bit of a panic here and Bonsoir is always brilliant at advice.

Feel free to resume thread other posters.

shooting - I'll get the thread back to UCAS DS has now received 3 offers in the space of 24 hours. Just waiting on the last two now; but after a very bumpy year when he started his AS after this year transferred to a BTEC course and he is very happy

Congratulations to your DS Cricketballs . Glad to hear that the course of direction has made him happy and successful. My Dd transferred to a less academic school for sixth form with similar results. It has made me realise that it is confidence rather than having the right "names" on their applications that matter.

DS has received an offer from Warwick at last. They do have a policy of making an offer to all applicants with certain predictions in Maths but he was beginning to wonder whether he would ever hear. Got an offer from Durham last week so just waiting to hear about one more and then he will have to decide.

ShootingatPigeons - I beg to differ. The IELTS issue (when to take it and how to find a spot) is a very real one for all overseas UCAS candidates.

bonsoir which is why I suggested pm or new thread. If IELTS or the issues connected with The French School System were of interest to others they would be more likely to find it on a thread which was about that and had an appropriate title. Why don't you start one then?

dd now has four offers - she is very happy - and is getting the universities' attempts at festive greetings of various sorts, which are quite entertaining - eat your heart out, John Lewis.

Good luck to everyone - it sounds as if most people have had enough good news to be able to breathe something of a sigh of relief and enjoy the holiday.

DS has had offers from Warwick and Surrey. He is also hoping to get an interview for Imperial but as that and Warwick are his preferred choices he is relieved to have one offer out of the two.

IELTS is directly related to UCAS applications - it is not an independent issue. IELTS scores are part of the standard offer for applicants from all non-Anglophone educational systems. It seems you are unaware of this and perhaps this thread will have taught you something new.

Hi Bonsoir - have booked test - we're going for TOEFL as it's sooner but the Director is still going to contact the Sorbonne direct as KCL accept the OIB.

Interestingly, DD had her offer from Durham without IELTS requirement and her friend, who is in her class but Australian has an IELTS requirement with her offer.

Well I have to admit my ignorance to any understanding of these international issues - if someone would like to elaborate and enlighten me please do !

I don't know why we have to make this into some sort of a competition / confrontation/ bitch off, as I said I normally wouldn't comment but it really felt like you and Hattie were having a private conversation with whatever agenda by having it in public . As it happens Bonsoir I have lots of conversations about the challenges of applying to UK and US universities from overseas, I could bore you for many more than 11 posts with all the bureaucracy, the inconsistency in defining home v. overseas and ways of overcoming it (I posted on that subject earlier), the various requirements etc, etc not to mention the different challenges posed by applying from International versus ESF versus local Hong Kong and Chinese Schools but I would just assume that if I did so without even bothering to explain the background eg what an ESF school was, it would not be appropriate unless a thread for people who are familiar with Asian Schools, or a PM ...Gah I am probably just in a bad mood after too much Christmas Shopping, HO ho ho.......

Don't worry Shooting - it was me that started it but it was a very stressful situation (on top of Christmas) where DD looked like she couldn't apply for something she'd be perfect for and like I said Bonsoir helped out, provided a sounding board. I knew I could find her quickly on this thread as I too had been posting about UCAS offers in the UK.

As you were everybody.

Good luck to your DD Hattymattie. So annoying - I hope the director will be able to at least use your DD's experience to sort the situation out for future applicants.

On a related note, I observe that required IELTS scores are rising, especially for writing.

Thanks Bonsoir - I'll let you know what happens. We needed a 7.5 IELTs score.

7.5 is what Cambridge requires.

DSS1 needed 7.0 overall with 6.0 minimum in writing for Economics at Bristol this September. For September 2014 the writing needs to be 7.0. I think he had a lucky escape!

Did anyone else see the article in The Telegraph yesterday about Unis making unconditional offers ? If I recall correctly it said that out of 1000 unconditional offers that Birmingham made 300 students took them up. So knowing that 2/3 didn't take them up makes me feel a bit easier that DD1 isn't going to accept either of her unconditional offers .

I didn't see it but it shows that students are making their own decisions and hard work won't stand in the way of that. It's very encouraging but also something I would hope a student of that calibre would have.

Snowyowl please don't worry about your DD. MFL students are in such short supply nationally that virtually every uni under recruits every year.

If she gets good grades, she will be able to take her pick of universities. It is increasingly common for students to switch away from their firm offer and go elsewhere during clearing.

Clearing is no longer just the process for those without places, it is now often when applicants change their decisions (and not just those who can officially do so through adjustment!).

Thank you creamteas for your reassurance to a neurotic mother !! Am confident she will do well but it's the fear of the unknown ie illness, difficult paper that makes me wonder if she is unwise turning them down . Her first choice is AAA and reserve choice ABB so there is room for manoeuvre if she drops a grade or two .

Alphra my DS is also waiting to hear from Imperial, after getting 3 offers in November. They seem to be taking their time, hopefully we'll hear soon.
Secret glad to hear your DS has an offer from Warwick at last.
Good luck to all still waiting for offers. I hope we get good news in the new year!

Creamteas, your take on the competition for MFL courses is interesting. Do you have any idea what is happening with economics. It seems so much more competitive and mathematical than it was in my day, with student room discussion seemingly dominated by kids who want to get into four (Cambridge, LSE, UCL and Warwick) Universities in order to get well paid jobs in the City. A very high proportion seem to come from elsewhere in Europe or overseas and many of whom appear to have astonishing academic results though typically in maths/science rather than English/MFL/humanities.

Are departments simply looking for straight mathematical horse power or are they leaving room for a few students who some broader perspective? I guess we will know in a few weeks time, whether the encouragement we gave DS to take history rather than physics as a fourth A level even if it meant a lower UMS, will be correct. Overall I think he is pleased he has taken the opportunity to improve his written skills and his ability to see a historical perspective, even if it has not been the easy option.

I guess, beyond DS's application, I am hoping that our top economics departments are providing a wider economics education and training people capable of being good public policy makers, as well as very clever City geeks. A part is age. This generation seem so much more focussed, hard working, and career orientated. It would be nice to be reassured that they have room to look beyond the results, enjoy their education and have some fun as well.

Needmoresleep, my dc is at Warwick doing economics and it is very mathematical. Very few essays and lots of equations and computer work. It is really nothing like the a level, much more applied maths. At least half of the cohort are very ambitious, driven students from overseas with stellar results. My dc has found it a bit overwhelming but is starting to get to grips with it slowly. I think economics is one of the most competitive subjects. I know statistically it was the most competitive at Cambridge last year. There's been a bit in the press about the need for economics departments to offer a more rounded education with a wider range of perspectives. On the evidence from my dc I would support this.

It is more difficult to secure Economics places than MFL, and I would agree it is becoming more mathematical.

To be honest, I don't much of the economics education, but the again like many sociologists the idea that everything can be measured by costs is an anathema....