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Higher education

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

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Original poster

Is there ever anyone who doesn't receive any offers?

29 replies

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 29/11/2013 15:53

Looking at the worst case scenario here!
We've just hit the send button. DD is dyslexic so it's taken us ages to get this far. Writing the personal statement and researching the courses has taken so much effort, I'm not convinced she can cope with a degree. She's looking at dance courses and will have to do an audition first. But it's not clear if all unis will accept a BTEC. She is doing 1 A level and the rest in equivalent BTECs. Some unis say they will accept this, others don't make it clear. All her friends are getting offers so just wandered if there's ever been anyone who didn't get any?
Not sure I really want to know the answer to this!

OP posts:

Original poster

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 29/11/2013 16:10

Just realised, I really sound as if I live up to my name! Not usually this pessimistic but want to be prepared if the worst happens.

OP posts:

snowyowl70 · 29/11/2013 19:25

I know lots of potential medics get all rejections and end up reapplying the following year but can't say I have heard of lots of other courses like that. I would think with something of a creative/practical slant that BTecs would be acceptable to make up part of the UCAS points but I have no qualifications to advise on it just a parental hunch !

namechangefornames · 29/11/2013 19:29

I was going to say the same - I have known people applying for medicine and vetinary to get no offers. I would imagine creative courses like dance do accept btecs - is there any advice at school?

DoctorDonnaNoble · 29/11/2013 19:41

Provided they've applied to appropriate places (in line with predictions) students tend to get offers. If they don't all is not lost - that's when clearing comes in handy.

eatyourveg · 29/11/2013 20:00

ucas have a system in place for those with no offers see here

rightsaidfrederick · 29/11/2013 21:19

Anyone who doesn't get offers is either
a) a medicine applicant
b) has pitched their applications wrong

If she receives no offers, then she can go through Extra, as eatyourveg says. There's also Clearing.

If it's not clear from uni websites if they will accept her qualifications, then she needs to email them (this weekend - some unis are starting to wind down for Christmas) and gauge reactions / read between the lines on the responses.

Metebelis3 · 30/11/2013 00:16

People applying for music and drama sometimes get no offers also. Depressing but true.

Original poster

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 30/11/2013 08:29

Thank you for the replies. It's reassuring. I was aware of clearing but didn't know about Extras.
Now we just wait and see!

OP posts:

UptheChimney · 30/11/2013 21:17

I'm a bit concerned that you say that I'm not convinced she can cope with a degree If this is so (if) then why is she going that way? What does she want to do with a dance degree? Is there the possibility for her to do a full-time dance training course at a conservatoire (such as Laban, or The Place)?

I'm a great advocate for talented young people to go to university if they really want to, but not for them to go because that's "what's done" or because they haven't explored other options.

And now, because of b* fees, it's an expensive sort of "let's try this" thing (although actually £27,000 for what you get is probably THE BEST thing you'll ever pay for) -- if it's a good course, if you want to be there.

£9,000 a year for a mediocre course is not a bargain.

bruffin · 30/11/2013 21:32

Im annoyed its ds maths teacher has given a low predicted grade for further maths. At AS he got an A a high B and an E. He is resitting the E and there is no reason he cant get a much higher grade. They will only only predict C, so he cant apply for the unis he wants to.He has lots of experience in the right area and has got a scholarship for the subject. He doesnt want to apply for a mediocre course. He is thinking of delaying a year so that he has his actual results.

UptheChimney · 30/11/2013 21:56

Good idea, bruffin and he can work out what he really wants to do, and where he wants to study.

I've said it before -- if I ruled the world ... a gap year would be compulsory.

mindgone · 01/12/2013 00:34

Bruffin, let him apply this year and see what offers he gets, then he can still go ahead and take a year out if he doesn't like them, or does a lot better. My DS is on an unexpected year out at the moment, after doing much better than expected, then changing his mind about the course he wants to do. He is working full time in a local supermarket, and has plans to travel when he has enough money saved. He also has 3 unconditional offers and 2 interviews in December. It's great to be in the position of really being able to choose where you want to go without the gamble. Best of luck to your DS.

bruffin · 01/12/2013 09:35

Sorry OP for going off thread. But i am worried he will end up with no offers.ds is dyslexic as well And its a worry
Thanks mindgone and upthechimney
He is making all the decisions, we can just advise him.

There is adjustment now but not sure if you can use it with no offers or if hrcan apply to those who hsve turned him down.

Needmoresleep · 01/12/2013 10:23

DS is in a not dissimilar position, with an unexpected low grade in one of his AS papers. The school have downgraded their predictions. However they have said that they will explain in the school report.

DS decided to apply to the Universities he would have applied to anyway, and has got one quite achievable offer and an interview. He has also been asked by another - the one where the missed grade in theory has most impact - about his UMS scores. They could have read his application more carefully and found them, but nevertheless more promising than a straight rejection.

The last had suggested to him that he send them an email explaining that he planned to resit this paper, and that despite his relatively poor predictions he was confident that he would actually exceed their standard offer.

Though the offer is not from his first choice, it is a lovely University and DS is very likely to choose it over taking a gap year even if he gets stellar results this summer. It means that he has been able to relax and focus on his final year of school. And who knows he may get an offer from one of his top choices. Plus, I assume, having entered the system, if he had not got an offer he would have been in a position to approach his prefered Universities post-results, should they be as good as he hopes.

heronsfly · 01/12/2013 10:28

If she wants to study Dance has she taken any high level exams, such as RAD vocational grades etc ? these carry some weight when applying.

BoysWillGrow · 01/12/2013 13:51

I know how you feel I'm applying to only 2 courses as I need to stay local but It is a worry that I might not get an offer.

BeckAndCall · 02/12/2013 06:46

It is possible in perfroming arts, unfortunately.

You say she's already hit the send button but you're not sure if the universities will accept her BTECs as 'its not clear' on their websites. In which case you email the admissions tutor and ask them. I'm afraid it's too late if you've already hit 'send' and the answer is 'no'.

UptheChimney · 02/12/2013 08:27

Most universities will accept BTECS under certain circumstances and for particular courses. Mine will, for Drama and Music, but you need to have all Distinctions, plus at least one other A level. I have seen students flounder though, because they're not used to the high level of academic writing and expectation of independent research skills.

But for a specific course, you need to ask these questions at an Open Day -- these are the kinds of questions we expect to be asked!

Original poster

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 02/12/2013 08:41

DD is keen to try for university so I'm not going to stop her. I'm not sure how much is the expectation of the school, or her friends who are all applying. Having said that I'm not sure if this is the best option she has already exceeded my expectations by continuing on to sixth form. She struggled at school but is now working harder as she is doing the subjects she is really interested in.
Looking at the unis she has chosen, some do accept BTECs, the other state "A level, or equivalent" without mentiong what the "equivalent" is. As it is partly decided by audition I'm hoping her expected grades, will be enough to get her invited to audition. She does dance outside of school, and has plenty of experence in shows and exams.
If she doesn't get a place, then she hasn't lost anything. If she starts a course and then feels it isn't right for her then at least she has tried.

OP posts:

LRDtheFeministDragon · 02/12/2013 18:00

Slightly late to it, but I've known quite a few people to not get any offers and they were mostly fine in the end. I'm surprised at the idea it would only be medics and I really disagree it means you pitched yourself wrongly.

I know someone who did the absolutely basic formula with one 'give it a shot, maybe' choice, one 'easy reach' and the rest in the middle, and she got nothing. In clearing she got into UCL, whose standard offer was the same as the middle-range ones she'd been turned down from. It was pure bad luck, I think, as she was a solid AAB/AAA student and knew it.

MillyMollyMama · 03/12/2013 00:43

There are loads of people who get no offers in a range of subjects. I certainly know of English, Vet medicine, medicine, at my DDs school. These were all predicted A and A* too.

If dance courses appear in clearing each year, they may not all fill up so someone with dance experience and Btecs is probably ok as they will probably ask for points rather than grades. Typical offers can be checked on the Uni websites of course. Also dance exams at higher levels give points too so they all add up.

MrsBright · 03/12/2013 09:10

You dont need a degree to be a dancer. Nor do you have to go to Uni straight from school.

If for whatever reason she doesnt get an offer (or a confirmed place once exam results are known) it ISNT the end of the world. There are other avenues for dance careers and there are other ways to go to Uni.

Please remember, 'Going to Uni' isnt a guarantee of life long happiness and success. A non-degree course, especially for someone with dyslexia, may be a far better option in terms of usable skills rather than academic training.

intitgrand · 04/12/2013 16:41

The only person I have heard of getting no offers was to vet school.

MissLivvy · 04/12/2013 20:33

LRD which year was this? Didn't think UCL has ever been in Clearing. Certainly wasn't this year.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 04/12/2013 20:49

I'm showing my age, because it was 2002, and we were contemporaries.

It sticks in my mind because I remember how worried she was. More recently, I know someone who didn't get any offers last year and got straight A* and A grades. It does happen.

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