To anyone who's stressing about A level results

[mumblechum1]

Don't bother.

Just thought I'd share that with everyone who is getting uptight about the whole A level thing. After two years of (me, not him!), worrying about grade boundaries, whether universities are Russell Group/1994 Group/whatever, ds got meh A level results (BBC) after not exactly knocking himself out while at a very highly ranked grammar school, and being under a lot of pressure by the school, and went to a middling redbrick.

Six months on, and ds is happier than I have ever seen him. He loves his course, the tutors are fantastic, it's interesting, his work is always marked 1 or 2:1. He has literally scores of friends and is in love for the first time . He has a fab social life, already passed the Army Officer tests so is guaranteed a job after he graduates and gets an Army bursary on top.

So they don't all need to get AAA*A to have a very good university experience and good job prospects.

If I'd known then what I know now I would have saved myself many grey hairs :-)

Message is; try really hard not to get your knickers in too much of a twist about the whole UCAS malarky!

Well said! Some people just come into their own at university in a way that they didn't quite manage at school.

Well done your ds and good luck in his future career!

thanks Magrat

Mumble - A nice story. Did he find his place in clearing or was it his insurance offer?

No, it was his first choice, bizzarrely, he had offers from Manchester and Bristol on his predicted grades but actively chose his Uni on the fact that most of the work is graded on coursework and essays rather than exams (he always did brilliantly on c/work but rubbish at exams for some reason).

So his first choice (ie the one he is at) wanted BBB, Manch and Bristol wanted (iirc), ABB, predicted ABB.

He was never concerned about whether the uni was RG etc, he just likes the city and his dad doesn't help as he always recruits people on whether they come across as intelligent in interviews, never cares which Uni they went to or what A levels they got (mind you they've been through several layers of vetting before they get to DH).

Would sort of agree with the OP.

DD1 was aiming for Oxbridge but was rejected- devastation etc- picked self up- got Oxbridge grades and went to a redbrick- loves loves loves it. Is top in her year so far (3rd year now) and heading for and MA possibly Oxbridge for the Nah-Nah factor, but actually, she's not sure it's "the best" so we'll see (options to stay where she is and they really want her to be are good and flattering, not to mention grants etc easier to sort, but may also go to Europe).

DS ..... Well the trouble is DD is so happy where she is and it's exceleent for his course, he's really building her uni up as the place he wants to go and interview isn't till Mon and offers if they happen at the end of the month! (and then yes he needs stellar grades, no question, but first just ONE offer please for his 1st choice subject!)

Good luck to your don Theas18!

Glad it worked out so well, Mumblechum, I remember your angst

How lovely to hear that mumblechum So refreshing! Guarantee of a job too - how reassuring.

DS now 3rd year - currently abroad. Happy as Larry. Had 5 offers from a range of universities, pre fees hike. Chose the place he liked best, had the right course and where he felt comfortable rather than 2 of his other choices which were more prestigious(AAB equiv). As we lived abroad at the time he had no formal guidance on how to apply/how to choose where to go etc. He just worked his way through various university websites and fixed up some visits (alone), discussed his plans with us and went for it. I must admit his choice wouldn't have been mine but I wasn't the one going and I had to accept that.
When I read some of the threads on here it seems like everyone is going to get all A* and go to Oxbridge/Durham etc and if they don't their career is pretty much down the drain. Obviously, as he's still got more than a year to go the job market has yet to be tested but fingers crossed he'll be fine and he will have had a great experience.

Good luck to your son Theas18

Thanks Creamteas, you were very helpful!

My friend's daughter is not so lucky, she got all A* at A level but has dropped out of a top RG uni as she was very very unhappy . She is now hugely relieved to be out of it. Just goes to show that results don't automatically mean a thing whether they're stellar or mediocre.

Gosh mumbles you poor friends daughter :(

It's so difficult knowing how to help then choose the path that will make them happy isn't it? But it's the no 1 priority really-no point in doing anything that makes you miserable from GCSE choices on- unless it is a very short term measure with a defined reason and end point (which was how DS coped with AS maths!)

Just to reiterate mumbles point. When DH interviews, he isn't remotely bothered where a candidates degree is from, it is the right person he's looking for.

mumble thank you for telling us. The DCs & schools seem to put so much pressure on themselves. It's lovely to hear such a positive tale.

Just to say when DH interviews he minds very much where the degree is from and what grades the A levels are!! He cannot employ people who have scraped by in his profession.

Just having a chuckle about it being everyone's DH that interviews !! Do we not have any female recruiters in the MN community ?????

I used to interview for university, for undergrad courses but also recruiting into my own research group (postdoctoral research fellows). I also interviewed in the position I was in at the multinational I worked for prior to going back into academia.

I think there are lots of people who are involved in interviewing in the MN community.

I know milly Molly! But I've only ever recruited the odd secretary, dh has around 60 direct reports so does a fair bit of interviewing. I suspect that HR pple will have separated the wheat from the chaff before he gets to see any CVs but he genuinely has no interest in their uni history, just whether they have experience, can answer some very tricky questions and appear to have good emotional intelligence. So he was no use at all in backing me up with nagging DS

Mumble - what course did your son apply for?

Well done on your son, mumble. Good to hear he's doing well.

Mind you, I got those grades - many years ago - and was proud of them. Are they really meh grades these days?

Yes, glad everything worked out so well in the end.