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Higher education

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

Original poster

Ucas / Results 2014 (carrying on Ucas Forms Sent.... thread)

630 replies

Littleham · 10/06/2014 11:55

Thought we might need a new thread for the results...

OP posts:
CatherineofMumbles · 13/08/2014 11:03

theheadgirl
what a fab idea! Hope all goes well

traceyinrosso70 · 13/08/2014 11:10

It's just German my DD is anxious about making her A in and checking the grade boundaries she will have to score so much higher in raw mark terms in German compared to French just to get the same grade :(

Original poster
Littleham · 13/08/2014 11:26

Maths looks good, German grade boundary is awful for an A Sad and Chemistry (OMG). It may be clearing for us now. Not easy for universities either - might explain why some are lowering courses to BBB.

OP posts:
whatsinaname01 · 13/08/2014 11:38

Littleham I'm to terrified to start looking at grade boundaries. I have no idea how DS did in exams as he refuses to talk about them, so would rather stay blissfully ignorant with my head in the sand.
I think for some sanity the dogs will be going on an extra long walk today Smile.
Baking a cake this afternoon.
Trying desperately to distract myself but i'm like an addict coming back to MN
How is everyone else doing?

Lindor · 13/08/2014 12:01

As others have said upthread, it's so good to have mumsnet to see that I'm not the only one feeling like this, and trying to keep everything calm and positive at home.

Ds is off to the gym now for an hour or so, and then he's working 4.15 til 10.15pm, so at least he'll be busy today. He's spent the morning so far checking the grade boundaries and writing out a chart comparing this year's boundaries with the past 2 years.

Hope things with you all are relatively calm. The next 24 hours can't come soon enough

x

FantaSea · 13/08/2014 12:18

secret you are absolutely right about, most of us have no-one in RL that we can fully reveal the extent of our madness to and so this is a haven. A few years ago I would not have believed the frenzy I would have got myself into over A levels, so I can imagine outsiders reading this thread and thinking we were all insane!

Littleham I have looked at the ocr chemistry grade boundaries and now I feel worse. I am hoping DD has scraped a C by some miracle but now I am not so sure.

Is time going very slowly today or is it me?

lismore · 13/08/2014 12:26

DS is out with friends today, I'm not working today so think I'll bake a cake this afternoon as distraction therapy.
I'll resist putting a scroll on the top just in case (anyone else old enough to remember grandma Beattie (BT) baking a congrats cake for her grandson?
Smile

m.youtube.com/watch?v=UiLzlCUlIJE

theheadgirl · 13/08/2014 12:28

Re distraction - if anyone had DCs into Disneys High School Musical back in the day, there's some sort of spin off film now on bbc 2. DD1 (18) and DD2(16) are wallowing in nostalgia and remembering a time when exam results didn't matter!
It makes me feel a bit weepy TBH thinking here we are now off to uni and 6th form.....

Original poster
Littleham · 13/08/2014 12:28

I guess it must look insane from the outside, but this thread is such a release valve, because at home you have to appear calm / supportive. Anyway, better for them to have concerned parents than unconcerned ones.

Looking at grade boundaries has been beneficial, because there are now serious preparations for clearing going on. Think we may have been a tad aspirational with original offers, but never mind.

OP posts:
theheadgirl · 13/08/2014 12:32

lismore I remember that! Here's to everyone getting "an ology"!!

SpringyReframed · 13/08/2014 12:34

I am a wreck today, but being "super normal" on the outside!

Littleham, seems we are the same boat here. Thank goodness someone else feels the same way.

I'm doing serious clearing prep, but DS doing serious head in the sand activities and I'm getting please dont discuss it with me.

I am going to bake later too. It should benefit us both.

FantaSea · 13/08/2014 12:34

Lismore I remember that advert - 'you get an ology you're a scientist' Grin

traceyinrosso70 · 13/08/2014 12:35

Just nice to feel more on the normal scale than the intensely neurotic scale here ! Can't believe it's only lunch time . DD is at home on her own ploughing through her list of distraction activities ! I am at work feeling every minute and trying not to bore my clients with the stresses of parenting an 18 year old waiting for results !!

Original poster
Littleham · 13/08/2014 12:41

She is not doing an 'ology (advert made her laugh though) and I don't bake (other than charred offerings) but we have bought in lots of Cake.

OP posts:
traceyinrosso70 · 13/08/2014 12:43

Littleham got everything crossed for your DD - the grade boundaries for German are truly scary - my DD thinks she may well be borderline for an A but that would be worse than missing it by a mile to be 1 or 2 marks short !

UselessNess · 13/08/2014 12:58

I'm waiting for DDs AS results so am not too stressed this year but I was shocked at how nervous I was for my other kids. I'm usually a really calm laid back Mum at least I kid myself that I am

It's not good if your kids think you are really nervous. It's not exactly showing them that you are confident in them and it doesn't really help them either. Confused. I literally felt sick last year. Sad
The thing is is that even if your DC are looking at 'great' results it's all relative to what they want and aspire too.

Last year my DS was very optimistic about his choices especially as he specialised in getting results that were as close to the boundary grades as possible. An awful lot of his papers were one or two UMs above or below the grade boundary. Luckily he got in but it was very close. Confused He elder brother and sister were already at Uni studying brainy things (medicine, maths related course) and I think that sibling rivalry was an added pressure. I never saw signs of sibling rivalry but it would be naive to think it wasn't there.

I also came to realise that it would have been a huge deal for him if he didn't get in. Logically there were lots of other options for him and even if he had ended up with the 'lower' grades he would still have great grades. However, I think he would have felt extremely disappointed and embarrassed . He was always very together and low key and it wasn't until afterwards that I realised quite how stressed he was. It's easy to overlook with quiet kids (adults?)

I'm glad I only have one more DC to go and that A'level stress will be a thing of the past in just over a year. Fortunately or unfortunately there is zero chance on DD2 keeping her stress levels to herself. She is very good at letting everyone know how she feels Wink

Good luck to everyone for tomorrow. Thanks

Whyjustwhyagain · 13/08/2014 13:22

Just want to wish everyone good luck for tomorrow. We were in this position last year, and 2 years before that.
This year, I have 2 nephews waiting for results, so although I'm FAR less stressed, I'm still hoping and crossing fingers for them.

btw, I had a friend who worked at UCAS last year. She sent me a text at 7.30 when UCAS went live (30 mins ahead of published time). It was definitely NOT live before that, so do try to sleep tonight if you can. In the worst case, you might need your energy tomorrow.

And on positive stories, DS was rejected from his1st choice 3 years ago despite being only 0.5% off his third A grade. We got the paper remarked, and though it was a Physics paper so you would think the answers were right/wrong. The remark discovered and an extra 6 marks! So he was able to go to his 1st choice, and is loving it, he starts his final year in October.

Anyway, good luck to everyone.

BeckAndCall · 13/08/2014 14:48

Oh crikey, now you've made me do it. I went and looked at the grade boundaries for DDs subjects.
The one I'm worried about is maths (needs a minimum A) as she came out of C4 in tears. I know what she thinks she scored ( model answers on TSR ) and I am cautiously optimistic . That is really tempting fate isn't it?

Isthiscorrect · 13/08/2014 16:22

Yy to everyone thinking we are helicopter parents if they read this. But I'm like so many of the others on here, no one in RL who would understand.
I'm leaving for the airport soon to collect ds. I haven't seen him since the 4 July. So hopefully we will have a lot to talk about that doesn't include grade boundaries and results. Secretly at the back of the fridge is a bottle of champagne, fingers crossed we get I drink it. I'm pretty sure he hadn't had enough data to check grade boundaries hopefully he won't have time and we can get a little bit of sleep. He will have his results from college at 6am via email. Please let them meet his offer.
Good luck everyone.

FantaSea · 13/08/2014 16:54

Beck really hope your DD has the grade she needs. I am most worried about the chemistry as DD came out crying after two of the exams. It is horrible isn't it?

Isthiscorrect hope your DS has had a good journey. At least you will have his trip to talk about. What I am finding is that however hard I try, every conversation I have with DD seems to be a discussion about results.

traceyinrosso70 · 13/08/2014 17:01

The following words are on the "banned " list as declared by DD until tomorrow : results, clearing, grades, tomorrow and Southampton (DDs firm) !!!

traceyinrosso70 · 13/08/2014 17:04

Been nice to see my DD trawling through various sites on internet for her friend who wants to do child nursing looking for clearing vacancies for her as she's seriously worried she won't make her required grade in Chemistry - nice to think she's not so self obsessed that she can't be worried for her friend :) Some qualities can't be judged in life by a grade !

larry5 · 13/08/2014 17:14

Dd was in this position 4 years ago and although she didn't get quite the results she needed she still ended up at her firm uni. Do not give up hope. She had to wait until the Friday for it to be confirmed but she got in.

Tomorrow morning if your child has got the right results it will come up on UCAS as a confirmed place. Dd had a confirmed place at her insurance but still wanted to go for her 1st choice which she got in the end.

Best wishes to all of you for tomorrow.

Original poster
Littleham · 13/08/2014 17:38

Well - I'm not allowed to 'help'. All very independent here.

Need a 'feeling sick' smiley. Good luck everyone - will be thinking of you all. Flowers

OP posts:
MrsJayGatsby · 13/08/2014 17:48

I am absolutely tearing my hair out - I am waiting for confirmation or otherwise from my firm uni. Actually know I didn't get the exact required grades (access course so went on credits - I had to get distinctions in all assignments in 2 subjects & unfortunately missed out on one assignment) so was told I had to wait until A level results were in.

Another person on my course applied for the exact same course at the same uni, so needed the same results as me & got the same results as me - missed out in the same assignment in fact - and they already had their confirmation! I don't suppose anybody knows why this would have happened? We got the exact same results and it's really stressing me out wondering why he has his confirmed place already and I don't.

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