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Higher education

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

Original poster

Still waiting to hear from Durham

255 replies

ryansbeat · 12/01/2015 09:56

Would anyone like to join me in the wait to hear from Durham....feeling so stressed on DDs behalf as she is convinced that she won't get an offer (having been rejected by Oxford). I think that if she doesn't get an offer there she's going to take a year out and reapply....she says she'll be more upset to get rejected by Durham than Oxford. Just wish they would make a decision either way so she can plan ahead. Anyone else waiting to hear....why do they take so long?

OP posts:
Molio · 20/02/2015 15:18

I know of applicants still waiting lala, for humanities anyway. Last year DS didn't hear until mid March and a few years ago a friend of DD2 got an offer for History from Castle (which then was ridiculously competitive, before this pooling came in) on pretty much the last day for offers.

lalamumto3 · 20/02/2015 16:38

Hi Molio thanks so replying, she has applied for History and French, so that makes sense and is positive for her.
It is bit unsettling, but as she has 4 other offers, not the end of the world if she is rejected. However if she got an offer I think that Durham is probably her first choice.

Fingers crossed.....

Molio · 20/02/2015 19:49

lala there's another poster whose DD got an offer for MFL in April last year, so it looks like the History/ MFL combo may be as bad as it gets!

GypsyFloss · 21/02/2015 07:55

Fingers crossed lala , no news is good news I reckon.

boys3 · 21/02/2015 11:22

lala if memory serves into March before DS1 received offer from Durham (History) last year. Hopefully your DD can stay positive

lalamumto3 · 21/02/2015 11:30

Thanks so much for your replies, I am hoping no news is good news, so fingers crossed.

lalamumto3 · 03/03/2015 11:05

Hi is anyone else still waiting to hear from Durham? My DD is waiting for a joint honours (history and French) she has all her other offers in and is concerned that if she does get an offer it may be after the offer holder days.
Any words of advice would be gratefully received.

Lancelottie · 03/03/2015 11:11

Crikey, that's a bit rough on her. DS heard quite late and although he's booked on an offer day he was too late to book accommodation at his allocated college, so not quite the experience he was hoping for.

I hope you and she hear soon.

SecretSquirrels · 03/03/2015 11:13

It's not too late to get an offer.
DS got an offer from Durham last year, his came in December and his friend, same subject, didn't hear until April. They offered her computing instead of the maths she had applied for (she turned it down).
I wonder whether the late offers go out after they have some early offers accepted or rejected?

Molio · 03/03/2015 22:53

lalamum she will hear any day now but it may very well be too late for the offer holders days. That's not ideal, but shouldn't deter her from accepting, if she likes Durham from what she already knows. Also, she can go to visit an individual offer holder, and the departments should welcome her in. Lots of responses seem to come in a rush in the first and second weeks of March.

Molio · 03/03/2015 22:55

Sorry - visit as an individual offer holder is what I meant.

lalamumto3 · 04/03/2015 21:33

Thanks so much for your responses, she is really fed up with not knowing, hopefully as Molio says we will hear soon. Visited Warwick today, which she really liked, more so than Exeter.

Will update when she hears.

Thank you again

Juliebarks · 04/03/2015 23:10

My DS also waiting for history and German. She has already achieved the grades, so we can't understand the wait . She narrowly missed out last year for single hons history. They kept her waiting for a week after results day as a 'near miss candidate' and then rejected her. She is desperate to go to Durham but I can't help thinking that this is a poor way to go about things.

Jojolil · 09/03/2015 09:28

Hello everyone! I think that a lot of people are waiting for History and a modern language... it's so frustrating isn't it? Especially as the open days are coming up. Our lives are on hold. At least we know that we are not the only ones now. WILL IT BE THIS WEEK?

Lancelottie · 09/03/2015 12:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Molio · 09/03/2015 19:19

Decisions are definitely still trickling through, both ways. Once it gets to this point, with offer holder open days so near, those left waiting are absolutely on the cusp, mostly positive, and as offer holders decline, a place is freed up and offered.

tantalisingduck · 18/03/2015 17:04

So did your DCs go to the post offer days and like it.
DD was very impressed with the talk at her allocated college.
And bemused by the (loud) welcome at the train station!!

Lancelottie · 18/03/2015 17:08

Yes, Duck -- DS baulked in horror at the train welcoming party and snuck off to find his college on his own.

Molio · 18/03/2015 19:47

DS mentioned the train welcoming party too and was glad that wasn't his college. I think he enjoyed going around the Peninsula best, just with a friend from school.

Original poster
ryansbeat · 18/03/2015 20:34

My DD did the Monday/Tuesday offer day and came back really happy and enthused! She actually liked the welcoming party - she had sat on her own for the train journey up to Durham and and had felt rather isolated - so it was great to be met at the station. The reps walked them to the college and she said they were all so welcoming. There was lots for them to do in the college and even though she was worried that she wasn't 18 and wouldn't be able to go out, it seems that they all stayed in and had a great time there. She said all the people she met were very nice and she feels that she could be very happy there.

On the Tuesday she looked around the department/library/music and she and 3 others had lunch with one of the member's of staff of the department. Very impressed with the course and had the chance to talk to current students.

On the journey back she found that she and one of the girls she had been with for the day were two seats apart - so after a request from a lady in the middle they managed to sit together and had a good chat (I gather most of the journey back!)

She is definitely going to firm Durham now - she just need to get those grades!!

Hope everyone else had good experiences - certainly seems that most people did. Having said that, one of her school friends said that she didn't like her college at all (I don't know which one it was) and has decided to take a year out and reapply. Really pleased that DD did manage to get to the open day as it has really helped her decide.

OP posts:
lalamumto3 · 19/03/2015 11:59

Hi just to say we are still waiting to hear, dd has been told that she should hear by the end of March.

It is a real shame that should she get an offer (something that seems less possible as time goes by) she has missed the opportunity to go to an offer holder day, but I have said that if she did, she should arrange to visit.

Anyone else still waiting to hear?

Lancelottie · 19/03/2015 12:18

They offered DS a chance to go up and see his college separately, Lala, as he'd missed the chance of an overnight stay for offer holder day, so I imagine they would help her to do that too.

Jojolil · 19/03/2015 14:20

Yes we're STILL waiting too! It's same course as yours but with Spanish instead of French!

Juliebarks · 20/03/2015 18:38

Yup, still waiting here too! History/German. DD has grades already. Keen to hear from any others in a similar situation.

CapabilityGold · 24/02/2018 00:46

Also still waiting and it is very stressful. DD did not get into Cambridge but Durham was always her first choice. It was only I who persuaded her to apply for Cambridge. Course better at Durham and also tutors. Just have to keep waiting.