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Higher education

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

Original poster

Experience with " near miss grades " for uni, advice on what to do?

180 replies

Bagpuss555 · 07/08/2015 18:02

OK long story short, DD pretty sure she won't make AAA offer possibilities more likely be AAB or AAB, her condition didn't include equivalents. If on results day she gets rejected with those grades but the B is close to an A is it worth ringing up the uni to ask them to reconsider or maybe go for remark? Any success stories ? DD offer isn't from Oxbridge or top 5 uni. Any advice is appreciated, might be of help to others who may be of a similar dilemma.

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Headofthehive55 · 11/08/2015 16:13

bagpuss I think you are so right in your last paragraph. Learning that you can't always get it right and also accepting it just wasn't your day with good grace I think is a useful skill.

I worry that we are all pushing so hard as a society that young people are picking up messages that unless it's AAA and a RG uni then it's not worthwhile and I think that is very sad.

It's helped this summer as she is the only one of her friends to get a paid work experience placement. We focus lots on transferable skills and other things she can offer and has meant she has done a lot to add value in these areas which I don't think would have happened if she had gone to her original choice.

However do bear in mind that some accountancy firms are not using the A levels and uni to select candidates. My DD also came home earlier in the year after a talk with a big company who said the same. So it may not matter as much as they think!

I will keep my fingers crossed for your DD!

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 11/08/2015 16:33

fatherrebool Im wishing DD will have someone like you deciding her fate if she has just missed her grades! History if she gets a B in, is definatley irrelevant subject for her degree. Shes quite confident she will get A* in maths, but there is only a small component of maths in her degree more at Masters which is what she intends to do later, so hence why she took it plus she's good at it.

I never knew how admission would deal with the missed grade students, so its been very interesting to learn from their prospective how they goes about deciding who to give a 2nd to.

Nice to hear more "missed grade" successes, although I did hear from the student room "missed grade but still got accepted thread" linked on page 1 here, that one unlucky girl was rejected with AAB on a AAA course !! She was just saying on there, that she wished she was as lucky as those on the thread. Think it was either for law or economics at a very top uni. That made my heart sink.

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cricketballs · 11/08/2015 20:38

Headof - your sentence about "I worry that we are all pushing so hard as a society that young people are picking up messages that unless it's AAA and a RG uni then it's not worthwhile and I think that is very sad" is very true

My DS was offered more prestigious unis according to MN, but he went with the one he felt more at home with; the one whose course he preferred, the city he felt more comfortable in etc and hes very happy! Hes getting good grades, taught by lecturers who still work in the industry and has been offered an amazing opportunity for his placement year (which is down to the contacts the uni has)

I will not boast that this ex-poly is in the top 20 rated unis, beating some RG unis overall and has always been placed in the top 20 for his subject

Headofthehive55 · 12/08/2015 08:52

cricket glad your son had the courage to go against the grain and do what makes him happy.
My DD said for the first time last night she was happy at her uni and now wasn't wanting to switch. Ladies, you have no idea how happy that made me!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 12/08/2015 11:09

Good luck to everyone! Can I just repeat what somebody else said upthread:

It's the applicant who has to do the ringing round in clearing/adjustment, not the parents or the school.

There may be some institutions who will speak to a parent in these circumstances, but I'm pretty sure most won't and would take a dim view of the applicant not taking the initiative - except in cases where there is a disability issue that makes talking on the phone difficult.

I have a friend who used to work in Admissions at a RG university and she says it is absolutely manic on results day (no great surprise there!). Based on what she's told me and what I've gleaned from here over the years, I'd also advise the applicant:

Ring as early in the day as possible. It will be first come, first served. Have all the contact details and UCAS ID number to hand ready. Be prepared to be on the phone a long, long time just waiting to get through. Once you've had that first call you may need to take another one so put aside most of the day to deal with this, and keep your phone on and charged - or give them a landline number.

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 12/08/2015 11:48

headofhives so happy for you and dd Smile keeping looking forward and don't look back. Bet your a proud mum.
My dd got up early to look at grade boundaries, maths is higher than last years, she thinks she just scraped A or missed it by 1 mark Confused. She thinks she got a good chance at A with the other subject, still thinks definatley a B for history. Can cut the atmosphere in this house with a knife. Urghhh I want my simple life back!! I want to go to work, but ive taken the rest of this week off. The dog has had enough of all these walks he's hidden under the kitchen table!!

On the bright side I think dd has had some kind of epiphany, that going to insurance makes sense!! Hallalujah. I think the shock of grade boundaries going up made her realise shes lucky to have somewhere to go to. Hoping she stays like this tommorow.

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voilets · 12/08/2015 15:49

yes, I'd like to know that to. Feeling sick here despite DC being confident.
What time can we expect ucas to have offers online or can we check with uni website?

Decorhate · 12/08/2015 16:44

Officially Track should be available from 8am but it has been a little earlier in the past. Dd has been out since I got in from work so don't know how the grade boundaries are looking for her subjects [nail biting emoticon]

cathyandclaire · 12/08/2015 16:56

English Literature (OCR) boundaries are punishingly high, 95% for an a* and 90% for an A! They were similar for AS, scary stuff!

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 12/08/2015 17:24

That is ridiculously high grade boundaries Cathy!! Then there's dd moaning about maths C3, 64/72 for A* or 89%. She lucky she didnt do english lit. DD has all her exams with OCR she is hoping they will lose her history paper and guestimate it instead!!Hmm

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Decorhate · 12/08/2015 17:26

My dd reckons a lot of guesstimating goes one. Especially for essay subjects. I'm quite skeptical about the whole marking thing. Would always ask for remark if results were worse than expected

cathyandclaire · 12/08/2015 17:47

Totally agree, priority remark forms already filled in here and ready to go!

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 12/08/2015 18:01

We have propects of maths and history going for remark £100. Although I think in maths they are normally quite accurate but you never know, nothing ventured nothing gained.

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Figmentofmyimagination · 12/08/2015 18:11

What are the practical mechanics in terms of going for a priority remark eg payment etc? Should I be taking a wad of notes with me to school or do you pay online with a card? Does the school do it (independent) or does the candidate?

(As aside, it is outrageous that anyone without a spare £50 instantly to hand cannot have a priority remark, as I understand it).

Nerves....

AnneOfSleeves · 12/08/2015 18:15

DDs course has gone into clearing on the uni website. She is under the impression that if she's a near miss they'll probably accept her as it's already in clearing. Says someone at work told her this was the case....

Is this likely or might it be that the places in clearing are reserved for international/other students?

(RG uni, history course)

cricketballs · 12/08/2015 18:16

at my school we will automatically go for the priority remark if the grade is either a) very close to grade boundary or b) not in keeping with expected grades (i.e. at least 2 grades away) and then send the bill!

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 12/08/2015 18:26

Our dd school says can pay them cash to the school, they give us receipt, then they will use school bank account to pay the remark fees to the exam board, or can use credit debit card.

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Decorhate · 12/08/2015 18:27

I know for non-priority remarks the school I work at asks for cash/cheque up front. Not sure if they would be more lenient with a priority remark. I'm going to be hovering near dd's school with a cheque book I think! And I believe you get the fee back if the results go up

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 12/08/2015 18:48

If the grade goes up they get the money back, but not if marks goes up, but not enough for a change in grade. If you understand what I meanConfused

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Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 12/08/2015 23:22

Very best of luck to everyone!! Thanks for all the helpful advice Flowers. DD feel's better informed and confident now, to deal with dreaded "near miss grades". (Hopefully she won't have to put it into practice)

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MissDemelzaCarne · 12/08/2015 23:33

I've just talked to DS about clearing, if it's required and how it's important that he makes the calls himself.
He looked sick! He has ASD and finds things like that really difficult, would they understand that?

DoctorDoctor · 12/08/2015 23:51

MissD I haven't dealt with anyone in that position and haven't seen it in our guidelines so I can't say for sure. Off the top of my head, I would see whether he can make calls - if needed - from school and perhaps a teacher who knows him Joe could vouch for his status could help with the call and take over if he gets overwhelmed. Hopefully it won't be needed - quite a few decisions will be made purely on a points basis so a speech talking himself up may not be required and he may be confirmed in a place anyway. We are used to people being nervous, forgetting details and so on.

Good luck to everyone! Once again, don't panic. It's easy to feel down if everything isn't brilliant and clear straight away with places settled tomorrow. The reality is that Clearing will go on well into September and there will be more places available this year so don't despair. I had a very good student graduate this year with a high 2.1 having come to us through Clearing so if that's how it goes it's not the end of the world.

MissDemelzaCarne · 13/08/2015 02:58

Thank you Flowers

Decorhate · 13/08/2015 10:08

Anyone know how long priority remarks usually take (I know they say something like 20 days but assume that is the maX?)

elephantoverthehill · 13/08/2015 10:08

Hi Bagpuss. I hope your news was good news today. I am not gloating much but really stressful two hours spent this morning - near miss but in.