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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.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 13/08/2015 14:23

Urghhh she didn't ask for copies as she was adamant something dodgy with the marking 56/80 = A grade 80 ums dd got something like 52/80 she thought the paper was the easiest in all the past papers. So I don't know, I'm hoping her gut feeling is right.

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Decorhate · 13/08/2015 16:11

Alreadytaken - I'm not convinced Oxbridge is the better place for medicine either but dd had set her heart on it. Just hope the remark doesn't take too long

TheHammaconda · 13/08/2015 17:22

It's not too late to ask for a copy. The school will be able to ask tomorrow. You have to pay (about £-10-15 IIRC).

She would need to get four extra marks to move her up to an A in that paper. That's actually a lot to get from a re-mark. I know there's been a focus on the incompetence of exam boards and examiners recently but A2 papers tend to be marked by qualified and experienced examiners. IME (as an examiner and re-marker) it is unusual for marks to be significantly adjusted. Would an extra 5 UMS be enough to raise her mark up to 360 overall?

IceBeing · 13/08/2015 17:32

I wouldn't worry too much about there being no places left...people come and go from courses before the start of term so nobody is filling places to anything more than a plus or minus a few people.

Decorhate · 13/08/2015 17:39

Just worked out that the 4 UMS marks dd missed her A by is only 0.67% Angry. I am now a bit cross on her behalf. Esp as the tariff points work out the same overall. And she got an A on her EPQ as well.

cathyandclaire · 13/08/2015 17:49

I'm with you Decorhate, 4UMS here too, the equivalent of less than one raw mark in English Literature. Hopefully a remark will make a difference. At school today they said that early priority remarks come back very quickly. here's hoping!

Decorhate · 13/08/2015 17:58

I think in dd's case it's around two raw marks.

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 13/08/2015 17:58

thehamma according to dh and dd workings out she would need 3 raw marks = 5 ums short for her to get A* She has 175/200 ums so far which is A grade. dd say she got 53/80 not 52/80 said earlier Confused every point counts??
For history she is 2 raw marks = 3 ums short of A grade Sad . If school is open tommorow I hope so, I've not checked, we going to ask for electronic copies, dd is still huffing about it??
Very proud of dd she managed to keep composed, even though she wantwd to cry, whilst talking to firm uni who rejected her.
dechohate I feel your pain, seems very brutal to have their fate decided by a few marks. I have dd blaming herself on one subject wondering if she had made silly mistake or should have wrote a bit more and on the other subject angry wondering if she got a dodgy marker.

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Decorhate · 13/08/2015 18:19

I have also had dark thoughts about the ISA modules. I'm sure lots of schools are more generous with their marks for that element, shall we say.

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 13/08/2015 20:13

Iam so exhausted!! On top of all the angst of waiting for remarks, dd has just found out her insurance don't guarantee accomodation for those that didn't firm them Sad. By the looks of it theres not much to choose from left. DD is wondering wether she should now except insurance so can live at halls or risk remark may get to firm may not. But if not sucessful will end up going to insurance but finding private rental cos all halls may have gone?? Urghhh I don't know what best to do?? This is honestly a nightmare!!

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Decorhate · 13/08/2015 20:18

That's an added complication Bagpuss Sad. But can't you just carry on with the insurance & start applying for accommodation & hope the remark doesn't take too long? I don't think they would be looking for rent/deposits just yet?

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 13/08/2015 20:44

Really :) will be so happy if thats true. I'm going to get dd to enquire wether this is possible. I thought dd had to firm the insurance before they can apply for accomodation. She's already told insurance shes having a remark and have given her upto 31st August.

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Decorhate · 13/08/2015 22:12

Have just checked dd's insurance accommodation page & apparently you have to confirm & pay a deposit within 4 days of being allocated accommodation. And are legally bound to pay for the whole year if you sign. Eeek. Really hoping she is towards the bottom of the list!

elephantoverthehill · 13/08/2015 23:16

I had to pay DS's accommodation deposit over 10 days ago. Rather than just write a cheque I phoned and did it and got complete assurance from the Uni that if he didn't get a place I would get a full refund by the end of the month. I have known some accommodation officers and they are all too aware that parents simply do not have the money.

xavierfondue · 14/08/2015 13:21

Bleeding heck - this is SOOOOOO complicated. We're about to start this process. I have a headache just reading this.

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 14/08/2015 13:46

Dd has been given a list of what's available for halls from insurance uni , No ensuite, shared kitchen left £130 per week 42 week contract. DD don't like the look of them, maybe photos not doing it justice! But they are a bit on small box room variety. So plan B is probably going down the private rental, studio flat £170, 51 week contract. 8mins walk to her lectures. 3 months rent in advance £3k !! Ouch!! Student grant thing what cover it all, bank of mum and dad!!. Even at £130, 42 weeks it dont cover it. Oh well, At least now if dd don't get into firm after remarks , we know what to do about accomodation with insurance. Feel like we getting somewhere this morning, plans and strategy's in place getting some control back!! unlike yesterday!!.

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RandomFriend · 14/08/2015 14:42

One thing I'm just a little curious about - DS didn't look at tracking until today but noticed that the universities had confirmed their original conditional offers a couple of days ago. Could he have found out sooner?

No. Track was closed ("not being updated") for about three days before yesterday. Even though the universities had the results and were updating, the updates were not published until the announced time,which if I recall correctly was was 8am.

AuntieDee · 14/08/2015 16:59

Do all you can to get her a remark - the top universities really do give better job prospects (as difficult as that can be to stomach - I didn't go to one and it has held me back slightly). If she gets marked down she will be in no worse place than she is already...

Headofthehive55 · 14/08/2015 18:49

bagpuss sorry to hear your DDs has not got her firm. Sounds like our situation last year. Even though the hall sounds grotty, it is the place they make most of their friends.

Headofthehive55 · 14/08/2015 18:50

Hope you get success on the remark!

cathyandclaire · 14/08/2015 20:53

Dd is awaiting a remark ( needs one raw mark). She has now been rejected by her firm pending the remark ( they will take her if she meets her offer by Aug 31st). Can she now accept her insurance and apply for halls etc and then change if her grades go up, or does she need to wait? Does anyone know?

Decorhate · 14/08/2015 22:22

Do you have to formally accept your insurance? I don't think dd has received anything directly yetfrom them. Luckily she was able to apply for accommodation there ages ago even though it was her insurance

Original poster
Bagpuss555 · 14/08/2015 23:59

cathy we are similar situation to you, DD rung ucas for help on what to do with insurance if waiting on remark. They told dd to ring her insurance to tell them that she is remarking so maybe going to firm. Which she did, insurance said they will hold her place till 31st August.

She was sent a congratulations welcome type email from insurance today?? Then accommodation sent a list of what was left. She is expected to put a deposit down to hold it within 7 days if she saw anything she wanted. DD didn't proceed with accomodation as she didn't like what she saw. So at worst if she has to go to insurance she will be going private.

headofhives I wouldn't have held it together yesterday for definite, if it wasn't for all the help/support and advice I've been given over the past week by kind and considerate people like yourselves. Thank you Flowers

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cathyandclaire · 15/08/2015 06:46

The insurance will hold her place but we can't apply for accommodation without a student number, which she can't get unless she accepts the offer.
I think we'd even be happy to lose a deposit on accommodation ( stressed and panicky) if she did go up a grade but can you back out if you accept your insurance?

cathyandclaire · 15/08/2015 07:17

Ahhh. It's all becoming clear, because Dd was in the summer pool at Cambridge she couldn't get a Bristol number, now they've released her, she's got one.
Excellent. She can go for accommodation and if the remark works I'll sell my body probably won't get more than a few quid but every little helps to cover any deposits/whatever.
Good luck all waiting for remarks!