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

[Bagpuss555]

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.

bagpuss thanks. I know it's a very trying time, having been there. Do you celebrate do you not?
Thing is, it is essentially just a different place if she end up at her insurance, the buildings will be different but the learning experience will be similar. I'd say concentrate on the positives. My DD ended up going to a much smaller uni, but that's had the impact that she has been able to take positions in societies much easier, even representing her uni at a national meeting. It has made her friends from bigger unis .

There can be silver linings.

hives if it was me I would be very happy to go to dd insurance, redbrick uni in a lovely city. Her firm is campus uni. There's really nothing significant between them.
To live, her insurance is so much more vibrant, cultural city with beautiful architecture. The campus uni she firmed is in the middle of no where. So is quite confined, but safe and convenient. Her firm was AAA and her insurance was AAA or AAB whats a * (star) between a uni anyways?? Her firm isn't oxbridge or top 5 its in top10. Her insurance isn't that far behind either ?? Think dd gets too bothered about going to a university with the highiest requirement because in her eyes it's more prestigious and better. I don't know kids?? How do you explain to them that's it's all relative?? If anything her insurance is more world renowned than her firm, if we have to look at league tables. As I have told her if she ends up insurance, it's fate, it where she is meant to be.

Well we off to her insurance to look at some private studio flats on monday just in case. DH reckons also by trading her up to private luxury studio flat, if she has to go to insurance it will soften the blow not going to firm???. Hes too soft in the head! Whereas if she goes to halls in a small grotty room (hostel standard) she will feel even worse going to 2nd choice and living in a shoe box. You can tell she's daddy's girl! Well I said I'm only doing this living in luxury for 1 year if she goes to insurance, because in the 2nd year I'm expecting dd to find much cheaper accomodation!! Otherwise DH is selling his body to pay I'm not

Once she gets there, it's the flat mates that matter not the luxuriousness of the property. Some of my DDs course mates ended up in awful halls (so awful they have this summer been demolished) but they've been putting pictures of the demolishing on social media with comments appreciating their awfulness but even so they had one of the best years of their life there and met people they will be true friends with.

Some luxury properties only share with one or two others which can be a very different experience. and, if they end up not getting on, quite a lonely one.

That's what we tried to explain to dd, i agree entirely with u kez100 on missing out on friends etc. She's convincing me that she will be fine, she is one those types that gets too claustrophobic if the rooms are too small. It literally can only fit a small table and one chair. Single bed fits just enough from wall to the headboard to the wall on where bottom of bed is. But Ive said to her the room is only to sleep in. Do work in the library or in the kitchen. But then dh pulls me down, worried because the 24hr library is on the other side of the city quite a walk. He don't want her to be walking late at night in the city centre. DD says she will join clubs and societies. And will invite friends round and that eventaully she will have to move out anyways in year 2 if she was in halls. Urghh I do feel lole they arw both pigeon holing me half the time. Is no fun .

bagpuss oh dear. It isn't fun I agree. Perhaps when she goes to look around she might feel better? I think we've all gone crazy re league table and perceived prestige of unis and it affects kids perceptions of themselves too much. Perhaps she could join fb groups for her course? Even if she doesn't go there it will help I think.

She has fantastic results. She should be very proud, but she possibly won't see that yet.

I'd be wondering how she would get back after her clubs especially if there are no other students in that block and would other students be prepared to visit her if they have to get back? Still, they have to do it themselves sometimes to understand the pitfalls. My DD I am sure will really value her house this year after sharing a kitchen with 28 others! !

if looking at private accommodation remember there are usually some drop outs at university after a term and then accommodation can become available in halls. So perhaps be a lodger for a term?

If the room were ensuite and a bit bigger she would be happy. But we've noticed if there were ensuite it's £150 so not cheap. Theres a few modern newly built halls, but firmers and medicine get priority. I think this uni has been having problems with lack of halls space over the years. So now don't guarantee halls for those who put them as insurance . We going to have a look at one, hopefully it's actually not as bad as on the photo. Also looking at a student appartment ensuite flat with shared kitchen . Its mainly 2nd and 3rd year students in there £155, might be worth a shot.

bagpuss I lived with some second and third years in my first year at uni (had my room broken into so moved) and they were lovely. A bit more mature than the first years so they were quite able to get on together without the usual falling out. So second the poster who said you can move, as I remember it was a language student who went off half way through the year as they do and then I got allocated her room.

Sounds expensive, but hopefully it will be better when you see it. A shared kitchen is good!

Just been speaking to an exam officer I know. She's had a few OCR remarks back already. But nothing from AQA and apparently they are saying 18 days for a priority remark. Which takes it up to the wire on the 31st August. Which is a bank holiday. Grrr

I think 18 days is an absolute maximum, it's usually less but from what I've heard AQA are very busy with remarks this year.
Dd got an a* in English onOCR remark. Frantically trying to stop AQA drama remark now, don't know if we can! The last thing we need is for that to go down! The department asked for a mark breakdown for the whole year and DD's came back blank. It's weird.

That's great news cathy. Does that mean she will now get her firm?

Yay! Will she be now going to Cambridge?

Cambridge have said yes on email :) a letter will be sent (by owl we hope)
Afraid to be happy yet, we're still staying paranoid until it's all signed and sealed!

So pleased to hear that Cathy!

Everything crossed for your dd Decorhate

Thanks but I don't expect to hear for ages

WOW. That's a 1% mark that made quite some difference!!

x fingers for all the others now.

Cathy that's fantastic news, I'm absolutely delighted for your CD.

Well done Cathy's DD!

Thank you all, she's delighted BUT utterly paranoid about the AQA drama remark she ordered. We've asked for it to be cancelled (understand that there would be no refund etc) but not had that confirmed. If the grade goes down it will be so so so upsetting. She couldn't believe it could go down, it was at least 3 grades below her expectation anyway but now she's lost faith and won't be surprised by anything anymore!

My sons re-mark from OCR came back today for his ethics A level paper - it had gone up by 14 marks. He has now gone up a grade. It appears there can be some whopping mistakes made in the marking of A levels - it makes me wonder how many kids are missing out on places at uni because of this

Well done cathy glad it's all worked out in the end can go and celebrate
We've been to see the halls thats left, it's ok, bedroom, very compact, has slight opressive feel to it, quite dark, but not as bad as photos, the bathroom has really grotty grouting and tiles, it's not very pleasant. Kitchens not too bad. DD is thinking about it, but i can tell she prefers the nearly new student accomodation, with shared kitchen and lounge. However, We've agreed that she can go to private accomodation only if there's no halls left for her if remark stays and she can't get to firm.
satishouse it does make you wonder, if the examiner was so off with his marking, like in your ds cass, how many other kids did he/she do the same to? Could be one off but could be a lot more.

It is frightening, one of dd's friends went from an E to an A (in a paper, less of a swing in overall grade but still a grade up).

We're definitely not celebrating until we know Drama has not gone down!

Good luck to your DD Bagpuss, I think it's amazing what a few pictures, cushions and throws can do to transform a room, also lots of people leave in first few weeks so worth getting on a waiting list for a better room.

Dd finally got her remark back today. Sadly her grade didn't change. She is upset but going out with a friend tonight. Hopefully once her accommodation comes through from Leeds she'll start to look forward to it.