Offers are in, so how to decide?

[homebythesea]

As my DS embarks on a round of offer holder days, I think the decision making us getting more difficult not easier! So I wondered how your DC's are going about the job of choosing!

It seems to me there are various factors playing on DS's mind (in no particular order)

Achievability of offer (obvs) but more subtly, will striving to meet the offer create so much stress the results will suffer?

Course content/reputation

University reputation/prestige

Accommodation choice/standard

How far away from home

Are friends going there too

Anything else we should be confusing ourselves with taking into account?

TP don't get too disheartened yet. My DD applied to a competive course at a popular uni last years cycle. They told us that In order to decide on the applicants fairly, they prefer to have all the applications in, before they decide, only those in the gathered field are sent an early one, the rest have to wait. Not all depts work like that so hence some at the same uni will have already got their offers. But I think the competive courses tend to give out offers very late. It's annoying i bet and really they could have explained it properly instead of fobbing you off with a vague explanation, otherwise you might be more willing or forgiving to wait a bit longer.

FWIW DD is not in the least bit disheartened.
Her fave offer is a fantastic course at a campus she loves
Bath and Warwick are not too bad to have in reserve as well.

Its the fact that Exeter are not telling the truth (she has seen the offer email that a friend received from them for the same course block) that is so galling.

from where we live, Exeter is as easy to get to as any of the other choices

In that case, yeah ditch them if you have compelling evidence that they're being arsey then its their loss.

From DD's experience last year, Exeter was very late with their offers for many students. It it is one of the most over-applied to unis in the UK, and the sense I get is that they take the job seriously and actually read the applications properly rather than making snap decisions based solely on GCSE results. This takes time with very popular courses.

In the end, they made DD a very fair offer, but it came through months after all the other unis had responded -- late March if I remember properly.

DS Exeter offer came back within a couple of weeks (last Nov) so probably course related.

My DD's school had a talk from the head of admissions at the local ui. He advised that all uni's have different approaches to sending out offers. Some do them as they receive applications and some wait until all applications have been received then put them out all at once. DD has 3 offers and is waiting for Edinburgh and Bristol to respond. She has her top choice and needs to work out her insurance offer. She is patient and happy to wait, i don't think not having all offers at this stage is particularly rude.

I think deciding where to go based on who sends out offers first is extremely superficial. The uni my son most wanted and ended up at sent out offers last. That's because it's a saught after course.
Once you are doing the course having waited a few more weeks to get an offer is really irrelevant.
Being too proud to wait (because I'm special me and they all should be glad to have me) is just silly.

I agree. Two years ago DS did not hear from three of his (economics) choices till mid/late March. We are having much the same this time round, with DD only having the first of three (medicine) interviews last week.

My sympathies are with the Universities. They are obliged to give all EU applicants equal treatment. If a course is over subscribed they need to carefully consider some varied qualifications against clear criteria.

Its a bore, and DD faces not hearing until May, as by now they need to be deep into coursework and A2 preparation. However it will not be personal. Not hearing promptly may well be as much about how popular a course is, as a sign that a University's adminstration is not very good.

Still waiting !

Don't allow admissions staff to affect your choice of uni, either positively or negatively. They will have no impact on your DC when they arrive at uni. try to stay aloof from this and look at the factors that matter.

Jeanne
how can it NOT have an effect?

Her form went in late October.
By mid November she had four offers
and we are still waiting on what had been her top choice but the fact that they have ignored her, misled us on the phone etc etc has put her right off.

The only reason to not accept one of the others now is for the pleasure of rejecting them by return

Want to know a bit more about Bath? It's not a russell group is it? Very popular and high on league tables I notice. What's it like?

and Exeter?

Trying to get a bit of info. early before we look around next year and choose.

Last year, DS went for really high offer as firm and comfortable one for insurance. Luckily, got his firm - didn't expect it. He just had a good vibe about place. Think it is really important - after watching threads last year to have both choices where they really want to go despite offers. Horrid if you ge tinsuranc ebut don't fancy place when you get it.

My DC had a clear idea of the running order was by the time the UCAS form went in and just went with that for their firm and insurance.

TP the sad fact is that even if Exeter comes through with an offer they won't actually give a stuff if your DD rejects by return. I'm a bit surprised by the time they're taking to respond though since your DD's course isn't vastly oversubscribed and her grades are fine. Was her personal statement controversial? It does seem a bit odd.

TP - has she tried phoning them again - it might be someone just genuinely made a mistake on the phone. It would be pity to reject them if that were so. Also, anecdotally - there are variations between courses even if the courses seem on the face of it to be related. Her choice and her feelings but the short sharp burst of "sod you" should not outweigh the next 3 - 4 years if it were genuinely her first choice. I can understand how during the process, though, it would affect her attitude.

When I first started work I had some dealings with a large corporation who when I met them were frankly unpleasant. I swore never to deal with them ever again in my private life - and I still haven't. I bet they are quaking in their boots even to this day .

I am just frankly surprised that given most UCAS forms don't have to be in until 2nd week of Jan (is that still right?) the universities turn them round as quickly as they do. A very good friend of mine has a son sitting on 4 offers and waiting for the 5th, frustrating, and his UCAS went in early but it's only about 6 weeks on from the final UCAS deadline isn't it? Another friend of DS has just in the last couple of days received a place having applied with results in hand and early UCAS submission.

The logistics of it all frankly boggle my mind.

Talkinpeace. I realise it is probably difficult for your DC to put aside his annoyance over Exeter's inept admissions, but you really should take a step back from this. They would have no impact on him during his 3 years at the uni.

I know of a number of people who chose their uni because they were so flattered by how much the uni seemed to want them. In all cases they were unis slightly lower in the league tables. Their admissions staff were doing a much better job, and all credit to them, but that does not make it a more sought after uni.

In 3 or 4 short years, he will be looking for a job and it matters hugely what uni you have on your application form.

I expect an offer will fly through any day now TP. As early offerees choose to accept or decline the list gets shaken up and we're at that time of the cycle pretty much now. If she still likes the place for itself, the timing of the offer should be irrelevant, no point taking it as a personal affront.

Hopefully freshers' week at Exeter consists of more interesting opening conversational gambits than 'When did your offer come through?'....

TinP - have a think about the attitude of BP versus PS when recruiting sixth formers... BP all lovely and cuddly and sending top guns to schools, and PS all snooty and "you need us more than we need you" attitude. Some of ds's friends fell for the BP patter, but at the end of the day PS is just a better institution.

(Sorry, others! A bit of local stuff thrown in there.)

Quite true Rhoda

jeanneConsidering one of DD's offers is an unconditional we are ignoring the vanity bit.
violets Her offer from Bath is lower than average for them but the Tricorn Centre look of the place kinda finished it for us

Molio Wise words from somebody who has been through it many times.

I think once the offer comes in we will sit down and take a view.
hocus Both of us have spoken to them on the phone and emailed to no clear result.
I have a hunch what the delay is (not her PS, more to do with the detail of the course) so we just have to hang on in there.

Luckily her other top choice do not start allocating accommodation till after Easter so there is no real pressure, just frustration

With hindsight, I would be asking a) how many hours teaching a week will they get - looking for value for money here, personally I think that the 4 or 5 hours A WEEK my ds2 gets doesn't justify 9 grand a year - he might just have well have stayed at home and done an online course and b) cost of accommodation and ease of obtaining it- this could make a difference of several thousand pounds c) ease of travel - one direct, 3 hour train journey , or several changes making the journey take all day? D) on or off campus- does your DC have a preference?

I can see that is is frustrating in the sense of just wanting to get on with it now, but fingers crossed she will hear shortly.

I seem to remember one of the places you visited you said had beautiful grounds. Was that Exeter? If so - think of those for a bit of "zen" in the meantime. Good luck to her.