Son having second thoughts on insurance vs firm - does he have any options at this point?

[Poppledopple]

is there anything he can do at this point? or does he have to wait until results day - and what, if anything can he do then?

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15483-changing-your-mind-about-your-firm-or-insurance-choice
This may help.
Good luck!
I think my DD is having similar thoughts.

Not an expert, just occasionally helped out in a uni call centre on a-level results day, and my understanding is:

If he's accepted a firm choice then he is expected to go there if he gets the right grades - but he can ask them to release him, no one is going to make him go there against his will. However, it's a little risky because he can't obtain a firm place somewhere else until the previous firm uni has formally released him and until he is formally released any other uni isn't going to hold a place open for him. So he can obtain that release and take a chance. His insurance choice have already nominally got a place for him (though they will only be keeping one place per 4 or 5 applicants who have them down as insurance on the assumption that most will go to their firm accept place) so they are reasonably likely to allow him to just upgrade his insurance acceptance to a firm acceptance. Other universities would probably make him wait till clearing unless they are massively undersubscribed. How does he reckon his grades are going to be? If he might be getting AAB or better then he has a good chance.

Thats really helpful - thank you. He was so definite and focused on his firm but his insurance has the opportunity to study abroad which is now capturing his imagination. There is little between the courses, rankings or cities really to differentiate further....he will be fine with his grades (I think/hope...)

Worst scenario is his results are just below and he qualifies for the insurance anyway .....This happened to my friends son. His firm was A top London university and his insurance was Bristol. He was delighted.

If he releases and can't get his new first choice would he be open to a year working and going a year later (possibly abroad if his horizons are broadening ?)

I am not sure if this is possible, but can he change to a course with a year abroad at his original first choice?

Thanks all. His course is vocational and there is not an option at his first choice to study abroad and because of the vocational nature there is not a similar course at his first choice. I also have reservations about the insurance uni study abroad option - it is to their partnered uni in China and I think that he needs to do a lot more research as to costs, the value of the teaching out there and how he would integrate culturally with not a word of mandarin to date...agree he would be better off taking a year out and getting the wanderlust out of his system.....

I agree that he needs to research China carefully. Living costs there are low but is the year there examined by the Chinese or his own university when he gets back? What does he have to do to pass any assessment or exam? What are the class sizes? I assume few uk students will speak Mandarin so presumably allowances are made for this at the university. He would, I assume, be there with other English speaking students so he would have other students to talk to. The Chinese are good at English. It is taught widely as a second language so there will be English speakers around and they will really want to practice their English. If the standard course is 3 years, is the course with a year abroad 4? If so, will it really matter as to the standard of teaching? How much does it contribute to the overall degree?

When my DD did Erasmus at two European universities for languages, she had to take the exams at the universities in the subjects she chose, but not pass them. She did, but it was not required. What was required by her uk uni was a dissertation about a something cultural in each country. Her oral language acquisition was not tested until y4 at the UK university so I would check exactly what is examined in China and what skills are examined here. Presumably the course would not run with the China year unless it was successful? I assume Chinese students come here for a year. It does say something about your DS that he is interested in this year abroad. Many students will tell you it is a year they would not have missed and that they learned a lot from it. Not necessarily academically, but growing up, making decisions, and coping! Fantastic skills for post uni!

Just had a look at the China option - it is not a year - just first term of 2nd year - also other options to study for a term in a few European uni's - which he might still be able to do In 2017 post Brexit? It doesn't say what exams you need to do or pass - would need to look at that. I did Erasmus and it was the best thing that I did at Uni - opportunity to really integrate into a society / community which you rarely get. It is also selective and oversubscribed - so no guarantee that he would get on the programme.