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Higher education

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

Original poster

Uni offers for 2017 start

980 replies

Carriemac · 19/10/2016 07:25

Could we have a handholding thread? I have two DCs going through UCSS at the moment, would love to obsess here so I can appear calm on the outside.
LNAT results go to the UNIs tomorrow I think, so offers could be rolling in soon for DD who has applied for law.

OP posts:
EnormousTiger · 23/12/2016 08:16

I think it depends on the subject too. My two have had Exeter offers (not Durham) although that feesl consistent with Durham rushing out offers to those who applied to Oxbridge earlier on and Exeter being a bit easier to get into. Anyway there is still time..... and their sister picked Bristol over Durham in the end (nearer home and ultimately where she might work (London)). Easier drive . However I like Durham and am from the NE originally so I will be happy with whatever the boys are happy with and wherever they can get in.

periwinklepickspoppies · 23/12/2016 09:16

Ds is holding offers from 3 RG unis and one non RG which is low down the league tables.
I, and 6th form, think he should put two RG unis as his firm and insurance because they want AAA and ABB, he's predicted A*AA. The other wants BCC. He thinks he should put the ABB as firm and BCC as insurance as he only needs BC as he's got enough UCAS points from his as levels.
We don't agree...wwyd? Thanks!

EnormousTiger · 23/12/2016 10:03

I agre with you and the school (and that by the way is one of my son's views too - your view - as he is predicted same as yours so even his Bristol offer AAB he is likely to get). Or do you think his predictions are over enthusiastic by the school or does he know he's not doing so well and wants the back up of the lower offer? Mine is the other problem - he is sure he can easily get his grades so doing exactly the right amount of work to get those, not more. Risky strategy....

Needmoresleep · 23/12/2016 10:09

I agree with you. If he puts down two RG there is every chance that should he drop a grade or two one will take him anyway. Unless there is something specific about the non RG course and the way it is taught that he likes.

There are some very good courses at nonRG Universities, and indeed some very very good nonRG Universities. However a course with low entry requirements is likely to attract a less academic cohort and be taught in a less academic way. Your DS is clearly academic, and would probably enjoy using a more academic approach with a cohort with similar abilities to him.

Needmoresleep · 23/12/2016 10:21

Tiger - tell him the cautionary tale of DD, who had a very achievable offer, and took her foot off the pedal, did not pitch it right and then missed the grade above by less than a single UMS in three A levels, in one case by 0.2 of a UMS. She was also running a high temperature in the week of her final exam and could barely get out of bed, so missed her prediction there as well.

She has her place, and I see a silver lining in that she should know not to make the same mistake in her first year of University. But she is quite cross with herself.

TheMortificadosDragon · 23/12/2016 11:23

periwinkle - in general, I agree with you and the school - esp as if that's their advice then they must believe the predicted grades are realistic. But just chatting with DD about this sort of stuff - her view is basically, put the two places you'd most like to actually go to (so long as the grades aren't unfeasibly high, obv). If you miss a grade, you may still get in, and a uni which offered you a lower grade may pick you up at clearing.

If she gets (and accepts) a cambridge offer then that offer will be her realistic predicted grades and her reserve will be AAA.

If there was something about the AAA place your DS didn't like, then he shouldn't put it down - If he really prefers the ABB then put that first and tbh his insurance place is probably irrelevant unless something goes badly tits up in the exams. But if he really would prefer the AAA place then put the two RG ones.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 23/12/2016 13:52

I like the sound of your advice there Mortificado

I may be back to seek some dragonly wisdom of our own after all DD's offers are in - looking like that will be in the New Year Xmas Smile

aginghippy · 23/12/2016 15:12

I think the RG/non-RG thing is a red herring. Dragon DD is right, pick the ones you'd most like to go to.

periwinkle What are his reasons for wanting to firm the ABB one? Is it purely the grades or are there other factors?

periwinklepickspoppies · 23/12/2016 16:44

The courses are both are equal, he likes everything about them. However he likes the city best for the ABB offer and the potential insurance one is in the same city. He doesn't much like the city for the AAA offer but really likes the university.

aginghippy · 23/12/2016 16:52

That's a tough choice. Location is an important factor. After all, he will be spending at least 3 years of his life there.

TheMortificadosDragon · 23/12/2016 17:05

Given that, putting the ABB one first makes perfect sense providing that he doesn't slack off - he should still be aiming to get his predicted grades.

periwinklepickspoppies · 24/12/2016 16:45

We had a chat earlier, thanks for all the advice. He's decided to go to the applicant day at the higher offer uni and then decide based on that as he thinks the course might suit him better as one is more social psychology based and the other more scientific psychology.

TheMortificadosDragon · 24/12/2016 17:09

Sounds like a sensible plan. Smile

Happy Christmas everyone!

Poppiesway · 24/12/2016 23:52

Hello.. new to these threads as mostly ds1 has been plain sailing with his alevels and ucas..
he's applied to UEA and had to be encouraged made to apply to Cambridge anglia Ruskin too (they're local unis as he's not wanting to travel far away - he's a home bird. Ds2 will probably go as far away as he can for an adventure!)

Anyway.. my query is today he had a conditional offer from anglia Ruskin that he has a place with the condion of gettting an A in history. However he's not doing history!! He's doing politics, chemistry, physics and did AS maths.
I'm really hoping they've just made an error and they mean politics not history?? Has this happened to anyone else before?

I've had a skim through and can't see anything..

Not heard from UEA yet but I think the sixth form Only submitted last week anyway..

TheMortificadosDragon · 25/12/2016 01:10

Thats odd - what is the course he's applying for? Is this on Track and/or an email? Its probably an error and they mean politics but bad timing as he wont be able to get clarification immediately over xmas.

Poppiesway · 25/12/2016 07:29

TheMortificadosDragon - email and on his ucas page. I'm really hoping they just mean politics and mad enough a mistake!
He's applied for Ba Politics..
( he had wanted to do chemical engineering but decided he much prefers politics.. in a little sad he's changed his mind but I have to remind myself that it's his choice! And be glad he wants to go to uni!)

EnormousTiger · 27/12/2016 15:28

I would check with the university. Also double check he keyed in the right A level subjects when he completed the form in the first place.

Sadusername · 29/12/2016 12:57

Have any history candidates had offers from Edinburgh or LSE yet?

Sadusername · 29/12/2016 18:02

Poppiesway, from their web page it looks like Anglia Ruskin only specify how many UCAS points you need to study BA Politics and this can be from 2 Alevels. The minimum is 88 points, which would be less than 3 Cs. They certainly don't specify which A levels. For UAE a BA politics is ABB, but again they don't appear to specify in what subject. To do BA history and politics, they simply say they would prefer a History A level.

I would imagine this is a mistake.

Poppiesway · 01/01/2017 09:19

Sadusername Thankyou. I tweeted UCAS help site and they said to contact uni directly, they're not back till next week though. He's definitely got right alevels down I Checked but his personal tutors at the sixth form sit with them and double check everything before it's submitted.

His friends came round last night for NYE, one of them has had 2 conditional offers from UEA and Lincoln and an unconditional offer from Plymouth where he wants to go. (We're in Suffolk) my ds1 and his other friend who've also applied to UEA havnt heard from them but friend and ds1 have both applied for the same course.. so hoping it's the course people are not dealing place positions yet..

Poppiesway · 01/01/2017 09:25

I was just looking at the points they wanted. They specified which alevels when we went to their talk and wanted BBC, which is also why were wondering why they wanted an A as anglia Ruskin is the fall back place if he didn't get ABB he needed for UEA.
I'm sure it was never this complicated when I went to uni!

Sadusername · 01/01/2017 10:58

I have just looked on Which University- UAE offers 92% of applicants a place. So I wouldn't panic just yet.

university.which.co.uk/university-of-east-anglia-uea-e14/politics-3-years-9000-l200-24717

Sadusername · 01/01/2017 11:06

On what uni, it says that only 62% of students on the course did politics

www.whatuni.com/degrees/politics-ba-hons/university-of-east-anglia-uea/cd/54983302/5637/

There is almost no comparable information on either sites for Anglia Ruskin.

Sadusername · 01/01/2017 11:10

I meant to say 62% had done History.
Anglia Ruskin's offer sound completely unrealistic to say the least. Most likely to be an error!

EnormousTiger · 01/01/2017 17:18

Re the question on Edinburgh and history above, one of mine applying for ancient history (and indeed his geography twin) has not heard from Edinburgh yet.

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