Uni offers for 2017 start

[Carriemac]

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.

You can't keep them safe for ever though Carl. I have to consciously not think about what my DC (especially the girls) are doing late at night or in the early hours or I'd go potty. It will all work out I'm sure - and don't let her see the super stress - disguise it somehow!

Errol the onus is on Cambridge who has to check all the Council Tax/ electricity/ bank statements! Still, they obviously mistrust the UCAS declarations and think it's worth it, and hopefully it gives someone who needs it a reasonably paid job.

However, doesn't data protection mean that they're only allowed to use the data for its stated purpose (ie determining fee status) ? I didn't notice anything on DDs form mentioning it might be used for 'political/monitoring/data collection'

But implicitly in checking fee status they are also acquiring data about what fraction of applicants are not correctly declaring their fee status, what fraction of their applicants currently resident in the UK don't have home fee status etc etc. Fee status (and checking it) relates to immigration issues and is therefore a very hot political potato at the moment - this is where the "politics" comes in.

user - Oxford and Cambridge often have slightly different "special deals" with the government/funding bodies.

What?! Don't be so daft of course they don't!

I'm not sure what press you're reading to think individual universities will have overseas caps either. If TM gets her way then some HEIs won't be able to recruit overseas students, but there's no indication whatsoever that the rest will have caps imposed.

As to why Cambridge start seeking out fee status much earlier in the process than others (remember ALL universities will need confirmation of fee status upon enrolment), I don't know. Perhaps they have experienced far more fluctuation in applicant fee statuses than others and just want an earlier indication of the numbers of definite home / eu applicants (remember EU applicant numbers are much lower this cycle).

I'm not reading the press - this comes directly from briefings. (TEF outcome is likely to be related to student visa quotas. Only top tier TEF will have unlimited students visas.)

Oxbridge, Bath and Imperial do currently have a special deal, as a trial, for extending student visas. I was also referring to preferential funding within the Golden Triangle; non-EU staff visa quotas; siting large new investments and facilities in Oxbridge even when business case does not support it etc etc.

(Oxbridge find it much easier to get Tier 1 Exceptional Talent than other universities, for example, and have larger handouts of Tier 2/5.)

Carl, I think it is worth trusting your, and more importantly your daughters, instincts.

It sort of happened organically for us. I'm sure few of DD's peers, or indeed teachers, realised how tough things were following her accident the previous summer. She comes across as very capable. However she was remarkably flat when she finally got the offer she really wanted. (17 applicants a place - so not something she expected.) I too was looking forward to her settled at University but was honestly not surprised when she announced she wanted to defer. After a year of keeping going, she just wanted time.

It seems easy for them to funnel straight into University. However there is no rush, and really this is the best time to explore options and interests. University can come later, and as long as they are engaged and active in the interim, they will probably be better students as a result of wider experiences. (There is some truth about education being wasted on the young...)

I suspect the world can look like quite a scary place from the perspective of a teenager. A lot of the later part of school years is about passing or failing. And it remains tough if you are aiming for competitive courses and competitive careers. More than a couple of DDs peers are struggling with anxiety whilst others seem to be avoiding adulthood continuing risky teenage behaviour such as parties/alcohol/drugs. (Not all parties are risky - obviously!)

Trying something different not only might work out, but could also remind her that she really does want to do something academic. And that it is worth trying something, as long as you are willing to fail and have a good plan B.

She wont be the only one juggling other things. Indeed a girl in DS' year ended up sitting an A level paper in Cannes, whilst there for the screening of a film she was in.

There again if she finds the prospect daunting, she does not need to do it.

I'm enjoying it. I don't worry nearly as much if she is home late, as I would not even know if she were at University. I no longer need to consider nagging about homework, but instead can join her watching Netflix, and she is doing a lot of cooking for us. It is probably the last time she will live at home, and so nice that the pressure is off.

May be the reason Cambridge check status now is simply that they put more resources/expense into each applicant (testing/double interviews/pooling system etc) so don't want to waste that time on applicants who may not be eligible or may fall into a different category.

.... one of mine deferred for two years ... had good A level results but was disappointed at not getting three A's or A* (as had been predicted). Really did not know what she wanted to study either! Also, had some health issues in L6. She spent her two years doing lots of reading (studying), a bit of lightweight travel, a language course and a bit of part time work. When she finally DID apply, she had support from her GP who wrote her a letter of extenuating circumstances (or whatever it is when a young person is ill and it might have affected exam results) and then applied to three Russell Group unis with her less than perfect results but an excellent personal statement. She had offers from all three and is very happy with her choice. She's also had a few friends who've said: 'wow - I wish that I had done that..'

Of course we were slightly disappointed (initially) but we are relieved that she feels happy with her decisions....

the downside of course is that she's been at home... and has not been as independent as some kids want to be. But perhaps this is a good thing!

DS is applying for Physics with Astrophysics and applied for Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham and York.

He's got an interview for Leeds in a couple of weeks, withdrew the York application, offer for Nottingham (AAA) but has heard nothing from Birmingham which is where he really, really wants to go. He's another one anxiously checking Track.

dd is applying for Physics too, but all different choices from your ds Heartstring. She has heard back from one so far and woud be very happy to end up there.

Only top tier TEF will have unlimited students visas

Until the results come out and Aston and Winchester can have as many overseas students as they want, and Oxford and the LSE can't...

Somehow i cant see this happening.

Until the results come out and Aston and Winchester can have as many overseas students as they want, and Oxford and the LSE can't... Somehow i cant see this happening.

This was the (complacent) attitude of my university until recently. Now it has been made clear in briefings that the PM is very serious about connecting TEF with immigration and she will block overseas students coming to Oxbridge, LSE etc. We're not complacent any more.

A few from Peter symonds will be from the falklands, not sure what their status would be?
Has anybody heard from Birmingham or Bristol? Ds is fretting.

SATs done.

DS declared his 'hard' DD states hers was a 'shit show'.

So all going swimmingly here.

carl

Slurps it down with gratitude.

Q to User....,

"In the near future (post Brexit) international student numbers will become even more restricted. Some universities will have unlimited quotas; some will have fixed quotas and some will be allowed to take none. It not yet clear what category Cambridge will be in. With quotas in place, it will be necessary for all universities to look at fee/visa status before making offers to insure they don't over-shooIn the near future (post Brexit) international student numbers will become even more restricted. Some universities will have unlimited quotas; some will have fixed quotas and some will be allowed to take none. "

What is your evidence for this statement please?

It was Amber Rudd's conference speech:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/04/jeremy-hunt-nhs-doctors-theresa-may-conservative-conference-live/

Consultation due out this month.

Enologay - not heard from Bristol, Exeter or Southampton yet ( Maths).

Mine may be inching forward. One thinks he might be submitting this week or next. It's taking a while particularly as they had to do their first draft personal statements in July......

What is your evidence for this statement please?

Briefings from BEIS/DoE. Believe me or not, don't really care.

enolagay - nothing from Birmingham here either.

enolagay - offer from Bristol (Physics). The other person we know who's applied to Bristol (CompSci, I think) received an invitation to interview last week. They seem to be pretty swift, but only for some courses. Not sure about Birmingham.

Dd1 is doing her PAT just now, but tbh her heart isn't really in it as she now has an interview invitation from Manchester and the course there ticks all her boxes. They do make very high offers, though, so there'll be plenty of stress in this house even without Oxford .