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Higher education

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

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Original poster

DS flunked his exam - predicted grades now AAD - should we apply for university this year?

124 replies

JudithTaverner · 17/12/2016 09:45

So DS has just told me that he's predicted AAD (Maths, Physics, Further Maths) because he messed up/misread the question in his summer exams. He wants to study engineering.

Is it worth applying to universities now? He expects to get an A in further maths (seems D is way below his capability). Even allowing for his overconfidence, I would expect him to get at least a B. If this happens, would he get a place through clearing?

Or should he take a year out and apply next year?

He has ASD if that's relevant.

Thanks!

OP posts:

EvilTwins · 17/12/2016 19:59

Durdle that's unfair. Teachers are on holiday. Let them have a break. Most probably would reply, but why put them in that position?

SueDunome · 17/12/2016 20:07

As others have said, FM is a modular subject, so he either needs to work out what happened in the module(s) that went wrong and resit, or take some additional modules and perform more convincingly, so that he can disregard the low module results all together.

It's a very stressful time, I hope you can both relax and enjoy Christmas.

DurdleDurdle · 17/12/2016 20:07

I get what you are saying but I'd still do it. It's potentially too serious a problem and the UCAS deadline is looming.

I'd be super polite in the email and grateful if they replied.

Original poster

JudithTaverner · 17/12/2016 20:08

yes he has started the UCAS application apparently (has the first draft of the statement) . He's not really being very communicative about it.

OP posts:

SueDunome · 17/12/2016 20:09

You can still send the teacher an email, you can say that you understand that you may have to wait until the new term until getting a reply. Some teachers would be happy to reply sooner

I agree with this. Schools may have broken up, but dh is a teacher and is very much still working and would most definitely respond to such an enquiry.

EvilTwins · 17/12/2016 20:14

I'm a teacher too and would doubtless respond to an email about UCAS too but you know what, it's still a pretty unfair thing to do. I spent hours one Christmas holiday sorting UCAS forms for students who had left things til the last minute and that was hours I didn't spend with my own kids. It should not be assumed that teachers are available 24/7.

OP why don't you help your DS sort the rest of the application, use the UCAS website to ensure that his choices are appropriate and help him get to the point where his personal statement is as ready as it can be.

Then contact the teacher after schools go back.

SueDunome · 17/12/2016 20:27

It also shouldn't be assumed that teachers have fourteen weeks holiday a year; they don't. I'm sure any reputable teacher will find time in there two/three week break to respond to a query from an anxious Y13 potential UCAS applicant, as even EvilTwins has admitted she would 😉

Kr1stina · 17/12/2016 20:32

I see. So when is the schools last date for completed UCAS forms? Usually it's before chistmas as they can't check all the forms and write the references in a week. Unless it a very small school or they have very few pupils applying to university .

I'm a bit confused about how vague he seems to be this late in the year. Most kids have been to open days, chosen their courses , written their PS and submitted their applications by now. Many have offers or interviews.

And he doesn't even know what subject ( what type of engineering or BEng or MEng ) or where he wants to study ?

I suspect there's something else going on here. I assume that his school would have contacted you directly if they had serious concerns ? What do you think is going on ?

EvilTwins · 17/12/2016 20:33

You are missing my point entirely. Teachers are not there to respond to every email no matter what. UCAS is not something that has suddenly appeared. Most have been working on it for months. The fact that the OP's DS hasn't done it yet is not soemthing his teacher should be worrying about over Christmas - Christmas is a holiday.

Yes, teachers (including myself) work during holidays. I will be doing some planning and getting sorted for next term. But considerate parents do not increase the workload by emailing teachers during the holidays.

DurdleDurdle · 17/12/2016 21:32

I get your point entirely but I'd still send an email.

EvilTwins · 17/12/2016 21:35

That was aimed at a different poster.

I think it's out of line. Let us have a bloody holiday.

goodbyestranger · 17/12/2016 21:44

I'm confused. The AS last summer for FM will count towards the A2. What was his FM grade last summer?

Bluntness100 · 17/12/2016 21:45

I think there is a valid point being made in timing of applications. I think he has until mid JAN when it closes, but , I'm trying to remember back , I think they open around September, so if all he has is a draft statement and no clear idea of what uni and where , there may be larger issues at play here.

Also if he got a b in his as , he shouldn't be being predicted a d, unless more went wrong this year, I think you need to talk to him.

I'm also , as the other poster mentions, concerned about you saying should "we " apply, in your op, I hope that's a typo too. Maybe speak to him, in my experience the kids who don't apply it's either because they don't want to go or are worried they will get the grades.

QueenLizIII · 17/12/2016 21:50

This is alevel and UCAS not 11 plus.

Will his teacher even tell you what he did wrong and why he is predicted a D?

How about you back off. You wont be going to university with him but seeing as you've put should we apply, perhaps you will supervise all his degree work too.

EvilTwins · 17/12/2016 21:51

UCAS applications open 15th Sept. Most schools set their own deadlines for well before the end of this term. Once the student has completed their bits and hit the "send" button, the form goes to whoever the UCAS control in the school is and they have to check everything, add the reference and predicted grades and then hit "send to UCAS" It all takes time.

January 15th is a Sunday this year which puts more time pressure on.

Passmethecrisps · 17/12/2016 21:55

Our school deadline to get applications completed is end October (other than early ones obviously). There are always latecomers and stragglers but the vast majority are there or there abouts meaning that applications are all sent by the holidays.

UCAS applications are not the responsibility of the teachers but of the students who would like to consider themselves capable of HE. If I have a student so late in the day as OPs son is I would be presuming that the son doesn't really want to go or has some serious doubts.

Why email the teacher? What will he or she do about it? If that is the prediction then so be it. If it isn't and an error has been made then it isn't as though the actual applicant seems to rushed so why not leave it?

I never check my work email in the Christmas holidays. Other times yes, Christmas no.

Op, have a serious chat with your son and find out exactly what is going on.

ilovesooty · 17/12/2016 21:55

I'm also wondering what all this "we" and "us" is about.

Original poster

JudithTaverner · 17/12/2016 22:03

why are you soooty? that isn't the question I asked at all, and is the least of DS's worries.

I'm not an overprotective parent, but as this has shown (and many other things beside) ds is not capable of doing these things on his own. I'm well aware I'm not going to university for him and this is his application not mine, but unless I get more involved, this just isn't going to happen. His needs,whether they're met by the school, and my worries about them are a whole other thread.

I have other children and they just don't need the same level of intervention as ds does.

OP posts:

Kr1stina · 17/12/2016 22:07

I think you are being a bit harsh on the OP. She said that her son has ASD and some kids struggle with organisation and need a bit of extra support.

I'm wondering if he's afraid he won't cope at uni or if this is about not wanting to leave home ? Or not knowing what course he wants to do ?

Or does he want the take a gap year ?

goodbyestranger · 17/12/2016 22:09

OP is the D prediction the best likely outcome, given the AS in June?

Passmethecrisps · 17/12/2016 22:10

There is nothing wrong at all with getting involved and it sounds like your son really does need your guidance with this.

But you need to be realistic about what can be done and why you want it done. You say your son is very bright (or allude to it) and while I have no doubt at all he is, he has shown repeatedly that he is struggling to rise to the challenges of exams and deadlines.

That is not a reason for him not to apply or to lower his expectations but he does need to be clear what his expectations are.

Perhaps a meeting with school immediately after they go back would be your best option? Spend Christmas researching together and getting that personal statement done so that whoever his key member of staff is can see that he is serious about applying.

Original poster

JudithTaverner · 17/12/2016 22:11

we (he!) were looking for a nice campus university where he could live in halls. He couldn't really stay at home - the London universities are too pressurised for him (and he wouldn't get in now anyway!) and in any case, I think he does need to move away from home. I thought about him going to live in my mum's university town so she could keep an eye on him.

I don't think it will do him much good to do a gap year unless he does something - and I'm not sure he could get a job yet. He could do another A level if he was off - he really wanted to do a computing a level, but the school didn't offer him one. He'd love to go travelling though so maybe that would motivate him to get a job.

I do worry so much about him at university and how he'll cope. but I think he needs to do it sometime and I was hoping to find somewhere suitable for him.

OP posts:

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 17/12/2016 22:12

Very surprised that he's only doing three A Levels with a Maths/Further Maths combo anyway - that was unwise of the school to let him drop Chemistry if he messed up his FM. It's usually a fourth A Level (says DH, Maths teacher as well as head of sixth form).

DH would recommend not applying with those predicted grades but take a year out and get some good practical experience in engineering and then apply with grades in hand - which hopefully will exceed his predictions.

Original poster

JudithTaverner · 17/12/2016 22:13

I agree, I need to meet the school asap - I only have his side of the story at the moment.

Unfortunately I've been really busy with work and school stuff for the younger children this week so didn't really see him much - he did tell his dad earlier in the week though who proceeded to do precisely nothing with the information (including telling me).

OP posts:

Original poster

JudithTaverner · 17/12/2016 22:14

they were all told that it wasn't worth doing a 4th A level, that universities don't really ask for it and that the likelihood is that a 4th A Level would reduce the grades in the other 3.

OP posts:

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