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Higher education

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

Original poster

It's August ..... the countdown begins

556 replies

doglover · 01/08/2017 15:53

How's everyone feeling? My dd was pretty much able to forget about results during July but said in a very quiet voice this morning, "I'll find out this month where I'm going."

Is anyone doing anything yet in preparation for 17th? Should we be doing anything yet in preparation for 17th?!

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RedHelenB · 01/08/2017 16:37

My dd hoping to know via UCAS if she's in or not before collecting results. First time in her life that she came out of an exam finding it really difficult (Maths C3) but seemingly confident that she'll meet her grades.

Lucysky2017 · 01/08/2017 17:11

My two have got their accommodation applications in.

They have converted their Nat West accounts to a student account and got a new contactless card. They needed a UCAS code for that.

One has ordred the new lap top I am very kindly buying him and it arrived today. The other will be ordering his soon.

They have ordered new clothes as it's the last clothes I am ever paying for for them - rest will have to come out of their new allowance (paid weekly) which I set up on 1 July so they can accumulate money ready for the very expensive first weeks at university.

One registered with Deliveroo last night for work and is on taskrabbit - not sure if those companies offer work in their university town however.

Now much else to do to prepare - just wait and do other stuff. They will check on line before they leave home on results day to see if they have a place and then go into school knowing if they have the place or not when they go in to pick up the results.

I think they are both quite relaxed about it and their back up choices will be fine anyway. I suspect at least one will get into their first choice (they AAB and the other A*AA - both for Bristol but different subjects so it's going to be easier for one than the other).

However they are a guineapig year -the one needing the higher grades had 2 of 3 A levels as new style and the other only 1 of 3 so that might make a difference too particularly as the AS went well for them both (AAAA).

Their 3 older siblings have graduated so I think we are all quite a bit more relaxed about it all because of that.

Original poster
doglover · 01/08/2017 19:07

Thanks for the replies.

Dd has a conditional place at Oxford (insurance is Bristol) and has recently received her reading list: exciting but terrifying!

It sounds as though it would be useful for her to start researching bank accounts .....

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Original poster
doglover · 01/08/2017 19:37

Thanks for the replies.

Dd has a conditional place at Oxford (insurance is Bristol) and has recently received her reading list: exciting but terrifying!

It sounds as though it would be useful for her to start researching bank accounts .....

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Original poster
doglover · 01/08/2017 19:38

Apologies for double post!

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Lucysky2017 · 01/08/2017 20:34

dog, doesn't really matter on bank accounts. My older children left it until after they left home as they already had some kind of account already. I just wanted to help the twins get on with it and one was keen to have a touch and pay card, not that I thinnk they are a great idea as I believe the money paid does not show on your account for a few days so probably best not to use it.

However if they are sitting around at home with time available it might be a good idea to sort out the banking now as for a new account it might need ID etc. My boys needed a number from UCAS which was hard to find - they had to do a search in emails they had had from UCAS to get the particular number. They just stuck with Nat West as they had a teenager card with that already they could just upgrade and it's my bank so it is quick to transfer money between the two but I am sure all the banks are fine. They do not want to apply yet (hopefully at all??) for an over draft or credit card but that could be done now had they wanted to do so. We did transfer their life savings (just money from relatives - not a huge sum- from a baby instant access account into a Nat West savings account linked to theirs as that bit of spare money is for university if they need it so they can transfer between the two. Hpefully they won't spend it all at once. It has been accumulated from £20 from grannies at Christmas etc over 18 years.

One has at last replaced his shoes which he's been sticking with super glue for over 2 years so far. Hopefully the new pair will be here soon.

I don't think there is much else to do. No reading lists here (Bristol) but they may have had them and not told me.

BaconAndAvocado · 01/08/2017 22:04

Ooh, I feel your pain. We were in this position last year....

DS1 managed to correctly predict his A level results and got exactly what he needed but the build up to results day was stressful.

Good luck everyone!

jeanne16 · 02/08/2017 12:33

My DS seems completely unconcerned and I mostly manage not to think about results day. However if anyone mentions it, I get a sick feeling in my stomach. DS has an offer of AA A for Cambridge which is very tough. I have no idea if he will make it. Good luck to everyone else.

Lucysky2017 · 02/08/2017 15:03

A*AA Bristol is bit tough too particularly as his twin only need AAB for Bristol but they both picked subjects they like so I am sure it will be fine and work out for the best. Hopefully if he drops to AAA they might still take him. He won the school prize in his degree subject this year.

olliepolly · 02/08/2017 16:53

I have been away for a bit so managed to stop thinking constantly about results day. I know worry won't change anything but she is my eldest of 3 and did so well to even get an offer . DD1 has a typical but tough vet med offer . Things also seem so much more uncertain this year , it seems , though haven't any direct comparison. Even ofqual admit that first year of new exams is tougher although it seems that same percentage will get top grades. The other random factor is how well the individuals and their schools have coped with the new exams both prep and performance.

Original poster
doglover · 02/08/2017 18:11

Thanks for the recent replies.

It seems as though our dc are in a bit of limbo at the moment!

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Hollybollybingbong · 04/08/2017 09:21

DS has an A* AA offer for Warwick, DD is currently creating her personal statement and looking at universities. Things are a bit tense here, last night I even had a nightmare about results day (in said nightmare I was a shrieking harpy.) I can't tell anyone about it because I'll be passing my tension on. So glad we're off on holiday today, long queues at security have nothing on this! And breathe! :)

Lucysky2017 · 04/08/2017 18:40

My one who needs an A knows they are a bit unpredictable and it will be a difficult year so hopefully will not be too disappointed even if he does not get an A. If he gets AAA I am hoping they will still take him but we'll see.

By the way one was trying to make a payment today and realised he didn't have the bank's card reader you need for that (which his twin already had) so he's now applied for that. I think if they have time now is a good time to get admin like that rather than when away at university and his twin just left for his first deliveroo shift on his bike.

BizzyFizzy · 04/08/2017 19:38

My DD has set her sights on Edinburgh. It's an ABB offer and her predictions are A A A. It's still nerve-wracking with the new courses. Her friends are verging on hysterical at this stage.

Original poster
doglover · 04/08/2017 19:56

I agree, BF. The new courses add a whole extra dimension to the drama! :( Our dd has been at a college which has this year gone into Special Measures so it's hard not to panic when wondering if the syllabus has been covered sufficiently well.

I don't remember quite this heightened sense of anxiety back in the early 1980s!

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BizzyFizzy · 04/08/2017 20:10

I keep reminding DD, that with the new courses, everyone is in the same boat.

PiratePanda · 08/08/2017 13:54

My tip for the worried (Admissions Tutor here) is this: if your DC drops a grade, ring the Confirmation and Clearing hotline for your first choice immediately, and see if the programme will still take them, or if there is an alternative similar programme that has space.

You'd be surprised in this brave new world of no caps on student numbers how many very, very good institutions and programmes will still have spaces.

titchy · 08/08/2017 14:20

PiratePanda - as an Admissions tutor would you not look at all your CFs who had missed by a grade and offer anyway so come C&C the offer was there...?

PiratePanda · 08/08/2017 17:09

@titchy it's a lot more complicated than that, because it's no longer just clearing, but adjustment as well, for pupils who have done better than they expected.

titchy · 08/08/2017 17:24

Yes I know the complexity, but you know your numbers, you've been given your targets, you'll know if you're 10 short next Monday that you'll maybe get 2 from adjustment so you need to go through your UFs that missed to get your final 8. I'm not understanding why you don't do that? Or are you hoping for better qualified applicants through adjustment?

Disclaimer - I'm the person that gives you your targets and I expect all our academic to do their damnedest to get them with as little clearing activity as possible...

Blogwoman · 08/08/2017 22:38

It's starting to feel pretty close to the 17th... I'm hopeful my DD will have got the grades she needs but I will be so relieved if she has - doesn't want to take up her insurance place as the course is more limited. Good to come on here for a bit of mutual support. PiratePanda perhaps you'd know if places are sometimes confirmed when the person hasn't quite made their grades for a conditional offer, or if it would always be the case that they'd have to ring up & plead?

Lucysky2017 · 09/08/2017 08:05

One of mine now doesn't know why he picked his insurance place and doesn't want to go there (he picked it as it was the lowest of the offer - although is sister went there and had a good time and did well and is a London lawyer so it's not a bad place at all). Anyway I hope they both get their Bristol grades. That daughter by the way missed one grade in her science A levels about 12 years ago (so not very current) and they still let her into her first choice. I imagine she called them right away.

dingit · 09/08/2017 08:11

Pirate panda, could I ask you something? I'm worried my dd has missed her place with a slipped grade. We will indeed phone and try an plead. She's even rehearsed what she will say. She also has an exceptional circumstance- her grandad passed away suddenly two days before her final two exams, and it effected her badly. Would this be taken in to consideration, or would you just think she was trying to pull a fast one?

user53592952153 · 09/08/2017 08:37

DS has been researching bank accounts but can't do it until after results day. He's applied for accommodation at one uni but can't apply at his insurance until after the 17th, he's also had his SEN assessment and had a package approved for his firm choice of university but he's convinced himself that he hasn't got the grades to go there. I'm hoping that he has because the uni have already been advised of his SEN and have put in place the package of support ready for September whereas his insurance choice don't know anything about him.

user53592952153 · 09/08/2017 08:39

@Lucysky2017 well done to your DS on the school prize. I hadn't thought of that being a possible advantage - my DS won the prize in his degree subject this year so hopefully that will count in his favour if he doesn't get the grades for Bristol.