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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?!

OP posts:
Lucysky2017 · 09/08/2017 14:04

A prize in a degree subject can be useful. I still have mine on my CV for example. A school prize is not likely to be very useful. One of mine got the prep school prize for being nice to everyone left by an old boy with a cup... although actually laughing as I type, it is an extremely useful skill which continues to stand him in good stead. I suspect they just could not find anything else to give him a prize in at that stage.

user53592952153 · 09/08/2017 15:41

DS got sportsman of the year at primary school, that's not on his CV Grin but being student of the year in two of his A level subjects is. He needs to make sure he tells uni if he misses his grades, it's a shame it was too late to go in his personal statement.

humblesims · 09/08/2017 16:29

I'm finding the wait a bit nerve wracking. First timer going through this guinea pig year (with a younger DS going through GCSE guinea pig year). My DS thinks he has blown his firm (Warwick AAA) and is hoping to meet his insurance (AAB). I am panicking in case he misses even that (difficult year for DS) and that we will be adrift in the clearing system which kind of terrifies me. I have been looking at what we can do to prepare for that eventuality. Trying to remain calm. Has applied for accommodation for both unis. One is a long way away and the other is next city along from us so I wont be sad if he gets his insurance.

DimsieMaitland · 09/08/2017 18:35

DD1 is currently overseas.
Before she left, she made us write out a very detailed flowchart of what to do if she's not available on results day - in case she's delayed on the planes (2 legs of journey) or gets malaria! She actually gets back 48 hours before results so all should be fine.

I am concerned that she won't make the grades for her Cambridge offer. Teaching in one subject in Y13 was appalling - numerous conversations/complaints etc from every family affected got us precisely nowhere. She should, unless there is a total disaster, make her insurance offer (great university in a wonderful city) and she's also had a letter from one of the other institutions she rejected, who are presumably gently reminding her that they exist in the event she has to go into clearing.

I have to go to work on results day (ironically because I work in a university) so DH will be on parental duty for the day. He's laid back to the point of having no bloody sense of urgency so I anticipate that if there are problems I will be on the end of the phone in my breaks.

And breathe.

hugoagogo · 10/08/2017 10:20

Ds has had a missed call from a uni that isn't his firm or insurance!? Do they know something we don't!?

user53592952153 · 10/08/2017 10:47

Ds has had several emails from universities who sent him the prospectus, I think it's a last ditch attempt from them to remind them that they exist in case of clearing.

Bristol Uni clearing department is closed from tomorrow until Thursday to "get ready for A level results" - I think they will have the A level results tomorrow and will be working out how many vacancies they can offer in clearing [biting nails emoticon]

titchy · 10/08/2017 11:00

Do they know something we don't!?

No. They get the results on Sunday, although most universities won't download them till Monday.

user53592952153 · 10/08/2017 11:03

God it's scary!
DS is really nervous, I'm trying to think of ideas to fill the next few days - he's out all day today with a friend and is out for a friend's birthday tonight and tomorrow night.

We've got limited funds so I don't know what else to do!

hugoagogo · 10/08/2017 11:03

Oh the stress, ds is very worried he hasn't got the grades he needs.
He has form for this though, so I really don't know what to think.
Gin

Gannet123 · 10/08/2017 11:05

Admissions Tutor here!
Regarding possible missed grades:

  • any mitigating circumstances should be reported to the admissions offices now - don't wait until next Thursday. You will likely get out of office emails etc - many admissions staff are taking days off this week to compensate for the extra hours and weekend work until the end of August, and most will be far too busy next week to talk to you. But that doesn't mean emails won't get read (And do email, don't phone). Ringing up on Thursday with mitigating circumstances may be too late.

  • different institutions will do things differently, but don't count on being able to ring up and beg. At my place (big RG) we have taken all our decisions by the end of Tuesday, bearing in mind vulnerability for remarks and insurance choices, and are likely not to have any flexibility on Thursday. The good news on this is that if an applicant misses an offer, they may still see their place confirmed on Thursday morning without having to ring up. The bad news is that if UCAS says you do not have a place, ringing up may make no difference whatsoever. This is not to say don't do it - different places will have different approaches - but don't place too much reliance on it and take no for an answer. Every year, I have a handful of applicants who keep ringing and emailing, won't take no for an answer, get themselves into a frenzy which often has me concerned for their wellbeing, and thus miss out on good opportunities in Clearing. The time to ring, however, if if UCAS shows no decision on Thursday morning.

  • Don't read too much into clearing lists - clearing has changed. Some institutions and courses are in clearing because they need numbers to meet their financial plan and are likely to be willing to go substantially below their original offer grades. Others are in clearing just to see if they can pick up one or two high performing students through adjustment or similar, and won't go below their original offer grades - this has become more common since the cap on numbers has been removed. It is impossible to tell the difference between these two groups. You can't, therefore, guess your chances of getting a place by whether or not a course is in clearing, because you don't know why they are in clearing.

A level results, btw, are send to Universities on Saturday - so no-one knows anything yet. In addition, Universities contracts with UCAS place very strict embargos on releasing results before they are released to candidates - we are allowed to release decisions once they are released to UCAS, but we can't tell any applicant their results and we can't release decisions before Thursday. This is why no-one will talk to you next week - if a member of university staff breaches these rules they are likely to face dismissal.

Courage, everyone - I feel for all you parents - and your offspring most of all. It's a tough time, but I hope there are celebrations at the end of it.

dingit · 10/08/2017 11:22

Gannet thank you, I've just messaged dd to email now ( she's on holiday at the moment).

user53592952153 · 10/08/2017 13:25

Gannet123 my DS has SEN and has approval for funding from SFE so has been assessed as requested by SGE and a report produced. Should we assume that this has been sent to his firm choice or would it be worth me sending them a copy of the report?

His SEN might have resulted in missed grades but he's had a contextual offer so perhaps they wouldn't consider anything other than the grades they asked for?

Thanks.

Gannet123 · 10/08/2017 13:56

If the SEN were reported on the UCAS form, the university will already be able to take that into consideration - no need for more information at this stage. The report is not for admissions purposes and wouldn't go to admissions staff- it's for the support services to work out what extra support he will get if he gets in - forward looking rather than backward looking..

As to whether they would consider grades below the contextual offer that will vary. There may be a university policy that they don't, or a minimum set of grades they are willing to accept no matter what - or it may simply be the case that they don't have that many spare places for those who have missed the grades, and there are other candidates who are ranked higher

user53592952153 · 10/08/2017 13:58

Thank you. We'll wait and see - DS wouldn't want special consideration anyway.

Blogwoman · 10/08/2017 16:27

Thanks Gannet for taking the time to pass on all this info. It's feeling very real now...

BizzyFizzy · 10/08/2017 20:26

One week to go!!

This week has flown by for us, and I wonder if it will feel the same next week. I hate to wish the holidays away, but this wait is a killer.

My elder DCs' universities have been lax about missed offers, but DD2 is heading to Edinburgh who don't seem to tolerate dropped grades. She should exceed her offer, but it is still a worry.

She wants to move on and get her accommodation finalised, and make travel plans - so many decisions!

Lucysky2017 · 10/08/2017 20:34

Gannet, that's very helpful particularly for my twins this year (their siblings went 14-11 years ago so that experience is not too recent and things change).

We will just have to wait and see. I hope all of them can treat any friends who don't get in where they want sensitively - some will be very happy to have got their place but will be with friends who will be devastated. I want them all to be kind to each other.

TheMightyMing · 10/08/2017 22:11

I'm feeling pretty wobbly as the time draws near , my sons firm and insurance may be a little aspirational based on his AS, but too late now!

I'm also worried about finance if I'm honest , minimum loan only here so I'm likely to be paying for accommodation , which isn't going to be cheap !

hellsbells99 · 11/08/2017 09:19

Bizzyfizzy - I know 2 years are never the same and it varies by course, but DD's friend got into Edinburgh last year having dropped a couple of grades. Good luck!

TheMightyMing · 11/08/2017 09:54

Lucy Sky - very good point about sensitivity . My son and I were talking on the way home last night ( he's working with me for the summer ) and he said he wouldn't be putting anything on SM if he got his choices as there will be some that don't and they will be sad. Whereas our good friends who I love dearly will be posting minute details if their DC's grades all over Facebook ( almost certain to be A's!) and then texting me at crack sparrow fart o clock to enquire how my DS has done , before we've even left the house to pick up the results 😡

Gannet123 · 11/08/2017 10:35

The HE press is full of stories about clearing being particularly competitive this year - for universities, because there are fewer applicants due to the demographic dip. In general, students will be in a strong position. Of course, that doesn't make any guarantees about particular courses, particularly at the more competitive end, but I think it likely that nationally, most students who miss their grades by 1 will get their place, and many will get the place if they miss by 2 or even 3.
It also means that, even if the firm choice doesn't work out, there will be a lot of clearing opportunities out there - and, if a decision is taken to take a year out and look again rather than get caught up in the rush of clearing, universities will be keen to make unconditional offers and get students in.
This is not to create false hope - but perhaps to encourage optimism, and a constructive approach to dealing with the uncertainty, because in most cases there will be a lot of very workable plan Bs if the grades don't work out as hoped (if, of course, DCs are not totally fixed on one possible outcome and everything else is a total catastrophe, which does happen, I appreciate!)

stonecircle · 11/08/2017 10:55

The thing that worries me most about clearing is the uncertainty over accommodation. DS2 got a really bum deal at his university a couple of years ago -despite getting the grades and putting his accommodation application in on time.

I dread to think what it must be like having
to make a quick decision on a university you may not even have visited, with the additional worry of trying to find somewhere to live in a strange town.

Gannet123 · 11/08/2017 11:13

Yup! Places will usually do their best to find you accommodation, but it's not always easy and its highly unsettling. And it's not helpful for universities as well, because clearing students are less likely to be committed to and enthusiastic about the university, and more likely to drop out. My advice would always be that, unless you have a clear clearing target of a university you visited and liked (a third choice, if you like), you should take a year out and reapply to places that will take you with your grades - unfortunately, that's not always what the applicants want because they are very invested in starting university, not wanting to get left behind by their friends, etc. Which I understand, but it's a shame.

user53592952153 · 11/08/2017 11:27

The thing that worries me most about clearing is the uncertainty over accommodation.

That's what worries us with DS's insurance choice as you can't apply for accommodation until after results day, the priority goes to people who put it as firm.

Lucysky2017 · 11/08/2017 11:32

Gannet, that is my view too (not as an expert of course but having looked at how thing generally are going this year). Mind you I am always an optimist which is perhaps not always a good idea as exams can be unpredictable. The twins got AAAA in AS ( I asked them if they were joking when they called me last year... they never let me live that down, no faith in my sons...) and need AAA and AAB this year and I think even if they both drop a grade (particularly not sure one will get A - the school predicted them A*s which was over predicting and foolish in my view) they will both get to Bristol but I might be on here eating my words next week.