University offers for 2018? (Part 1)

[OnlyTeaForMe]

OK, I know I'm a bit early, but let the hand-holding begin...

Come and join us if you (and your DC) are about to start the UCAS process in September - applying for a place in 2018.

I've got DS1, who wants to do Computer Science in 2018. Looking at various Russell Group unis and maybe Oxbridge.

[Downeyhouse]

So glad he has an offer but what a mess.
Good for the uni that were fair and looked at his application again.

I hope this is all soon a distant memory.

[jewel1968]

Yes one of his top 2 I would say.

[marmiteloversunite]

That's good news Jewel. Fingers crossed for the other two!

[ThereAreTooMany]

jewel1968. That is good to hear one offer has come in. Is it for one of your sons preferred Unis?

[jewel1968]

One conditional offer has been made based on revised predicted grades. One has rejected. Waiting for 2 more to respond.

[marmiteloversunite]

You are being very patient Jewel. You would have thought that emailing the unis immediately would have been the best course of action by the school. I hope it gets sorted really quickly for you.

[jewel1968]

The universities will want it in writing which I can understand but I would expect a follow up telephone call to encourage a response. Contacted universities this morning and at that point they had now received any written communication. One said that technically after a date in January (cant recall the date) they are not obliged to accept late applications however they may in these exceptional circumstances. Will have to phone tomorrow morning again because we have now been assured all written communication has gone out.

[Oratory1]

I still dont understand why school werent on the phone to the admissions dept on his behalf as soon as they found the error. I know both my dc schools would have been.

[BettyPitts]

I feel very angry on your DSs behalf jewel BUT the uni staff are usually lovely and helpful.

I hope he gets his offers through soon.

[goodbyestranger]

jewel that was what I strongly suspected the outcome would be when you said the school was hesitating since they can retrieve their UCAS info at the click of a mouse. Absolutely shocking. It could easily be capable of litigation it's so bad. Mistakes like this do not happen easily at all, it's appalling. Your poor DS. I really hope the decisions are overturned and soon. Good luck.

[jewel1968]

Reasonably competitive I would say. I can see we will have to phone the universities and explain the situation so good to know that they are likely to be receptive. I think DS is strangely relieved as it explains the rejections. He had known for a while and not shared the info. The responses were poorly worded and so it wasn't 100% clear what the reason was for rejection. We have now seen the reference which was very positive even glowing I would say. Thanks for all your kind words and help.

[YippeeTipTap]

That’s really bad Jewel. How competitive are the courses/Unis that he has applied for?
I hope you son isnt too stressed about it.

BTW. Personally, in this case, I wouldn’t worry if it’s you that end up speaking to the universities rather your son especially if it’s a problem for him to find the time. One of my DC had an unusual problem with his University applications for medicine and I dealt with it for him. It was time consuming and required numerous emails and phone calls to all the universities he was considering applying to. Despite what a few people think on these threads I never experienced the slightest problem with admissions staff being snooty that I was doing it. My son ended up with 3 offers (he withdraw his 4th choice) so presumably it didn’t result in him being blacklisted.

[HesMyLobster]

Oh Jewel, I'm so sorry you're going through this but thank goodness you investigated!
Everything crossed you get some good news.

[Oratory1]

yes mistakes do happen - but surely they should be on the phone to admissions departments in the first instance not writing !! Hopefully something can be sorted out.

[jewel1968]

So update. School admit it is their error and are writing to each university to ask them to reconsider his application. No idea what will happen. Mistakes do happen but still...

[HesMyLobster]

Oh gosh Jewel, that sounds extremely stressful. I think going through UCAS is a good idea, then you have concrete facts. I really hope it's something that can be sorted out. Your poor DS - not the added worry he needs just as exams are starting.
for you too, it's a difficult enough time without things going wrong.
Fingers crossed for you.

[jewel1968]

They have eluded to making direct contact with the universities. Have to wait for DS to get home to request from UCAS.

[YippeeTipTap]

Jewel. That's stressful, I hope you sort it out soon.

[goodbyestranger]

It would be massively unfair if the school has made an error. They can't rectify it now, in the true sense, it's far, far too late. Unless, possibly, they have a decent Ho6 who could contact the rejecting unis direct and ask if they could look again and reconsider. I'm glad you're going to look at the UCAS form because that will leave no room for opaqueness on the part of the school.

[jewel1968]

Will do as suggested above re UCAS. Luckily I have an email where 2 of the predicted grades are discussed and confirmed between me and teachers. They have said if it is a mistake their end the will rectify it but I am not sure how. I do find the whole process stressful, opaque and a little crazy. I work with quite a few young people and when I mentioned it to them you could see them visibly get stressed as they shared their trauma from their experiences a few short years ago.

[goodbyestranger]

Yes it should be extremely simple jewel. Your DS and indeed you have an absolute right to know exactly what was supplied by the school to UCAS.

[BettyPitts]

I hope if there's been a mistake that they can rectify it quickly, Jewel.

[jewel1968]

Thanks all. Will follow advice. School are investigating as a matter of urgency. We are not being told what they input on system for UCAS. I would have thought that was a fairly simple check for them?

[goodbyestranger]

Icouldbeknitting as per my post immediately above your own, it would be swifter from UCAS (almost instant) and has the advantage of being in black and white and confirmed as what went through to the unis. It also has the advantage of allowing jewel to meet with the HoY knowing the facts ahead. It's an incredibly simple process.

[Icouldbeknitting]

Jewel He can put in a Freedom of Information request to UCAS and see everything they have including references but I'm assuming that it's simpler and faster to get the information from school. It looks as if the predicted grades that went on his form are lower than what he was told they were.