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.

Marmite: can’t promise it’s the right lines, but worked for my daughter!

Party: wow, what a great offer!

Congrats to everyone who has had new offers.

It's from UEA, which he loved when he visited, but which was his insurance option. So yes, some thinking to do if any of his others do make an offer.

DD1 had an unconditional if firmed from one uni. She thought about it for a while but decided that she really wanted to be at a different uni if she could achieve the grades.

Both courses were the same but as this was for Bio Chemistry it was the labs which swung it for her in the end. Having seen the labs at the place she is at (Nottingham Trent) and the labs at practically everywhere else I can see why she made the choice she did. The Nottingham Trent labs are amazing!

DD2 is now holding offers from 4/5 of her unis. One is off the list already as she has chosen not to study the subject (she is now definite on studying Chemical Physics not Maths). That leaves two offering AAB and one unconditional if firm/BBB.

Just waiting on Edinburgh now. She had forms to fill regarding fee status. Apparently having done two years of Primary school in the Netherlands has confused the system!

Placemarking as dd has yet to submit.

The AAB uni are probably quite keen then as I believe that is a lower grade than their usual offer for the subject if it's from the university that I think it's from.

sorry, that was to @Gnomedeplume

@flyingpigsinclover it is a contextual offer I think. Though DD's predicted grades are very high we are in an area of low participation in HE plus the school is low performing.

DS has yet to do PAT for Oxford, and interviews/open day at Imperial, Manchester and Sheffield. Hasn’t yet got any offer! Even Birmingham - only sent email saying his application is under consideration.

DS is not worrying but a bit annoyed as most of his classmates had got something!

Having just read a thread on student room about a student in a pickle as they firmed an unconditional, therefore automatically rejecting everywhere else and then regretted it. I think if students are thinking about firming an unconditional then they should perhaps wait close to the deadline, go to offer open days etc, rather than rushing into it.

Oh gosh Kitten that is a pickle. Definitely good advice there - plenty of time so no need to make any decisions for a few months yet.

Risotto it must be frustrating when everyone else seems to have piles of offers already.
Some universities just don’t send early offers though so it’s really down to luck.
DD has had 2 offers but doesn’t expect to hear from any others this side of Christmas, probably March for 2 of them based on past years.

I was thinking perhaps it would be fairer if there was a “results date” perhaps in March, and that’s when you would find out all your offers all at once, everybody at the same time.

Then there would be no agonising waiting and checking, because you’d know there would be no info until that day.

Good advice OhYouBadKitten. Even if they love or loathe a place on first viewing the offer holder day can be very different.

thanks Lobster!

DS just got conditional offer from Birgmingham for Materials Science and Engineering (MEng) which is AAA including MEI Math plus two from Physics, Chemisty, Furthermath.

That's good news Risotto. DS has NSAA test coming up. He's had one interview invite so far and acknowledgements, but no offers yet. He's applying for physics subjects. I might be becoming a bit obsessed about when people are getting offers, so I like Lobster's idea of one offer date!

Risotto we got that email from B'ham last year, they didn't reply within the 3 weeks that they said they would be replying but then replied soon after with an offer.

agree! but better if the one result day can be earlier! haha!

what are the unis your DS applied for?

In fact the did not send email for the offer, DS got it from UCAS track.

DS had very positive feedback on his ps so just needs to do a couple of small tweaks to it this weekend before it goes back to his teacher for final approval.

Half tern started today so we are off to the U.K. to visit our final 3 unis - York, Manchester and Leeds.

DS has never been to those parts of the U.K. Despite being 1/2 British.

Am excited to see how Manchester has changed since I graduated in the early 90s!!!!!

Has everyone completed their uni visits?

We are from Hong Kong and DS started studying in UK boarding school from year 10 in 2014. We had the unis visits with him in Feb mid term break this year and he identified Oxford, Imperial and Manchester as his top 3 choices, and ruled out Surrey and Bristol.

DS is now back from his trip away this week and tells me he has an offer from Southampton 😀 I think he’d be happier at Bristol or Leeds (he’s there for an applicant day and “interview”in a couple of weeks) but my reasoning is not based on anything rational. He’s angling to go on all the applicant / offer holder days as it’s “more days off school!” In the meantime he’s got the Cambridge test on Thurs. Imperial are being aloof and mysterious - nothing from them yet apart from an acknowledgement. I hope you enjoy your trip back to the UK DevonDream

LadyMacnet my DS is also doing PAT test this coming week and applicants open day at Southampton on November 15th. If they have an interview, which is somthing of an nerdy chat, they might be given a lower offer, if I Understand correctly.

Devondream I have significantly failed to convince my DS to visit any more universities. UCAS application has gone in and we have four choices, but not really a low offer ( he thinks AAB is low....)
Wants to do Physics, or some variation on it.

I would have liked him to look at York because he likes Campus Universities, but he didn't want to travel so far from home.

Risotto DS has applied to Cambridge, Durham, St Andrews, Imperial and Birmingham, very ambitious!

Time I tried to convince my DS to look at York as well, I really like the city and the campus, but no. I always thought he would go for a campus university, both DH and I did, so it's harder to imagine a different type, but I think he's gone for course first and then reputation. DS has hardly visited any universities, so will wait and see what he thinks after interviews/offer days, assuming he gets them.

I've been through all this twice. Just a few observations.
Hold back until the last minute before firming. The offers won't go away .
The offer holder days are really worthwhile. DS2 completely changed his mind when he visited the second time and his least favourite went right to the top. DD did the same, rejecting an offer from her original insurance choice after the offer days (it was a two day thing at Durham).
DD was offered bribes financial incentives by Sheffield and another but, after visiting them was still set on her other choices.