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Higher education

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

Original poster

University offers for 2018? (Part 1)

868 replies

OnlyTeaForMe · 02/08/2017 17:56

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.

OP posts:
Dumbledoresgirl · 29/11/2017 23:09

Thank you puppypower and Liz. Ah gosh, that has put the cat amongst the pigeons! Much discussion and soul searching here this evening as dd has had her heart set on Newcastle for many a month, but an unconditional offer from Birmingham is just too good to turn down out of hand. Dd is going to have to think long and hard about this, go to the applicant days, etc. And we thought the unconditional offer was a gift, well it would have been if it had come from Newcastle!

Dumbledoresgirl · 29/11/2017 23:11

And sorry, her subject will be Modern Languages.

readsalotgirl63 · 29/11/2017 23:26

Hi dumbledoresgirl - dd was in this situation last year.
She had a conditional offer from her first choice and unconditionals from two of the others. We went to offer holder/applicant days which helped narrow down the choices so I would recommend you wait to hear from all the places your dd has applied to and then visit again if possible.
In the end dd firmed the conditional offer and held one of the unconditionals as insurance. This did mean she was under pressure to get the results which caused a bit of stress. I was also concerned because she couldn't apply for accommodation at the insurance choice until after results day which might have meant a scramble for accommodation.

However - in the end she got the results required ( phew) and went to her first choice. It was difficult as although had the certainty of knowing she had a place there was still the potential problem of accommodation and how she might have coped with it if she hadn't got the results.

We swithered quite a lot before deciding to firm the conditional but dd decided she'd rather do that than always wonder if she might have made it.

The UCAS website does have useful info for parents and is worht having a look at - I thought it explained the different offer and acceptance options very well.

Good luck to your dd

ono40 · 30/11/2017 23:57

My DS had an unconditional offer last year as well but it was from his first choice. It really took the stress off him in June. He ended up with 2 A star and an A. In his school about 10 students had unconditional offers from various places, all but one accepted them, no one got less than 3As. They must make the choice based on where they really want to go, not whether the offer is conditional or unconditional as they are investing 3 years and £27k.

MissConductUS · 01/12/2017 00:08

DS got his second offer yesterday, this one with a very substantial merit aid award, so it's the winner so far. He probably won't hear from the last of them until early January. He applied to eight schools.

We don't have offers conditional on exam results, but merit aid awards will depend on maintaining satisfactory grades for the rest of the school year.

MollyHuaCha · 01/12/2017 01:00

That's great MissConduct.

We've two applying through Ucas in our home. One DC has two offers (hooray!) and is waiting for responses, from the other three unis.

The other DC is spending too much time socializing still putting together an application.

SunshineTheMonkey · 01/12/2017 07:15

I thought if you accepted an unconditional you can't go through Adjustment?

Might be worth checking that. Great to have them though, well done to her.

pigsinmud · 01/12/2017 10:53

Hi all. Just joining this thread as ds2 is applying.

Dumbledoresgirl that's a tough one. Last week ds2 got an unconditional offer - not for his first choice. It was really difficult as he immediately felt like he wanted to there. A couple of days later he got a conditional offer from his 1st choice. He was totally thrown by the unconditional - it was messing with his head! He's a very lucky boy as the next day he got an unconditional upgrade for his 1st choice uni.

He's got a conditional from another one and is waiting to hear from the other 2.

It's really hard though. I know if it was me I'd take it...I'm not a risk taker!

Opheliasgoldenwine · 01/12/2017 12:12

Anyone else not heard anything back yet?

Lolimax · 01/12/2017 13:47

One very happy 47 year old here!! I had my interview for nursing on Wednesday and was offered a place for April there and then! It’s unconditional as I already meet the requirements. Just DS to sort out now.

devondream · 01/12/2017 14:25

Congratulations lolimax 😃

DS UCAS has gone off from school and now the waiting begins.

One lad in his class applied for 5 of the top 6 Unis for his course several weeks ago.
Got a Cambridge rejection and not a peep from the other 4. It has been nearly 2 weeks since he applied.

Am hoping DS gets at least one offer before Christmas so he can stop worrying about it all and just get on and revise.

devondream · 01/12/2017 14:26

2 MONTHS since the classmate applied not 2 Weeks

Opheliasgoldenwine · 01/12/2017 14:48

Congrats Devon!!!

Fifthtimelucky · 01/12/2017 18:21

Many congrats, Lolimax!

Opheliasgoldenwine · 01/12/2017 18:37

I have an offer but unfortunately it's just from the choice I used to fill up the five options Sad

MollyHuaCha · 01/12/2017 18:57

Never mind Ophelia. Is it possible that some of your other 4 choices might send you an offer or interview date in the next few weeks?

Opheliasgoldenwine · 01/12/2017 19:07

Molly- yes it is, I only sent mine off last night Smile

Fingers crossed!

Littledrummergirl · 01/12/2017 20:42

Ds1 has had another interview invitation! Xmas Grin
Still waiting for a questionnaire and one uni hasn't started contacting people yet.
His fifth choice is expected after January.

madnskint · 02/12/2017 08:34

Ooooh snap littledrummergirl Smile

MissConductUS · 02/12/2017 08:58

DS got into his first choice, Endicott College, also with a scholarship offer, though not as much as one of his insurance choices offered him a few days ago. Well have to see if we can use the higher offer to negotiate up the money on offer from Endicott.

He is thrilled, as are we all. Grin

Dumbledoresgirl · 02/12/2017 09:19

Thanks to those of you who have advised on my dd's situation. It is good to read your experiences. @Schilke I am interested in what you meant when you said your ds2 got an unconditional upgrade from his first choice uni last week. That is exactly what would sort out dd and her head of year has advised her to try ringing her first choice to see if they would do this for her. I had no idea this was even possible but your post seems to imply it is. Did your ds ring up to tell them his situation and hence got the upgrade or did the uni see he had an unconditional offer from another uni and decided to do the same themselves? Dd is clearly a bit reluctant to ring her first choice uni as she obviously fèels it is unlikely they will change their offer, but perhaps if she knew there was precedence for doing this, it would give her the courage to ring. Just to add, she will ring eventually, she is just building up her courage.

puppypower1 · 02/12/2017 10:11

Not all unis offer unconditionals as a policy, until you meet their entry requirements ( ie. post A level results). Others give them as a marketing tool to get better students than they ordinarily would. It depends who her first choice is as to whether that is a worthwhile phone call. All unis over offer as lots will turn them down and many won't make their entry requirement next August.

If she loves the uni offering the unconditional why not take it? If she prefers the other uni and it has a better reputation for the course and future employability, and she can get the grades, take that and insure elsewhere.

Dumbledoresgirl · 02/12/2017 13:14

Your advice totally fits what I said puppypower - until we get to your last few words. Dd has researched the courses offered very thoroughly, and found only 5 unis in the whole of the UK offering what she wants to do. Of those, 2 were great (the 2 she has offers from, thankfully), 2 did not inspire greatly, and 1 was a total put off (she applied to them anyway, but only because she felt she had to put 5 unis down. She has categorically stated she will not go to that uni).

So, if she cannot make the unconditional offer her insurance, she is left with 2 unis which don't really inspire her.

I know this is a very particular, rather enviable position, some might say, she finds herself in. And yes, we have told her to revisit both unis, and it would be great if she ends up preferring the unconditional offer uni more than the conditional offer uni, but at the moment, that is not the case.

Sorry, I don't want to hijack this thread, just needed to ask for advice negotiating these tricky waters.

readsalotgirl63 · 02/12/2017 17:01

Mu understanding is that your dd can hold the conditional offer as her firm choice with the unconditional as her insurance. UCAS allows you to hold 2 offers.

If she then meets the conditions she would go there. If she does not meet the conditions she would have the place at the unconditional university. What she cannot do is hold 2 offers and then choose once results are known.

As others have said the choice does have to be based on which offers the best course. If she would be equally happy at either place and won't mind the additional pressure of " having" to get certain results then firm the conditional and use the unconditional as insurance.

At the offer holder day my dd asked if there was any flexibility in the condition - she was required to get BB so she asked if AC would be acceptable and was firmly told no. However it is worth asking if they would upgrade the offer to unconditional if they think she might go elsewhere. Again good luck

user1469682920 · 02/12/2017 17:02

I thought that most Uni's who offer 'unconditional if firm' also offer a conditional offer as well. Doesn't she have a conditional offer from the second favourite Uni she could use as insurance. There is also still some time to decide - she could wait until after revisiting and also may be more or less confident about meeting the offer from the favourite by the spring.