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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:
shockthemonkey · 03/02/2018 18:56

Thanks Lobster and Drummer Flowers

teta · 05/02/2018 14:41

This is not university related but Dd has just got a job working for the National Trust for this year for a decent wage. But the best thing is it will continue in the holidays when she returns from Uni. Isn’t that fantastic?
The next issue is how much holiday will she have as a Vet Student? However I’m so relieved she will have a way of earning some income as she absolutely hates not having any money.

HesMyLobster · 05/02/2018 20:04

That sounds fantastic Teta, well Done to your DD.

DD has a part time waitressing job at a local pub/restaurant. She takes on extra shifts during the holidays now and has already been told there will be shifts for her during university holidays if she wants them.

raspberryrippleicecream · 06/02/2018 00:00

Jobs like that are ideal. My older DS1 has a McDonalds job that he can go back to each holidays. DDs retail job is promising similar!

teta · 06/02/2018 11:34

Thank you Lobster.
Your Dd is lucky.Dd’s local job proimised her more hours than they actually delivered so she’s been looking for a change. She has found it difficult though, as she still feels a sense of loyalty to the local business and enjoys working there.
RaspberryRipple your children sound very sorted and sensible.

madnskint · 06/02/2018 22:17

All offers are now in for DD. I don’t think University is a certainty yet though- as she has to get the grades..and although they aren’t high offers compared to some I know of it will still be a significant challenge (and she doesn’t seem to be working particularly hard)

teta · 07/02/2018 06:22

DD heard from her last one last night - Bristol and woke me up to tell me!
So I guess her choices will be the same as last year Bristol and Surrey.
Madnskint Dd was also really affected by the application process. Especially as she received nothing positive back until March at the earliest. She literally stopped working for 3 months in the middle of the year. This translated to AAB when she was forecast AAA.So warn your daughter this can happen.It didn’t help that her exams were wrongly marked and on the day she came out with 3 B’s. If she had had the AAB on the day she would have stood a good choice of getting in!
So Results day was acutely distressing and the application process was very stressful and at times distressing. As she had always been very successful academically beforehand.
Ask your daughter to imagine how she would feel on results day if she didn’t get the grades she needed to proceed further ?

madnskint · 07/02/2018 07:29

Thanks teta I have warned DD (again..)

HesMyLobster · 07/02/2018 12:55

Teta it's your DD's story that makes my blood run cold every time I think about results day.
I can't even imagine how that must have felt for your poor DD, or for you.
It could so easily happen to any of our dc and I know I'll be having some very difficult conversations with DD to get her to put plans in place for all possible outcomes.

Have you any tips on dealing with it on the day? How did she react, did she attempt clearing etc?

Littledrummergirl · 07/02/2018 22:45

Teta, that sounds horrendous! Your dd and you must be very strong to get through that.
Ds1 heard from another university yesterday- rejected unfortunately for the RVC five year course. I thought he would be devastated but he was very calm and level headed about it. I am so proud of him for how he responded, as a July baby he always seems so young in comparison to others in his year and I'm impressed daily by how maturely he's handling this process much more than his mother.

teta · 08/02/2018 08:40

Oh no, I’m sorry Littledrummergirl .Your Ds does sound as though he’s handing this brilliantly . Just hang in there!
Dd didn’t even get a interview at the Rvc and we have no idea why. As In two years of applying this is the first non-interview.
Hesmylobster I don’t have any tips at all. We had been on holiday in a different time zone and returned late and very jet-lagged the previous evening. And woke up too Dd saying I’ve been rejected by both Unis. So we dashed into school to get the results and to find out about clearing .We knew that Glasgow had some places but they were not interested in Dd with 3 B’s. Teachers expressed surprise at dds results and headmaster waffled a lot about how upset the school was. Dd just looked like a stunned mullet.
My dad described her as ‘concussed’ for the next few weeks.
No one got into vet. Medicine at her school last year. Only two got into medicine ( out of 9 possibles).It was a shambles - at a previously good school. Anyway this helped as many of them are retaking/having a gap year.
Just beware that the Science A levels are now a lot harder and schools need to teach quite differently .Not all schools got to grips with this last year - especially some girls schools that prior to this had been successful.

marmiteloversunite · 08/02/2018 21:09

Anyone with an offer from Bristol? My DD has an offer day there on the 21st of Feb and then Kings on the 21st March. She got an email today to say that the Bristol accommodation is open for reservation. Has she got this right? She is in a panic now that the most suitable accommodation will go before she has firmed her offer. She is leaning towards Bristol but I think she should look at her other choice before making a decision.

brizzledrizzle · 09/02/2018 00:03

The Bristol website says that accommodation booking opens in may if you have firmed them, it's August for insurance or clearing.

raspberryrippleicecream · 09/02/2018 07:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

marmiteloversunite · 09/02/2018 07:36

Thank you Brizzle! It would be helpful if DD could actually read an email properly! Let's hope she reads the ALevel questions more thoroughly! Confused

Decent18 · 10/02/2018 10:35

My DS has an offer for Bristol (yay yay yay). I really hope we get it right with the accommodation. He’s a quiet fairly reserved boy who takes his studies very seriously. He needs a place that will be social and fun but not too party party or druggy (😟). I’ve moved on from worrying about offers to now worrying about accommodation - haven’t told him this- he’s as cool as a cucumber and totally focused on his A levels thankfully. Any Bristol Mums out there who have experience of choosing accommodation?

Decent18 · 10/02/2018 11:44

Just realised that there is a Bristol accommodation thread from last year.

marmiteloversunite · 10/02/2018 16:50

Oh thanks Decent I will have a look at that thread.

bruffin · 10/02/2018 16:57

Has anyone had invite to Cardiff for offers day?

brizzledrizzle · 10/02/2018 17:31

bear in mind that Bristol had new accommodation built that only opened recently so it's not going to be mentioned much.

bruffin · 10/02/2018 18:12

Dd has ended up with 4 offers from Cardiff, UEA, Northampton and Oxford Brookes. Difficult choice as they all have advantages and disadvantages. She also nneeds to go and see Cardiff again

LilaBlue · 11/02/2018 11:33

I live near Northampton Bruffin and the billboards for the new campus look amazing.

bruffin · 11/02/2018 11:53

It does problem is DD has no idea what facilities will be for her course.

mumstaxi2 · 12/02/2018 19:11

DS still waiting on UCL for Urban Planning & Design. We've heard that they can be very slow with offers - any thoughts anyone? He is desperate to hear as pretty sure this will be his first choice. He is assumed it will be an unconditional or rejection as already has his grades.

Nettleskeins · 12/02/2018 21:49

ds has had one interview (and they offered him an unconditional) from OB, and one unconditional without interview from Hull. He has still to do an interview for Surrey and for Cardiff (postponed due to the lecturers' strike)

Bruffin I saw you were thinking about OB and Cardiff too. Will you go to the offer holder's day at OB? We haven't had a proper tour yet, and I'm a bit confused about all the building work and how much it might impact on ds's faculty. (which is nearby)

Ds is over the moon to have unconditionals from two places he really likes the look of, but I told him he needs to hold on and give Cardiff a chance. Much bigger faculty. Distance is affecting our choice, ds is talking about coming home at weekends for Sunday roast. OB ideal, Hull less so, and Cardiff just about doable. Surrey..easy as apple pie.