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.

Thanks Fifthtime!

Violin exam was ok. All pieces played well, aural and sight reading were ok with a couple of blips. Hopefully enough to pass.

My younger DD has announced we can't move anywhere before she applies for uni because she would like a contextual offer too, thanks very much!

I've only just seen your post @Lolimax Congratulations!

www.bristol.ac.uk/fees-funding/awards/alumni-scholarship/

Just seen this, U of Bristol have announced a new scholarship for first years starting this September; it's up to 2k and is in addition to the Bristol Bursary (also 2k)

Hello. I've been lurking for a while and appreciating the support shown towards people on this thread. Not posted before but decided to now as feeling very nervous; DS2 going to press the button on his UCAS choices soon. He's still deciding whether Leeds or York for his insurance choice; Leeds ranks higher in his subject, and his offer is lower, but he feels more at home around York's smaller campus and city. It's a coincidence that they're quite close to one another as we don't live nearby. Would really appreciate any words of wisdom around these choices, and it's a STEM subject. Thanks!

Hi, another lurker here who has also been enjoying this thread! Ds pressed the UCAS button last week.
@Lily125 he is also doing a STEM subject and was finding it hard to choose between Leeds and Lancaster for his insurance. He loved Lancaster (was very nearly his first choice) and so I really thought it would be his insurance but he surprised us by picking Leeds. We went to an applicant/interview day and he liked it much more than he had on the Open Day. It's a much bigger city than he's used to but the course is good and he's reassured by the slightly lower grade requirement - after all in the ideal plan he won't need his insurance...
Another big factor (though I think the same is true of York) is that Leeds told us they guarantee accommodation for insurance applicants whereas Lancaster doesn't.
I think ds spent longer agonising over the insurance choice than his firm choice!

ds still hasn't pressed the button - still trying to choose between Cardiff plus insurance choices or unconditional offers...

Thanks for sharing @LeiatheSchnauzer, we were really impressed with the Leeds applicant day too. Luckily York and Leeds both guarantee accommodation for insurance choices, but quite pot luck with what's left I think. I do worry my DS might find it hard to settle in if he ends up in a really big or lively accommodation as he's not much of a party animal, but hopefully it could also mean there may be a good chance of finding like minded people too? Good luck to your DS, and yes, hopefully insurance choices won't even be needed!

Good luck too! My ds is also very far from being a party animal so the reputation of Leeds did worry me but I'm just hoping as it's such a big uni he'll find like minded friends.

Not long to go before the deadline for finalizing university choices.

I have one DC who pressed the button last night (hooray!) and another who has been sitting on five offers for months but still 'needs a bit longer to think about it'.

DD pressed the button for Sheffield and has reserved accommodation in the hall she wanted. The all important research on how much a Jagerbomb costs has also been completed!

As long as she has her priorities right Gnome

Thought of starting a new thread but hoping one of you can help. My DS has had 4 university rejections and the wording used to explain the rejection indicates that it was based on the fact that they deem that his predicted grades do not meet the minimum grades required. In 3 out of the 4 of the universities that rejected him the predicted grades do match the min requirements.

So I am thinking that either the grades input on to UCAS by the school are not what we were told or the rejection was based on based on other stuff that they haven't articulated such as school reference etc.... One university has not offered any explanation.

Any advice or insight would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Did your DS get a chance to see their reference from school and predicted grades? Did he research required grades for the courses that he applied for? Did school/college help with the personal statement?
Seems like a lot of rejections and like you I would assume something had gone wrong with the application information/process. I'm sorry that is very stressful for you all.

He was verbally told and I was told and emailed by one subject leader.

He chose 3 courses where the minimum grades were exactly aligned with his predicted grades.

He chose one aspirational course

He had a lot of help with one teacher on his personal statement and I thought it was spot on.

I am chasing with school.

That seems really odd Jewel that they have implied his grades weren't right for the uni places. How frustrating for you both. Can he apply for other courses now or will he have to wait for clearing? I think I would try and see the head of year to see if they can help.

Thanks. Yes very stressful. Will hopefully be speaking with HoY this week. Something has gone wrong somewhere.

Jewel - once you've talked to the school and found out what his predicted grades actually are, try UCAS extra. It's open now and allows you to pick unis, one at a time, with vacancies. I would ring the uni first to double check they still have spots and that your DC meets their requirements. Good luck.

jewel if your DS (not you) phones UCAS and asks for a copy of his form and pays £10 then UCAS will send it to his e-mail address very quickly, most likely the same day. That will show the reference in its entirety including the predicted grades. Knowing exactly what was predicted on the form, as well as what was said, would probably be good to know ahead of any meeting with the school. It sounds really tough for your DS.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

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.