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.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Heybells, I've learned that if they haven't made all 5 choices they can add them later. So if he wants to put Oxbridge down he can do that before the October 15 deadline, then put other places down as he decides.
The more critical thing is that the personal statement needs to be really honed to their subject choice, so putting Oxbridge with one subject down then adding in others with different subjects wouldn't be a good idea.

[raspberryrippleicecream]

Heybells, regarding Physics/Theoretical Physics, my DS1 is 1 year into his MPhys in Theoretical Physics. He applied for Theoretical and loves it, but doesn't actually have to commit to this branch until Christmas this year, he could switch to any of the other options. I don't know if other unis have wiggle room, but I expect so.

[OnlyTeaForMe]

Can I ask how involved/engaged other people's DC are?
DH & I were feeling a bit frustrated with DS last night as he just seems so almost disinterested and laid back about it all!
We've been to loads of uni open days and I put together a spreadsheet for him showing typical offers and any important notes about the course (yes, I know that he should do that really, but he was busy with his AS levels at the time, so I did it to help, and also because we needed it to decide which unis to visit!)
Last night DH was asking DS what he thought - which did he think would be his top 3/ where would he like to aim for etc and DS was just like 'they were all OK, all seemed pretty similar, I didn't feel particularly passionate about any of them...'

Is it asking too much at this stage to expect him to be beginning to formulate an opinion?!

[GnomeDePlume]

OnlyTeaForMe DD2 is very engaged with it but she is absolutely certain of what she wants to do and there are few courses (Chemical Physics with a year in Industry) so that has made it easier for her to focus.

DD1 was so so until she found the place she loved and could see herself being.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I think dd has been very lucky to be part of a group of friends who are very focused, they've all been messaging each other about open days and filling out UCAS forms and generally been very self supporting. I'm better at keeping an eye on closing dates for things (aka obsessing about things in the future) than she is, so that's been my main role.

I think the task can look so enormous to them and so far away, that it's often easier for them just to shut down and pretend that none of it is happening. I don't blame them.

It's also hard at this age to switch roles from being parented, to being young self responsible adults. Going to university creates an artificial deadline, where as in reality, like with all things in growing up, it comes naturally at different times for different people.

[Lucysky2017]

My 5 went to just about no open days (and I the parents went to none). However they were keen to apply to very competitive universities - so they were engaged in that sense and very firm that they would not try Oxbridge.

[Gannet123]

They've got plenty of time to make a decision. Five choices for the UCAS form, but don't have to decide firm choice until April. Come next August, I'd rather have a young person who thinks lots of places look fine than someone who is totally wedded to one place and won't countenance any change, if they don't get the grades to get in.
Also worth bearing in mind that there may very well not be one perfect choice. Lots of places are quite similar, and I think it can put pressure on to keep pushing the idea that you have to have a clear favourite. Most of your experience, good or bad, at University is down to you, not the university - most successful students would be successful wherever they go.

[HesMyLobster]

Very good points Gannet

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

That's true Gannet, even Oxbridge candidates only need to submit one uni before mid October.

[Icouldbeknitting]

Gannet it's a good point that there may not be the perfect choice. It occurred to me whilst I was pondering how I would choose between DS's top two if it were me. I could think of all the different things to think about from course content to accommodation but I couldn't pick a winner. Then I considered it from the other viewpoint - it means that there isn't a bad choice, either one will be fine.

[HeyBells]

Thanks for the advice Lucy, OYBBK, and raspberry. Gannet you make a good point as well, definitely worth keeping in mind.

DS had to prepare a first draft PS before the end of term, as he didn't know which subject he did two lists of bullet points, one for maths and one for physics, so he's got something to work on. Now he's decided, he needs to think about any extra reading etc, but he's decided to do an EPQ over the summer and so has been working on that. It is a topic that vaguely relates to physics which helps!

[Lucysky2017]

gannet is right. In high sight Durham (or a choral scholarship to an Oxridge college) would have suited me better than Manchester but I did masses of singing at Manchester, toured abroad with the choir and had a really good time so it was fine. (It was still a total waste for me to be at party central, cool, pop music, clubs etc). I should not be on the thread as the twins are about to go to university but I remember last year or earlier this them having to decide which was first choice - Durham or Bristol (they were lucky to get offers from both) and actually either would have been equally as good on just about every score so I said it doesn't matter. I am now glad they piced the same one and picked Bristol simply because iti s nearer us (even though originally I am from the NE and my father went to Durham).

I would recommend tactical subject choice if you want to get into a good place and are not highly like to get A*s easily. My son's AAB offer from Bristol was much easier than some offers to achieve and he picked a subject he loves but which does always have slightly easier grades than say the very popular subjects like history and English and maths

[OnlyTeaForMe]

Yes, good advice here. I don't think I would have sensibly been able to choose between my top 3 or 4 unis at age 17 either.

Can someone who has done this before tell be what range of typical offers it is best to cover e.g. if predicted A A A A and top course offers are usually A*AA would an 'insurance' offer of AAA or AAB be best?

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

dds college say one grade above for aspirational and one grade below for insurance at this point.

[OnlyTeaForMe]

Thanks - I know DS's school have said make sure you don't accept an insurance offer somewhere you have no intention of going!

[raspberryrippleicecream]

DS1 had A*AA as his firm and AAA as his insurance. He didn't actually have any offers below that.

[GnomeDePlume]

Does anyone have any advice please?

DD is wanting to study Chemical Physics, her A levels are Maths, FM, Physics, Chemistry. Her predicted grades are AAAA or possibly A*AAA. She has now an A in maths as at her school they do the A level maths in year 12.

If she is going to fall down anywhere it will be on the Chemistry. This being the case we have suggested that she should consider a Maths degree for her insurance place.

Do universities see what is being applied for elsewhere? If so, would this make her look less than committed to the Chemical Physics dream?

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Gnome they don't see where else you've applied to. They can guess of course if forms are submitted before Oct 15th. However it's very hard to write a personal statement that would cover two different subjects like that and PS should be really honed to one subject if possible.

[GnomeDePlume]

OhYouBadBadKitten good point about personal statement, I hadnt thought about that.

Poo! This was so much easier with DD1! DD2 is academically strong in maths and likes it but loves chemistry though sometimes makes mistakes through getting terminology not quite perfect (rather than not understanding).

[Lucysky2017]

Quite a few boys at my sons' school did not get firmed or insurance last week because they were not prepared to accept they would not get the grades. Some are having to take gap years they do not really want. Having a lower back up is definitely sensible as long as you are prepared to go there. (I am not a fan of unconditional offers - one of my sons had one from Nottingham which he rejected - they kind of tempt you in, tempt you to do no work and only have to make them because they are not as good places as the places not offering them perhaps?). I would certanily make sure if you are a likely mostly A candidate to have a back up offer which includes at least one B.

[GnomeDePlume]

We are doing open days both for potential firm and insurance.

Just to add another bit of confusion, it is highly likely that at least some of DD's offers will be contextual as school and postcode are on every contextual criteria we have come across

[ttlshiwwya]

Gnome has your daughter looked at Chemical Physics with Work Placement at Glasgow. Standard first year entry is just AAB with no stipulation which of Maths, Physics or Chemistry As needs to be in. If she didn't quite make the standard A*AA for 2nd year entry it would be a good fall-back.

[GnomeDePlume]

ttlshiwwya Thank you, we are off to the Glasgow open day for this next week.

I hadnt thought about the first year vs second year entry requirements so that is a good thought.

A little bit worried about Scotland universities for a couple of reasons. One is the distance from home (we are south Midlands), doable but expensive.

The other worry is that who knows what brexit will bring? Such a long course could mean that the political world had changed completely with a risk (albeit faint) that DD would find herself to be a foreign student.

I may be worrying too much!

[Gannet123]

On offers, one thing to consider is how realistic the prediction is. is it a 'stretch' prediction, that assumes that grades will improve from AS (if taken) or does it take a more realistic view and assume that, given that year 13/A2 (as was) exams will be harder, grades in year 12/AS will be replicated (which is a more common outcome). I would say in an ideal world an insurance offer ought to be a grade down on what is realistically expected (which may be different from a more aspirational official prediction). Of course, the world is not always ideal.
Also, avoid connecting the quality of the institution with the demands of the grades. A*AA requirements do corrolate to exceptional institutions (but those exceptional institutions may not be the ones that suit a particular applicant), but, for example, there are some really excellent, high ranked, law schools that ask for AAB - what usually distinguishes them is that their location is not seen as as desirable (usually campus rather than big city). What matters is what the student wants - if they are predicted AAA but all the institutions which tick their boxes ask for AAB, don't seek out an AAA institution just for the sake of it (I'm amazed how many people do this....).

[HesMyLobster]

Thankyou Gannet, that sounds like a good thing to remember re predicted grades.
When do our dc find out their official predicted grades, does anybody know?
Does it vary by school?
Presumably Oxbridge/Med/Vets applicants will need to know very soon, but do they all find out at the same time?
DD is close to finalising her 5 university choices, but says she daren't until she knows her predicted grades are what she hopes they'll be.