Progression to second year of university degree

[Appealing]

My dc has passed everything with high marks apart from one exam. Good health for all exams except one.

Unfortunately was very ill for first sitting of this one exam and so was entered for re-sit instead. No problem at this stage.

At the scheduled re-sit dc got sent by exam officer to A&E with possible broken bone from accident just before exam.. Aaaargh! Begged to take exam but not allowed.

Upshot is that dc can't progress until exam taken and next exam isn't until summer 2018. So a whole year wasted despite passing 95% of course with high marks. University completely happy that dc can continue but it will have to be a whole year later. A year wasted and will be split up from friends on course.

Can anything be done?

By the way dc didn't sit the exam the first time due to illness so next summer 2018 would be the first attempt. All course work on module completed with high marks.

What does the course policy say about number of credits needed to progress to Yr 2. Does it say that this particular exam is compulsory?

Yes it is.

dc could pass it tomorrow if an exam could be arranged.

This happened to a few people I know. They just had to wait it out. Some went home, others stayed in their shared houses and worked full time but kept friendships going.

It doesn't seem to benefit anyone. University gets a student that is rustier from not doing courses for a whole year. Student wastes a year treading water.

Is it worth appealing? Any help appreciated.

Why can't another exam be issued? Or the unit taken alongside second year exams instead?

There might be something like an Extenuating Circumstances policy that she can apply for.

What do the regulations say about carrying credits over? Sometimes you can trail a mobile in your second gear alongside completing this.

What was her mark? Sometimes if they are above 35% you can have it 'condoned'

Marks for all the exams sat were 2.1's. The unit she wasn't able to sit is just recorded as O.

She has extenuating circumstances with an A&E signed note. No problem there. Just not allowed into next year YET.

My uni offers part time until all credits pass to progress. Is that an option? What degree is she doing?

No.

Option A - £9250 fee plus accommodation & attend lessons. Can't afford this option.

Option B - stay at home and enter for exam in summer 2018. Allowed to do revision sessions only. Online access.

Languages so friends will disappear into year abroad.

Seems daft but if they won't let her back would she consider going to the country of the language she is studying to either work or as an au pair so she at least keeps the language up. Perhaps she can even preread the set texts that her friends are doing just so she doesn't get rusty.

Already thought of it thanks. I told her to if the situation doesn't improve to fill the year with amazing stuff.

So far she has found all the set texts and bought them second hand & negotiated access to the library of our local university.

She has applied for two part time jobs to earn some money to fund travelling abroad.

She has applied to local schools to volunteer as a language assistant to have something extra on CV.

She is looking at the au pair route for a couple of months but needs to be back in time to enter the 2018 exams.

Wondering about immersion courses but they will probably be expensive. If anyone has any experience of them I'd love to hear reviews.

The shittiest bit is that she will be away from friends for a year and when she goes back they will be abroad. Then when they come back she will be on her year abroad so she won't see them again.

And she worked so hard and did really well.

It doesn't have to be a wasted year. This could be a really good opportunity to get sone experience so that he doesn't end up unemployed when he leaves uni. He could apply to training schemes, mentorships, internships, volunteer in industry specific organisations, seek out other forms or work experience, start his own business and gain work experience in managing a small business etc.

True.

What would be the best schemes or internships for languages? Bear in mind that she has only done one year so far.

It's not wasted time she can do a year abroad and will Probably then speak the language better.

It would have to be funded so she would have to work for a bit in the UK then go abroad

OR the au pair route.

The Erasmus scheme wouldn't cover her yet I assume.

What language is she studying (if its not too outing?)

If she is doing French or German perhaps she could work as a chalet maid during the ski season. Then she'd be back in time to study for her exam.

She does one of those languages.

Good idea. Do you have to be a really good cook to be a chalet maid?

No - honestly my friend's son who never even cooks at home did it.

Most people are only there for a week. Teach her a couple of casseroles, spaghetti sauce/lasagne/a curry/ and how to cut stuff for a fondue. Also how to do bacon and scrambled egg to offer in the mornings (but many go off early and just have croissants etc).

Also some people will go out some evenings too.

Ok. Thank you.

Do you know the best place to look for these job opportunities abroad? Is there a chalet cook website?

Thanks for the ideas. The plan so far is to volunteer as a language assistant at a local school while earning some money in a part time job. Then go abroad for a couple of months, coming back in time to revise for the exam.

Still can't understand what the university gains.

That is such a frustrating situation. Your poor DD.

I know at my DCs universities that they could let D.C. pass with conceded pass is they just failed a module - I guess that's different to never having sat the exam though.