Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

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

Original poster

A Level Results Day

479 replies

3catsandadog · 30/07/2018 09:50

Hi If UCAS does not update first thing before the school opens for result is it a bad sign that the offer has been missed.
Good luck to everyone awaiting results :)

OP posts:
jewel1968 · 16/08/2018 09:04

Quick question. DS has been offered a place at his first choice university (Royal Holloway) but on a different course. Similar(ish) course. What are the chances of persuading them to agree a transfer either now or once he starts course. His insurance university have offered him his course of choice. Thanks.

Lulu1919 · 16/08/2018 09:05

That’s great BBballoon x

elena7475 · 16/08/2018 09:21

DS1 got what he wanted. Very pleased with himself 😉. Went to school to meet friends and pick up envelope

extinctspecies · 16/08/2018 09:33

I can echo QuitMoaning's post.

We were in this position a year ago. DS missed his first choice by one grade in an irrelevant subject. Much soul searching, considered taking a gap year to retake that one subject, but eventually decided to accept his insurance offer.

He has had a wonderful year and if you offered him the chance to go back to his first choice Uni now he would run a mile.

whiteroseredrose · 16/08/2018 09:36

DS got in but his friend didn't. Does anyone know how long clearing takes?

BagelGoesWalking · 16/08/2018 09:53

DD got her 1st choice Southampton. Oh, the relief! She is so happy.

Congratulations on all the great results and best wishes for all those looking at options.

SundayGirls · 16/08/2018 10:04

To any parents worrying about their DCs not getting the grades - I didn’t when it was my time, I was devastated and felt a failure etc. I’d set my heart on a particular course at a particular uni. I took a year out, redid an A level & got a good result, then got on a different course which was amazing, in a great city. I wouldn’t have gone to the original uni if you’d paid me. Of course I don’t know how it is these days with the fees etc but even when things seem like it’s all over, there’s always another way. It’s so easy for dcs to feel an utter failure if it doesn’t work out on A level results day, and those were dark days for me (not helped by unsympathetic parents and having to tell expectant family & friends I’d failed to get into my uni/course and was taking a year out. It was crushing).But you pick yourself up, find something else to focus on and carry on.

WhirlyGigWhirlyGig · 16/08/2018 10:14

We've now got her results, ABB so not the disaster she was imagining but we've had tears and panda eyes with mascara.
So she's going into clearing because she had an offer for one uni that required AAA but have places for ABB. All in all nowhere near as bad as she thought and I've to,d her we're celebrating her excellent results!

TheSacredCow · 16/08/2018 10:20

Despite being distracted by the new boyfriend, Dd has achieved A* BB and has got a place at her first choice, Cardiff. She now needs to ask them if she can defer until next year, or whether she needs to reapply next year. So happy for her and we’re off for a slap up lunch to celebrate xx

ajandjjmum · 16/08/2018 10:28

Congratulations to all of you and your DC who got their places.

For those who haven't - life normally works out. DS needed AAA for Physics at Durham, and got A*AB - after five days messing around, they decided they wouldn't accept him, so he went to his second choice. Worked hard, did well, went on to do a Masters at Imperial - working for a few years now, and his life is good.

Still remember that sinking feeling though - wishing you could kiss it better like when they were little. Who knew parenting was so hard! Flowers

Au79 · 16/08/2018 10:57

Yes! Vet med.

teta · 16/08/2018 11:24

Brilliant news Au79.

Original poster
3catsandadog · 16/08/2018 11:26

My DS has had his place to study Medicine at Exeter so relieved and happy :)

OP posts:
teta · 16/08/2018 11:27

Errolthedragon thank you.
I’ve missed all the support from you lot this year.X

Fortysix · 16/08/2018 12:11

Jewel
Can he phone them?

dreamingofsun · 16/08/2018 12:14

as someone else has said....dont panic if they have to go through clearing. One of my son's did and ended up at a better uni than his second option, and that was in the last year when fees were low so competition to get in anywhere was a nightmare.

Bluntness100 · 16/08/2018 12:22

I hate to tell you ladies but it doesn't stop here, you now have every year of degree results to stress about look forward too..

Mines just finished her degree, but now got two years of lpc to look forward to, with a magnitude of exams.

She'll be 23 when it stops....seven straight years of exams. Sigh.

nokidshere · 16/08/2018 12:24

Congratulations to all and hope clearing is good to anyone who needs it.

DS got his first choice of Southampton confirmed with A*AC. - what a relief.

clareangel · 16/08/2018 12:43

Good luck to all those dealing with clearing and congrats to all who got what they needed! DS couldn't go into school as he is on induction for his first job today at 9am so have to wait for them to post but after much breath holding from us and his sister he finally checked UCAS and has got his place at his first choice confirmed, so very happy for him as he worked incredibly hard and was worried about the maths as was brutal apparently. Anyway he has his first choice but when dropping him in for work he said he's not decided yet, he has a part time job starting today and has mentioned about taking a year out, and may defer his place until next year. I've been struggling for months with the idea of him going and been very down and tearful, I'm getting counselling soon, I feel the last 21 years theyve been our life and now their childhood is over and I will miss them so much, I've kept this very much away from the kids, daughter is off to NYC today, shes just graduated from Cambridge and going to Oxford for Masters so I will have an empty house which I'm strugglng with, but now I don't know if he will be going in 5 weeks or not for a year, so a little in limbo, but so proud of him getting his place when his heart is so set on going there x

FinalDerision · 16/08/2018 12:47

Ah, Clearing Wine

I posted this on another thread that died:

This was me and DS last year. He didn't get his first choice university place, and his second choice offered him a somewhat different course; but he found his confident side again and got a really good place at a really good institution by 10.30am.

Word of advice of advice if going through Clearing - check what 'guaranteed accommodation' actually means. We ended up over a barrel with eye-wateringly expensive Unite Halls, which the university was in some sort of partnership with.

HellonHeels · 16/08/2018 12:50

My friend's DS still hasn't heard from Cambridge. Missed the required A* . Should he call the College?

LIZS · 16/08/2018 12:52

Has the UCAS tracker not updated hellonheels? Yes should call if not, it may make the difference between a yes or no thanks.

HellonHeels · 16/08/2018 12:55

No it hasn't! He doesn't want to call either. aaaargh!!!!

FinalDerision · 16/08/2018 13:02

They do need to call.

clareangel · 16/08/2018 13:03

Hellonheels I would definitely call hun, wishing him best of luck xxxx