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Higher education

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

Original poster

Applying for Uni 2019 entry, parents support thread

998 replies

Decorhate · 09/09/2018 09:51

Now that they are back at school, working on Personal Statements, doing the final Open Day visits, I thought we could do with a new thread...

OP posts:
Laniakea · 09/09/2018 18:29

dd knows exactly what she wants to do (one course at one university) but still hasn't decided if she's going to apply this year or not.

She has a mentoring session tomorrow afternoon & I think she needs to make up her mind pretty quickly now.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 09/09/2018 18:33

Dd has done a first draft of her PS but only because it was required by her Welsh Bacc course. And I haven't been allowed to read it, oh no.
She knows the deadline is approaching but has only just completed her holiday museum volunteering and has a few more books she wants to read before she commits herself!

She'll do it, but Its nerve wracking waiting.

York open day next Sat.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 09/09/2018 18:53

DS is our eldest so first experience of doing UCAS (in our day it was UCCA). He's done his draft PS, currently with his form tutor (but they're prioritising the Oxbridge and Medicine entrants first), not keen on finalising his choices until they've got their confirmed predicted grades (in about six weeks). We've looked at about five unis but not doing any more. As HoSixth said the experience isn't that different from uni to uni.Just thinking about the non RG fall back option (UWE, Nottingham Trent Uni or Oxford Brookes). Otherwise all preferred choice unis are RG ones, with Exeter top contender currently. I think DS should put in an aspirational choice (Durham?) but not sure he's in that headspace (he underplays his abilities). Seems as if there's loads going on this term. Already workload ramped up, he's got Geography course work to complete this term - pressure seems full on already...

elena7475 · 09/09/2018 19:09

My DS2 started sixth form this September so I will be in your shoes next year.
DS1 started uni this year but he done all by himself: All open days, application, due dates ...
Possibly DS2 will need some help from me

FrameyMcFrame · 09/09/2018 20:33

Decorate, I agree and you put it well.
It is a bit of a game...

My sister is a professor at Bath and she's spoken to a few admissions tutors. The consensus is that there is going to be a big dip in applications this year, there's a birth dip plus an ongoing trend of lower application levels.

Original poster
Decorhate · 09/09/2018 22:08

Bath is ds's favourite so far so fingers crossed!

OP posts:
whereshalligo · 09/09/2018 22:28

Ds was all decided had visited universities attended a two day taster event at Loughborough had a good first draft PS for design engineering but has now changed his mind wants to go into primary education. Now no time to visit open days as has new job on Saturdays as swimming teacher and no PS. Have told him to talk to tutor and careers adviser asap for advice and to research courses not that he's had all summer to do this. I think he should stick with original plan then take a pgce as not to close his options off. Hopefully his tutor will offer great advice as he listens to him. Feeling bit stressed over it all.

Lyte · 09/09/2018 22:57

Hello! Have Ds1 eldest dc, so first time dipping into the murky waters of UCAS.He’s done his draft PS which is looking good. NewModel your situation sounds very much like us, even down to Unis you’re looking at. DS hasn’t got his predictions yes as retaking one exam. Hoping we can all support and cheer each other on here, wether RG or not! Smile. Been on here years and always lurked on these threads can’t believe it’s my turn now.

errorofjudgement · 10/09/2018 07:00

This our third and final time, and sfter 2 STEM DC, we are now looking at drama conservatoires for our last, so definitely no overlap on open days! Though with a back up of Hustory after a gap year, I will probably still be on this thread next year!

VanCleet how did your DC get on? My DS left home properly last week to start his post grad job back in his uni town, so at least he’s still with lots of friends.

errorofjudgement · 10/09/2018 07:01

Ah, sorry about the spelling errors, it’s still early!

VanCleefArpels · 10/09/2018 07:35

error my boy just starting his final year, still no real idea of what he is going to do with his degree but he will have a strong CV for whatever it ends up being! One thing I’d encourage all these kids to do is get involved with student societies because they do give you good skills : event management, budgeting, marketing, strategy planning, policy development etc that will reap rewards later —and of course the pub crawls—

Miladymilord · 10/09/2018 07:44

Hello all. PS totally not written. 2 open days so far. Dd repeated a year due to GF but also changed subjects Confused so we aren't sure how to approach that in the PS. She's going to email admissions tutors this week to see if it's worth applying. She's predicted AB and already has a C.

Miladymilord · 10/09/2018 07:46

Dd also loves bath and they do a course that she loves the sound of. She's not sure ABC will cut it but she's going to email them to ask.

ElizabethBennetismybestfriend · 10/09/2018 10:16

About to start Open day visits this weekend at Birmingham and York. DD knows she wants to study Psychology but is stressing about the option of a year abroad or not. Already has ABC but is re sitting Music and taking French which she did at AS. Cardiff is currently the favourite but last week it was Kent so who knows? PS not started yet as Oxbridge candidates are being dealt with first so we have that joy to come. DD has a tendency to over think everything so am anticipating a bumpy ride ahead.

RedHelenB · 10/09/2018 11:59

Anyone else got a child that can't find 5 options they'd like to apply to?

LittleSpace · 10/09/2018 12:10

Yes - only four so far.

Did you know that you can leave one blank and add it later if he / she doesn't get any offers? Unless they have changed it this year.

RedHelenB · 10/09/2018 12:17

Yes thanks I did. She us applying to Cambidge so may just out that down initially. She likes the sound of Liverpool but that is our last place to visit at the end of Oct I thought the problem would be that she had too many to choose from!

eatinglesschocolate · 10/09/2018 12:46

Yep! Only three here. She's still got super aspirational one to decide on (narrowed to 2)and a really low one but no idea what that will be!Hmm

ElizabethBennetismybestfriend · 10/09/2018 14:01

We’re thinking of Liverpool too as DD is one grade off the entry requirements for Psychology so that could be her insurance. DD is also musical so wherever she goes needs to have a lot of music going on too, so hopefully Liverpool will have that too.

VanCleefArpels · 10/09/2018 14:02

We may only have 3 or 4 - the course DD wants to do is actually only offered at 2 places, so 3rd or 4th won’t actually tick all the boxes anyway. First time around DS decided he on,y wanted to go to one particular place so didn’t nominate an insurance choice even though he did have 5 offers. I also know of people set on a particular University who apply for 5 courses at that Uni. All combinations are possible but obviously choice is narrowed if you only go for a few courses

Laniakea · 10/09/2018 15:17

yes the course dd wants to do is only offered at three universities & in another three as joint honours. The joint honours are all combined with a related subject that she doesn't want to do & modules options of one of the three are heavily weighted in a direction she doesn't want to go. Which leaves two. One of which is top five in the world for the subject (AAB/ABB with an A in EPQ & an A at AS which she already has) the other isn't (ABC/BBC but they are very flexible).

She needs to decide if she's going to apply this year to her top choice plus one other or wait until she has her results and (assuming she gets the grades) apply for an unconditional for the one she really wants to do. Either way she wants to take a gap year.

If she doesn't get the grades then it will require a complete rethink. A complicating factor is that she's been unwell this year - she's just (third day back) had another flare up - and I'm not sure if she can cope with the worry/uncertainty of applying in less than ideal circumstances. She'd be a lot less anxious applying with her results.

Laniakea · 10/09/2018 15:23

she could apply for two courses (the MSc she wants to do & the BSc in the same subject) and both which would put her at 4 options. The admissions tutor at her top choice said that they do occasionally get people apply for all five courses in the department there.

She supposedly has a UCAS mentoring session at school today but they are pretty clueless tbh (blank looks abound when she mentions the subject), I'll see if it helpful when she gets home.

RedHelenB · 10/09/2018 17:51

Has she been to see it yet Elizabeth Bennett? Dd1 loved the uni and city but not rather dentistry course. Really hoping dd2 feels the same as I think history courses are more flexible.

errorofjudgement · 10/09/2018 18:57

Laniakea I think part of my DDs thought process is it will be much less stressful to apply with the grades in hand.
For acting the grades aren’t really important, but if she does History then she needs to have the strongest grades possible.
Actually I feel a bit of a fraud being here, as most of the places DD is considering this year don’t have open days as such, and we (& she) know she’s not really likely to get any offers this year, but the other site which is for performers has mainly musical theatre and dancers on it, most of whom have done BTECs so I don’t feel we fit there!

FrameyMcFrame · 10/09/2018 19:30

Evening all.
Just been sorting DD's work all day.
Went to ikea and bought some more files and folders to try and get all her sheets filed away...

today we also found out that one of her grades has been inputted into the system and it's a C so a little disappointed. She got a C in the mock so I guess I had hoped they'd predict higher.
I'm new to all of this, it was very different in my day!