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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:
VanCleefArpels · 07/10/2018 14:18

One advantage of applying early and therefore (hopefully getting offers early) is that some Unis Open accommodation booking early in new year to offer holders and allocate choices by date of application.

AtiaoftheJulii · 07/10/2018 14:46

Definitely not too late.

A disadvantage of applying early is that some universities take months to make their decisions, so you just have longer to wait!

LillianGish · 08/10/2018 08:25

Monkey2001 I also shared a room and agree with everything you say. I loved it and actually chose to share in the second year. Daunting initially, but actually completely fine - I only knew a couple of people who didn’t hit it off with their room mate and they’d managed to swap.

Everincreasingfrequency · 08/10/2018 08:34

Thanks Lillian and Monkey, it is very useful to have the other side - and yes I have heard of people who didn't want to share turning out to love it. So definitely worth bearing in mind, and not ruling out sharing if that is the 'price' of an insurance offer.

However for me it would be the bunk beds that I drew the line at - but as I say, perhaps I am entitled! (I don't think so though, perfectly happy with the idea of shared bathrooms etc. But no bunks!)

I think my real point is - don't get into the frame of mind where you are so determined to go to university straight away that you can't review and take a gap year if things don't pan out on your insurance/clearing and accommodation etc.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 08/10/2018 08:54

I think when the DC are paying a premium to go to university everything should 'tick the boxes', particularly accommodation (which effectively will be their away from home safe haven).

BigSandyBalls2015 · 08/10/2018 09:35

Can someone tell me, if DD decides to defer her uni place and have a gap year, at what point does she need to decide this? After results day and offers?

MarchingFrogs · 08/10/2018 09:41

If she knows already that she wants to defer, she should check with each university that it accepts deferred entry for that course. She can wait to request to defer, but if she's certain, probably best to indicate that now?
www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/when-apply/deferred-entry

BigSandyBalls2015 · 08/10/2018 10:12

Thanks Frogs, she's not sure at the moment

Monkey2001 · 08/10/2018 10:40

Deferring seems to be OK for most subjects, but not for maths. Definitely worth checking just so she knows.

ifonly4 · 08/10/2018 14:19

BringontheScience - thanks for feedback over Edinburgh - appreciated! I almost daren't tell DD about shared rooms, it's a brilliant insurance for her and she doesn't really have another. She's more or less ruled out St Andrews for other reasons but I know she was struggling with the shared rooms there.

Laniakea · 08/10/2018 17:30

Dd had her EPQ presentation today - it went really well, I was impressed! So glad that it is finally over & done with and she can focus on her application & just work now.

Had another physics exam with fairly disasterous results so I think we’re going to have to pay for more time with the tutor. There’s always something to worry about :/

(I had to share a room at university (we all did) - we ended up living together until I got married (6 years!) I can’t imagine kids nowadays being willing to share)

errorofjudgement · 08/10/2018 18:06

@Lzniakea - so pleased to hear the EPQ presentation went well! Congratulations to your DD

Oldowl · 08/10/2018 19:20

DD has now written her Personal Statement (started last night at 8pm, finished at 10pm as school wanted to see 1st drafts today). However, she has left the personal part out. It reads like an academic essay. I am sure by the 3rd or 4th draft it will have more of her in it.

She does not want to study in the UK so her heart is really not in it.

AtiaoftheJulii · 08/10/2018 22:26

Yay Laniakea - glad it's done and went well xxx

Ds submitted his UCAS form to college 13 days ago and still hasn't had confirmation that it's gone in. I'm getting a bit twitchy.

GoldenRuby · 08/10/2018 22:30

DS pressed the button to send his UCAS form through to his college this evening. They are not hot on organisation though so he is going to make sure they are aware the request for references is waiting, and chase it up after a week if there is still no puff of white smoke. At least his bit is done (unless college send it back to us for some reason).

Monkey2001 · 09/10/2018 08:45

@GoldenRuby at our school the "Progression Coordinator" checks that what the student has written is accurate and approves it, then the tutor adds the reference, then the Head of Year releases it. We could see each of these stages by logging in to UCAS - the front screen after log in shows which stage it is at, so you may be able to keep an eye on it without contacting the college.

ifonly4 · 09/10/2018 11:28

Laniakea glad EPQ presentation went well. Did the physics exam cover a particular area?

Oldowl try not to worry too much about the PS. It's only a first draft. My DD has literally written about her achievements (luckily she had some good things to write) and information relating to the course she wants. I pointed out about putting some more personal thing, but she says they've been covered in the school's reference which is a mix of comments from all tutors, but they can ask for certain things they'd like added on a personal level.

Laniakea · 09/10/2018 11:47

It was a breadth paper - which she always does worse in. She did badly in the multichoice, lost lots of silly single marks, & then didn’t attempt two six markers (no confidence - if she’d written what she thought was wrong she’d have got 4 marks for both) - so nothing particularly but a D overall which is the worst she’s ever done! Ho hum :/

Laniakea · 09/10/2018 12:16

The EPQ thing was great - there were three of them in that session, dd did mass extinction events, one did characters behind the American revolution (Hamilton inspired :D ) and the last one of a primary research project investigation whether the lifestyle of young bankers affects their psycho-social well being! All very entertaining - dd managed to get a few jokes in too :p

GoldenRuby · 09/10/2018 15:31

Thanks @Monkey2001 . The college have been in touch this morning and explained their process for doing the checks/references, so they seem to be on top of it. it sounds like they follow a similar approach to the one you describe. Good that there is the ability to check progress online.

Witchend · 10/10/2018 19:25

Dd got her first offer today-Southampton and is very happy. Very achievable too, and she can drop a grade if she does well on her EPQ too, so looking good. Smile

eatinglesschocolate · 10/10/2018 19:30

Yippee to DD Witchend .🎉
DD’s parts all done now with housemistress for final reference tweets. Eek!!😬😬

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/10/2018 19:34

Yay Witchend! So nice to have that first one safely in hand Smile

Aurea · 10/10/2018 19:58

DS's application is now in (3.30pm today) and UCAS processed it within a couple of hours.

He also rang UCAS this evening and they emailed him a copy of his academic reference, which thankfully is very good.

He's applied for Law at Oxford, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen (we are Scottish). He's left one choice free which, incidentally, is very easy to add to online via track.

He's already received confirmation from Edinburgh that they have received his application.

This all seems very efficient and quick.

Good luck to all!

Smithy01 · 10/10/2018 20:17

Very new to all this! My ds is writing his personal statement at the moment, we’ve looked at a few uni’s and he’s still unsure where he is going or doing! Got his predicated grades which aren’t what he had hoped. Do you think it is still worth applying if you are a grade down on required in two of his three subjects?