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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:
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/10/2018 17:40

DSis got a 2Es offer from Cambridge many moons ago, having done very well in the exam that they used to have to sit...

Witchend · 17/10/2018 18:16

When applied to Oxford if you got in via the exam methd you got 2E offer automatically.
Those that didn't get it felt it was doubly mean-they then had to get the grades in top.

Monkey2001 · 17/10/2018 18:31

Yes, my brother also got EE offer from Cambridge but got AAAAA. I have mixed feelings about unconditional offers. For kids who melt under stress they are brilliant, but for the ones who need a bit of motivation to get them going, I think they are a disaster for the student and unhelpful for school stats. Underachieving at A level can bite you later - I am an accountant and the firm I trained with observed a high correlation of success in accountancy exam with A level performance, so viewed A level results closely.

Lonicera - DS's 5th choice offer is in - Newcastle Biochem. Slightly odd offer as they say either AAB in any of his 3 subjects or ABB in any of his 3 subjects. Why not just say ABB?!

Monkey2001 · 17/10/2018 18:32

Not biochem, biomed!

AtiaoftheJulii · 17/10/2018 23:36

either AAB in any of his 3 subjects or ABB in any of his 3 subjects

??? That does sound like there's a bit missing!

FrameyMcFrame · 18/10/2018 00:45

Simbobs, yes that's exactly the sort of conversations I've had with DD too.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 18/10/2018 06:48

DSis didn't do as well in her A Levels as she should have done (A and 2Bs) having scored stellar results at O Level but she did have a very serious relationship all the way through sixth form which undoubtedly took the edge of studying...I think in those days it was virtually unheard of for the brightest candidates to rest on their laurels, even with an Oxbridge offer under their belts.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 18/10/2018 06:49

Well done to your DS Monkey2001, although the offer sounds a bit confusing.

MarchingFrogs · 18/10/2018 07:25

.I think in those days it was virtually unheard of for the brightest candidates to rest on their laurels, even with an Oxbridge offer under their belts.

Probably going back a bit further, but a friend's boyfriend decided to live up to his Oxford offer and found his first term her very, very difficult as a result.

DS1 decided not to live up to the one of the two 'unconditional if firmed offers he was made and achieved better than the 'if not firmed'' alternative. As he said, why wouldn't he want to do his best, for his own satisfaction?

JanetheObscure · 18/10/2018 12:35

First offer in for DD, less than 48 hours after the UCAS form went in! I know some of you have said that the first offer is a confidence booster - isn't it just?

RedHelenB · 18/10/2018 12:49

Dd hasn't had any offers yet and it's been in a whole week! Still think she'll get one quicker than dd1 did when she was applying for dentistry!

VanCleefArpels · 18/10/2018 13:32

@marchingfrogs - 5 courses identified on paper but since going to open days at 3 of them, it’s clear that 2 are front runners and neither of them are the ones that have made unconditional offers! We are still waiting to hear from them.

For what it’s worth I am very cynical about u/c offers. The ones we have are from second tier “new” universities on courses that were in clearing this year so obviously under subscribed and so are competing for bums on seats and ££. I actually think a bit less of them for having made those offers but of course I would never say that to DD who actually would be the ideal candidate for a u/c place as she works incredibly hard but goes to pieces in exams

Aurea · 18/10/2018 13:44

Very happy for all your DCs it's their amazing offers. I just wished I could share your happy news.

My son is Scottish and has applied to mostly Scottish Unis and Oxford. He's has heard nothing back in two weeks despite exceeding the standard offer requirements (in exams he has already taken), fantastic personal statement (according to school), excellent academic statement, etc.

He's applied for Law at Glasgow , Edinburgh and Aberdeen and Oxford) and has heard nada. Their prospectus say standard unconditional offer is 5As at Higher. He has 5As and a B from an average state school and is predicted AAA for Advanced Highers which is the top grade possible.

I'm starting to feel really bad for him....any words of comfort from Mumsnetters?

Piggywaspushed · 18/10/2018 16:04

aurea , fwiw I have heard that scottish unis tend to wait longer to give out offers, so fingers crossed.

Whilst I , too, am wary of unconditionals , quite a few of my high flying sixth formers last year got unconditionals from prestigious universities (including Birmingham, Nottingham and a Creative Writing at UEA which is the CW standard bearer) so it looks like they are all at it... this actauly irnically caused more stress for them as thye felt they were being blackmailed.

My DS on the otehr hand has now-under duress- come up with a 'list of 5'. This deliberately does not inlcude Swansea so that he can avoid the Open day he has been booked on. I am sure that is a fairly unique way of shortlisiting...

Justanothermile · 18/10/2018 16:52

Has your DS has an acknowledgement though for Oxford aurea? I've also heard that the Scottish universities are later in general, although DS got an offer very quickly from Edinburgh last year. It was higher than his predicted grades though.

Dd has three offers now, she got an unconditional from York yesterday. She really liked York so if her first choice doesn't work out, it would be something she'd consider.

She's definitely not the sort to slacken off fortunately.

slalomsuki · 18/10/2018 17:06

48 hours in and one conditional offer and 2 acknowledgements. The offer is from 5th choice and below predicted grades but at least we have one in the bag.

LittleSpace · 18/10/2018 17:23

4/5 offers now.

A record ...or they are getting very efficient.

LittleSpace · 18/10/2018 17:25

Not really expecting an offer from the fifth one.

Ontopofthesunset · 18/10/2018 17:41

DS2 has no offers after a week, but all have acknowledged. His predicted grades are higher than all the courses he's applied for, and he's got very good GCSEs, so I suppose he will get some offers; he has also applied to Oxford but knows that's a long shot.

wigglybeezer · 18/10/2018 17:42

Aurea my DS applied to 4 Scottish universitys last year, with the same grades in hand and the same predicted grades ( I didn't manage to persuade him to try for Oxford to my slight disappointment!). Admittedly he applied nearer the deadline but heard from Glasgow and Dundee in January but had to wait until March for Edinburgh and St Andrews ( nearer the end of March for St Andrews). He did get offers from all of them though.

LIZS · 18/10/2018 17:49

Wow Littlespace that's quick. Dd has 2 so far - one of which would be unconditional if firmed, the other would drop a grade if firmed (but traditionally interviews for unconditional offers and financial incentives). Both similar offers otherwise. Others may well take some time so expect to review in New Year which offer holder days to go to, by which time Cambridge will be in or out of the mix. Unconditional offers seem as available as ever, several of her cohort already have them.

Aurea · 18/10/2018 18:15

Thanks all.

Yes he did have an acknowledgement from Oxford and Edinburgh. These are the only two so far who have acknowledged, but not offered. As he has such good grades, I think he thought the offers would come flooding in!

He has his fifth choice still to pick with the plan he'd see what offers come in before he decides. I think he'll have to hold his nerve for now.

I think as he's Scottish, the offers are treated differently due to the cap on numbers for funding purposes?

It's heartening to see all your DCs receiving good offers though.

All the best to all!

Aurea · 18/10/2018 18:23

@wigglybeezer

May I ask which course your DC applied for in Scotland? Thanks very much.

LoniceraJaponica · 18/10/2018 18:28

I wish DD would hurry up and finish her personal statement.

Justanothermile · 18/10/2018 18:30

aurea, DD is also applying for Oxford. One of her choices offered extremely quickly. However, her application was in very early and the unconditional only came yesterday, the other offer being in the middle of this time frame. Not even an acknowledgement from Belfast so far.

DS last year literally had 4 offers pretty much the week his application went in (later as not Oxbridge), with only Birmingham very late. Maths though, and I have a feeling that's grades based overall.

Just our experience though.