Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

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

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:
FrameyMcFrame · 10/09/2018 19:36

I know they can change them over the next 6 weeks though I'm not sure they will.

ElizabethBennetismybestfriend · 10/09/2018 20:49

Not yet RedHelenB. We are going to the Open Day on 22nd.

eatinglesschocolate · 10/09/2018 20:53

Mine has just announced she’s not putting anything ‘too low’ as it’ll take the pressure off her!😱😱. So I’ll be the one on here stressing myself into a tizzy!

LoniceraJaponica · 11/09/2018 07:17

Can I join in?

DD applied for medicine last year and was unsuccessful (thankfully, because it wasn't really right for her). She declined her place at Nottingham for medical physiology and therapeutics because the course was based at Derby, plus she wasn't sure that she wanted to do it. She has opted for a gap year and decided to apply for bioscience/biomedical science instead, so we are doing the rounds of open days again.

All her friends and her boyfriend are off to university this year, and I think she is regretting her decision to have a gap year. I am biting my tongue on the "I told you so" front, although I had asked her many, many times to make absolutely sure she didn't want to look at courses through clearing/adjustment, but she was adamant.

She is now applying for jobs and voluntary work and looking forward to a lonely year. Both OH, she and I are frustrated at the time wasted looking at medicine, but I am hopeful that she will make the most of this year. So it is Lancaster and York this weekend, and Manchester at the end of the month. Unfortunately Newcastle clashes with Lancaster, but we did visit last year so it isn't unknown territory.

I must admit that OH and I are disappointed that DD isn't off to university this year as we were looking to have a bit more freedom and be able to just go off for the weekend as and when we felt like it. DD is an only child and has anxiety so, although I know she is perfectly capable of looking after herself, her mental state is a bit fragile just now.

chaplin1409 · 11/09/2018 07:57

Hi we are going through our 1st applying so it's all new to us. My daughter has her heart set on Cardiff for maths. I'm not sure how it all works does she put down AS results or what the teacher says she can get as there is quite a difference?

RedHelenB · 11/09/2018 08:01

A gap.year isn't the end of the world and it may well make settling into uni easier when she does go. I went off and lived in Birmingham doing cab for a few months and it made me realise I wanted a city uni unlike some of my campus options I'd chosen previously. Dd1 is at Newcastle doing dentistry and has a lot if friends doing bio med. Think they all really like it and one of them transferred onto dentistry at the end of the year.

RedHelenB · 11/09/2018 08:03

Chaplin- the teachers predict the grades in the defence part I think. Are you from Wales? Dd1 put Cardiff down as e of her choices and I really liked it.

derekthe1adyhamster · 11/09/2018 08:14

Waves to lonicera
My DS is also taking a year out. He suffered quite badly with stress last year and ended up missing about a term of lessons. Luckily he still got accepted on his preferred course with a dropped grade, so this year is all about getting a job and saving some money for next year. There is also a serious girlfriend on the scene who suffers quite badly from mental health issues, so we'll see how that all pans out.
BTW Exeter will offer a place if you get the predicted grades without reading the PS. (And in our case were quite happy to drop a grade on the day)

ElizabethBennetismybestfriend · 11/09/2018 08:15

We are going to Cardiff in October. Dad is really looking forward to it as it is (at the moment) her first choice for Psychology.

ElizabethBennetismybestfriend · 11/09/2018 08:16

Sorry DD rather than Dad.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 11/09/2018 09:02

I know they can change them over the next 6 weeks though I'm not sure they will.

Quite surprised that six weeks is sufficiently long in academic terms to really see if the Yr 13s have 'upped their game'?

VanCleefArpels · 11/09/2018 13:23

newmodelarmy Y13 is effectively only 2 terms so 6 weeks in that context is quite a chunk of the year

Laniakea · 11/09/2018 13:54

error, that's what I think & dd does too ... but she's getting wound up by the UCAS pressure at school & carried away with the process (& also fear of getting left behind).

It's frustrating because she does know exactly what she wants to do!

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 11/09/2018 14:26

I guess that's true VanCleefArpels - hadn't thought of it like that! Yikes that makes A Levels just around the corner really...

Monkey2001 · 11/09/2018 14:39

Lonicera DS is doing the medicine rounds, and do you know that if she has AAB (and probably ABB) your DD would get an offer from Newcastle without PS and could probably go this year if she wanted to - we had a good chat with the admissions tutor and managing student numbers is a very imprecise art. I expect it would be too late for her to want it now, but I expect she could go if she chose to.

Monkey2001 · 11/09/2018 14:43

I mean for Biomed sciences, and from the first year you can branch in various directions

chaplin1409 · 11/09/2018 15:04

Redhelenb yes we are in Wales

MarchingFrogs · 11/09/2018 16:49

Re adding radiated grades, yes, this is for the referee to do. This is from the relevant section of the UCAS website:

Predicted grades

For any applicants currently studying or awaiting results, you’ll need to add their predicted grades (if there are any).

You’ll be able to do this in the ‘References’ section. Make sure you’re honest and clear about any subjects applicants are having difficulty with – otherwise a combination of a low grade with a really positive reference could be confusing. Mention any obstacles they’ve had to face, and their potential and motivation to reach higher grades as well, so that course providers have more than just grades to take into account.

www.ucas.com/advisers/references/how-write-ucas-undergraduate-references

So it's also the place for the 'official' explanation of extenuating circumstances etc.

FrameyMcFrame · 11/09/2018 18:39

Enjoying reading everyone's posts.
You can apply one grade above your predicted.
This is the first year where they're not working on AS results. It could all be quite different

elena7475 · 11/09/2018 20:43

My DS1 finished school this year and he didn't do AS levels. All grades were predicted

LoniceraJaponica · 11/09/2018 21:48

Isn't it a bit late for this year Monkey2001? DD achieved AAA BTW.

RedHelenB · 11/09/2018 23:15

Not necessarily Lournica. I know someone that got a place on a different course on Monday.

LoniceraJaponica · 11/09/2018 23:19

I mentioned it to DD but she said no. She wants to ook at some other universities first. Thank you anyway.

blinkbonny · 12/09/2018 13:56

Hello everyone, I have a question about predicted grades. DD was originally told her predicted grades would be AAB (which is what she needs for most of her preferred unis) but has just been told teacher might be putting AAC. Can she still apply to unis where entry reqs are AAB or would they immediately reject her? I don't know whether to counsel her to set her sights lower, work harder to improve her grade, talk to teacher about why revising prediction, or all of the above! Thanks for any advice - this is my second time through but each child presents different questions!

RedHelenB · 12/09/2018 16:19

Sounds sensible Lournica to takeep her time this year.

Blink bonny she will get offers unis know predacted grades are exactly that!