Applying for Uni 2019 entry, parents support thread

[Decorhate]

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...

MarchingFrogs love love love Leeds uni! It definitely balances the city/campus feel perfectly. DD is devastated that we live too close for her to consider it.

PancakeMum6 everyone we have spoken to since seems to love Leeds, but it wouldn't have come into the picture at all - being somewhere cold and northern by DD's reckoning - were it not for an enthusiastic rep at the UCAS fair that school took her to at the University of Essex. She is now thinking layers and worrying about the required A grade in French, should they give her an offer at all. (Essex, however, failed to impress).

being somewhere cold and northern by DD's reckoning

That’s so funny because here no-one goes below Birmingham - and that’s considered very southern (DD declared it “too south” - we didn’t look geographically below Sheffield).

@Piggywaspushed has your DS signed up to the National Citizenship thing? Could be good for him. My brother took a year out and worked at an American kids camp. It was 30 years ago, but it was a popular thing back then and a nice way to do something different, gain some independence and earn a little money in a safe environment. Is there anything like that now?

I think it does still exist but some schools promote it more than others. I don't think it would be for him must admit. I tried vaguely to suggest some volunteering at a local RSPCA store but he was not up for it! I wish his school did EPQ , too - but they don't.

MarchingFrogs I have a DD at Leeds. She loves it. She is now a third year. I love the Leeds campus too. But like most cities, when they live 'out' from 2nd year there is the risk of crime. Hype Park area is one of the most burgled areas in England, I believe - so insurance for laptops etc is essential. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Text from DD - Newcastle uni have given her a place! She’s delighted as it’s one of her favourites. Haven’t been able to see as I joined the thread quite late - has anyone else’s DC on here applied for Newcastle?

She’s now just waiting for Manchester and Durham. Could be a while before we hear from Durham but Manchester she’s hopeful will respond in the next week or two because they “interview” for her course. She’s well exceeded their asking grades so she should at least be invited for interview... feeling very excited and simultaneously nervous for her.

Lililili - both of those subjects can be taken as a joint honours with global sustainability at Warwick. Global sustainability offers came out late March last year, I'm not 100% sure but I wonder if this will impact some of the subjects it can be taken alongside it. Warwick require a second personal statement for GDS (think DD said she'd have 4 or 8 weeks to submit it when requested) so I guess they have a lot more to consider.

Thank you for the offer, hellsbells99.

We will all be very pleased if she gets an offer, dodgy areas notwithstanding - I do keep banging on about security and the poor girl was pretty late for school one morning when she got almost all the way there before realising that she couldn't remember having locked the front door and had to turn round and go back again. She hadn't locked it, so it was a relief to us that she had turned back (even if the school wasn't so impressed with her finally arriving forty minutes late!

It’s in! Well her stuff anyway - no changes to the PS required so I gave her the £24 & she sent it tonight. Don’t know how long school will take to do their bit.

Woohoo! Excellent

Anyone else on the exciting (if rather niche) obstacle course that is UCAS Conservatoires? Earliest of the submission dates, auditions of different shapes and sizes, often offered on the same dates as a) each other and b) other critical musical commitments....

DS is 1 audition down, 1 rejection on video audition, 3 more audition dates offered, 1 deferred to a later date because it clashed and the rearranged date is as yet unknown, 1 not heard from yet. It feels like I'm careering along in the sidecar of a motorbike driven at speed along a bumpy track in the dark....

Dd has very carefully selected the same titled course at two different universities. It is quite a rare degree title. Her predicted grades are AAA and the courses could offer her as low as ABB (on their websites as this). She has 10 GCSEs and grade A and above and already an A in EPQ so we believe her predicted grades are true to her ability. She really doesn’t want to go for any others - we looked round 3 other universities but she wants this degree option. The school are ok with her only having 2 places.

It seems pointless wasting everyone’s time filling up the spaces for university courses she really doesn’t want to go on. However it seems a bit odd only having two.

If she has an epiphany about another course can she add more after the ucas form is sent? From reading this thread earlier it seems some of you think this is the case?

Lanaikea, well done. I think the school usually takes a week to add everything.

Someone (not on this thread) mentioned that schools can ask you chance things at this stage, for instance if theyrgink all the choices are too aspirational.

Anyone know if that is true?

Cantkeepaway, that sounds awful.

I did the conservative auditions back in the day and the London ones all coordinated so you had s different day for each audition. It was quite tiring and required a week in London. There was a group of us doing the same thing and we all stayed in a hostel in South Kensington. It was very cheap! This was early 1990's....

I believe you can Nagaram (as long as your DD applies by the 15th (?) January deadline). DS has now finalised four out of five of his choices and we may well leave the fifth to add later (should it be necessary). Still no progress with his PS as his form tutor is now tied up doing HTR. As many of his friends are already receiving offers he's now keen to steam ahead with his application (and so are we!)..

We do have an issue with qualifications though. He religiously did Levels 1 to Bronze LAMDA exams (and passed all, some with distinction). However, we can't now find most of his certificates (which weren't handed over to me for safe keeping). What to do...? Is it likely his LAMDA teacher will have a record do you think?

I haven’t read the whole thread, but are anyone’s DCs applying for Psychology? DS has been advised by his college to apply after A levels as he got 3 Bs in his Yr 12 exams.It’s college policy not to predict grades higher than those achieved in Yr 12 but he is very motivated, as well as having a history of being a ‘slow burner’ and his tutors feel that he could well get AAB.
At the moment he’s got Exeter, Sussex and Leicester on his list - any other recommendations?

newmodelarmy are the LAMDA grades relevant to the degree course or are you thinking about additional UCAS points? If the latter I’m not sure it will really make much difference - relatively few courses offer on the basis of UCAS points in my experience. If mentioned on the PS will they really want proof of certificates?

No, not relevant to degree choice (Geography) but still thought they should appear on his list of qualifications, particularly as he did them right through from Year 7 to Year 12 (in school). Presumably other DC would include music qualifications along with GCSEs, AS Levels etc...?

I could just put his most recent one (which we do have the certificate for) - his Bronze medal. Although it's actually his lowest grade one (just a pass)? Presumably it would be a given that he couldn't have done his Bronze without doing all the other grades first?

Thanks for replying VanCleefArpels

4 offers so far, so proud of my girl. But have a question - she's been invited to a course day (it days will have no bearing on an offer) however it's a Tuesday and too far to get to in the morning - she boards so it's a major effort to get her there and school aren't keen on her missing 1.5 days of school. Should we insist on taking her?

anniehm is it her preferred choice university? I would be steered by what she wants to do. Agree that 1.5 school days missed isn't ideal at this stage.

Labellesauvage123 - yes, apply and ask the school to state in their reference their prediction policy as many schools predict a grade higher than Y12 exams and many unis will offer even if the predicted grades do not meet the grades they are offering. Also means you are well positioned on results day if grades are good as you are on the radar.

NewModel we haven’t included any of DD’s music, dance or drama exams (even the ones that add UCAS points). Or her bronze d of e for that matter! I wouldn’t worry about it unless it’s relevant to the course - I think a lot of DD’s friends didn’t bother to put them on and all are at their first choice unis.

I’m with pancake honestly it won’t make any difference at all - most places will just look at predicted grades and offer accordingly. Most won’t even read the dreaded PS 🙄 which in itself has very little room to talk about those extra curricular achievements once you’ve waxed lyrical about how passionate you are about applied basket weaving....

anniehm is it an Applicant Day, and does she have an offer for that place already? If so then no compulsion to go. If however it’s in the mix she might want to go to rule it out/in and I’d make the case to go (she won’t be the only boarder in the same situation). My older child made a choice based on applicant days at his top two, it can make a difference