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...

[Onesunnydayiniceland]

Hello DD in year 13 applying for vet medicine. PS almost finalised and open days done. She’s very chilled about everything I hope the pressure doesn’t get to her. No plan B as becoming a vet is all she ever wanted

[blinkbonny]

Thanks @RedHelen - so she may still get offers even if her predicted grades are below what the course requires?

I have her home in hysterics that her life is over. Doesn't help that she is in an academic school and most of her friends are getting solidly predicted As across the board.

[Miladymilord]

When I asked a similar question blinkbonny except dd actually had a C and predicted AB for the other two, the concensus was she wouldn't get a single offer from a decent uni. But that's mumsnet for you!

[RedHelenB]

I think for things like vet med dentistry medicine then predicted grades have to match but for other courses they will make offers if you are one point below and also let you on the course often if you achieve one grade below.

[blinkbonny]

Thanks @Miladymilord and @RedHelenB (forgot the B when I tagged you before, sorry); so I can maybe be cautiously optimistic but anything could happen.

She's going to talk to her teacher today to find out whether the C is a definite prediction or it still could shift to B. The hysterics were down to the teacher saying it all depended on how well DD has done on some papers she was set for summer work, which she thinks she did OK on but which she had not realised were counting for anything: and certainly didn't realise were a balance-tipper.

It looks like this may be a long year!

Thank you.

[RedHelenB]

Believe me this year will fly!

[VanCleefArpels]

It’s a predicament with predicted grades. They need to be right (ie match the requirements for the course) in order to generate an offer. But thereafter, and based on recent anecdotal evidence, once you have the offer (and accepted it obvs) if you drop below you are still likely to get the place. So getting the offer is key. It was so much easier when they had AS results as it was something concrete, not based on the whim of a teacher.....

[ElizabethBennetismybestfriend]

DD has her results but is worried she won’t get any offers because she is re-sitting one of her subjects and taking the subject she did at AS to A2

[Monkey2001]

@blinkbonny - It depends on university and subject. I had an interesting conversation with the admissions tutor for Biomedical Sciences at Newcastle. It may be an odd one as a lot of medics choose that subject for their 5th option without intending to take up an offer. He said that he gets thousands of applications for 400 places and does not look at the personal statements or GCSE results AT ALL, but offers anybody with predictions of around CCC or above an offer of AAB (provided they include Biology or Chemistry). He makes 2,500 offers for 400 places. On results day, he generally then accepts anybody who had an offer but got ABB. He will then look at the personal statements of the ones who got less than ABB and will accept some of them if he has spaces. It is worth asking admissions tutors for the subjects your DD is considering.

[NicoAndTheNiners]

Did is ready to submit her ucas application as of two days ago. Not sure if she’s actually done it or not. Don’t even know which 5 she’s put down. She’s refused to go to any open days apart from the 2 nearest unis to home. Has refused to ask me anything even though I’m a uni lecturer. She’s hoping for some unconditional offers and thinks her offers will come soon after submission.

However she’s applying for a subject which requires an interview and portfolio. I’ve pointed out that I think she won’t get offers until after an interview (like for my subject) but apparently I’m wrong! Why on earth would a uni make an offer and then do an interview? Oh to be 17yo and know everything!

[Justanothermile]

Hello, hope it's okay to join?

DD is applying for university this year.

We've got DS starting university at the end of the month too, so the round of open days and personal statements etc feels like it's being going on forever. I think I've toured the country looking at universities in the last year!

DD's personal statement is all but done and she wants to submit it as soon as possible. She's had it reviewed by two of her teachers, DS who is a grammar fiend etc.

The two approaches have been starkly different. DS had hardly seen anywhere this time last year and hadn't even drafted a sentence. Dd is completely the opposite, although is going to have a crack at Oxbridge. I think this suits her though too, to get the application in early, and I agree as Y13 is FULL on.

[LoniceraJaponica]

That is really helpful Monkey2001.

DD wants to do biomed and achievef AAA this year, so hopefully Newcastle will make her an offer.

Anyone going to Lancaster tomorrow?

[Justanothermile]

No, but it's where DS is going to study at the end of this month. We've been twice. It's impressive I thought. Not a big city university if that matters. The post offer communication and confirmation of place post results has been excellent.

We are York, last one. Pretty local though, rather than Exeter and St Andrews!!

[LoniceraJaponica]

We are going to York on Sunday

[LoniceraJaponica]

Just sad that Lancaster and Newcastle clashed

[ElizabethBennetismybestfriend]

We are currently on our way to Birmingham for the open day tomorrow and then York on Sunday.

[NotMrsTumble]

DD has a meeting with her tutor at school about UCAS applications today. She's slightly unusual in that she's hoping to apply from 5th year (Scotland). She was set on Architecture but is now swithering between that and civil engineering, both of which will allow her to defer if she decides that 2019 entry is just too soon, and another engineering course which doesn't allow you to defer. She'll probably apply to all 3, all same dept at one uni but not sure what admissions will make of that, and will add extra pressure if she gets an offer to that course and then wants to defer. School don't seem to be hugely stressed about getting forms ready yet, but it may just be that the info is being directed at s6 and missing dd...

[Decorhate]

Some unis offer an Architectural Engineering course which might appeal to your dd. Even the straight Civil Engineering degree at Bath involves a lot of project work with the Architecture students.

My ds is applying for Civil this year & I've noticed that most of the unis have a bias towards a particular aspect of Engineering- if that's what your dd decides on she might like to focus on the places that have a strong Structures bias like Bath.

We are off to Brum tomorrow too!

[FrameyMcFrame]

Very interesting about Newcastle Monkey.
That does seem a fairer way of doing it

[VanCleefArpels]

A quick shout out to all of us up at silly o’clock in order to drive for hours to an educational establishment that may not even make the final shortlist 🙄😉😂. The only thing to look forward to is a nice lunch.....

[LoniceraJaponica]

I'm up. Sadly, due to Northern Rail we are having to drive to all the open days instead of taking the train. Ǹot sure how we are going to do Manchester.

[Justanothermile]

We are thankfully local to this open day. Last one for us, I'm quite glad in a way as I do feel I've seen every university in the UK over the last couple of years (DS is going this time).

Good luck all. Enjoy.

[Decorhate]

A relatively late start for us. Didn't leave the house till 7.30!

[Eve]

Popping in here to say if anyone needs to know about applying for DSA or the process let me know.

Been though it with DS1 who is about to start 2nd year.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

We're not doing any more here. DS's school Head of Sixth Form advised visits to five or six universities (which we've now done) to be more than sufficient and I'd agree with him. They are tiring, time-consuming and costly.