Applying for Uni 2019 entry Part 3, UCAS & offers

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Wow that last thread filled up quickly. Well done to your DS, Piggy!

DD also found the jump to A levels very hard in spite of achieving A* at GCSE in all her A level subjects. She still managed to pull it out of the bag even after getting a D in her geography mock just after Easter last year.

That's good to read LoniceraJaponica.
Im torn between wanting DS to be a high achiever and get the grades he's capable of or wanting him to feel more positive and go for an unconditional. However it may not be a possibility unless we hear anything different in the next week or so.

I'm bloody glad I'm not a teenager.

I'm not sure if this helps but my DD's UiF from Birmingham came at the same time as the offer. This was for English Literature...
Congratulations on all the offers. It's getting very real now!

glitterbiscuits, my friend's son had two unis follow on with a reduced offer - you an hope!! Sure you don't need to buy some as well.

So there is value in waiting a few weeks at least before making a decision (just to see if any UIF offers come in).

Wondering how long it will be before DS gets provisional grades back for history and geography coursework (one is handed in already and the other will be in a fortnight) - a month?

Given that the deadline is next week it's worth holding off any decisions, even if they've had all 5 decisions, until a while after. Universities use the January deadline as a way of monitoring projected numbers and any that find themselves short may well follow up offers with either UiF, or lower-than-originally-offered if firm. There's months to go until decisions have to be made anyway.

Glitter (and anyone else!) if all offers are identical it's worth seeing if any were in clearing last year -they may be more likely to accept if the offer is missed slightly, so would be worth insuring.

YAAAYYY!!
Finally got DS's predicted grades sorted out by school (incorrect information on his record) and they submitted his UCAS application today. It was so hard reading all your great news about offers when we had not even applied yet, I was starting to panic. But its now done and I have had confirmation from UCAS. Now we just wait and see what happens. It exciting but also really scary. I am new to this whole process and just learning as I go along. Any help or advice is most welcome.

Minesawine oh, how last minute! You can have your wine now!
DS reference was the last thing we needed and it was about Dec 14th and that was late enough!

Is there anyone else still waiting to apply?

DD has an Unconditional if Firmed offer from Birmingham, but as far as I know, this aspect was communicated to her on the same day last week as the offer itself, as she only mentioned once that she had heard from them.

Well done to your DS Minesawine. Not a moment too soon I wouldn't have thought!

Thanks, nothing like living life on the edge. What a time to do Dry January!! If he gets an offer I may need to break my alcohol fast.

Advice please - should I wait until he gets all of his offers before confirming anything. I am also worried about booking accommodation, do the best rooms go really quickly.

Mineswine - Yes definitely wait until all offers come through before firming anything, thats the advice. We're worried about accommodation too as we are also waiting for ds to attend all applicant days to help him decide.

mineswine -Just to add, first timers here too, so you're in good company.

I guess it depends on whether he gets the offer he wants from his preferred choice university (and how quickly he gets all offers in), if indeed he favours one or two over the others.

Personally I am itching to advise DS to firm Durham now but appreciate that he's had a bit of a rocky academic road so far (he let himself down in his GCSEs) so understand his caution to wait before making any decisions.

I was just fretting about accommodation, too. I have held off finding out much about that but it seems complicated. Do you apply for accommodation in both your firm and your insurance??

Congrats to all those with offers : it's been a busy couple of days!

So is all university undergraduate (Year 1) accommodation allocated on a first come first served basis (or just some of it?).

Advice please - should I wait until he gets all of his offers before confirming anything.

I do hope you mean, 'Should he...'?

And yes, he can only enter decisions re firm and insurance choices once all his universities have responded - the alternative is to withdraw his application from any that he hasn't yet heard from. The system won't allow him to proceed until there are responses from each currently active appllcation.

Minesawine - great news.

Re: accommodation check on individual uni websites. For DD, she can start to apply Feb/March, so if choice of accommodation is an issue, she has until early Feb to decide on offers.

Piggy - I think the general rule is that you can only apply for accommodation for your firm, your insurance you have to take pot luck what's available just after results day.

I did read on DD's insurance they close accommodation applications on 18 August, one day after her results. This worries me in case she doesn't get grades but first choice hold off making a decision for a few days - which I understand they can.

As a rule (but check individual institutions) applications for accommodation don't have to be submitted till early summer at the earliest. They're then usually all processed together so don't feel you have to make decisions now.

Again most only open accommodation applications to those who have firmed, although some allow insurance applicants to apply.

A lot of accommodation won't be university owned, even those on campus, so check contracts if you can.

Yay - DS has just had an offer from Loughborough at 35 points (IB). Ironically, he’s had offers so far from the two universities that he didn’t visit!
Ah well - holding out for the other three now!

I know the idea of unconditional ofers is a little contentious, but I am getting the impression that there are more than ever this year.

It's a smaller cohort nationally, there's a big drop in EU applicants... It was always going to be the year it was easier to get on to most courses

Congratulations to all those with offers. I'd recommend attending offer holder days - we found these were quite different to Open days and dd changed her mind completely about which one to have as her insurance.

With regard to accommodation this can be quite very stressful ! It does seem to vary from university to university. DD's first choice -which was a conditional on her getting BB at advanced higher - guaranteed uni halls to all first years so we weren't too concerned. However she couldn't apply for accommodation to her insurance offer (which was an unconditional offer) - we did go round the houses but decided it was best to make the choice based on which course she felt was best . We did have some anxious moments before results day tho !

She was fortunate that her hard work paid off and she made the conditions and is at her first choice uni and loving it. I think the choice has to be based on which course is best - if dd had "settled" she would have kicked herself come results day.

All the very best to everyone's dc - and to all mums - keep calm - the show ain't over yet.

Great news blame. Hope the others come through soon :-)

Loving hearing all the great offers coming though - congrats everyone.
DD had her first audition yesterday, it’s fairly brutal as they are there for the morning, go off site for lunch then come back and a list of names is read out of those who are through to the next round. Everyone else leaves.
Luckily DD made the cut, had a great day and was totally buzzing when we spoke to her last night. So a great confidence lift and a fantastic way to start.