Applying for Uni 2019 entry Part 3, UCAS & offers

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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

I gave DS the info posted from Aber and he still hasn't looked. I think I need to book a discussion with him this weekend. Or maybe DH does because when he told him to chek his emails, he did. Harumph.

One small mercy : no coursework in any of DS's A Levels.

I wish there wasn't in ds's, Piggy. So much effort being put in for 20/25% of his total marks. I think final exams is much less stressful, actually.

Piggy, yes I found “arranging a meeting” type thing usually works especially when its dad chairing it. It’s annoying that DH gets listened to but I think it’s a case of ‘familiarity breeds contempt’.
DS has booked 3 offer days, still hasn’t bothered to book the one he is likely to firm . Very tempted to just pick up the phone and and ring the uni myself? I don’t want to as it gives the message, ‘DM will do it if I don’t’, but at this rate, he’s going to miss the offer day.

I’ve decided not to ask about his computing coursework anymore, because his lack lustre answers will just increase my anxiety. If he doesn’t submit his coursework, it’ll be on him. I don’t know wether it’s also part of being an August born, who knows really.

If anybody is interested with Tesco club card vouchers you can buy a 16-25 railcard, family card or 2 travel together for £10s worth of points rather than £30. Bought Ds a 16-25 one saved the money on his first Uni interview visit.

The idea of a family 'where are we at with university applications' chat appeals to me too, Piggy. However, my DH has a totally different approach to me (he's very 'hands off'), so don't think he will support my view that offer holder open days are necessary (sure he is primarily influenced by the cost!!!). Sighs. The B'ham one would be doable in a day easily so not sure why that's not possible.

I'm still waiting for offers!

Worrying now that all these 'days' will be full/booked and won't happen! Is that a possibility?

Ds only went to one open day (lazy git!)

@whereshalligo - great tip about Tesco clubcard points. I’m going to look into that.

Hello I’m back. Haven’t posted for ages as I lost this thread, but DD finally got her form in just before Christmas and got her first offer today from Cardiff (Philosophy and Economics) - an achíevable 12 (French Bac - equivalent of ABB we think). Now waiting on Bristol, Edinburgh, Exeter and Bristol. Does anyone know if there is a deadline by which time offers are made?

NewModelArmy - I wish we didn't have to go to so many but family circumstances meant that we only got to one open day so I do feel we need to make the effort for him. I'd feel a bit bad shipping him off to Exeter or Edinburgh or one of the other two in the South when he'd not even visited. It's just a shame we are in the Midlands! Handily his sister is at a Scottish university so it will make a good excuse for a catch up.

Does anyone know if there is a deadline by which time offers are made?

It's on the UCAS website
www.ucas.com/undergraduate/after-you-apply/ucas-undergraduate-types-offer

When are you likely to hear back from unis?

The wait for decisions on your application can be agonising. It’s a good idea to use this time effectively by familiarising yourself with the decisions the unis you’ve applied to could make, so you know what to expect and what to do when the time comes.

Each university and college will make their decisions at different times, meaning you might hear back before your friends do, or vice versa. However, there are deadlines by which they will need to have decided:

2019 entry

2 May 2019– if you sent your application by 15 January 2019

11July 2019– if you sent your application by 30 June 2019.

22October 2019– this is the final deadline for unis to make decisions on applications to courses starting in 2019.

If a uni you’ve applied to doesn’t make a decision by the appropriate deadline, that choice will be automatically made unsuccessful.

Apart from some medical school decisions, I think most responses to on-time applications are usually received by the end of March, though. TSR usually has a thread on 'Fastest and slowest offer senders'.

Dd had a year assembly yesterday - they were told not to be tempted to accept offers until the deadline because it is highly likely that the universities will come back with better offers between now & then.

Thank you Marchingfrogs.

Laniakea that is really worth knowing so thanks for posting that tip.

Thanks Laniakea that's what I'm hoping too.

Fingers crossed!

DS was joking only yesterday about getting UIF offer from Durham - in his dreams methinks!

Hi all.

I don't want to name the uni as I am paranoid, but ds firstly received an incorrect offer - it was an offer for an overseas student doing a BTEC Extended diploma, they asked for DMM and an english language test. Ds contacted them and said hold on, this isn't me. He already has one A level (grade C) and is predicted a B in another A level and will get a Distinction in his BTEC extended cert (so equivalent to A level).

The uni contacted him today and have made a new offer which is ABB from 3 a levels . He isn't taking three a levels.

Should he contact them again??? TBh he's feeling like giving up with them.

Meant to say he is predicted an A for his EPQ and already has a C in a different subject at AS (when AS counted for points) - so they should know all this as well although obvs they don't have to count it.

You'd think if they wanted ABB from 3 a levels they would have just rejected him??

ds1 refused to attend the offer day for the university he firmed, although it is true he had visited it briefly for an interview a month or so previously. I was driven insane by this. But it may have been because he went to offer days for two other unis. They were both really enjoyable and well organised, although quite different approaches to his subject. I think it may have been that the experience of the offer days, however generic was enough to tell him what he felt he needed to know about the third university, lectures, accommodation, student life.

But I still found it infuriating that he refused point blank to go along to the offer day. He likes it a lot though now he is actually there.

My advice would be, go to the offer day of the university that seems best fit first, in case he runs out of steam later. Still, I was really happy that he saw the reality of more than one uni, and has no regrets about his decision, based on at least partial research!!!

I might ahve my family chat at Costa or something. Make it seem treat/ chat. He also can't walk off.

Cunning.

We are all lucky we are not on the Oxbridge thread where some poster has come on literally just to call them all helicopter parents. Compared to us, they are really chilled , becuase their DCs are rather driven . How rude!

Yes thanks for that tip Laniakea

Given that DS was quite tardy in doing his application he has already had offers from his first 3 choices. He has an unconditional from Northampton, ABB from Worcester and ABB from Kent. His first choice was Worcester but he is in Northampton tonight for the open day tomorrow and he is loving it so I think it's moved to first choice.

@nokidshere out of interest, now quickly did your son hear back from Kent? That's one of my top choices and I submitted my app on New Year's Eve, still waiting! I did get an acknowledgement though a few days later which was good.