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Original poster

Applying for Uni 2019 entry Part 4, UCAS & offers (and thinking about exams)

999 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 31/01/2019 09:58

Following on from the previous thread.

OP posts:
Decorhate · 24/02/2019 16:19

It may be that too many people missed their offers hence they had places in clearing. I would guess that they can’t drop the entry requirements too much for maths as students need a certain level of natural ability to be able to keep up with the course.

Ds has more or less decided which uni to firm. He was initially planning Sheffield as his insurance but Southampton admitted they usually take everyone with the grades for the Sheffield offer (though the actual Southampton offer is higher) so he may choose them instead. In which case his firm & insurance would be the same grades.

Monkey2001 · 24/02/2019 23:12

You can go to Unistats to get a feel for the actual grades of students on a particular course.

My feeling is that they should firm the one you really want and then hope that if they miss the grades, they can pick one of their other choices back up from clearing.

Monkey2001 · 24/02/2019 23:17

Piggy - we did accom tours at Newcastle, Leeds and Sheffield. All provided cleaners for communal areas and I think 1/3 had cleaners for en-suites, but I can't remember which. Exeter also clean communal bathrooms. At one of the them the students were expected to empty the bins.

When I was a student there was a "sin bin" in the kitchen where the cleaners dumped anything which had not been washed up and the owner had a few days to retrieve things before the bins were emptied - that was particularly annoying when people "borrowed" thinks and did not wash them up.

Piggywaspushed · 25/02/2019 06:56

Oh , yes, we may also have had a sin bin! I don't remember cleaning evr at any point at uni ( I think my housemate was clean!). In my halls , there was absolutley no mop, hoover etc for us (nowhere to store them iirc) so we did have cleaners.

I think the greay area is what constitues a 'communal area' : to me, this indicates kitchens and shared bathrooms : but to some unis , it literally means hallways.

I am selling to my DS the idea that not having an en suite is an advantage because of cleaning!

blametheparents · 25/02/2019 13:55

DS has submitted his IB coursework today - it is all becoming very serious!
Loads of revision to get done in the next few months / weeks. IB exams start so much earlier than A levels and therefore less time for revision - DS is finding it hard to get motivated which is very unusual for him.
Seems to be loads of 'bickering' amongst him and his friends which is unheard of - I suspect that the pressure is getting to them all and things will calm down once the exams are over.
Has anyone else experienced this? DS has been friends with the same group since year 7 with barely a cross-word, but there seems to be some kind of hassle about ridiculous things on a weekly basis! Perhaps the head of 6th form sees this every year and knows they've all just got to ride the wave until it's over!

ifonly4 · 25/02/2019 14:40

blametheparents DD is far more focussed on revising for her A levels than she was or GCSEs, which I'm pleased about. She's already made her revision notes and flash cards, which came into action last week as she's got mocks this week.

I don't envy your DS, I understand IB exams are more compacted. DD's first A level exam is on the first day of IB (actually she's got her music performance in March but has that in hand) and finishes two weeks after IB.

Piggywaspushed · 25/02/2019 17:55

DS has bombed Spanish mock today. He said both the questions were 'ridiculus'. He then made the mistake of telling me what the -perfectly obvious and sensible to anyone who has revised- questions were.
Angry

Witchend · 25/02/2019 18:05

I agree just I would’ve thought a course like Maths et al popular enough to not need. Clearing.

They may have been hoping for some people who got better than expected grades. I can't remember what it's called, but if you get (I think) 2 grades better than the offer you can apply to "move up" to an aspirational university. Durham and Oxbridge don't participate in that, but most other unis do.

It's meant to help on the basis that state schools on average under-predict, and private schools over-predict.

Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 25/02/2019 18:18

DS has just today submitted his Geography coursework (which has been ongoing since the beginning of Yr13????). It seemed to take longer than writing a dissertation! Only another History coursework essay to do and then the coast is clear for revision all the way...

OP posts:
Danglingmod · 25/02/2019 18:37

NewModel - ds has almost finished his English and history courseworks. He has spent hours and hours and hours on them.

I'd go for 100% exam any day!

Justanothermile · 25/02/2019 18:47

The thing with the maths was the places were available in clearing way before results day. I suspect there just wasn't the students to fill the places.

Sorry about the mock piggy.

It's such a pressurised time for the DC isn't it? I haven't noticed tension within DD's friendship group but I wouldn't necessarily know if there was being honest.

Half term here for us, DD is studying but we went to the gym after I returned from work.

Shimy · 25/02/2019 19:24

Witchend - im assuming they would be overrun with good applicants, maybe not.

Piggy sorry to hear about the mocks. It doesn’t mean he won’t make the real exam though.

DS who I’ve been telling to work on his Computing coursework (since xmas) whilst he had the time, and each time said he had loads of time and was at the same stage as everyone else, finally admitted to DH yesterday he’s only half done and it’s due this week.

Piggywaspushed · 25/02/2019 19:40

Thanks for comiserations : at this rate , his unconditional from Lincoln has appeal!

The trading up system witchend is called Adjustment.

Piggywaspushed · 25/02/2019 19:46

On another note, got deatils in the post today about the offer holder day at Aberystwyth and it looks like a proper, really organised day with lots going on. If it was me applying, I'd be really excited. All the focus is on the department and there's opportunity for a 1:1 chat with an academic and a specila centenary interactive seminar thing.

The only flip side is there is little time to visit accommodation. But since we are going up the night before we should have time. We arrived an hour and a half later than planned at Lincoln on Saturday because of a 30 mile diversion because of a non signposted weekend closure on the A1 : you know, that classic thing where the week before you say to your DH when he moans about a 5 mile 40 mile an hour speed limit 'well, at least it's not closed like it has been some weekends' !! I literally had to drive 6 miles back in the direction I came from to follow the diversion....

justasking111 · 25/02/2019 22:18

A teacher friend told me that the mocks can be a kick up the backside when needed Piggy. Hope it works for your DS.

VanCleefArpels · 25/02/2019 23:31

DD doing 2 very coursework heavy A levels, one has gone in but the other still has to be completed and it’s causing SO MUCH STRESS 😩. Oh and mocks coming too. Such fun.

Piggywaspushed · 26/02/2019 06:54

just, I am a teacher : not always true, I'm afraid! Bad work habits can become very ingrained.

He has just buried his head in the sand for the whole of sixth form. This, coupled with a not very good experience with Spanish teachers, has led him to slide. He just doesn't care. Very frustrating.

Fazackerley · 26/02/2019 07:02

Dd is a nightmare atm. One lot of coursework in yesterday and another due. I've never known her so grumpy and hard to like. I seem to be the focus of her ire and its really getting me down. She hasn't had a kind word for anyone in weeks. She doesn't have much of a social life and her horse is lame so she can't ride him which is normally her outlet, but she's not helping with him either which means muggins here is doing everything. Dd2 has gcses this year and I feel as though I'm neglecting her although she did well in her mocks, one 5 in Spanish then 7s and 8s in everything else (which is not helping dd1s mood as she is not as academic).

AND STILL NOTHING FROM BATH Angry

bigTillyMint · 26/02/2019 07:10

DS is another who's just submitted his coursework. And seemed much relieved last night!

Still waiting to hear one way or the other from Durham though, so can't firm yet Confused

LoniceraJaponica · 26/02/2019 07:10

“Seems to be loads of 'bickering' amongst him and his friends which is unheard of - I suspect that the pressure is getting to them all and things will calm down once the exams are over.
Has anyone else experienced this?”

Oh yes, it certainly happened in DD’s friendship group.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 DD took geography last year. It was the first year of the new spec and both the teachers and students struggled with it. There seemed to be insufficient guidelines for the teachers regarding the coursework, and they weren’t allowed to advise the students in any way. Fortunately DD got a good mark for her coursework (which she sweated blood sweat and tears for). I think she ended up submitting around 6,000 words.

“A teacher friend told me that the mocks can be a kick up the backside when needed Piggy”

They certainly can. DD was predicted an A and got a D in one of her mock papers in the Easter mocks. She had done loads of revision, but just didn’t understand the questions. She did eventually achieve an A in the real thing, but she did need that kick.

MarchingFrogs · 26/02/2019 07:36

. I can't remember what it's called, but if you get (I think) 2 grades better than the offer you can apply to "move up" to an aspirational university.

Its called Adjustment. No requirement to have got any particular number of grades above, just to have met and exceeded your firm offer. However, you can't use it if you have accepted an 'unconditional if firmed' offer, as you don't have an offer to exceed in that case.

www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/ucas-adjustment-if-youve-done-better-expected

Piggy, your journey reminded me of the sign re a diversion on the M6 a couple of years back - IGNORE SATNAV!

Piggywaspushed · 26/02/2019 07:57

Yeah, my satnav went mental. Fortunately, I know the area : I can only imagine how terrifying the whole experience must have been to anyone not from Fenland backwaters...

Justanothermile · 26/02/2019 10:19

Just a note that student finance is open for applications. You have to do it annually, so DS will have to reapply too, for his second year.

Dd has already applied. It's like chalk and cheese the two experiences of having my dc go though the process.......last minute.com compared to everythingonaspreasdsheet.com!

blametheparents · 26/02/2019 10:54

@LoniceraJaponica - Thanks for the feedback on your DD's experience. I guess that they are all stressed, and are taking it out on the people they see the most - that ends up being their friends and their family!
Not long to go now ...

Piggywaspushed · 26/02/2019 10:56

I am hoping DS2 will be everythingonaspreadsheet.com because DS1 is exhausting...