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

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Following on from the previous thread.

Yes I am actually hoping they reject her tbh. It's expensive there!!!

Itscoldouthere, two of the courses DD appied for showed a 48/46% chance of getting an offer, and they were first two to offer. The problem is you just don't know if your son is one of those 16%. We're still waiting on one (typical the one she hasnt visited) - it's so frustrating as they can't make a clear decision.

Itscold - I’m not sure how much I believe that calculator. I was playing around with it a while ago, putting in some very dodgy low grades against some Unis asking for 4 grades above andstill getting 83% chance of offer .

I know what you mean about the calculator, always take these things with an amount of caution. However in DS case it predicted Birmingham as high chance of offer and they have offered even though he’s below standard offer grade. TBH I’m fed up with Bath, we went to visit 2 years ago so can’t really remember it and have been to so many unis in the last 6 months I’d rather not go to any more, but DS would need to go to an offers day before he’d be able to decide, I’d rather he just move on and get his choices fixed but it’s his choice. He’s going to give them another week or so.

Thanks New & IfOnly, I think he will be fairly safe as I agree this particular Uni seem anxious to get ‘bums on seats’’ & I get the impression that there are likely to be spaces through clearing.

It’s also based on data from 2013-2016, so quite a while ago.

I know what you mean by waiting forever to hear. Still I suppose if you’ve waited this long, might as well wait for another week 🤷🏻‍♀️
Is this his preferred choice?

Just been on Facebook and Lincoln parents are going mental about the accommodation site crashing. It seems they can all do this at their workplaces, or can take a day off work. Many of them have pulled their DCs out of school for the day. Mental.

Surely, this is a huge problem with the first come first served system??

Mys DS hasn't firmed anything yet, so can't even play the silly game.

Mys DS hasn't firmed anything yet, so can't even play the silly game.

😂😂I can hear your frustration.

I think I am going to get backlash on Facebook for making my frustrations clear...

piggy that’s mental, sound a bit sharp elbowed to me
I realise my DC has preferences re accommodation but I don’t think it’s’ make or break’, surely so much of it depends on who you end up sharing with you and if you get on, not if you have a sofa in your kitchen or some other small preference ?
My DC definitely want his own bathroom but it’s not going to be the end of the world if he doesn’t get one.
With my friends older DC the only people who had a bad experience with halls were people who went in to clearing and ended up either off campus or no halls or just a really weird mix of people, but that’s the gamble if you are coming in so late, in the normal circumstances I can’t believe it make that much difference.

Hey ho. DS was meant to be going on an offer holders' day tomorrow but can't get the time off work (really can't - would have to close the shop for the day).

Plus, the offer holder day for Manchester clashes with that for one of his other choices.

We are a good long way off the Accommodation Angst bit of all this yet.

The issue with Lincoln is that the less popular accommodation is either a) at the top of the one hill in Lincolnshire or b) acceptable but really far less nice than any of the others. Fortunately, all Lincoln accommodation seems at least quite OK and none of it is miles away from campus, unlike, say NTU.

I was hoping that today would be Aber's 'beginning of March' and we would hear about his scholarship but it seems not.

DS just got an email from Bath saying “thank you for your email, we have till 31st of March, thank you for being so patient”
Really helpful Bath 😝

I suspect dd is borderline for an offer at Bath anyway. I doubt she'll wait until 31 March.

Ds has just pressed the buttons to firm & insure I am hoping it all works out ok - his firm offer is quite high & they won’t be as flexible as other places if he doesn’t achieve it. I’d hoped he would at least insure Southampton as I really liked it but he knows his own mind!

DS just got an email from Bath saying “thank you for your email, we have till 31st of March, thank you for being so patient”
Really helpful Bath

I don't think that DD has even had as much as that from Warwick...

Helpful response from Bath.

My nephew, I think it was two years ago, never even heard from Warwick. They never replied. This is the truth. I don't know what happened re firming and insurance as I didn't ask at the time and I've never thought to ask since being honest - it's just occurred to me now. He's at Durham btw.

Exciting Decorate!

decorate it feels exciting and terrifying in equal measures when they press that button doesn't it!

It’s so different this time round - dd is doing medicine so just getting any offer was a relief - and then there was the stress of knowing if she missed her offer she was almost guaranteed to have lost her chance forever. She applied to unis with the best chance of getting an interview, ds was all about the course content & whether he liked the location etc.

And if things don’t go well on results day he has a good chance of still getting on a similar course through clearing. So I am not too worried about that aspect.

Congrats decorate, where has he firmed and insured?

Probably not a popular opinion BUT, I think some of the higher up universities aren't being as engaging or welcoming as they could be, simply because they know they are well sought after. I find it very off putting. Funny thing is, the top universities eg Oxbridge are probably very helpful and engaging more so than their slightly lower ranked counterparts who will like to be like them.

Well done to your DS, Decorhate.

I agree about the universities, Shimy. DS got a warmer feel from York and UEA than B'ham, Exeter and Durham. I guess some rest on their laurels, but judging by the numbers applying to Durham (quoted upthread or possibly on the Durham specific one), I guess they don't feel they need to be super engaging/nice.

A slightly more light-hearted read for anyone interested The universities where students get the most money from parents

Yikes that shocks me about Durham. DS might buck that trend if he is lucky enough to get his grades and get a place...I would definitely not describe us as even comfortably off.