Anyone still waiting to hear from Durham?

[PortusCale]

Just wondered if anyone else is waiting to hear from Durham for an offer for 2019 entry?

See that offer holder day bookings are now open and I understand college allocation has begun.

DS still waiting here, DS application went through in November.....does this mean a rejection will likely be on its way?

What is the point of school uniform if DC don’t learn to dress for the circumstances?

What is the point of school uniform if DC don’t learn to dress for the circumstances?

Perhaps the YP in question attend a sixth form college? Or a school sixth form which hasn't adopted the 'business dress' code (given that the only students who will be dressing like that in the year after leaving school won't be at university)? Or do attend a school sixth form with a school uniform, but in their time not in school dress in a way which suits them?

I've been to loads of university open days and applicant days over the past 18 months, too - and I can say that I haven't seen any visitors wearing tracksuit bottoms, either. Because I could only hazard a guess at what DD and I were wearing, because neither of us has an extensive wardrobe. What anyone else may or may not have been wearing, I really couldn't tell you.

DD just said that she did notice some people in 'trackies'.

And so what?

Whichever universities your DC decide upon I sincerely hope that they don't have to wait 5 1/2 months for a decision. That is what my DS is doing and I don't think it is right. If, despite his grades, he is not what they want then they should reject him. Instead I fear that he has been placed on their reserve list whilst students are enticed to firm by being offered lower grades.

And in terms of PS, it was purely subject based and did not include D of E/ music lessons/travel to master classes/museums etc as that is not relevant.

DS and his friend attend a sixth form college and they can wear what they like. That means they wear trackies. It’s what they enjoy wearing and it’s their dress code.

I was not saying that the long wait was acceptable, it isn’t, and I’m sorry if my comment was interpreted in that way. Students have enough pressure to deal with without the constant worry of checking if they’ve got an offer. My referral to the list of things put in a PS was a general comment about how, hopefully, admission teams view applications to try to take into consideration the applicants circumstances/opportunities available to them. Btw, I have no vested interest here as my DC is fortunate enough to be able to put any of those in her PS when time comes if it’s relevant to her chosen course.

Not one sixth form in our area has either a uniform or business dress code.

DD4 was quite content to be elbowed aside at Oxford on Friday because she was interested to see what it was that the parents had to say or ask that was so important, not because she's in any way gormless. She's very far from gormless.

Well not guilty as charged, since I said more than once that trackies aren't a big deal, just that my DC would prefer for other people not to think they were in trackies to make some kind of point, which is possible with trackies but not with jeans.

I really do think that people on here have an unrealistic idea of just how many DC get straight A* at GCSE/ apply for History/ at Durham. Also, are posters aware of just how many offers Durham dishes out in relation to places available? It's not nearly as constrained as Oxford or Cambridge. I posted the statistics somewhere back along on one of the threads, can't remember which :)

I am just chuffed I have introduced the word trackies into this conversation

My DS was interviewed in his trackies and a gamer t-shirt at Oxford. He didn't get a place (we've asked for feedback, but somehow I doubt they'll mention his trackies).

(Though they may be dying to)

@PortusCale I would have thought that your DC will get an offer, it's just the process for sending out offers for highly subscribed courses is probably slower than other courses. Looking at stats for History last year 60 children from Indies accepted offers, 110 were other (State/Grammar etc). Based on overall offers I would have thought that they must send out 180 offers to fill the 60 places but I guess they gauge this by making offers in batches. Interestingly last year based on application/acceptance 1:10 Independent schooled children were accepted and 1:5 State school children.

I do hope everyone waiting hears soon. In an ideal situation, all our DC should get the opportunity to study where they will thrive.

oneteen there are significantly more than 60 places available, I think your figures are out.

A few offers came out yesterday at DS's school.

www.dur.ac.uk/resources/ug.admissions/admindocuments/admincycle1516/2-1-2DepartmentalSummary-Offers.pdf

This is the last round available in full but it reads to me as though there were approximately 1400 applications for the c180 places and around 42% of applicants got offers.

I realise this may be little comfort but I am rooting for DT2.

Do they put on offer holder days in April for those who don't hear until end March, I wonder?
Those stats are very interesting - I hadn't realised how much more competitive Durham is than some of the other RGs who, since the cap has been lifted, now seem to make offers to all applicants with predicted grades. I knew Durham was still 'selective', but didn't know quite how much so.

Still, 42% is reasonable odds - and from what I gather, late acceptance doesn't necessarily mean you're second best, it's just that they haven't worked through all the applications yet, (possibly because they wait until Jan 8th for all of them to be in?)

I wouldn't worry about the Offer Days. They seem to be more of a deterrent than anything else. It's a couple of days after the end of term, everything is a bit grotty, staff are tired etc. Much better to go independently.

Is the grottiness a particular Durham thing? Applicant days at Birmingham and UEA far from grotty and no reports of grottiness at Leeds from either DD or DH (open days last year at all three were good, as well). I thought the main attraction of the Durham ones was the opportunity to stay over in 'your' college - if doing that is off-putting, better to discover it now than once Mummy and Daddy have waved you a tearful goodbye in the Autumn, surely?

Thanks for posting that link goodbyestranger.

The only number I am sure of right now is that DS has been waiting to hear for over 160 days. Luckily he is resilient, both emotionally and mentally and this experience has by no means put him off his ultimate aims. He could not have done more than he has and if he ends up taking a year out then hopefully he will use it wisely and will be in an even stronger position next year.

Good luck to all those waiting - whatever their circumstances may be.

That's interesting about Jan 8th, as that's the day my DS had his law offer.

I'm sorry you are all going through this frustrating time and hope you all get positive news soon.

Portuscale we're exactly the same as you. Over 160 days for History, still waiting and everything in limbo. DD heard from the other unis (also highly rated with 1000s of applications) within 2 weeks and they have been in regular touch ever since. Others in her school also waiting for English and Liberal Arts but Science offers seem to have come out now. If she wasn't so keen on going there I'd be encouraging her to tell them to get stuffed!!

MarchingFrogs I've no idea. I've nothing to compare it with. Durham in term time is fabulous; Durham immediately after the end of term is a bit forlorn (I'm sure the local residents would disagree!). I've come across a lot of students saying they didn't rate the Offer Day whereas Bristol seems to do a much better job.

Anecdotally, my last DC to get an offer (2017) was advised by his siblings not to go to the Offer Day in case it put him off. He went independently instead.

What I mean is that that's fed back to me by students MarchingFrogs. I've been to no Open Days with my DC.

I've been tempted to say the same to DS CBear99 but have held back so far! The last communication he had with them I think was to say they were closing over Christmas.....

Hope your DD hears soon - is Durham her first choice?