Applying for Uni 2019 Part 5: UCAS, offers and exam season looming

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

New thread started. Here's the previous one

Rats. DS (who is away from home this week) has messaged to say that Swansea is no longer offering his course.

oh no!!

What course was that again? How awful for your DS to fall prey to this :(

Combined English/Modern Languages. He's been offered a place on just English instead, but it was the combination that really appealed. I suspect it may have been Brexited.

How annoying! one wonders is it really not possible for universities to know at least a yr in advance wether a course will continue to run? surely they look at figures, academic resources, finances and do projections and forecasts, or is that an overly simplistic view?

Isn't this the dream course he was really enthused to apply for recently, DitheringDan? How very annoying for him.

Shimy maybe the bottom has well and truly fallen out of the Modern Languages courses market (and this year applications are rock bottom)? A course may seem viable in theory until the course leaders start looking at numbers of applications and realise it no longer makes sense, financially and/or otherwise, to run it?

When my DS was considering Languages , Swansea was a choice. Really established Languages course , including a reputation for translation. I am shocked and saddened. Your poor poor DS .

DS2 will be looking at MFL in a couple of years

What happens now?

Oh no dan
That is so annoying for your ds

NewModel - Don’t Unis notice a drop in figures gradually though, I doubt they suddenly had a drastic drop this yr? Anyway more importantly, what now? Does UCAS have any provision for this sudden turn of events?

Further clarification from DS - both the modern language course and the English are running, but they now offering the combined I think that’s more puzzling in a way, as presumably they still need all the lecturers and modules for both. Timetabling issue, perhaps?

Yes, it’s the course he was really keen on.

‚now‘ = not

That’s really annoying Dan your DS must be a bit fed up.
What was his second choice? Will he be happy to go there?

You would think numbers would drop off gradually, Shimy, but who knows?

Dithering - Will your DS opt to do the combined course?

No, that was my confusing typo above - they are not now offering the combined course that he wanted.

Hi Dithering. How frustrating and annoying for your son! Has he been able check the units available on both single degree options ie is there a lot of unit flexibility so that he could effectively be doing pretty much the same units he would have done in year 2 and 3 by choosing units? I'm suggesting this as Swansea runs on a unit and semester system, so X number of units are done for each semester for a degree. I would suggest if he can he contacts them today as today is the last day of term, and then they have holidays (I know admin staff may be around but a lot of academic institutions will have few staff in next week and the first half of the following week)

Just wondering, has anyone's DC heard from their firm/insurance since they've accepted? I half thought, her firm in particular might have sent a general email along the lines, glad you're joining us, perhaps pointing out about booking accommodation, we'll need proof of previous exams results at some stage etc.

ifonly My DS has heard from NTU a few times since firming, including a lovely welcome video which gave me a lump in my throat as DS rolled his eyes. They have also sent links to sites with his hall mates and course mates. Yesterday he got an email saying they won Guardian university of the year 2019. I am so impressed with them.

Hi Dithering, they seem to offer English with a specific foreign language, maybe there is another joint honours that would appeal to your son?

Applied Linguistics and English Language, BSc (Hons)
English - Chinese Translation and Interpreting, BA (Hons)
English Language, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad
English Language and English Literature, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad
English Language and Media, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad
English Language and Spanish, BA (Hons)
English Language and TESOL, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad
French and English Language, BA (Hons)
German and English Language, BA (Hons)
TESOL and English Literature, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad
TESOL and French, BA (Hons)
TESOL and German, BA (Hons)
TESOL and Spanish, BA (Hons)

Ancient History and English Literature, BA (Hons)
Classical Civilisation and English Literature, BA (Hons)
English - Chinese Translation and Interpreting, BA (Hons)
English Language and English Literature, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad

English Literature and American Studies, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad
English Literature and French, BA (Hons)
English Literature and German, BA (Hons)
English Literature and History, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad
English Literature and Medieval Studies, BA (Hons)
English Literature and Spanish, BA (Hons)
English Literature and Welsh (a Pathway for First Language Students), BA (Hons)
English Literature and Welsh (a pathway for Second Language students), BA (Hons)
English Literature with Creative Writing, BA (Hons)
English Literature with Creative Writing with a Foundation Year, BA (Hons)
English Literature with Gender, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad

Media and English Literature, BA (Hons)
Politics and English Literature, BA (Hons)
TESOL and English Literature, BA (Hons), with or without a Year Abroad

plus the usual English Lit/Lang single honours variations

Thanks so much. That's interesting - looks like it's just the precise course that he applied for (English with ab initio Italian) that's gone. I don't know how he'd feel about switching to a different language as he's very into Italian culture at the moment, but I'll pass it all on. Wish he was home this week!

I know not everyone does something because it is 'useful' and I suspect someone who has opted for Italina nd English is less on that spectrum ! But there was something in the paper the other day about how German is by far the most desirable European language for employers and business.

What's his insurance choice dan ?

I obviously meant Italian and English!

Dithering Dan, under those circumstances I'm sure UCAS would let you have an extra choice. It's worth contacting them as they can be really helpful.

Leeds does Italian with English lit, my daughter (who is also studying Italian) applied for that course but the offer they gave her was way too high.

she's opted to do Languages and cultures at Sheffield instead. you choose 3 languages from a choice of 14 and then narrow it down if you want in subsequent years. Year abroad in up to 3 different counties.

Frames - it would be funny indeed if the offer of a yr abroad was in 3 different counties .
I know you meant countries, but some typos are just perfect.

What a punch in the guts to move the goal posts now. I am sure UCAS are aware of what is going on an will have a plan in place.

Just to share the information that my DS tried to open a student account with Nationwide today but was told you cannot open a student account until you have your place at uni (unless you have accepted an UC offer and can ‘prove’ it). As he does already have a Nationwide A/C he can apparently use that for the student finance application and then it can be transferred to a student account after results day when he knows where he is going. I said ‘presumably you then have a mass of applications after Aug 15th’, to which the advisor replied ‘yes’.

Pity they didn’t explain that clearly when DS made the appointment to open the Student Account. .