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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

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

992 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 19/03/2019 13:09

New thread started. Here's the previous one

OP posts:
Justanothermile · 21/03/2019 07:18

DS got some of the rejected review emails last year, including the big name ones like Edinburgh.

You do know it's marketing right Piggy? Dd even got a hand written Christmas card from the subject department at Belfast!

Ticking on here. Dd very stressed last week but calmer this week. It's a tough time for them for sure.

Fazackerley · 21/03/2019 07:21

You do know it's marketing right Piggy? Dd even got a hand written Christmas card from the subject department at Belfast!

Yeah dd has had loads of stuff from Swansea. She was dismissive about it until she visited Swansea and liked it. Now she appreciates the letters and emails! It feels nice to be wanted, unlike the uni who sent her 3 incorrect offers and then were difficult and shirty when she asked for clarification!

Shimy · 21/03/2019 10:23

There’s a lot to be said for Unis that goout of their way to make prospects feel nice and wanted. We went tthrough similar with senior schools. Let’s just say dc ended up at the one that sent the handwritten card. Their pastoral care also has not wavered since being there.

Justanothermile · 21/03/2019 11:16

The university that sent Dd the card also sent her a broken link to the course content that she hadn't been able to find online. She had already known the link was broken, hence the email! Smile

Ease of access to specific course content was high on DD's list.

I think there's marketing and being efficient if that makes sense? Lancaster last year for DS communicated clearly, promptly and specifically (re his PS at least) but didn't feel like they were chasing his acceptance.

Some of the others just feel like they are getting bums on seats.

Hope that makes sense!

Fazackerley · 21/03/2019 12:18

Swansea have been super efficient as well as providing free sunglasses. The course content looks excellent too. Of course marketing isn't the be all and end all but good marketing backing up efficient communication and a good course has to be a good thing.

The uni who made three incorrect offers including an unconditional to an overseas student! Also gave a course talk for 10 mins and couldn't have been less enthusiastic. Somehow it's won a string of awards Confused

Piggywaspushed · 21/03/2019 14:04

The handwritten card was actually witten by the real lecturer : he must have had to do quite a lot, so I did think that was pretty good of him!

Shame DS hasn't even looked at it, but that's par for the course!

DitheringDan · 21/03/2019 14:09

DS was similarly impressed by Swansea's communication. They made a big deal of the fact that they don't 'lose' their students in the system.

juicy0 · 21/03/2019 14:55

In my DDs experience the UEA and Nottingham have been the nicest and most efficient to deal with, they've sent timely and informative emails and put bits in the post too. She heard nothing at all from Exeter!

TapasForTwo · 21/03/2019 19:06

Newcastle and Lancaster were very speedy with their responses to DD.

I would love it if Manchester contacted her to ask why she withdrew her application. They took so long to offer/reject her even though she already has the grades required for the course she wants to do. I'm baffled why they need to spend ages deciding when a student already has their A levels.

blametheparents · 21/03/2019 19:21

@bringonthescience
Good luck with the points score. Good to get everything sorted and then look forward.

Fazackerley · 22/03/2019 11:36

Still haven't heard from Bath. Dd is determined to wait.

Fazackerley · 22/03/2019 11:37

The offer holders day is in a fortnight and thats the last one. They've had two already! Wish they'd just hurry up and reject her!

justasking111 · 22/03/2019 12:50

Sorry unless Bath are horrendously understaffed, they are extracting the Michael. I would imagine the size of their egos would prevent them entering a room with less than double sized, double height doors. A word in your shell like Bath, you aint Oxford or Cambridge. (rolls eyes)

ifonly4 · 22/03/2019 14:41

Fazacherley has she phoned, they might be able to give her an idea. DD was in the same position with Durham, it's not until they have all their offers/rejects in they can come to a decision.

My friend's daughter is still waiting to hear on Leicester and Bristol. All her other unis have interviewed her, but she hasn't even heard from Bristol.

Fazackerley · 22/03/2019 15:54

She's emailed ,they said by March 31st.

ifonly4 · 23/03/2019 09:03

I'm sure you've looked on tsr, but Bath haven't been dishing out loads of rejects this week (unlike St Andrews where DD hopes to go), so there's still hope.

Is Bath her favourite, or does she need to offer to then way up her options?

Itscoldouthere · 25/03/2019 08:28

Fazack I’d get her to phone and ask. I phoned last week when DS got his offer as I wanted to know when the offer holders day was. I got a department phone number from their website and spoke to someone who was very helpful.
He has now had an offer holders day email.
I’d just say you are worried she will miss the last offer holders day if she doesn’t hear soon.

Fazackerley · 25/03/2019 09:15

Thanks. She's currently bed ridden after a nasty fall (riding) on Saturday so it's probably the last thing on her mind. We'll wait until the day before the offer holders day then she'll firm Swansea. Yes bath would be her first choice.

blametheparents · 25/03/2019 09:42

Oh no - hope she's ok very soon Fazackeley. Must be pretty bad to still not be able to move much today.

Itscoldouthere · 25/03/2019 09:47

Oh poor DD that’s not nice for her.
I hope she hears really soon, what can they be waiting for??
I’d convinced myself it was because they were considering DS for a contextualised offer, but he got the standard offer, so they were obviously waiting to see if they had better applicants 🤣
I must say all the waiting re Bath has put me off a bit, but it’s worth going to look, it’s going to have to be very good to risk putting it 1st as it’s DS highest offer, but it’s his choice not mine, we are thinking of taking a few days and staying with family near by as although it’s only about 100 miles from us it’s quite tricky to get to.

Fazackerley · 25/03/2019 10:22

I've spent this morning trying to get her to ring the gp as she can't bend over or walk very far. But she is refusing and determined to wait a week. If she gets an offer it will be really high so deffo aspirational.

If she meets the grades she may then be tempted to go into adjustment on results day

Fazackerley · 25/03/2019 10:22

Sorry paragraph in wrong place Grin

ifonly4 · 25/03/2019 17:00

Fazackerley - so sorry to hear about your DD - I can remember the same thing happening to me many many years ago. Lets hope this week ends far better than it's started, feeling better and that offer from Bath.

justasking111 - I guess applying for student finance is easy as DD did it herself. It's the emails that you get asking for full details of income that might take a few mins on your part.

DD announced yesterday, she's in revision mode and feels ready. She comes home for three weeks on Saturday, so lets hope she uses her time wisely.

Shimy · 25/03/2019 20:35

Hope she feels better soon Fazack.

Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 26/03/2019 07:43

Fazackerley hope your DD recovers soon. Poor thing :-(.

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