Applying for Uni 2020

[daydreamornot]

Thought it may be nice to have a 2020 support thread, everyone welcome! (maybe Oxbridge posts could be kept to the Oxbridge thread).

I don't mind big but I'm not a fan of hilly campuses. Food stalls are a nice bonus, but I had to make sure DS understood that the waffle stand he liked at Birmingham is not a permanent fixture, so he shouldn't base any decisions on that.

I know what you mean about hilly campuses, Ironoaks - when I was looking round with DD, it seemed to us that it was compulsory for the campus to be on a hill. York wasn't very hilly, IIRC, but I think everywhere else we looked involved some fairly steep inclines.

On the plus side, it does help to keep you fit (and as for Exeter, I was the right side of campus so didn't have to face Cardiac Hill every day)!

Hello LIZS. You are very welcome. Has she got a plan for her year out or it that still work in progress?

ExCymbranDweller bit of a long shot, but did Exeter say anything about the likelihood of insurance-offer students still getting a room on campus? DD has them on her list, but this is something that bothers her.

... the waffle stand he liked at Birmingham ...

Ssh, don't tell my daughter. We've visited three universities now where waffles were on offer, but the stall was closed by the time we got to it. She is not impressed.

Thank you @AChickenCalledDaal . Work in progress at the moment , but volunteering, language courses, music and hopefully work placements under investigation. All a bit last minute and uni won't defer her place so she'll also need to reapply.

thanks for replies to my post - DS is just doing IB maths - he's at a secondary academy

His BTEC will count for 2 A levels I believe if he makes a Distinction at the end of second year

He is doing A level Physics and hoping for an A

He was told when he joined Post 16 (changed school) that IB maths was equivalent to A level maths but it doesn't seem to be at Standard level

I have read about UCAS tariff - but I don't know what that means either

My friend said she didn't get involved in her son's applications to Uni but DS's school don't seem to be helping so looks like I'll have to - and I am totally lost

He is also doing EPQ

DS2 and I tagged along when DD went to an open day at Exeter last year. A rather dull, warm and very muggy day, most of which he and I spent sitting on a wall, whilst DD trotted round from talk to talk.

We did enjoy a visit to the Cinema museum, though.

I'm afraid I've not heard of anyone pick & mixing the IB with BTECs and A levels. Does his school send many to university each year? Can you contact the admissions team at the universities he is interested in and ask their advice? Also, could he use his EPQ to boost his maths or alternatively drop the EPQ to upgrade to A level maths?

Also not come across standalone IB subjects. Many unis only specify 3A levels , IB diploma or btec equivalent unless they are using ucas points. Where is he considering kbear?

Apologies, Kbear, I misread your post - it does seem very odd that a school which offers the IB would 'mix and match' like that?

Didn't come across cardiac hill thankfully! Plus researched and got car parking space up by the maths and physics buildings so didn't have too much up and down to cope with, still walked about 5k though! There was a free ice cream lady over by the maths building, that was a highlight.

Really sorry Chicken but we didn't ask anything about the accommodation, I think there will be a lot more info on an offer holders day in the new year about all those things.

You can get certificated in single subjects but this usually only happens when students can’t complete the whole diploma.

Generally higher level subjects are considered equivalent to a level and standard level equivalent to AS.

I think you need to speak to universities direct. Or if you were to speak to the IB coordinator at your school or another local school that does the IB they may be able to help.

IT sounds like he is doing enough work in total but in an unusual combination and may not be ‘mathsy’ enough

Admissions officers at universities are really helpful though and reply quickly - their details are usually on the website for the course. I’m sure they would be able to help

When are the DC's (Non-Oxbridge), planning on submitting the UCAS applications? DD's school are advising sooner than later but after the 15th. I'm unsure whether DD will have 5 options at that time (she is off to Japan on the 19th for 10 nights), so we may try and fit in a few visits during the later part of HT...although I think her heart is firmly set on Warwick.

DS1 is hoping to get his off as soon as possible purely because he s got a lot on his plate this term so I think it will be helpful to get at least one thing out if the way. He has four clear favourites and is going to leave the last one blank in case another option pops up or he feels he needs more of a safety net as the term progresses. I don’t think he s got anything to gain from waiting until after the 15th. I guess that might might be more of a consideration if you’re going for Durham/St Andrews/UCL.

There is no rush though for those less certain if their choices.

DD also planning to submit as early as possible but school might be slow as they have lots of early deadline applications this year and they take priority. She will only apply to 3 as she's fairly sure of an unconditional from one choice (Glasgow) but will have to wait until February/March for her other choices (St Andrews and Edinburgh).

oneteen
I think anytime between 15 October and the deadline the school/college sets (so they have time to write references).

The universities are not supposed to give preference to those applying earlier than others, but there are advantages to getting it over and done with so they can focus on their studies.

I always think (and by always I mean this is the second time I've been part of this since it was me) that the sooner you get your form in to the uni the more likely you'll be to get an offer. Based on me sharing sweets with people, if I've got 500 in a bag I'd be like 'you can have one and you can have one oh and you over they're, not that keen but I've got loads you have one too' but if I'd only got 10 of my 500 left I'd only be sharing with people who really impressed me *

• Disclaimer the is probably the least likely scenario and just an indication of the odd way my brain works.

They'll have an algorithm won't they.

I think it may depend on the subject too. DD1 is reading Classics and her offers all came through within about a week if her UCAS submission whereas some of her friends had to wait much longer

ExCwmbranDweller

I think it's more like a sweet shop with a climbing wall outside. Every year they hold an event where those children who have a sweet voucher and climb high enough on the wall can have a sweet. The children practise climbing at school, and all have a certificate saying how high they can usually climb.

The owners recorded how many children got to which heights last year (and the year before etc). They only have about 500 sweets but they know from experience they can offer sweet vouchers to 1000 children, because 50% of the children always decline and decide they want a sweet from a different shop. Based on the heights the children reached in previous years, the owners attach a horizontal bar to the climbing wall that approximately the right number of children will reach. Everyone can see how high this is.

The sweet shop announces that the children can come and show their certificates and ask for a sweet voucher.

The children arrive in dribs and drabs over the course of several weeks. The owners decide to offer a sweet voucher to any child whose certificate states they can climb to within 2 metres of the bar. The last child to come gets the same treatment as the first child to come, to make it fair, even if this means handing out extra sweet vouchers.

If the owners hand out over 500 sweet vouchers, they don't worry too much. A few of the children might decide to give their sweet voucher back, and several won't be able to climb as high as they thought. If the owners hand out a lot more than 500 sweet vouchers, they might make a note to set the bar a little higher next year.

When the children eventually climb the wall, the owners find that significantly fewer than 500 children actually reach the bar, so the owners decide that any child with a sweet voucher who reached within 1 metre of the bar can claim their sweet.

Even then, there are still a few sweets left over, so the owners then offer up the remaining sweets to any other child (without a voucher) who also reached within 1 metre of the bar, in a first come, first served system.

Ironoaks

Ironoaks I salute you. That is probably the most magnificent explanation I have ever read. For anything. They should publish that on the UCAS website.

Ironoaks or should I say 9 or A*^

Dd has apparently finished her PS...[Halo]