Help - university have rejected dd's request for deferral

[twosoups1972]

Dd was unwell in Year 13 with anxiety/depression. She was studying 3 A Levels and a BTEC and after some time at home getting well, she decided to just sit one A Level this year (English) and continue with the BTEC.

Her first choice of university (Birmingham) gave her an offer of an A in English and DDM for the BTEC. She got DDD* for the BTEC and a C in English which she was disappointed with, but Birmingham made the offer unconditional a few days before A Level results came out.

Dd really wants the place but doesn't want to go this year for 2 reasons - she doesn't feel ready especially after being ill, and secondly she wants to get the other 2 A Levels. She has a place at a Sixth Form college for this coming year to complete the A Levels.

However she has just found out that Birmingham have refused her request to defer the place as she didn't meet or exceed their standard offer which is AAB I think. Really upset for her as they gave her this (non-standard?) offer in the first place.

Does anyone have any experience of this and how should she proceed?

[Namechangeforthiscancershit]

Is English the degree subject? I would expect an A level at grade C isn't ideal as preparation for a degree course. Your daughter needs lots of confidence and building up if that is the case. I wouldn't worry about 2 more A levels but work on boosting her and helping with her MH instead.

[Oratory1]

Sooverthemill and boggles but sometimes it’s only to confirm what you put on your application is correct. Not necessarily a condition of getting the job

[peanutbear]

My son is at UOB he suffers from anxiety and has ASC.
The uni have been amazing with him and really encouraged him in his learning.
I was worried when he went as I wondered if he would cope. He has and is about to start his masters.
So if your dad goes this year or next I'm sure she will feel supported by the pastoral team there.

[peanutbear]

Dad? Dd. Sorry

[LIZS]

Is it worth speaking to the Disability support services at uni for advice and see if there are any other avenues you could pursue? I agree a C might be lower than expected for entry to an English degree (assuming that is the subject) but if they were happy enough to take her this year with it why not next? Or is there a foundation year or alternative related course with different entry requirements she would be happy with if she could defer?

[LolaSmiles]

I think your husband is being quite closed minded, which is worrying as an employer really should be aware that there's many valid level 3 qualification routes. Given A levels don't qualify anyone to do a job, it's worrying that there's any organisations would rule out a suitable candidate on those grounds. It shows real lack of understanding.

It's fairly typical for a non-standard offer to be for that year as the university have decided they will have the space. Next year they may not have spaces as they get enough who meet their offer.

Personally, I would speak to disability services for some advice and support and then take the offer for this year.

[twosoups1972]

Thank you, I have been out all day but will read all the posts properly later.

[SirTobyBelch]

@gracefull - Many universities don't base offers on UCAS tariff points. If I made an offer of AAB, I wouldn't regard A-level grades of A*AC or a BTEC extended diploma at DDD as being "equivalent".

[gracefull]

Yeah I do understand how it all works @sirtonybelch, I started uni 5 years ago myself and went through the whole process. At that time, I had several friends who didn’t make their offers ie. ABB but had AAC, and got into redbrick unis and many unis did make offers on ucas points. As the OP’s daughter has already been accepted into Birmingham once with these grades, I assumed it was still the same and would be strange for them to reject her a second time around. I stand corrected if things have changed though. I am just speaking from the experience of myself/my peers.

[twosoups1972]

UPDATE -

Well......I spoke to someone at Birmingham yesterday who explained the process and why they can't carry over unconditional offers. She couldn't really understand why dd is doing more A Levels as she already has the equivalent of four. She advised dd, for the sake of her mental health, to spend the year doing something she enjoys and making sure she is well before reapplying next year.

However....a few hours later I had an email from her. She had looked further into dd's case and was very surprised to see that dd was studying 3 A Levels AND a BTEC, also that she had strong predicted grades (before her illness) and that her GCSE grades were good. Bearing that in mind, she has authorised the deferral to next year!

She still strongly advises dd not to do more A Levels. She said A Levels usually cause students the most stress and they find university less pressurised.

I forgot to mention that dd's Grade C was only 6 marks off a B, we have requested a re-mark which we are still waiting to hear the outcome of.

I now also feel that dd shouldn't do more A Levels and should consider other options for a healthy, productive gap year.

So some thinking about the next step is required now but thank goodness she has her place for next year

[LIZS]

Excellent news, so pleased your dd has the best opportunity to get well and move forward. Good luck to her.

[twosoups1972]

They also said that from next year, Birmingham will not be making any more unconditional offers.

[TerribleCustomerCervix]

Brilliant news OP- that admissions officer really went above and beyond there!

Hope you dd enjoys her gap year!

[Disfordarkchocolate]

What fantastic news. Your daughter can now enjoy this gap year, it will be great for her mental health.

[Gwynfluff]

It’s brilliant she has her deferral and it seems you have good advice about her a-levels. But I’d be cautious about thinking HE is less pressured. It’s a big step up from A-level. A-levels are highly structured, with a known curriculum and teaching that closely fits, when done well, to the syllabus and prepares students in detail for the assessment.

In HE the curriculum is broader and the syllabus much less defined. The students are also expected to be much more self-directed in terms of working out what is required for the assessment. Indeed, the Arts subjects still have very little contact time.

So it’s vital that she goes into a course she feels she can manage. That would be the only benefit to me of resitting the a-level at this stage. If that was behind her original thinking. Rather than the worry over having BTECs.

[twosoups1972]

Thank you @Gwyn I know it's not an easy ride, you only have to look at the numbers of university students who are struggling and/or dropping out of courses. I'm hoping dd is confident and self-motivated enough to do well. In the last few months before she sat her English A Level, she was working really hard, writing lots of extra essays and made huge progress. So a C was really disappointing to her (but apparently one paper was close to an A which proves she has the ability, not sure what went wrong with the second paper).

My dc all know I don't care much about grades, I want them to be happy and healthy and make the right decisions for them. After seeing her last Christmas so down and unhappy and then see her recovery, I know what's important.

[Comefromaway]

That's fantastic.

The admissions officer is correct. it is really unusual to do 3 A levels AND a Btec Extended. Usually it's 3 A Levels and a Btec Certificate or 1 A level and a Btec Extended Diploma.

Hopefully it's one less worry for your dd.

[Sooverthemill]

Brilliant news. Well done. I hope your DD can have a good year relaxing and enjoying herself

[Oratory1]

That’s brilliant news, and well done you for taking the initiative. I hope this year works well and she has as good a first year as my DD2

Taking a year out was the best thing she could have done. To be honest she spent most of it watching box sets but it was what she needed at the time.

And yes uni isn’t easy (there is less hand holding and you have to be self motivated) but I think at the same time it is less time pressured and there is more time to breath and do things at their own pace and at a time that suits them.

We found the support at Birmingham v good too and there is more of an attitude of looking after yourself and each other, and self care and wellbeing rather than competing to be the most stressed which exists at some schools

Good luck !!

[Ironoaks]

What a great outcome!

[pikapikachu]

Fab news and I'm glad that they gave you good advice about not doing even more the A-levels.

[Gwynfluff]

@twosoups1972 I really hope she enjoys her year off and has a great time at Uni. Don’t be afraid to declare everything at the start.

[LIZS]

Dd is now finding herself in similar position having had her request denied, the day before arrivals day. She has asked for reconsideration but not hopeful as there is no appeals process and the uni say they have reached their limit for deferred places. So looks like she would need to reapply with no guarantee of an offer.

[Embracelife]

Good outcome op.
Dd was ill yr 13 so dropped out and repeated. That was hard for her.
Your dd has grades in the bag but can use the gap year to do fun things related to her subject...reading and theatre and book talks etc

[Embracelife]

And have her get in touch with disabilty support at Birmingham and apply for disabled student allowance etc