UCAS timetable help please

[MotherSpider]

Wondering how far along people's DCs are with their UCAS applications?
My son's school (mid-performing ordinary state comprehensive) have done nothing so far, or nothing that I've seen. No parents meeting, no personal statement help or guidance, no suggestion of any predicted grades. Are we very behind?
Almost all the uni open days will be over within the next month or so but DS feels in limbo, that he can't make any choices about where he might want to go without knowing what kinds of grades they're likely to predict.
Obviously I can ring the school go discuss the matter, but this being my eldest child I don't know if I'm being a hysterical parent and should just sit tight for a bit longer!

Hmm, I was having a bit of a moan to dh that ds school were a bit behind but I think your dc school is propably unusual.

Ds and his Year group all had a UCAS day at the end of Y12 where they got thier UCAS log ins started thinking about courses and what a personal statement might involve.

If any dc want to apply for Oxbridge then the deadline for completed forms is 15 October - which is now less than 3 weeks away. By this stage most appplicants will be finalising PS and entering for any aptitude tests. Final UCAS entrry is sometime in January.

If your dc want to study Maths, then there are other universities that require admissions tests which are sat in late october - entry closes for these on 15 October.

My ds was told his predicted grades after end of year summer exams. Other schools do it in early September so students know where to pitch thier applications.

I am by no means a hysterical parent but in your shoes, I would be getting onto the school asap.

HTH

My Ds's school seems in the ball. All applications need to be completed by 22nd October. They like to get them in very early.

My DD's music application has to be in on 1 October.

Definitely ask them about predicted grades!

Go to some open days, read up about things, get him to start drafting his PS. Remember that your son can always apply after his actual results for 2021 entry -- but as someone pointed out to me on another thread, some schools will happily write UCAS references for ex-pupils and some won't, so you need to ask about that too.

I would ask the school what the timeline is for receiving predicted grades. Did he have school exams at the end of Y12? If so, he could use those grades as a guideline to know what courses are feasible to look at.

He can start drafting his personal statement anytime, he doesn't need to wait for guidance from the school (DS's school didn't offer any guidance). If he's not sure where to start, there's a tool on the UCAS website to help them plan it. Some of the university websites also have good tips on writing personal statements.

Have they not hot a single applicant interested in being a medic, vet or applying to Oxbridge? The early entry deadline is 15 October so they need to pull their finger out. Some universities also expect you to sit admissions tests which take place on 30 October and entries also close on 15 Oct.