Medicine 2020 (part 2)

[Monkey2001]

This follows on from the first thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3380915-Medicine-2020

Leics offer in. It was an early interview and DS felt it went badly.
Went with him and was unhelpfully nervous apparently 😬.
DS already has his A-Level results though, so is in a different position to those gearing up for exams this summer.

Oh ok. He said rejection but think the wording was score at interview not quite high enough to secure an offer.
The interview actually went really badly and he was on day one of horrendous cold. It's not a big surprise really. He also booked it really early and we had unexpected guests from abroad just before leaving.

DH went with him

Oh King, you do look back at the early ones and feel that they went terribly but in reality, it’s very hard to tell.
Encouraging that he’s on the reserve list though. He must have been very close, which bodes well for the later interviews, without sickness/annoying guests etc.

Congrats SleightOfMind, which one is his top choice?

Kingofkings DS got a "proper" rejection last year. It looks like all the reserve offer holders without offers elsewhere ultimately got an offer.

Oh ok thanks so much. He does have his ucl offer but grades are rather high.

Sorry to ask something obvious but do we wait fir all responses to be in before accepting/ firming offers ?

Yes, reserve offers usually translate into something firmer once everyone has formed and rejected. It’s a jolly good start.

DS has his heart set on Aberdeen, which we’ve yet to interview for.
I have no idea what he’ll decide in the end.
The only thing he’s certain about is that he does not want to do maths at Imperial!

The way the Sheffield reserve list works may not help Kingofking's DS as they take you off the list if you hold an offer elsewhere. Hope he gets an AAA offer somewhere else to use as an insurance.

It is very possible that if he misses the UCL offer they will let him in anyway, I think there is an FOI showing more leeway than you might expect.

You can't firm a choice whilst you have decisions pending, but you can withdraw from any you are no longer interested in.

@Monkey2001and @ladsmum (from last year) warm congratulations on your ever growing clutch of offers! It’s a great position to be to have choices to make - how exciting!

Just in case there are any thread members or thread lurkers around who have not heard anything yet, I want you to know you are not alone.
DD not rejected, on hold or accepted.
Maybe on the other hand I am alone and everyone else has offers or has at least had news?

No news yet from Liverpool or Leeds.
But Liverpool interviewed late and Leeds sent ds a message saying there would be a delay until first week of March.

Piggy Hand hold!! So grateful for your post as we are in the same boat. Such an anxious time though I seem to be suffering more than DS1 who is carrying on stoically. We have a Cambridge rejection and still waiting to hear from 3.

king We are also waiting for Leeds and gave received the same 'delay' email. The same happened last year, if I recall correctly. DS1 said he messed up one station so not holding out much hope.

We had put Leicester as a relatively 'safe' choice but have heard nothing so far which is worrying! DS1 thought it was his worst interview.

I've been panicking and looking at Extra already!

Shall we update the list as it helps to see who else is waiting? People were still waiting for

Aberdeen
Bristol
Cardiff
Dundee
Imperial
Kings
Leeds
Leicester
Liverpool
Manchester
Q Mary
Sheffield x lots
Southampton
UEA x many

I think most of the Sheffield ones and some of the Cardiff ones are out now, but the others may all still be waiting.

@242Mummy you sound like me last year, I hope your story for this year does not continue to follow the same pattern, but if it does, it is really not as bad as you think. DS applied to Cambridge, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle last year so similar choices as well. I hope Leeds comes through but they have had a really low offer rate in the past, only offered 40% when most are around 70%. They may change it this year as they had to let in a lot of people who had not achieved the grades because they had not over-offered a lot.

I think Leicester will be sending out a lot more offers, maybe next week, so fingers crossed for that.

We are waiting for Nottingham, Keele and UEA

piggy We are waiting for UEA too. Hopefully there'll be news in a couple of weeks. How did your DD find the interview? DS1 thought that the interviewers were friendly and nice but so did everyone else!

Monkey yes, I did see similarities between our DSs! Seemed to like the same type of uni, also interview-averse. Your story so far has been a masterclass in gap year re-application and I shall be re-reading if necessary!

DS has an offer from Nottingham, but is still waiting to hear from Leicester and UEA. He was rejected by Kent and Medway (What a waste of choice!) He has applied with deferred entry as he really wants to have a gab year. He might be forced to have one anyway if he doesn’t get the grades in the summer. Congratulations to all with offers. Especially for @Monkey2001’s DS, I have been following your story. And patience to all those who are still waiting.

Yes I knew that @Hattifatteners and someone else on here also has an offer which doesn't make me feel better about things.
I am sure she will get an offer soon - she is a one shot person she has always said so if she doesn't then she will take her fifth choice. No gap or second go here - she wants to get on.
They were very nice at UEA but as it was DDs first one I think it is now a bit of a blur. Hope the wait is over soon for all of our DC.

I am sorry Piggy, I didn’t want to make you feel bad...

Oh gosh @Hattifatteners - I didn't mean it like that! I meant being aware that people - your son and other DC included - had received offers from Nottingham didn't make me feel better. I am absolutely delighted for everyone and their DC who are out of limbo land - we are all a cheer squad on here and I want everyone to succeed.

@hoodiemum, DS has the same dilemma as your DD - St Andrews v Sheffield, and I think they were looking for similar things (at least they seem to go to the same festivals). Which would she choose now that she has been at St A for half a year? Thanks!

Hi @Monkey2001. I reckon there wouldn't be many students who with hindsight would have chosen anywhere else. They're almost all happy where they go and can't imagine an alternative. How lovely that he's got three to choose from this year! Great role model for perseverance.

Pros for Sheffield:

• Easier to come home when you hit a wobble (and most kids have the odd wobble at some point, and many have quite serious ones); I really wouldn't underestimate this issue.
• Cheaper 2nd and 3rd year accommodation
• Clubbing, gigs etc
• Can do it all in 5 years not 6
• big enough city that there's no risk of getting claustrophobic after a couple of years

Pros for St Andrews (there are more in the list because I know more about it - of course, some of these things may be true for Sheffield too)

• everything is SO near everywhere else within the town
• very strong links between different year groups, so very good sense of community
• bragging rights about being 2nd best uni in the country according to some league table (I know, it doesn't matter, and there are lots of other league tables, but she likes it that she feels really proud to say where she's studying and people of older generations respect it)
• students are very proactive in organising parties, balls etc - social life seems to be non-stop if you want it, and cheap
• full body dissections (can't remember if Sheffield do them, but DD really loves them after getting over the initial horror).
• fresh air (she's always banging on about the difference when she comes home, and we live on the outskirts of a town, not in inner city smog-land)
• beach, of course

Either way, he'll have a great time, I'm sure. Good luck with the decision!

Probably not the right thing to say at this point but I am pleased Leicester offers are going to be declined! Gives DS1 a bit more of a chance! 🤣🤣

Thanks @hoodiemum. As we live in a big city, I think he can get the clubbing etc when home with friends.

@242Mummy I hope you will be sharing your own good news soon. We are going to the Leicester applicant holder day as he really loved it when he went to the open day, so still considering it, but several of his school friends and girlfriend are planning to go to Sheffield for other courses, so it is probably not a real competitor for him now, although he would have been very happy to go there.

Are any other Sheffield offer holders planning to go to the offer holders day? Have you all picked up that there is free accommodation in student halls and a meal available on the Friday night for up to 3 people if you book early enough? Seemed like a good way to get a real feel for being a student there. We are going 21st March, but accom may all be gone for that one as we booked when we thought we were going to the Biomed offer holder day. I believe the offer holder days are 7th March, 21st March, 18th April.