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Higher education

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

Original poster

Durham University

998 replies

NotEnoughTime · 04/02/2020 14:18

Hello.

How many of us are waiting for their DC to hear back from Durham? My DS applied back in October last year and is getting very down now he knows that others who have received offers are being informed that they will be told soon re college allocations.

I am usually a 'no news is good news' type of person but even I am finding it hard to be upbeat as I too am fed up Confused

I wish they would just let him me know soon if he is going to get an offer or a rejection and then he can get on with his life and his A Level revision without this hanging over him.

OP posts:
errorofjudgement · 29/03/2020 10:01

@RainbowDash101 - and is it one she likes? Wants?

RainbowDash101 · 29/03/2020 10:23

@errorofjudgement, hi, my dd was allocated her college back in February and it was the one she had chosen. There’s a chart here which shows statistics regarding college allocation and preference.

www.dur.ac.uk/resources/colleges.se.office/UGPreferencesforColleges-2019Entry.pdf

errorofjudgement · 29/03/2020 10:38

Oops sorry - I misread your initial post, I thought your DD had just had her college allocation!
Great that she got her first choice!

ceramichedgehog · 30/03/2020 20:45

After all the wait DS didn't get an offer from Durham !

KingscoteStaff · 30/03/2020 22:42

Oh hedgehog, I’m so sorry - what a bore!
Where do you think he will go with?

Original poster
NotEnoughTime · 31/03/2020 11:05

Sorry to hear that hedgehog especially after waiting all this time too Sad

OP posts:
errorofjudgement · 31/03/2020 12:41

So sorry Hedgehog.
Hope your DS has other choices that he can be happy about x

ceramichedgehog · 31/03/2020 17:31

Leeds I think

It's not so much the rejection but the bloody time it's taken !

FOLIJI · 01/04/2020 11:25

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GaribaldiGirl · 01/04/2020 14:01

My daughter got rejected too. State school AAA plus A* in an EPQ in the subject. She was upset of course but I am secretly pleased because I didn’t like it. Just wish they’d done it months ago. Annoying. Won’t encourage any of her siblings to apply.

errorofjudgement · 01/04/2020 18:42

@GaribaldiGirl sorry to read your DDs rejection. They are superb predictions, what subject is she looking to study at uni, and does she have other acceptances that she likes?

GaribaldiGirl · 01/04/2020 18:54

They are actual grades - she’s on a gap year. She wants to do English which I suppose is super competitive at Durham. She has 4 other offers and I think she’ll perhaps go to Edinburgh or Kings.

nolanscrack · 02/04/2020 11:48

Those of you who have commented on the mix of children might be interested to know that over half of Etons upper sixth(B block) got offers from Durham

nipersvest · 03/04/2020 09:42

I haven't posted on this thread before but DD had been waiting (and waiting, and waiting..) for a response from Durham. Finally, 7.30pm on Monday evening, she didn't get in to Philosophy but has been given a referral offer for Theology. Her immediate response is that she's not keen, but last night she had an email from St Mary's offering her a place. St Mary's was her preference, and to be honest, after having a referral course offer, she'd more or less assumed she wouldn't get her chosen college and would be offered left overs instead.

This has put the cat amongst the pigeons a bit, she's still not keen on Theology, but now needs to weigh up life beyond Uni and how far a Durham Theology degree could take her compared to Philosophy at Uni of Birmingham (she already has a Cambidge rejection in the bag).

goodbyestranger · 03/04/2020 09:46

How many of the options are the same? It could be that there's significant overlap and indeed that the first year is almost the same, if not identical. She might well then be able to switch.

nipersvest · 03/04/2020 10:06

We're going through the course specs with a fine toothcomb now to compare. Funnily enough, the Principal at St Mary's is a Theology Professor. We've asked dd to take time and think before making any decisions, as with a lot of sixth forms, many at her college have rushed into their firm/insurance since the lockdown.

She's very low though, she's been given her A level grades already, no need for more criteria or assessing as she's a solid A* in them all. She's incredibly lucky to have Durham on the table and to have been offered St Mary's, but to her she's been rejected from Philosophy twice and it stings a bit.

PosyRosie · 03/04/2020 11:32

@nipersvest my DD firmed her offer for Theology and Religion last night. It was her first choice of course and she applied for a mix of Philosophy, religion and Ethics courses and religious studies courses. She has had her offer since January and had been weighing up between two entirely different universities, but yesterday out of the blue firmed Durham. She said she was really inspired by the course at the Open Day, I always thought she would favour the Philosophy and religion courses rather than one with more Theology but that’s her choice.

Interested in the comment about half of Eton having offers as she is coming from a ‘requires improvement’ comprehensive in the North East where very few people go to university at all. Worrying about fitting in was one of the things putting her off, also worrying about not being ‘good enough’ compared to those who might have had a ‘better’ education. But she’s going for it and I’m proud of her.

GaribaldiGirl · 03/04/2020 12:05

I really wouldn’t worry about her being good enough! She got there through hard work and talent. I’m not saying the Etonians don’t work hard but they do have access to the best of everything education can offer and not achieving is never an option for them. And that’s really not the same as being clever and not the same as achieving grades in a less well funded schools.
What I think may be different is her confidence in speaking up in seminars etc. Public schools generate confidence in their pupils and pupils are trained for leadership.
And whilst I dislike Etonians disproportionate success at getting into top universities, in my personal experience they have charming manners and are respectful of others success.

Original poster
NotEnoughTime · 03/04/2020 12:40

PosyRosie

But she’s going for it and I’m proud of her

And so you jolly well should be. She's done amazingly well. Has she been allocated her college yet? I guess Johns would be the obvious choice? I also agree with everything GaribaldiGirl said above.

OP posts:
PosyRosie · 03/04/2020 12:50

She is going to Hild Bede. It was her first choice, but no idea what she based it on! She is excited to meet people from different backgrounds and for all of the opportunities that Durham will bring.

nipersvest · 03/04/2020 12:52

@PosyRosie it's Theology & Religion that my dd has been offered, she's state school too

Serin · 03/04/2020 16:28

nipersvest
Well done to your DD.
It might not be the exact course she was hoping for but it's an achievement all the same. I guess she will have similar prospects whether she takes the Birmingham or the Durham offer. So maybe she needs to consider where she will be happiest?
My DS has accepted St Marys (but for computer science). He has a friend doing Theology and Religion at Hilde Bede (1st year) and he is loving life there.

sageandroses · 03/04/2020 17:16

@PosyRosie I went to one of the most traditional colleges from a 'requires improvement' north east comprehensive and thrived! She is talented and intelligent enough to be there, they wouldn't make her an offer if she wasn't. Something to always remember!

Original poster
NotEnoughTime · 03/04/2020 21:29

Hild Bede looks really good PosyRosie I'm sure she will have a fabulous time there Smile

OP posts:
DadDadDad · 11/04/2020 10:29

I wonder how the building work is currently progressing on South College? Shock