Applying for uni in 2021...

[Parsley65]

Thought I'd start the ball rolling on this one...

Dd wants to study psychology and we've been checking out dates of open days.

Her school still does AS levels. She's doing psychology, physics & business.

Please come and join us on the long and bumpy ride past revision and exams and on towards the much anticipated start of uni life in Autumn 2021.

DD has just received an offer from St Andrews for Biochemistry. It’s the final offer from her choices and we thought she might have to wait a lot longer than this to hear from them. Very relieved and excited!

Dd1 has an offer for Durham and today she has found out her college if she gets there. It was her second choice but I think she's pleased with it so I am very happy for her. Changing the allocation process last week has really benefited her otherwise she would have had no say in this.

Congratulations to @Historygeek05's dd!

Congrats on the st Andrews offer @Historygeek05!
@LeiatheSchnauzer..ooh have colleges started to be allocated?! Dd thought it would be on Monday. I’ll have to get her to check her mails! Thanks for the heads up

@Beetlesand, dd1 has not received an email yet but she went onto the form where she put her college preference and it told her there where she had been allocated.

Thanks so much for that @LeiatheSchnauzer. Dd just checked and she’s got her first choice! She’s chuffed to bits!

Oh, that's fantastic for her!

Thanks @LeiatheSchnauzer. Ultimately she would have been happy at any of the colleges I’m sure . I’m glad your Dd is happy too. Lol- just got to get the actual *grades now

Yes, that still seems quite daunting. A lot of people seem to assume that TAGs will mean everyone gets their predictions but dd1 was really hoping for exams to prove that she could get the grades she needs for Durham. So still quite nervous as a couple of her grades were borderline at the mocks (last autumn but no exams since). She has been working so hard to push them safely over that boundary but is not in a position yet to be confident that she will get what she needs.

This has come up on another thread- Dd has been told ( by 6th form) to delay firming / insurancing until school have more information about how assessments will be made. Has anyone else had this or is everyone forging ahead ?

Yes DD's school have said not to make any decisions until school have had the chance to go through all their options with them. Think the plan was to do this once they are back in school physically. From what I hear it is the standard response for all schools in our area. They didn't say why exactly but presume it is so the school can understand how grades will be determined and then check that each pupil is on course for their preferred choices based on this. DD is very happy to wait (although only has 3 offers so far anyway) as she sees no difference in making a decision now or in 2/3 months.

The other really good reason for not rushing into a decision months in advance of the need for it to be made is that although it should possible to amend one's decision within the 'cooling off period', after that, there is no guarantee that universities will be amenable to it.

Every year, there are anguished posts on various forums from applicants (or from their parents) who entered their decision re firm and insurance choices at the earliest opportunity, only way down the line - but often still before what would have been their deadline - realising that their firm really isn't where they want to go, after all.

Very good point @MarchingFrogs

Yes, she is holding off on firming for these reasons. Luckily there doesn't seem to be a rush to firm Durham for accommodation but not sure if the same applies for Bristol, which could be her alternate firm (or insurance).

BTW, I asked DS2 whether his school had mentioned not firming anywhere yet, à propos decisions re the method to be used to award grades, discussions re likely personal assessments etc and the answer was no.
So, either

• they haven't considered it, or
• they intend to but are slow off the mark, or
• they have considered it, but can't be bothered, or
• they have thought about it, but have looked at UCAS predictions (unlikely to have been 'way above' at his achool) vs current levels / offers received and decided that there isn't the need, on a year- wde basis, at least.

@MarchingFrogs, I expect at least one of those options applies to dd's school too.

Apparently DS has been told not to firm anything until he hasn't discussed with his tutor. However he is still waiting to hear from one more place.

In any case I don't think there is an advantage to firming before the UCAS deadline unless the university has said you can choose your accom?

Some universities do go through the whole booking process very early on - pay deposit, get an actual confirmed room booking straightaway - but others (?more / most) run the process as, request now, get actual allocation and pay deposit later, with systems varying between it not mattering when within a certain window you submit your request, to a 'first come, first served' ranking of allocation. A guarantee of accommodation to all firm offer holders who apply for it on time is pretty much universal, though (with some also guaranteeing accommodation to those getting their place as their insurance or through Cearing / Adjustment).

Yes Dd was fretting after receiving accommodation prompt from York before she had other offers in/ before firming or insuring . She’s holding her nerve

Is anyone else finding some universities are being slow. DS1 has just got his second offer. 3 are still outstanding. I assume it’s the knock on effect of the longer UCAS deadline.

After months of no news ds has received an offer from Manchester for Philosophy and Politics of ABB.

So he now has offers from Liverpool, Manchester and QMUL. Still on hold for the 2 Bristol courses.

Kitty DS1’s offer today was Manchester too. AAB for Biomedical Science. He also has an offer from Sheffield at ABB so now he has options.

Chaz brilliant news for your son - congratulations to him! Where is he still waiting on?

Well done to your DS too.

DS1 is waiting on Exeter, Warwick and York.

Anyone’s DC do the Loughborough virtual applicant day yesterday? DS3 very enthused after it, and made DH and I sit though a load of accommodation / faculty / SU videos last night. It it keeps him motivated for this final push then great by me.