University 2020 :5: Results day approaching and beyond

[MillicentMartha]

Old thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3855474-University-2020-4-The-wait-for-grades-and-better-days-ahead?pg=40

Less than 3 months to go until we have a better idea what the future has in store for our DC. Let’s hope that even if most lectures are online that accommodation is open and they can move up, across or down to their university towns and start their student life.

We should have been in the middle of exams, instead we have this strange limbo of lockdown. It could have been worse, though.

Thankyou, I shall inform my friend who became very upset on seeing this.
I thought posting it here would garner a positive explanation and response, as I know many of you know much more than me.
I shall share this with my friend.
X

Exactly monkey 👍 I think we all sort of expected this as teachers will go with predicted and of course on the day some students will drop grades. As we know unis will need students so I hope no one panics

Sorry not clear - in an exam situation some students would have dropped grades

The petition is indeed alarmist, but I've signed it anyway, because despite all the very calm and rational explanations that I've read - and written - about how it will probably be OK, it still sticks in my craw that some of our children will potentially have their goals snatched away because "computer says no". And I'm quite keen to keep the issue in the limelight.

@AChickenCalledDaal the problem is that signing a petition which has its facts wrong undermines the genuine worries which are supported by the facts issued to date. It can easily be dismissed and makes it easier to dismiss petitions which are factually based.

A better petition to sign is this one www.change.org/p/ofqual-review-the-standardisation-of-grades-in-summer-2020 and I think it reflects your concerns well.

Chicken how did STEP go?

Monkey you are quite right and I agree that the petition you have linked exactly relates to my concerns. There's still a bit of me that thinks "all publicity is good publicity" though and I hope Ofqual are listening.

STEP was really, really hard, as expected, but she's done as much as she feels she reasonably can. She coped well with the online situation, but it definitely added a whole extra layer of anxiety.

If she scrapes the required STEP grade, but misses out on the A* in FM due to Ofqual, I'll be incandescant. But we are where we are and I'm trying to trust that things will work out for the best.

Stupid, alarmist petition! It’s all over my FB feed. I’ve been commenting on it every time that I won’t be signing it, that some schools may well be over egging their grades and there needs to be checks and balances to ensure that the results are as fair as possible to every child. If the pattern of grades is inflated this year, then the results won’t be be worth the paper they’re written on. Future employers and universities have to have confidence that this year’s results are comparable to previous years.

I’m sure it’s hard to predict a grade 3 for any of the pupils that you hoped might get a 4 at GCSE on a good day, with a fair wind blowing so teachers may well be over optimistic. However, some of those pupils will have got a 3 in the real thing and a 3 is fair.

Same with A level results. Not to rehash an old argument too much, but it must be tempting as a teacher to ensure your student got their university offer, but these results need to stand up to scrutiny and be statistically sound and as fair as possible.

I hope those needing the As etc get them it’s all so stressful

I will say as an employer in a prestigious industry I have never looked at a levels if they have a degree so as long as they get past this step I am sure all will be ok

Away from grades and back to bubbles. DD now back to thinking she’ll go this year, but we live in a much visited seaside area so fears of a new CV hotspot very real. And given news of Leicester hotspot today what happens if you are either from a new hotspot or the uni is in a hotspot that develops in next few weeks? How would others in your bubble feel? What would happen if some unis have to pause start of year and others not?

I get your worry. DS will hopefully be going to Manchester and the North West is currently one of the areas with higher cases. I don’t think there’s anything we can do about it, though. September start is still 10 - 11 weeks away, though.

DD's not sure what to do - her course at Imperial will be 100% online until January. They're offering accommodation contracts that start in January so that's a great help. She's just not sure whether to stay home or go to London in October.

I think universities could test or isolate people coming from high risk areas. St Andrews has announced that they will provide free accommodation for 2 weeks before start of term for international students. They will deliver food so that people can fully isolate.

I think testing may become more common, so people from countries without bridges and hotspots in the UK may be tested, with results same day before they join a bubble. Iceland are already testing all people arriving at the airport, there are companies planning to offer a testing service at UK airports.

But, as Millicent says, a lot can change in 9 weeks plus.

@seedybird that is a tricky one! Is that what Imperial are doing for all courses?

Seedy had your DD found her course mates on FB? She may be able to see what others are planning there or on The Student Room. I think it would be good to live with course mates so you can watch lectures together and discuss as well as meeting people and starting to make those lifelong friendships, but not if the halls are like ghost towns!

Oh wow, good on Imperial for being so honest and upfront on what will be happening. I imagine they have a high percentage of overseas students so this does provide some reassurance and a breathing space for them.

Its interesting to see how different universities are planning to manage the students from September. I expect other universities will be talking about their plans in the next few weeks.

@seedybird - have they mentioned Freshers or the availability of the usual clubs and societies? If these are all on hold until January it might be sensible to delay moving until then (though that can also be dependent on what/who will still be around if your DD stays at home, and whether she will have friends already in London that she can socialise with.

@Monkey2001 - I don't believe that Imperial are doing this for all courses - perhaps it's down to the nature/type of course and how much lab, field and practical work there is? She know someone on another course who is going in October.

I also know what you mean about empty halls - I studied in London and so I know how it can be difficult for some to make the transition to life in London at the best of times, without the effects of Covid 19.

Luckily she's made some friends on her course, both Imperial and her second choice, and they have regular chats and zoom meetings. I think they're all torn, to be honest. She's also lucky in that some girls from her school are also hoping to go to Imperial.

@errorofjudgement - I don't think she's heard anything about Freshers etc and if it's delayed then that could well be something that
influences her decision.

Thanks for the ideas

The spike in Leicester perhaps mirrors what has been happening in Germany but their R has now gone down overall. So by sept/Oct our R could be very low if we follow that pattern. I hope so.

Apparently the uk testing capacity is very under used at the moment so I hope that means more capacity for autumn

as a result of some universities switching to online learning there has been an upsurge in applications to the Open University- online learning for a fraction of the price

Gosh I think the OU is really expensive. It didn't use to be, but once the fees went up to £9k a year for the bricks and mortar universities they whacked their fees up too. I would rather pay for the full experience at a "normal" uni - 8 out of 9 terms should be fine.

I also wonder what current Y13s will do if they don't go to uni this year. They may already have a job but most won't and travel isn't really going to be much of an option.

Less deferrals and more students going from this data

www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/rise-number-students-planning-start-university-autumn

@mumsneedwine that is a very encouraging release. The universities have been worried about a fall in international students, but they are actually up by 12% at this stage. It is also impressive that the UK numbers are up in spite of it being the bottom of the low birth year.

Maybe it will be like the Y2K bug and, although the virus has had a devastating impact on many families, the university sector may not be affected as much as was feared.

I know I’m going back a couple of pages, but DD is another one who has been assessed and was given extra time in exams. It didn’t come up at GCSE. Partly I think, because my DS is so much more dyslexic (and also dyspraxic) than her, so she just seemed as though she was fine in comparison.
It’s only now, looking back that I see so many signs. Parenthood sometimes feels like it’s all guilt!
She’s also recently been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue, which would have given her rest breaks in the exams. But at least she can inform the university of that when she starts

I've noticed some comments today about it's the last day to submit 'references' my son is starting uni this September and I thought we had done everything necessary?

That might be for the school academic references for late applications, maybe? Most forms would have been in by 15th January, though and school references would have been done by then.

www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/ucas-undergraduate-when-apply

Yes, today is the deadline for late applications. Anyone applying after today goes straight into clearing.