University 2020 :8: Use the CAGs, don’t use the CAGs...

[MillicentMartha]

...if you can use the mocks, then use the mocks but not if they're higher than the CAGs.

And hopefully on to university!

Old thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3993327-University-2020-7-Results-tombola-roll-up-roll-up-pick-a-prize?pg=39

I do wish there was a like button on here , I completely agree with millicent all they have done is thrown the problem at the Universities who are not remotely responsible for this mess.

@TheDrsDocMartens

I suspect ucas/universities had as much notice as the general public and won’t have a clue what to do When the first calls come.

I can confirm that this is true.

The concern over a bun fight for places next year might mean more students will want to go this year, with any place.

What a mess.

From ACC to AAA here.
Sadly the offer at Durham has "gone".
What an absolute mess.
Is there anything this govt wont fuck up?

@Serin - what do they mean by "gone"? No chance to defer until next year?

@Serin surely Durham are obliged to honour their offer if your dc achieved the grades they wanted even if it is deferred to next year?

First world problem... so how do we get issued with the new grades? We haven’t been given DS’s by the school. They were suggesting we needed to go the SAR route before today. I know two of his calculated grades must have matched the CAGs, but not his FM. I suspect it’s a match for FM as well, though.

Newcastle University tweeted this - click through for longer statement
twitter.com/UniofNewcastle/status/1295427208102793225?s=09

I hope Newcastle have thought about and spoken to the course leaders of courses like medicine before making that statement! I suspect they might not have done!

Ds gone from ABB to AAA, nothing changes as he had an unconditional but he is very happy! I really hope everyone gets the places they deserved. 🤞🤞🤞

That's mentioned if you click through to the statement:

Following the Ofqual announcement this evening, we are working to accept all students who meet the terms of their original offer.

We recognise, however, that some programmes have an externally-determined cap where numbers are tightly restricted because of space or specialist facilities. This is particularly the case for clinical subjects such as medicine and dentistry.

We are therefore seeking clarity from the Government and relevant agencies about ensuring as many students as possible can be accepted to their first choice University. Where this is not possible, we will guarantee a deferred place for next year.

This is still a rapidly changing situation and we expect the guidance and information to continue to change over the coming week.

All information will be available and updated here as soon as it is available.

Well it’s good that they’re saying if they can’t squeeze students in for certain courses then they will guarantee a place for next year.

So ds' grades matched his CAGs but is unhappy with 2 of them & no way of appealing.
He missed his first choice & was one grade below what they offered in clearing. He has always been a very successful crammer which has now caught up with him. He also had ME diagnosed a year ago after all sorts of health problems. College have submitted a mitigation form & first choice uni said they would review his application (his ucas reference was brilliant). Haven't heard from them yet. Ds is holding his insurance place but would still prefer first choice. I feel sure he won't get in now at first choice after today's news but have no idea how best to advise him

Serin that has to be worth a fight. I bet they are looking at their highest % of private school places too. It is their issue to find a place, not your sons.

Still haven't had son's CAG, can't get through to school, spoke to first choice uni yesterday before all this and they were collecting information from school. I have no idea what the gap between his CAG and I he original offer is or if they will look at anything lower. His predicted grades for the UCAS form were ABB, on Thursday he received CCD which I was told at the time the school were going to appeal, so can only assume at the moment they were higher than the grades awarded on Thursday

Also, do the exam officers at the school know the CAG? It's just she's been getting the appeal together and seemed to think (then) that it was worth doing, which surely wouldn't have been the case if they were too low?

Your school sounds as communicative as DS’s. I know my school has the CAGs on Sims (school database) but I don’t know if that’s common.

I keep being told we should have them by now, Ds has been proactive and contacted the uni, but without knowing it's impossible to guess how it will go

DS school emailed this evening to say they could now see the CAGs on the school portal.

Ds has had an email tonight about the maths grading. Basically his college followed the government guidance to the letter and ranked students in order of the assessments they had done. So though she knew he was capable of more, there was no allowance for that. Ds had ME throughout college but wasn't diagnosed until end of Y12 so didn't have any adjustments in place until well into year 13. He is gutted and I don't feel we can help him. Think I will contact college tomorrow and ask for their help.

That’s the downside of everyone getting their CAGs, it penalises those from less optimistic schools who tried to follow the guidance. Would he take the autumn ‘resits’ northender?

.

@MillicentMartha

First world problem... so how do we get issued with the new grades? We haven’t been given DS’s by the school. They were suggesting we needed to go the SAR route before today. I know two of his calculated grades must have matched the CAGs, but not his FM. I suspect it’s a match for FM as well, though.

You will get them next week:

www.gov.uk/government/news/gcse-and-a-level-students-to-receive-centre-assessment-grades

Am hoping that all unis and students look at what can be provided space wise to give every student the best education and experience they normally offer. It would be awful if anyone felt their course was over full and being taught by lecturers doing more than they can manage or would normally do. Presumably Covid restrictions mean numbers in rooms matter but I hope it doesn’t mean more online than was envisaged last week.
Vain hope that someone takes a long view and thinks about how to compensate those forced to take gap years and stop the chaos impacting on the year below.

@Serin

From ACC to AAA here. Sadly the offer at Durham has "gone". What an absolute mess. Is there anything this govt wont fuck up?

That is rubbish, they can't get away with that, will at least have to defer it if they can't honour the offer this year. You must all be gutted.