Languages at St Andrews

[Tenpastseven]

Does anyone have any experience of a languages degree (likely French and Spanish post A level) at St Andrews?

We had a look online and the information offered on the course looks far more sparse than on other Uni sites. Unless I’m just not looking properly.

We've had to ditch Liverpool now after an answer to an emailed I sent them. They don't do the course that DS wants. So back to Newcastle I think. School have advised to select 2 with higher offers, 2 with low offers and one in the middle. But there aren't any in the middle!!

Can I ask what kind of offers they're making?

Can I join this chat please? I have DD2 applying for French and Another Language for 2021 entry. She's just finished her UCAS application as she's doing an early entry for Oxford - even though she's not at all confident about getting an offer there.

In her heart she'd like to go to UCL for French and Mandarin (SOAS). Her other choices are Durham, St Andrews and Manchester I think.

She has no idea about what she wants to do career wise, and in her last minute panic has started to mention teaching or postgrad studies Let's just climb one hill at a time, I think. We've had Meltdown#1 already this week, mostly because she's got this early deadline for Oxford and she's been slack in her research IMO - really makes me want to ask her what she's been doing all these months, but luckily for us both I managed to bite my tongue. Nice to have fellow parents to share with here.

oh hey @EdithHope.

It's good to be gathering a gang of us with MFL hopefuls :)

What was it that she likes about UCL @Edith? I think DS is now considering UCL too but possibly deleting St Andrews

When are the assessments for the Oxford applicants? Aren't they pre-interview? I think there are a few of your DC going for Oxford. Is my DS the only Cambridge hopeful so far?

I also wonder if we should start a new thread with a more appropriate name? Is that a 'done thing'? I haven't been on Mumsnet much since my eldest was little nearly 20 years ago. But now am regularly checking into this talk topic.

@fufitt I think they will just be standard offers?

When I say offers, I mean entry requirements. Generally the traditional unis (excluding Oxbridge and the top, top ones - we're not looking there!) say AAB or ABB and the lower ones BBC or lower.

Lots of middling universities will be AAB Or ABB.

I think your DS wanted ab initio French and a Northern university though. That leaves out a lot of universities. Southampton do Spanish & French with AAB where ab initio could be French. Birmingham do MFL BA where French can be studied ab initio and they want ABB. Sheffield have similar with ABB. ditto Cardiff. I think widening the net is important. Being too choosy won’t find a middle ranking entry requirement.

BBC will be difficult because a lot of academic courses won’t think the C is good enough. However these courses go into clearing so you might scrape in somewhere good with BBC. However languages are not taught at middle ranking universities it seems. So the best bets are the ones I’ve indicated because I suspect they will be flexible on grades even if you don’t get the precise required grades.

DD hasn't managed to make it to Spain yet, though she wants to do it at university. I was planning Christmas in Spain, but who knows when it'll be possible now. Luckily she went to Spain in the February half term, which turned out to be very good timing.

Sorry - it was France in February. No Spanish speaking countries yet.

Exeter offer French which could be combined with Chinese, Russian, Italian, Spanish, German and Portuguese, any of which can be taken ab initio.

I'd like to get DD something fun in one of her languages for Christmas - eg a t shirt or hoodie. Finding it difficult to find anything in the UK (to avoid delivery costs from abroad). Does anyone know of anywhere that sells this kind of thing?

@Tenpastseven hi! Not sure exactly what DD likes about UCL - she has the idea that she wants to be in London.

I'm not sure she looked at Exeter, which given what @akerman says, is a shame! We managed some open days last summer, but aside from that we've very much left her to make her own choices (I'm not 100% sure what her final 5 are).

@fuffit have you looked on etsy? I've just searched "french tshirt" and it's come up with some French slogan tshirts (cute cats and slogans). Perhaps there'll be similar for the language you're looking for?

Good idea. The cute cats one hides a £14 delivery charge, but I'm tempted by "Oh Crêpe"!

Well there are a lot of French and Spanish speaking people in London! Some DC love the idea of London. It’s also handy for intern applications. Second year onwards can find students very spread out away from UCL unless they have fairly deep pockets. However it’s a world class university with many cultures attending as students.

@fuffit

Good idea. The cute cats one hides a £14 delivery charge, but I'm tempted by "Oh Crêpe"!

I ordered a "un deux trois cat" tshirt for around £12, free UK delivery. I think one of the filter options let's you choose UK sellers, so cheaper delivery costs perhaps?

DS appears to have chosen Southampton as his 5th choice. So now we have Cambridge, Bristol, Newcastle, UCL and Southampton.

If I’m correct, Southampton not really been discussed much on this thread? Any insights to offer?

UCAS is now ready to go I think though school yet to confirm. Teacher reference completed and predicted grades set. Holding onto my hat....

I mentioned up thread Southampton was AAB (AAA for MLang) but you can research this for the particular course. A friend’s DD was offered unconditional from there. She applied to Oxford and got in but Southampton were obviously keen. It’s not possible to see now if the course you are interested in was in clearing but if it was, they might ask for a bit lower to entice students.

AAA for languages from Southampton seems surprisingly high.

Southampton seem a bit odd in that BA joint honours French and Spanish is AAB and 4 years but MLang is a single language and also 4 years but AAA. I assume the MLang is greater immersion but I tend to think joint honours is better for employment for all sorts of reasons. I might be wrong about this though but that’s what I could see from a quick glance.

Am I wrong to infer that high-ish grade requirements means it’s a good Uni for languages then?

Depends how you define good. Who is deciding? League tables or employers? Southampton is ranked highly for MFL but it will depend what DC wants to do afterwards as to whether it beats Durham or Bristol for example. I would get DS to think about after his degree and whether he wants further study, teaching, business and industry, law or what? Then choose accordingly.

How are the other MFL/MMLers doing?

DS got notification from UCAS that application had been received. So we are all systems go now. Final decision was Cambridge, Bristol, Newcastle, UCL and Southampton.

Well done to your ds on getting his UCAS application in, @Tenpastseven. Dd has just submitted hers too - Oxford, Bristol, Leeds, Exeter so far. She was keen on Southampton but only has one MFL at A level which ruled her out.