Languages Applicants for 2021 (and 2022) entry

[Tenpastseven]

For those interested and moving over from the St Andrews thread (that became not about St Andrews)

Hi, I’m here so you’re not ‘Billy’ 🤣

I don’t think college have submitted DS’s application yet and the Cambridge deadline is mega close!! He’s not fussed at all, he says college know what you’re doing. I bloody hope he’s right.

Hopefully he will get an early offer as Bristol do seem to be sending them quickly and one ‘almost in the bag’ would be lovely.

Oh, where is the flaming edit button

College know what THEY’RE doing!

Hello @Crikeyblimey. Thanks for joining me. Phew.

Can I be nosy and ask which languages is he hoping to do? And where else on the list? My DS has Cambridge, Bristol, Newcastle, UCL and Southampton and wants to do French and Spanish both post A level.

He wants to do Spanish and Russian ( Russian would be from beginner).

He’s got Cambridge, Durham (risky but he’s determined), Exeter, Bristol and Leeds on his form currently.

His A levels are Spanish, Politics and Maths - he was unsure of direction post gcse so went for a ‘broad church’ 🤔

He’s doing an EPQ on something to do with revolutionary culture (as in art/culture of various revolutions not art that is ‘revolutionary’ or some such). He doesn’t tell me much about that.

I think Russian sounds really exciting and exotic!

DS’ A levels are Spanish, French and Maths. They don’t do EPQs at his school unfortunately. But I think the A level curriculum involves some sort of research project? He’s interested in the Cuban Revolution I think.

The only Uni my DS got to visit was Cambridge for a masterclass back in Nov 2019. So his choices are a bit random 🙄. Which Unis did your DS visit?

Sadly we only visited Cambridge and that was during lockdown in the summer, so v little actual ‘visit’ as such.

His girlfriend’s sister is currently at Leeds and he’s been to visit her and had a bit of a tour.

It’s so hard to properly choose when they can’t really visit but he’s done a lot of on-line research and has based his choices mainly on the style of uni and the course content. I’m now wishing we had spent last summer doing at least come visits. Hey ho.

He’s fairly adamant he doesn’t want to defer and I kind of appreciate that. May as well stay on the train really.

I’m getting nervous as college clearly haven’t submitted his application yet (well, I assume not as he hasn’t had any confirmation) but for a state 6th form in ‘the north’ they do have a good track record for Oxbridge applicants so presumably all is ok.

I suspect I’m more nervous than he is!

My DS has wavered a bit over whether to defer but has decided to go for it. Having said that, I imagine if he doesn’t get Cambridge, Bristol or Newcastle he might end up deferring.

School will submit in time of course! Especially if they have a history of Oxbridge applications. But it’s impossible not to be nervous I think. It does take a day or two for UCAS to send notification I believe. DS got his on Saturday.

We are also in the North (Sheffield) by the way! And DS is at a good state school.

Just sending best wishes to all those looking to do MFL at university. I did T900 (BA Modern Languages).at Sheffield and it was a great course. Looking at the current modules it still is.

Thanks for starting a new thread for us, @Tenpastseven. Dd has applied to Oxford, Bristol, Leeds and Exeter for MFL, German Post A Level and Russian beginners. Oxford is definitely a long shot, but worth a punt I guess. She got offers from Leeds and Bristol today, very exciting! She also doesn’t want to defer unless she really feels she has no other option. I also wish we’d been able to do some visits before lockdown, but it does mean dd has based her choices pretty much only on course content.

Oh! How flipping exciting @NiamCinnOir!

Are they similar offers? Which is her preference?

Aw thanks @MillicentMargaretAmanda! We live in Sheffield so not on DS’ list but it’s meant to be a great course.

Ooh exciting to have offers Niam and yes, does she have a preference for either?

ABB for both, @Tenpastseven, which sounds great to me. She’s really thrilled, and I think would be equally happy with either. I’ve heard great things about languages at Sheffield too, @MillicentMargaretAmanda.

How brilliant. I imagine that will really take the pressure off! Good on her.

That’s great Niam. Well done her.

Thank you both. Not sure if they were contextual offers or not, but definitely not complaining. It was a really nice boost for her, even though I’m aware there is still a long road ahead for all our dc

Universities are more likely to offer on German early as there are fewer applicants. They know an early applicant is likely to be good!

Sheffield doesn’t do a particularly wide range of languages. Italian went years ago - before DD was applying. As that’s a main European language which combines well with French snd history of art, it’s a bit disappointing.

I'm not sure what courses you were looking at Guymere but the BA MFL course at Sheffield offers 10 languages including Italian, and as these are the same 10 they offered in my day, I suspect always has done www.sheffield.ac.uk/prospectus/courseDetails.do?id=T9002021
It may not offer Italian as a joint honours major language but I seem to recall a fair few universities didn't even in my day, probably as so few took it at school. That may have now changed of course as most universities are now having to offer even French ab initio as state langauge provision is so dire :-(

My DD and I actually visited the MFL department at Sheffield and they said they didn’t offer Italian as a joint honours degree. We found the web site a bit confusing so as we were visiting friends we asked if we could pop in. This was a few years ago but DC who want Joint Honours including Italian will go somewhere else. It seems an odd decision to just offer it as a non joint option. Yes, DD went somewhere else. Unfortunately MFL degrees are contracting and Sheffield openly said they didn’t get enough students wanting Italian. Other universities have culled languages too. With less DC taking them at A level, if you are a good candidate, getting offers isn’t usually a problem. Less competition! The only difficulty is Oxbridge but even then you have a better chance than virtually any other subject re applications/offers ratio.

There are joint honours for MFL where DC don’t take the language at school. As DC in this thread are doing, eg Russian. Arabic, Japanese and Italian is often ab initio too.

I'll put in a word for the Russian department at Durham. I did my degree there although I did ho in with Russian A level

Thanks for starting a new thread tenpastseven. How is your ds getting on with his tutors?

DD's school has a new language assistant which is good, I've left it with dd to organise a tutor if she so wishes, she's not got round to it yet 🙄. I'm so pleased with dd's 6 form outstanding state she's had lots of help with her ps and now she's seeing her English teacher for coaching once a week. He graduated from Oxford himself. Her second choice is Edinburgh, we know the city very well but not the uni.

That sounds amazing support for your DD @fabtasticmrpox. How reassuring.

DS has organised a Spanish tutor who is helping him with essay writing skills (so transferrable for French too hopefully).

Hi all, thanks for the thread, nice to have a subject specific one.

My ds wants to do Spanish and beginner Portuguese. Like others he is keen not to defer. He's applied to Cambridge, Exeter, Bristol, Kings and Southampton. He received an ABB offer from Bristol yesterday, so that's a relief and takes the pressure off.

Hi @Vargas. Welcome.

Do those who have offers from Bristol (sorry I’ve lost track a bit and am confused with other Oxbridge thread possibly) have your DC applied for BA Modern Languages it for Joint Honours (he Spanish/Portuguese)?