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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Another Path to Greatness - Part II

999 replies

BigWoollyJumpers · 11/02/2021 12:52

Here we are.

OP posts:
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9
Vargas · 17/02/2021 16:20

@quest1on My ds in similar position to yours, although GCSEs not nearly so stellar! But predicted 3 A stars for A levels, and I would assume his reference was very good, his reports are always very good and he gets lots of 'a joy to teach' etc... His application went in in September and he had Bristol offer within 24 hours. It does seem so weird that he has had to prioritise colleges for Durham with no offer, but thankfully he is very patient so far with it all. More patient than me anyway!

quest1on · 17/02/2021 16:20

Oldowl - and yes, it’s very peculiar that only 15 of those going to do BA Geography at LSE had actually done it as an A-level Confused. Far more have done Sociology or Economics or Politics.

Anyway, god only knows what will happen..

Beetlesand · 17/02/2021 16:53

I’m sorry your ds is struggling @quest1on. It’s so blimmin hard for them all.
I hope they can all get back into school soon. It would make such a difference .

I do think the extra wait because of the early oxbridge application is definitely a factor and leads to extra stress if other offers don’t come in. 5 months is so long to wait.. whereas DD’s friend applied a few weeks back and seems quite relaxed about it all still.

chopc · 17/02/2021 18:55

I was also thinking the same @Vargas - but what would DC do instead if they do defer a year? And the ones that differed last year - they are at risk of going into the same situation they wanted to avoid last year?

GuppytheCat · 17/02/2021 20:07

DD is on the world’s most tedious gap year at the moment. Whatever university has to offer will at least be a change.

chopc · 17/02/2021 21:13

What is her situation @GuppytheCat ?

Olympicfan · 17/02/2021 21:14

@GuppytheCat What has your DD been able to do during her year?

What were her original plans? Did she defer her place or reapply?

beethecrackon24995 · 17/02/2021 21:35

quest fwiw dd is also still waiting to hear from durham (english). she just told me that someone had posted earlier today on tsr who had just received a non contextual english offer. After all the cambridge stuff, i really don't think she will get an offer for durham (although she still feels hopeful). she also goes to a private school, had mostly 9s for gcse etc. she has a bristol offer which she is really happy about so if the durham thing doesn't happen she is still happy. frustrating though

Vargas · 18/02/2021 08:33

Just had a quick look on TSR, that site is a nightmare to look at on a phone!, and seems loads still waiting for BA Geog. And there appears to be an 8th March deadline for offers/rejections so I'm going to try to stop thinking about it now and find something else to worry about Grin.

quest1on · 18/02/2021 09:30

Hi Vargas. What is the name of the TSR thread please?

bee - hope something comes through for you today? Hope something comes through for all of us waiting!

quest1on · 18/02/2021 10:27

Oh don’t worry, I found it. Blimey!

chopc · 18/02/2021 10:38

I wonder if I am still feeling a little low after DS's Cambridge rejection because there is little else to keep distracted? Yes I have my work but even that is not fulfilling me at the moment ........

And the funny thing is having told no one about his application as I wanted to play it low, I am now telling them about his rejection as I need to talk it out 🙈

chopc · 18/02/2021 10:42

I would take all TSR posts with a pinch of salt - I think there was one on LSE threads where offers were supposed to come out every Thursday and rejections on Friday from 5th Feb? As far as I know no offers have been given out .......

quest1on · 18/02/2021 10:54

DS has quite a few friends who have applied to LSE and none of them have heard, even though I suspect they must be very strong candidates as some have been accepted into Wharton Business School in the US in the first wave of offers. Most of them didn’t do Oxbridge, just US unis and LSE as they’re finance types.

I just saw the LSE thread in TSR Shock and there is an admissions test called the UGAA they ask some (I think mainly international) candidates to take which is meant to be in a couple of weeks, but none of them know if it’s going to happen or not and LSE have not confirmed. What a year!

GuppytheCat · 18/02/2021 12:00

[quote Olympicfan]@GuppytheCat What has your DD been able to do during her year?

What were her original plans? Did she defer her place or reapply?[/quote]
Thanks Chopc and Olympic fan. She waited to see how her A levels went (ha!) before applying anywhere, and as a languages applicant she’d planned to earn enough cash to then spend several months abroad (au pairing, working or just travelling).

Instead, she’s been at home. She did briefly have a job but it went in the second lockdown and she hasn’t yet got another.

TheFrendo · 18/02/2021 12:40

The Durham Chat thread on TSR, at the page where a poster said that they had received an Eng Lit offer (yesterday):

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6522884&page=203

bendmeoverbackwards · 18/02/2021 12:52

Hello all, I hope everyone is ok today. Sorry to hear about those who are struggling and feeling low, I understand. My dd has been up and down. It's such a strange half term. I don't know how much work dd has done, I just leave her to it. She's spent most of this week pottering round the house and we've been out for a few walks with takeaway coffee which always goes down well.

She's meeting a friend for a walk today. We might even have a bit of sunshine later according to the forecast, it's been damp and gloomy all week.

bendmeoverbackwards · 18/02/2021 12:53

I'm staying out of TSR - I'm trusting you lot to let us know of anything important Grin

chopc · 18/02/2021 12:59

@GuppytheCat that's what I worry may happen if DS defers this year. Although taking a year out now was never in his plans

bendmeoverbackwards · 18/02/2021 13:35

@GuppytheCat so sorry to hear about your dd, so rubbish for her. Does she have things to do to keep her occupied?

quest1on · 18/02/2021 16:42

Guppy, sorry to hear the year out hasn’t gone to plan for your DD. Where is she hoping to go in Sept?

Much better day today as the sun is shining and the kids have finally all gone out with a friend each. Hardly remarkable in normal times, I know, but it just feels like some kind of return to something.

SeasonFinale - any Durham offers in today that you can discern? Have you noticed anything from LSE yet?

SeasonFinale · 18/02/2021 17:37

Nothing from LSE.

Some Scottish decisions today.
Some Bristol.
A couple of Durham post 5.30. They tend to be "after hours" and actually Friday evening and Saturday am are the usual time for theirs.

quest1on · 18/02/2021 18:09

Thanks Season!

Pumpkintopf · 19/02/2021 09:53

Morning all! How has everyone's half term been?

DS is now actively looking for some involvement from Imperial- an offer holders day, anything! Apparently they don't do them. Confused He's going to sign up for the UCL one where they apparently do a sample lecture which he's quite impressed by.

I do think some unis do this stuff so much better than others!

NotJackieWeaver · 19/02/2021 13:19

for anyone interested the speaker at the Churchill open morning today confirmed that Cambridge made far fewer offers this year because of fallout from last year. He confirmed that many colleges had made only one offer per place and that Churchill made 1.15 offers per place.

So that's from the horse's mouth if anyone is still claiming that bad luck had nothing to do with it this year.....hope that helps someone whatever decisions they are making.