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Higher education

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

Original poster

Uni applicants 2022

238 replies

NCTDN · 26/09/2021 19:35

Can we stay a new thread? I'm on a few higher education threads but these seem to have people starting this term and I'd really appreciate support and advice specific to applications for starting next September.

OP posts:
Kettledodger · 29/09/2021 17:04

DS year 13 doing Physics, Maths and Computer Science predicted at end of year 12 A/A/A also predicted A in EPQ

Going to do Motorsport Engineering. At the moment Coventry, Oxford Brookes, UCLAN, Huddersfield and Staffordshire seem to be in the running.

quittingteacher · 29/09/2021 17:06

Can I join the thread? I've been reading these for years and have found them so helpful with regards to contextual offers and the whole UCAS process. I can't believe the time has come for my DD to apply and I can't believe how little support her school has given. It's a good London Catholic school with a good reputation but shockingly poor on encouraging my DD to aim high or to find out about contextual offers.

quittingteacher · 29/09/2021 17:07

Literally if it wasn't for this board, we'd not have a clue about any of this stuff.

tryingmybest13 · 29/09/2021 17:23

@quittingteacher

Can I join the thread? I've been reading these for years and have found them so helpful with regards to contextual offers and the whole UCAS process. I can't believe the time has come for my DD to apply and I can't believe how little support her school has given. It's a good London Catholic school with a good reputation but shockingly poor on encouraging my DD to aim high or to find out about contextual offers.
It is really bad re not talking about contextual offers! Don't think DS's Sixth Form has discussed, though plenty there might well get one! Good luck for your DD
Original poster
NCTDN · 29/09/2021 18:33

Dd still needs to remove 1300 words from her personal statement..,

OP posts:
quittingteacher · 29/09/2021 18:33

@tryingmybest13 thanks! I've started my own thread as was after more specific advice but will stay here too.

WeAllHaveWings · 29/09/2021 23:15

Ds is S6 (Scotland), he got the 5As at HIGHER, and sitting 2 Advanced Highers and 2 Highers this year. He will probably need one or two A equivalents from them for the engineering courses he is interested in.

He is from a low performing school and the only help he had had from them on his personal statement is a (pretty poor) leaflet so he's struggling to get motivated to do it. He knows roughly what his main points are he wants to include, but stuck getting started with it.

Dd still needs to remove 1300 words from her personal statement..,

Send them over to ds and he can use them instead 🤣

MarchingFrogs · 30/09/2021 07:35

Dd still needs to remove 1300 words from her personal statement..,

With spaces and punctuation marks counted within the maximum 4000 characters, that's more than a whole extra PSShock.

Original poster
NCTDN · 30/09/2021 08:16

@MarchingFrogs

Dd still needs to remove 1300 words from her personal statement..,

With spaces and punctuation marks counted within the maximum 4000 characters, that's more than a whole extra PSShock.

I know. Her first draft was 7000!
OP posts:
Original poster
NCTDN · 30/09/2021 08:17

Actually, not words. Characters ConfusedWink

OP posts:
Siriusmuggle · 30/09/2021 11:49

Mine has submitted his ucas applications. As it’s conservatoires the deadline is tomorrow. Currently applied for 6 but is withdrawing from one so will be 5. I have no idea what his predicted grades are but as it’s audition based any offers are likely to be EE.

Champagnecharleyismyname · 30/09/2021 13:23

DD has drafted personal statement. She is looking at Imperial, Bristol, Manchester and Cardiff. Any thoughts on her 5th choice?

Leeds, Sheffield or Southampton?

She wants to do Biology and is predicted AAA

Piggywaspushed · 30/09/2021 17:23

Another York social political sciences applicant here! Just finished personal statement as he is trying Cambridge. Other definite choice is Birmingham for Policy, Politics and economics. Otherwise very torn between Edinburgh Government, Policy and Society, Glasgow Public and Social Policy with Economic and Social history or Bath to do Social Policy with a placement year, and Sheffield for quantitative social science. That's the only lower one at BBB. All the others ask for AAB.

DS does sociology, economics and history and is predicted A A A.

stilldumdedumming · 30/09/2021 19:56

My dd will be applying for primary education...somewhere. I'm hoping to tempt her with Liverpool JM uni as they appear to be fairly hands on. She hasn't got predicted grades yet but should be fairly decent AA and distinction on the BTEC. Plus she has oodles of experience Etc.

Just found out her mentor writes her reference- who she's met once according to dd doesn't know anything (this info might not be entirely accurate!)

EwwSprouts · 30/09/2021 22:17

@Champagnecharleyismyname Warwick, Lancaster & York all do well in the league tables for biology. The other thread on Warwick is very interesting though.

Don't know DS predicted grades yet.

nomorehorses · 01/10/2021 05:42

DD’s submitted last week as Conservatoires deadline is 1st Oct. The rest of her year group and the teachers seem to be working themselves up into a frenzy over predicted grades and personal statements though!!

Heifer · 01/10/2021 07:25

@Champagnecharleyismyname - My DD is also applying for Biology, no predicted grades yet but hoping for A*AA (worse case be AAB).

She wants to apply to Nottingham (favourite course and loved the campus), Bath, Sheffield, York (loves the course, visited didnt really like but will still apply) and back up of possible Cardiff (not 100% yet).

DD really wanted Loughborough until she read the course summary and isn't interested as it's all human. The courses vary massively on content so definitely worth having a good look at the modules they have to do and ones available as extra as DD completely changed her mind for 3 other unis once reading them.

MaisieSunshine · 01/10/2021 11:40

Hi, good to have a thread.

My DS is applying for Natural Sciences, predicted AAB in Maths, Physics, Chemistry currently but hoping for an increase as they review again at half term before submission. Needs AAA really... also doing EPQ, his school don’t seem to predict for that.

He has a uni long list but no favourites yet, only about 15 unis do NatSci so that has helped narrow things down. Few open days coming up.

mummabear74 · 01/10/2021 12:07

DD looking to do geography and currently in year 13 with predicted grades of AAB. Doing a level geography, biology and psychology. Booked for Exeter open day tomorrow but unsure if we'll make it as currently have no petrol.

TawnyPippit · 01/10/2021 14:52

My dcs school seem to build up predicted grade reveal like it’s the X Factor or similar..Hmm. We have a parents evening next week and I think there is going to be a drum pulse and a long, staged pause…

Does anyone know what the “likely” progression is from GCSE grades to A level grades? I know there must be a million caveats etc, but to the extent progression was largely linear, teaching was good and engagement levels were high there must be some sort of likely projected outturn? I did have a quick google but could not find anything obvious.

Piggywaspushed · 01/10/2021 16:23

It depends a lot upon the subject....

PaddingtonPaddington · 01/10/2021 16:55

@Siriusmuggle and @nomorehorses Good to find 2 others with DC applying to conservatoires. DD submitted UCAS earlier this week. Hopefully will record audition pieces next week.

nomorehorses · 01/10/2021 17:58

@PaddingtonPaddington DD only has to record for RAM and that’s not due in until end of Oct. RCM and Guildhall both live. So she’s concentrating on a couple of solo recitals for next couple of weeks and will then think about recording. Hope your DD’s recordings go smoothly - at least they’ve had plenty of practice over the last couple of years!

TawnyPippit · 01/10/2021 21:36

Piggy - Biology. Any views?

SOLINVICTUS · 01/10/2021 21:42

I'll join if I may.

British but in Italy, DD (18 tomorrow!) is just finishing up her UCAS as she has Cambridge on it so 15th Oct deadline. She will do the maturita' exam in June at Linguistic high school. Top grade is 100 with distinction, and she's predicted that.

Her others will be:
St. Andrews
Lancaster
Bath
Exeter
For politics/international relations.

I've had correspondence with St.Andrews over fees and they were lovely and very quick to answer.