OR 22 - Edinburgh, Warwick, St A, UCL, Durham, Nottingham, Bath and more

[Valleyofthedollymix]

Following on from the Oxbridge rejects thread but I've got rid of those two words. I for one am interested to know where they all end up and when Durham might finally deign to reject/offer DS...

Right DS has done it, he's firmed St Andrews and has no insurance (it was his lowest offer). He had a moment of panic 'it's a life-changing decision'. Which it is but in then in some ways all decisions are life changing and we can never live in parallel universes anyway. His sister pointed out that deciding to go back for your coat might mean you avoid being run over so that's a life-changing decision.

Hope everyone else is feeling OK. The son of my lovely friend McLurky is still waiting on Durham and Warwick. It is very very unfair of these decisions to be coming so late.

Hurrah to your DS Valley - glad a decision has been made. We're still waiting to see whether St A come back with an offer on the 2nd course DS applied to there - he has unconditionals for St A and Edinburgh now. I'm thinking they might just let it 'time-out' but will be annoyed if that happens. However he's veering towards confirming St As but I don't think there's anything to lose by hanging on until they get back to us (or don't).

First exam tomorrow for DS and he started off with D&V yesterday evening and looks bloody awful. Still in bed and was stressing last night that he's missing out on his pre-exam revision. Even though he's got unconditional offers he wants to get straight As to prove something to himself. Keeping my fingers crossed that a good night's sleep (although there's evidence he was up in the night) will do him the world of good.

I hope those still waiting get some decisions this week.

Well done to your DS. Wish my DD would do this. She wants to get all her offers in first. Just waiting for Edinburgh.

Great news @Valleyofthedollymix , know it’s been the plan but nice to have it sorted out. Now the joys of the really rubbish accommodation portal / decisions.

@SayYouDontMind and @Stockpot hope you hear soon.

how is everyone else?

Great news, OP, always good to make a decision.

We had a fabulous day at Edinburgh on Saturday. It was so well organised and we were both really impressed. The lecturers were great, giving a real feel of how it would be in reality, and a really detailed overview of the course right up to 4th and 5th year (if chosen). The course looks excellent and it's really swaying DS, who was pretty set on Glasgow before this.

He's feeling very conflicted 🙈

It’s great to have choices @Puffalicious !

Yes! But also unsettling!

... still waiting on Bristol and Bath. Can you believe it? DS has A level resits in Maths and Physics coming up. If Exeter ends up his only offer, he won't actually need to do them, as that one offer is unconditional 🙄 based on his grades already achieved first time round ...

@kitnkaboodle we're also waiting on Bristol still. I'm sympathetic to the unis trying to get this right but what the hell can they still be waiting for? Either they want him or they don't.

DD is still waiting to hear from Edinburgh. She knew a few people who heard from them on the same day as each other about a month ago (some offers, some rejections). Friend who got an offer had predictions of 3 A stars. Friend who got rejected had predictions of 1 A star, 2 As. DD's predicted grades are 2 A stars and an A.
Her theory is that she is on a reserve list and they will basically decide whether to offer her or not based on acceptance levels, which (if right) means she is only likely to hear very late in the day.
Looking at the TES spreadsheet, it looks like there have been a lot of rejections in recent days (although not for her subject), so she is pretty resigned to the fact that the more time that goes on, the less likely she is to get an offer. Shame because it would be her first choice, However, she has an offer she is very happy with, plus 2 other (lower) offers as potential reserves, so not a disaster.

Thinking of you all still waiting on offers that the DC are desperate for. It's almost bloody MAY!!!

In better news, it was our S6's last day yesterday, excluding exams. It was so wonderful to see them all excited about the next stage. We all had too much pizza and cake and a ridiculous amount of glitter/ confetti before cheesy photos/ selfies. I've taught some of these kids since they were 11 many

Pressed too soon!

...many of them through trials and tribulations. I was delighted with every destination: apprenticeship for joinery; early years at college; medicine/ law at University.

A really poignant one was Lewis a boy who could have gone down a very different path, but pulled himself up, got a great set of results and he's off to Edinburgh! I have such a soft spot for him. Also Emily who against all odds has got into Glasgow School of Art - it's soooo difficult to get in that I spent about 10 full.minutes yesterday screeching and jumping on her!

So, I'm feeling positive and full of the joys. May you all feel similarly soon.

@Puffalicious Your posts made me cry (in a good way!). Your passion for helping your students shines through and I’m sure they have benefitted hugely from your care. Sometimes it takes one good teacher or person who believes in them to transform lives.
I also work in education and know how invested we can become in our students and also how challenging it can be juggling work and family life. It sounds as though yesterday was very special for all of you.

Aw thankyou Letsgoforaskip I really appreciate those words. It's a tough shift our job, but days like yesterday make it all worthwhile. My pupils are massively disadvantaged materially (and many socially and emotionally) so it's wonderful to see them blossoming. I'll be a state at prom (I'm usually summoned into the bathroom to sort out someone who's had too much to drink🙈) as I'm really connected to loads of these kids this year.

I just love hearing about young people succeeding, and why I'm over-invested in all the DC on this thread!

@Puffalicious I hear you! It breaks our hearts witnessing some of the challenges these young people contend with but the good days and positive outcomes make it all worthwhile. Although sometimes it is so hard to care, that’s the greatest gift of all. My own children have been lucky to have had some exceptional teachers who have really gone the extra mile and it’s made a huge difference, not just in their achievements but more importantly in giving them a sense of worth.💐

Agree with every word. An invested, passionate, skilled teacher is worth their weight in gold (even if the pay isn't gold😁).

DS1's primary 6 teacher is still an 'absolute legend' in our house (he also taught DS2). He was the one who inspired him in so many ways:

Don't know what's up with this new site!!

He was the kind of teacher who strayed from the path and took them down roads that as 10 year olds really opened their minds. He got DS1 into Maths in a philosophical way, which resonated since. He was also a DJ in his former life, so instant cool points😅. We need the unconventional, those who will bend the curriculum, those who give themselves. I see too much grey at times, which is why I make it my goal to bring the colour (I'm very loud😆).

All our DC on here have obviously had good teachers, thank God.

Eeek! DS2 has finally heard from Bristol and Bath. Both together this evening after his brother and I had been to Bristol offer holders day! He has offers from them both - at last 🙂. Details of offers not come through yet, or he hasn't got round to checking 🤷‍♀️ So he has offers from Bristol, Bath and Exeter. Rejected by Oxford and Imperial.
At last!

@kitnkaboodle WOOOHOOOOOO!! So pleased for him/you what a relief at long long long last, has he any idea where he is leaning towards?

@Puffalicious You sound like such a lovely teacher I am sure you students will remember you for many years to come. My exmil was a head in a deprived area of South Wales and when she retired she had lovely letters from ex pupils who had gone on to Uni and been really successful, they said they would never have gone had it not been for her and she had changed the course of their lives. Teachers really do make a huge difference.

DD in a complete turn of events is now talking about taking a gap year to reapply to Oxbridge next year, she feels she wasnt prepared well enough last time and would love to have another shot. I really really hope she changes her mind and sees sense I just do not wish to go through that stress again to end up with another no. ARGHHHH 😭

@kitnkaboodle what a relief. Bad timing but brilliant news none the less. Nice to have 3 brilliant options after the tough time he’s had.

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango wow. What caused the change of mind? I thought Bath was a dead cert.

@Puffalicious great teachers make a difference to all kinds of kids but I can only imagine the extent of the difference you and others are able to make on some kids’ life chances. GSA is a brilliant achievement. Hope prom not too messy.

She loves studying she is like a pig in shit when she is at it. Feels she was woefully underprepared with her interview and would have a better shot if she took a year out. It is pie in the sky at the minute, I do not support it (I would not tell her this) as she could very likely end up with another no and I feel Bath is a brilliant Uni and she will thrive there. She states she wishes she had applied to UCL too and would do this if she reapplied along with much more reading. Would potentially apply for HisPol instead of HSPS. I really really hope she changes her mind although I suspect she will wait until after results day. Never in a million years did I think she would even consider reapplying....😮

Thanks for good wishes, everyone!

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango if your DD goes down that route, that is exactly what happened to my DS. Last year he was rejected by Oxford, in August he accepted a place at Bath, but then had second thoughts and decided to take another year and have a another go at Oxford, Imperial and Bristol. It wasn't an easy decision, but he turned down his place at Bath on about September 9th and did the rounds again. Rejection by Oxford a second time was tough, rejection from Imperial seems almost inevitable! But I think that now, with an offer from Bristol, he would say that it's been worth it.
He's been working in a dead-endish job in the meantime, but at least now has a 4-figure sum in his bank account!
So that's our experience...

... also, FWIW, it shows that if you get a place at a uni, then turn it down at the last minute, you can still get another offer from them the following year.

@kitnkaboodle That is my exact fear, rejection would sting a hell of a lot more second time around and the thought of wasting a year when we know the stats are so very low. I hope and pray it is just a far flung thought and she will change her mind. Did your DS regret his decision knowing what he knows now or would he still have done the same?

@kitnkaboodle fantastic news ! So so pleased for you after the longest of waits. @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango this was my big fear that DD decided after all this to go for C again. She hasn't seen the feedback yet and has asked not to see it till after her A levels but my worry was if it was in anyway encouraging would she look to go again. I think she gave it her all and she's now she's got amazing offers and I just want her to live her life. Both DH and I were supportive of her C application, however we personally think there are other courses out there which are equally as good but just don't have the cachet. When we watched those initial YouTube videos we weren't blown away .. if it was anywhere other than C I think it wouldn't have had the appeal that it has. I don't want her to do another year of waiting and I really don't have it in the tank .. and what I do have left I need for my DS GCSEs . I've seen her go from bereft after the rejection to optimistic about the future. She's so happy with her first choice which was ecstatic to get an offer for but it's taken time and I know that C process left its mark.