DS hasn’t gone yet (just waiting for results).
Initially he was adamant he wanted to do a degree apprenticeship… but didn’t know what he wanted to do career wise (and was not doing any STEM subjects at A level). He realised that for him that path wouldn’t really work…
So he applied to do his favourite subject, politics, on the basis a good degree from a decent uni would keep doors open.
He looked at Hull’s BPLS course, due to the guaranteed year in Westminster but decided, having had a long chat with current students and a lecturer, the legislative stuff was not going to set his world alight (despite loving the idea of the placement year). After his in depth chat he decided politics and IR was more his thing and, in his PS, wrote about books he’d read that had interested him, eg politics of geography series (I think that was the title), a few online lectures he’d watched, why he enjoyed his a level course etc.
He applied for a few RG, a ‘good’ non RG, and two slightly less prestigious unis as backup. He got offers from all and put Lancaster as his form, Hull as insurance with an unconditional (I wonder if having such a long conversation with the lecturer who was also admissions officer, accounted for the unconditional). He had a really good vibe from both places. He said it was a tough call, but put Lancaster first as it was higher up the tables and, as he doesn’t know what he wants to do afterwards, would keep more options open.
I found it really interesting as when he chose his a level options we were really surprised that he picked politics. He hadn’t shown any interest up until that point and we, as his parents, were not really sure it would be very ‘him’! But it turned out to be his favourite a level.