OR 2022 - We are no longer rejects. We are parents of fabulous offspring who will do wonderful things

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

Wonderful tongue in cheek title thread by he words of @ eightytwenty.

Soooooo our thread started out back in March 2022 when our dc were Oxbridge wannabes. After thousands of posts by their nervous Mums, nail biting, discussing applications, grades, will they get to interview won't they, debates such as private vrs state, the Scottish system, then some got rejected and some had interviews and entrance assessments then much more nail biting and eating and drinking a lot and a loooong wait over Xmas 2021 the remainders were then rejected. Then more nail biting for offers to come in from the competitive Unis they had applied to with some ending up with only one or two options - our Covid Kids had it tough.

Finally May came and their actual A-levels then the brutal wait for results. I don't think I can recall any of our DC not getting their first choice?

Lots of DC off to top Unis and achieving the best grades in the land. My DD is off to Bath to do Politics and IR and I am incredibly proud of her, she is a grafter not naturally super clever but loves to learn and god I am going to miss her but she is ready and so I happy for her 😥

So please carry on our lovely supportive thread so we can see where their journeys take them.

TWAT x

[katishot]

As an Oxford reject myself many years ago, just thought I'd pop in and wish all your children the best.
There are some absolutely amazing people who have been rejected by Oxbridge and have gone on to have fantastic careers. Oxbridge can't take all the people who apply and the standards are so high. In the end it just comes down to how you are perceived on the day and how they feel you would fit in there.
And it isn't always the best place for everyone.
Now that I'm way older, I know that it would have been an absolute disaster if I'd got in - it just wouldn't have been right for me.
And I went to York and loved that and had loads of really fantastic opportunities by being at the very top of my year of 200 students - so there's a lot to be said for being one of the top students in a non-Oxbridge university as opposed to being just one of many outstanding students and then feeling mediocre.
That said, even 25 years ago in York (and things have changed a lot) there were a lot of outstandingly clever students there.

[SayYouDontMind]

Well we seem to have lots to do still and the day is fast approaching. DS moves to St Andrews on Saturday!!! He was out till the small hours last night and is out again tonight - I think he feels as if he has to make the most of city life before departing to the Kingdom of Fife.

I can’t work out whether he will be a total outcast if he doesn’t get a gown. They’re bloody £160 new!! There’s second hand ones for sale at the Uni on Saturday morning for a mere £80 or £90. I’ve been scouting round on eBay and gumtree and have enquired about a few but not heard back. They look so cheap as well - most of the ones the students were wearing on the Open Day looked like they were made from the cheapest of bobbly fleece.

He just needs to throw his clothes together and get all his tech together (gazillions of chargers, cables etc…) I’m washing newly bought towels and duvet covers and raiding our kitchen for his crockery and cutelry. It’s all mounting up. And we’ve got to take his bike and all 3 of us in a smallish car. I think it might be a tight squeeze - I know there will be pressure for me to be jettisoned.

At least he’s got accommodation sorted in St Andrews. As per elsewhere in the UK there’s such a dearth and so many still not sorted with a place to stay.

Good luck to all my fellow Scottish MN-ers - we’re very nearly there!

[Puffalicious]

I'm so excited for your DS Sayyoudontmind. Scottish unis back first - DS is the week after. It's all changed, when I went to uni my fresher's was end of Sep and classes 1st week of Oct! He'll be grand.

DNephew didn't buy a gown last year- not his style- and he didn't stick out and made loads of mates!

[LimeTreeGrove]

@Shimy

Thank you @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango .
DS got his accommodation! has anyone else going to Warwick got theirs?

Hi there. I'm new. Dd didn't apply to Oxbridge but I saw Warwick in the title of the previous thread and been meaning to post as dd is going there to do Biology. She got into her first choice halls Cryfield Standard. She wanted something close to the school of Life Sciences so she can roll out of bed and into lectures! We are travelling by coach on 24th and using Unikitout to order stuff we can't carry, like pots, plates, duvet, pillow.

[Geamhradh]

Good luck to our St. Andrews' babies for this weekend! Can't wait to hear how they get on.
And welcome @LimeTreeGrove to the nicest corner of Higher Education!
I may also end up buying one of the starter set wotsits for DD as we are in Italy and will be coming over by plane then train.
Just (still) tapping fingers re: accommodation! Gah!

[LimeTreeGrove]

Thanks @Geamhradh Hope your dd has a great time at Bath. Good luck to the St A starters.

[278Newnames]

@Geamhradh DS got his accommodation offer through an hour or so ago. He got Eastwood Green which was his first choice but now we’re not sure if his room has a sink! I think they added them to all rooms during covid and the price list just says standard room with washbasin but the Eastwood green pages say only houses 1-19 have a washbasin so 🤷‍♀️ I am hoping the accom page hasn’t been updated.

He wasn’t bothered about an ensuite but did really want a sink.

That said he only gets one offer so has to take it and see.

[Geamhradh]

I seem to remember something about all the rooms having a sink. I think DD put one of the Eastwoods but have a feeling it's Terrace.

Tbh, I'm now in a total panic that she's not going to be offered anything. Irrational I know, and I'm trying not to panic DD. I just wish everyone had been told at the same time! The iB people DD has been talking to got theirs through almost the minute they got their results, but DD who got her results on 8th July- nothing!

<and breathe>

[Geamhradh]

DD says she remembers something about "standard" having a washbasin and "standard basic" not.

[278Newnames]

@Geamhradh i completely understand, I was exactly the same a few hours ago. I was just hoping he would get on campus mainly. While town is also great, I think campus is easier for the first year.

i agree it would have been easier to find out at once. Fingers crossed you find out very soon.

Thanks for your thoughts on the rooms.

[278Newnames]

@Geamhradh

DD says she remembers something about "standard" having a washbasin and "standard basic" not.

Ah, there is no standard basic option on the price list so 🤞🤞

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

@278Newnames Glad he has heard and @Geamhradh I hope she hears really soon. DD got her offer last Sunday so still keep looking over the weekend x

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

Welcome @LimeTreeGrove 🤗

[Geamhradh]

@278Newnames

Ah, there is no standard basic option on the price list so 🤞🤞

Oh, maybe that was one of the others then!
Fingers crossed for your washbasin!
Was with my old university friends at the weekend and laughing wryly about how angsty we are as parents- I ended up in a shared bedroom (and no washbasin!) because I was never contacted about accommodation and by the time we contacted the university it was too late for anything else! That person was with me last weekend and is still one of my 4 closest friends 35 years on! We had no laundry facilities but a tub and mangle (!!!) and we seem to recall the showers not having doors, just being shower fittings round the corner from the loos.
And we loved every second of it!

[278Newnames]

I do think it’s good that they have to ‘rough it’ a bit. They are so spoilt in everyday life that it’s good to see another side.

i suspect (and hope) that the standard basic option has just gone as they now have washbasins. I do vaguely recall seeing it though.

good luck for an email asap!

[278Newnames]

Ignore me, the price list has “standard basic with washbasin” and “shared” for Eastwood Green.
he has been allocated “standard” so 🤷‍♀️ At least we know it’s too expensive to be shared, thank goodness!

[278Newnames]

Someone on tsr website has emailed and had confirmed there is no sink in the room in the same block as DS. He will not be at all happy when I tell him.

[Eightytwenty]

@SayYouDontMind @valley @stockpot

I hope drop off was ok. We had an easy journey despite a few complicated logistics and left DS making friends. His room mate arrived later an all ok on first impressions. He’s got a very wobbly bed but a huge room with a view of the sea. Lucky boy.

[Stockpot]

Drive was a bit rough for us, but drop off went well. Other girls seem lovely. We had to leave her last night, while many other parents seemed to be staying into Sunday which made us feel guilty to leave her early, but I’m sure she will be alright.

DRA is cosy, and there are a ton of other kids out there. It is a trek to lectures though.

[LimeTreeGrove]

@278Newnames

Someone on tsr website has emailed and had confirmed there is no sink in the room in the same block as DS. He will not be at all happy when I tell him.

Hope he is able to change rooms if he wants to

[LimeTreeGrove]

Hope they settle in well Eightytwenty · @SayYouDontMind @valley @stockpot

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

How exciting for all of your dropping off....were there many tears?!

[Puffalicious]

So exciting. How are you all feeling after drop off?

[Eightytwenty]

DH and I are both feeling much better having dropped him off and having seen what a brilliant experience I hope he will have. Lots of hall-based socials and communal dining a brilliant way to meet new mates. Quite surprised myself in staying dry eyed all weekend. Maybe I cried myself out last week.

[threestars]

Oh my goodness, drop-offs already. Really feel like I’ve buried my head in the sand!
@Shimy DS has been allocated Rootes, his 3rd choice I think? Known as the party place apparently ha!