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Higher education

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Original poster

DD fixed on only 3 Unis

88 replies

EmmaStone · 21/09/2022 14:25

DD is currently applying for 2023 entry, she's got good predictions of at least 2 A stars and an A (with this possibly being bumped up, she's taking a further assessment next week). She wants to read something within Classics/Ancient History, but told me the other day when she was trying to decide on her 5 choices, that if she didn't get into her top 2 (or a third being Edinburgh which I'm trying to discourage due to distance and less likelihood of an offer), she would probably reject any offers from the others anyway.

Her top 3 are Oxford, Durham and Edinburgh, with 'bottom' 3 being Warwick, Exeter and Birmingham. I've explained that the odds are against her for her top 3, but she's desperate to be in an ancient university environment, adores Oxford and Durham in particular, and can't see herself at an 'ugly' Uni.

Now I know when push comes to shove she may change her mind, but I'm quite concerned that she would dismiss other excellent choices if she (likely) gets rejected from Oxford and Durham (let's ignore Edinburgh for now...). Those with older (and wiser) children, has anyone come up against this? How did it pan out? Having visions of her applying year after year for Oxford /Durham 😂

OP posts:
Puffalicious · 22/09/2022 17:22

Aurea my friend's DD has just arrived at Aberdeen and loves it already!

FrodisCapering · 22/09/2022 17:25

I did undergraduate at St Andrews...Divinity with some Classics and I did my M.Phil at Cambridge.

St Andrews was better in every way. Teaching quality, beauty, social life were all better than at Cambridge. I loved every second of it.

The Classics Dept is in a nice building and is small enough that you get to know everyone. I can't recommend it enough.

gogohmm · 22/09/2022 17:27

If you only apply to 3 and don't get offers you can apply to more. I would encourage her to look seriously at a minimum of one more, ideally slightly lower offer in case of it being a really over subscribed year. Birmingham I highly recommend, main campus is not ugly and lovely new halls for instance. DD's friend went to Leicester (ancient history and archeology) - really good programme and they found a king remember even if the buildings are fairly sad (bug advantage very cheap city)

musicmum75 · 22/09/2022 19:13

Glasgow Uni has a classics dept and it really is beautiful. Much more beautiful (and ancient) than Edinburgh imho. Not any nearer you of course though.

MarchingFrogs · 23/09/2022 07:18

Re the putting less than 5 universities down initially and adding more later thing, all applicants shod know this if they have actually read through the Filling in your UCAS Undergraduate application section before actually doing so:
5. Select your course choicesYou can choose up to five courses (all now or some later). There’s no preference order and your universities/colleges won’t see where else you’ve applied until after you reply to any offers you get

www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application

I couldn't see the pp's photos of Aberdeen for some reason, but was going to suggest adding it to the list, based on the ones I've seen posted on FB by a friend whose DC graduated from thete recently.

atiaofthejulii · 23/09/2022 07:46

FellowClassicsMum · 21/09/2022 18:27

Hi OP

Has your daughter considered Royal Holloway? It’s not ancient university but it is ridiculously beautiful in my opinion and it has a well-regarded Classics course?

Was going to suggest this as a good insurance option.

But, apply to Oxford and see what happens - there is time to add in more choices.

FlyingSquid · 23/09/2022 19:06

Fifthtimelucky · 22/09/2022 15:24

I agree with a PP that the OP's daughter has a much better chance of an Oxford offer doing classics than most other subjects.

I'm going to go against the grain a bit here and say that if she's only interested in 3 places, there's no point in applying to any others. If she doesn't get an offer, she can always apply again next year. But if she doesn't want a gap year, with classics there are almost bound to be places at good universities available in clearing.

However I wouldn't go as far as two young men I know who applied only to Oxford. One got in first time. The other got in on his third attempt.

DD applied only to Oxford, largely through absentmindedness (put in an early application and forgot to add any others).

red4321 · 24/09/2022 06:52

DD applied only to Oxford, largely through absentmindedness (put in an early application and forgot to add any others

Yikes! Did it work out? (Apologies if it's been mentioned on this thread already.)

DreamingofItaly2023 · 24/09/2022 07:12

She has the exact same choices that I did for the top 3. First year I applied I only got places in my bottom 3 so took a gap year. Applied with my known grades and got into Durham.

Benjispruce4 · 24/09/2022 08:53

DD1 went to Durham. They wanted AAB. Her college was 1960s and the learning centre is a mix of buildings. The city is beautiful and she graduated in Durham Cathedral this year which was beautiful.

Benjispruce4 · 24/09/2022 08:55

She also applied to Oxford, passed the tests, got grades but didn’t get past the interview. Was great experience though.

FlyingSquid · 25/09/2022 15:21

red4321 · 24/09/2022 06:52

DD applied only to Oxford, largely through absentmindedness (put in an early application and forgot to add any others

Yikes! Did it work out? (Apologies if it's been mentioned on this thread already.)

Yes, and she’s successfully bumbled her way through to the end of the first year.

Not everyone there is a super organised genius, shall we say.

red4321 · 25/09/2022 15:39

Yes, and she’s successfully bumbled her way through to the end of the first year.

Good for her! It's nice when kids succeed under their own steam.

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