Is there an applying for 2023 thread which isn’t early entry

[KittyMcKitty]

I can see there’s the Oxbridge one but dd isn’t an early entry applicant.

anyway she’s finally submitted her UCAS I know school have added the reference so imagine it’ll be off in a day or so 🤞🏻

Shes applying for sociology and has applied to:
Durham
York
Lancaster
Sheffield
Birmingham

her predicted grades comfortably exceed all the standard offers so I hope she gets some offers (and please please please let Durham offer!!).

anyone else waiting?

They are - Newcastle is 28th for economics so quite far down the list. I believe Leeds is 12 so a good option but so slow to respond! Bath, Lancaster, Nottingham are all higher with places showing in Extra. DS is Welsh applicant and we checked with that filtered

The problem will be that applying through Extra won't necessarily guarantee a swift response. Could very well take longer than Leeds, particularly with the highly ranked universities. Nottingham accommodation is already open.

@Era thanks. Yes appreciate it's not a quick decision but I think we would only do it based on a positive conversation with admissions. He's going to speak to sixth form Head today to get some more advice - after he's sat his maths and economics mocks!

also probably worth a call to Leeds..

Yes, agreed Bath, Notts & Lancs all great for econ. I was more querying Brum and L’boro for econ compared to Newcastle/Leeds. It’s a tough call isn’t it? Especially in the middle of mocks!

It's horrible. He has 2 exams today and when the UCL rejection came through at 6pm he just couldn't see what the point was in trying hard. He's predicted 2 x A stars and A plus his EPQ at A star. Newcastle offer is AAB. I found it difficult to argue with him

Personally I wouldn't risk Nottingham at this stage due to their stupid accommodation arrangements. There is loads of off campus student block accommodation in Nottingham but it isn't the same student experience for a fresher.

A lot will also depend on what the DC wants in terms of lifestyle. If he doesn't like Newcastle then I wouldn't expect him to like Nottingham or Birmingham.

Lancaster, Loughborough and Bath are completely different to the big city life of Newcastle, Birmingham or Nottingham. They are smallish self contained universities and in the case of Lancaster and Loughborough the towns are very much student towns and social life is primarily campus focussed and almost entirely "student focussed" eg student nightclubs, student bars etc rather than mixing with the general population (obviously Bath is a bit different due to the high levels of general tourism). Personally I think thats a big positive but it isn't what everyone wants.

@Era agreed. He really wanted Warwick for the campus experience. UCL was second choice. His brother is at Durham and loves it - I think Bath would be similar.

On the flip side, there is a lot to be said from not having that immense pressure and stress to perform at the absolute top levels in the country for your A Levels. From a mental health perspective, on balance I'd prefer this for my child. DS is currently year 13. He has an AAA offer from a top 15 RG university. He has a BBB offer from a top 10 non RG university. He feels like he has to put the AAA first so that he then has the BBB as an insurance. But the BBB is higher ranked plus it would be wonderful not to have so much pressure. He's predicted A star, A star, A.

Leeds of course would also be similar to Newcastle. The "campus" is really just an area of the city. DN is from Newcastle and at Leeds and has been shocked at the amount of partying and the amount of drugs. Leeds and Newcastle are known as the party universities but even so she's been shocked.

I had heard that. We really didn't expect him to get rejections from 3 so Newcastle and Leeds were possibly bad 4/5 options given he doesn't want the party lifestyle. We will see what advice he got at school today

This isn’t to be rude. What were his reasons for Leeds and Newcastle? There must have been an interest for attending those previously. Maybe when the disappointment has worn off those compelling reasons will re-emerge?
Apparently there’s drugs and partying at every university but there’ll also be plenty of quieter students at the ‘party’ universities, where he will find his tribe. My friend’s very quiet non-party DD is at Leeds reading Economics and has definitely found her studious but chilled tribe. I’m sure Newcastle would be similar.
Hopefully his 6th form will give him some good advice.

DD did this when she applied 3 years ago. Not due to stress/ exam pressure but more due to the fact that she actually much preferred the non RG university and the department there was fantastic for her subject. She firmed the non RG with slightly lower entry requirement and the "prestigious" RG (KCL) as insurance which we knew was a waste of time but did it nevertheless. She exceeded the grades to go to either of the 2 but has never regretted her decision and is now in her 2nd year at said non-RG uni and loving it! I think they have to go with their gut feelings on these things. It does annoy me how many people feel that RG is the only way to go when other unis may be higher up the league table and far better for their subject! DS in y13 is applying now for Maths and will probably put Bath as insurance over RG Exeter as he loved the campus there and it also outperforms Exeter for maths. He is struggling with the decision though as so much is drilled into them about RG being superior.... Good luck with whatever you/ he decides :)

The campus at Bath is fab, my son loved it and much prefers the campus vibe to a city uni. Think this is partly because he is a tad lazy and likes the idea of everything being close to hand! Sports facilities are excellent too if your DS is into sport. Maths talk and department is excellent and I believe Econ is too. My DS currently deciding whether to put as insurance but probs will, despite non RG... Good luck with it all, such stressful times...

Not really sure he know anymore why he choose them. Foolishly he thought he would get one of his top 3 so probably didn't give it as much thought as he should have. Hindsight is a wonderful thing 😢

My DD is about to firm non-RG Bath and insure RG York. Her school is quite good at dispelling the RG myth despite it being a (relatively) selective indie. A few teens choose non-RG as they’re the best courses for them (Oxford Brookes et al. seem to offer some very specialised degrees).
@wonderwoman10 any advice re bath campus accommodation please?

To be honest, we didnt actually visit any accommodation on the open day as we were on a whistle stop tour on route to Bristol uni (same day) so had to focus on subject talk and sports facilities, plus how far to the nearest Starbucks :)
It was also the first uni he saw so at that point really didnt know whether it would be in his top 2. Sadly missed the offer holders day due to mocks.
The Quads looks good on paper as it is central to campus, has ensuites and Eat and Drink credit, but depends what is important to your DD...

No, he researched them during lower 6th but decided he'd prefer to study full time.

He hasn't actually had any rejections yet, but is tired of waiting and getting the "we haven't decided yet" emails, the latest one being from Exeter yesterday.

Key concern now is that he's on waiting lists and may not find out until May, when everything becomes a bit of a rush etc. alongside exams starting.

Mock results/report back yesterday though and he got 3 As (school don't do A* for mocks) so happy enough he's on track for good results in summer.

See www.nottingham.ac.uk/accommodation/options/index.aspx

Accommodation at Nottingham doesn't open for the 2023 intake until 17th April - it is open for deferrals and returners now though, which could be high enough numbers given the Covid years.

Certainly wouldn't want to risk waiting too long after the 17th April - you could end up in Beeston/Broadgate Flats, which wouldn't be great for a 1st year trying to make new friends.

Ah sorry @wonderwoman10 i hadn’t read your post properly and just assumed your DS was already at Bath. DD likes to cook so we’ll have to think about the ‘eat card’. Not sure how much she’ll like cooking when she has to supply her own ingredients (and thousands of herbs/spices)!

@dunnott - can you advise on which Nottingham halls would be best for a first year wanting to make friends as DD has an offer from Nottingham and may well accept it.

It's a few years since I went but, from another thread a couple of weeks ago, it seems Beeston/Broadgate flats haven't changed much - 5 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen, but with no communal seating area apart from a kitchen table, so not very sociable.

If I was your DD I'd look at all the on-campus options in the main University Park - beautiful surroundings and most teaching buildings within a 15-20 minute max walk

@dunnott thank you - really good to know

My son has just received a rejection from Manchester for Economics, to add to rejections from Bristol and Warwick. 3A stars achieved, 1A star predicted. Durham and LSE to go but he was rejected from them last year, has done further Maths to help his application but given the other rejections it might be time to pull out and go to Extra… arggghhhh so stressful 🙁

DS finally off the mark with a Bristol offer tonight. Sighs of relief all round 😮‍💨