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?

i think there’s always been a case for reforming the system to enable application after A level results are achieved, but surely this new landscape makes it all the more pressing

I completly agree with this. But everytime I've mentioned it on here I've been shouted down by people saying it would be impossible, they wouldn't have enough time etc etc. It's tradition, it's always been like that etc etc. And as someone that works in IT and sees how much more automated things are nowadays I call BS. They could surely bring results publication into July with more automated marking etc even with time for human QC checks and then give unis all of August to decide who they want, September for offers to go out and accomodation to be booked ready for an October start. Or start in January instead.

Even under the current system, I dont undertsand why some unis are allowed to take from October to end of May to make offers either - surely the system could be rationalised/centralised so that al univesities had to offer by a certain date - which is what happens with Oxbridge anyway isnt it? Nobody is waiting to hear from them now are they?

Yes but you can only apply to Ox or Camb.

So this probably explains why they offer quickly. And most with an offer would accept.

most other universities don’t have those conditions in which to make offers

True. But if they manage to process and offer (including exams, interviews and pooling) in a certain timeframe, I don't see why all other unis couldnt be made to do the same. Their algorithm would be different, in terms of how many offers to make, liklihood of acceptance etc - but the processing time could surely be the same? Unless they maybe rely on antiquated systems which wouldnt bode well for me as someone about to pay for that education ....

I suspect many f them are buying time and gaming the system to try and attract foreign students and teh money they bring (which Oxbridge doesn't have to) as PP has said, which is outrageous really and would also put me off paying fo rmy children to go to the worse offenders (Durham, Edinburgh, LSE) as a) it's obnoxious and b) it is a completely different environment to be in when the majority of students are international students and more suited to PG study imo and ime. And I went to 2 of the unis know to offer really late for UG and PG.

DD attends a school with international students. Apparently their numbers are capped for university places. So there are many less places in the leading universities for them. DD personally knows many A* pupils who haven't got in. Some of whom are the best mathematicians of their age ( based in national competitions). It's far more competitive for them than the UK applications.

There isn't a cap on international students. There are over half of them at all top universities. In the US there is a cap, in some universities is 3%

@Buttermilk72 any chinks of light yet for your DS after his phone calls? Appreciate it is early days. Thinking of you both.

If they are still there come May then yes it’s some indication but there will also be missed offer places on some courses.

Thanks. So would a course that someone is holding an offer for showing up in Extra imply thet they are more likely to offer a missed by one place in that case?

I'm quite surprised at the number of courses for the subject that my son applied for at RG unis that had high entry requirements that he felt he couldnt even apply for that are in Extra.

I read this as its far more competitive in their home countries and hence why many apply to UK universities, rather than there being a cap on international students here? (which there clearly isn't) - although surely this will depend on which of the many, many non-Uk countries they come from? Maybe true for China?

No. It generally means that if they want AAA as standard they will be there to scoop up those who needed AStar AA to go to their first choice university elsewhere but missed those grades and only got AAA.

There's is a governmental cap on certain subjects.
Medical for one. Also Oxbridge as many A* students don't get in from DDS school. I looked up UCL where my DD has got an offer. That's nearly 50% overseas students & I suspect the London school of economics will be a very high ratio of overseas students. So it varies widely.

I walk past UCL every day. It’s teeming with overseas students, mostly Chinese. All conversing in their own language. I wonder how much integration there is.

And it’s this lack of integration that can be problematic in affecting the general culture of a university. Not the fact that the students are overseas students per se. It’s a big cultural issue for some universities (lse and UCL in particular and Warwick is likely to have an issue if it continues). People often then jump in and and start screeching about racism. It isn’t that at all, it’s about avoiding a situation where you effectively have two entirely different isolated student populations. It’s a real issue that universities are having to consider.

There's a lack of integration of mainland Chinese students. Their cultural outlook is very different & there's a huge difference between a HK resident & a mainlander. All other Asian nationalities mix together. Indeed that's the attraction of UCL for DD. As she was born overseas & has many friendships amongst her overseas friends.

A friend of mine lectures for a masters course in a subject that China is keen for its students to study. She says it is really frustrating as you start each year with a large group of Chinese students asking questions about what words mean (which is fine) but they then spend the whole year together and their English doesn't really improve and they are still asking the same questions at the end of the year. She finds it frustrating and feels really sorry for the other students who lose so much of their face to face time as a result of this.

DS and his Dad go to Newcastle tomorrow for a boys night out.

Oh and the small matter of an Offer Holders Day (MEng) on Saturday.... anyone else got similar?

4th rejection for DS today for Leeds. With significantly higher than required grades. Devastated for him

@cmcc22 so sorry to hear that - it must be gutting for your DS. Seems like it’s happening a lot this year? I don’t know why they don’t publish realistic minimum grades, so at least prospective students know their chances. So hard to stay motivated at a vital time. I hope the final offer comes through or other options via clearing etc.

@cmcc22 it's just unbelievable. What is going on out there with economics admissions? so sorry for your DS (and you)- its a hard enough time leading up to A levels without all this.

@cmcc22 I feel for you and your son so much..fingers crossed for your last uni. My son has 3 rejections for economics. We are still waiting for LSE and Durham which are notoriously late at giving offers 🤦‍♀️. My son has 3A stars achieved and 1A star predicted. (He was rejected from all 5 universities he applied to last year) @Thingshavechanged i agree about the realistic minimum grades… but what do they say … it seems 3A stars wasn’t enough to get any offers for the economics courses my son applied for last year.. so adding a predicted A-star in further maths this year, it’s still not good enough….

@Buttermilk72 it's unbelievable that your son does not have offers with his grades. I've just been on TSR and apparently lots for Leeds have been unsuccessful with grades far in excess of entry requirements. Feeling is unless your international or contextual then no chance. I think we will end up in Extra tomorrow as he really doesn't want to go with the offer he has from Newcastle

@cmcc22 last year not one of my sons whole sixth form (grammar school) got an offer from Leeds. One boy was rejected that got a place at Cambridge 😳 it’s crazy. It’s like they just decided they would ban their school entirely!! Good luck in Extra.. we might be right behind you…

Oh so sorry to hear this @cmcc22 I really do wonder what’s going on.

So sorry to hear what's going on with Economics, it's just insane! I did notice some options in Extra for Economics at Birmingham etc. I think there's something to be said for them going half a tier down and absolutely smashing it with firsts rather than doing this ridiculous competion for UCL, LSE, Warwick etc where they're now seemingly choosing randomly between kids with all or mostly 9a at GCSE and A stars at A level. Just bonkers. Could work out well for them in the end being massive fishes in still large ponds.

Do the Chinese and other international students particularly like Economics courses?

Using the last post in this thread to link to the next - Hope to see you all there

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