Year out & uni applications

[Howlongtillwegetthere]

My DD (year 11) wants a year out between A levels and uni.

When the time comes, I assume she will apply for deferred places. Re choice of unis, I assume she has theoretically got two chances to apply - one with predicted grades and then the following year with actuals. Or am I mis-understanding the process?

And should she aim as high as she can uni-wise the first time round, running the risk of rejections, or apply for a mix, so that she has secured a place?

Following too as my DS is in Yr11 and wants a year out. Just to bear in mind getting halls/housing sorted as my niece did the same years ago and had a hard time finding anywhere to rent as they forgot to sort it.

My understanding is that you apply as if you are not taking a year out. Choose your firm and insurance choice, but don’t book accommodation. Then ask to defer on results day. If they say yes, you book your accommodation the following spring whilst you are away ready for that September. If they said no to deferring..could try your insurance offer,or just reapply through ucas the following autumn, though this may be tricky if not in a school??

Mine applied once he had his grades, so much easier and less stressful!

You have it right. You can apply whilst still at school for a deferred place. (Do not do what Elderflower suggests.)

You get your results, and your place is confirmed. Then if, and many do, you change your mind you can withdraw from that place and reapply for 5 choices via UCAS. But do this before the UCAS deadline.

DD had a gap year. She has never regretted it.

My ds ticked defer box and will be taking a year out to earn a bit of money.
He knows that he has option to reapply with results if changes mind about current choices for whatever reason.

DD hasn’t applied at all. She is taking a year out and will do an extra A level online while working in a related field.
Her 6th form Tutor was fuck all help and frightened the life out of her so I had to involve the Vice Principal at her 6th from college. Since then they have been great and told her when she is applying to get back in touch with a named contact and they will help her through the process with references etc. She will obviously know 3 A level results and will have a prediction for the 4th, which is the vital one

Mine deferred on her original application. So she applied Autumn 2020 for entry in Autumn 2022.

You need to check if your sons subject allows deferrals because some subjects don't. For example maths don't because they don't want students to forget what they learned in A-level.

My daughter is on her gap year, she was incredibly stressed during her A levels and she was wanting to apply for a competitive, creative course area which requires auditions, extra portfolios and statements. Decided to leave applying to when she had a bit more time. She has recently submitted her applications, she just notified her head of sixth to update her reference with her more recent work experience. Now just preparing for auditions which takes a lot of time and would have been really hard to fit around A level study.

Not all maths.

My Dd was started y13 in 2020 and received offers to start un September 2022.

She applied for accommodation at the same time as people in the year below who started y13 in September 2021 who wanted to start in September 2022.

I would wait and go through application process with the actual grades.

It's all very relaxed as the uncertainty and achieving certain grades is taken away.

Also want to add that my DD was set on a specific course/ industry. She has currently a job working in her preferred field of study.

Sadly or better luckily she decided very quickly on that her original choice wasn't what she expected in the "real world".
After meeting and working with other professionals, she has now found something "better" and is looking forward to going uni in September.

Former Russell Group STEM admissions tutor here.

Each year the goal is to pull together the strongest cohort possible. Admissions tutors really do not care about applicant strategies. If your DD will apply for a deferred place in the first instance, she has two opportunities. If, and only if, her subject will allow a gap year. Some STEM subjects highly discourage this. I have argued against this policy, sometimes successfully, but the prejudice is widespread. Be aware. If in doubt concerning DD’s degree programme it is best to consult admissions tutors directly. That’s what we are here for

Best wishes

Just had a quick rummage on the UCL site (on the grounds that UCL seems like the kind of institution that might say no deferrals for Maths) and found that their stance is that a gap year to be spent constructively is fine and only BA and BFA Fine Art don't accept any applications for deferred entry.

DS has taken a year out although not intentionally, but we were aware that it could happen.

He applied for a very competitive course and didn't get a place. So he's worked this year and reapplied with his grades in the bag. It has been so much less stressful.

As others have said, Elderflower is incorrect. Your dd will be asked on the UCAS form which year they are applying for and they make the application for the appropriate year, eg my ds applied via UCAS in the autum of 2020 for deferred entry for September 2021 and that was how it went through on the UCAS form.

She can apply for the 5 unis she likes best - usually it's a couple of aspirational, then three others that are well within range. When she has all her offers she firms one and puts a second as insurance and the other three are released, then when she gets her results the uni she has got in to will confirm her choice on her UCAS track on results day for her place in the following year.

My ds had to apply for his accommodation by the end of January in 2021 and the allocation was confirmed at the same time as everyone else going up in Sept 21 had theirs confirmed, just after results day.

Hope that helps.

Both my two DC applied for deferred entry; one 3 years ago and one last year DC2 (on gap year now) Ie DC2 applied to UCAS in Oct 2021 for entry in Oct 2023.

Both got all deferred offers and the whole process went very smoothly. Some universities will not defer an offer once offered so don't assume that is possible. If you want a gap year apply for aa deferred place.

You can still have two bites at the cherry as if you didn't get the deferred offers you want, or your A Levels are better - or worse - you can reapply after A Levels. For our two deferred applications save having to faff around with application while away (both my DC worked in France).

Of course depends on the young person and some may prefer not to have stress of applying while doing AA Levels, other like my dc wanted to know what their offers are.

This is not strictly true. My son is y13 and has applied for 2024 entry (deferred from the off) in Maths. He has offers from Warwick, Bath and Exeter. Only Oxford rejected on this basis. Most unis prefer that you apply for deferred entry than apply for the current year and then request a deferral.

It depends on whether she's 100% sure on the gap year idea. A lot can change during year 13, especially as friends start getting offers and are excited to start. Mine thought they might want a gap year, but on the basis of keeping options open applied to go straight from A-levels, then deferred on results day. It was easy, but I'm sure it's course dependent. A lot of Universities are positive about deferring, as they'll probably end up with a more mature student who is totally sure they want to do the course.