Do gcse's impact uni places/offers?

[Hardpillow]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone's child has had their uni offers impacted by the gcse grades that their child achieved. I believe Oxford do on occasion look at gcse grades but do any other uni's please? Any input would be gravely appreciated. Many thanks

For vet science yes. DD has been unable to apply for some courses due to GCSEs being too low. It's a real shame because she is a late bloomer. Other DC is studying another subject and I don't think their GCSE grades were considered.

@BirdCaughtCat it is stressful. But - good news - his maths mock grade was a 9 and they have covered almost all the course so that should be ok. Further maths was a high 7, but he's been teaching himself (school sets work and videos but no classes) so I think he can bring that up and do ok. And the school are being very helpful, so fingers crossed. Worse case he can get lie in bed and listen to his set texts for English on audiobook!

@LaurelGrove sounds like he doing brilliantly and good plan with the audio book. My DC did that too. If he is laid up then can I also recommend Free Science Lessons on YouTube as a good revision aid too as you mentioned science up thread. Incredible that he is teaching himself further maths GCSE too. Well done to your boy.

@Hardpillow As a former admissions tutor I would find your family’s extenuating circs highly relevant, so I encourage you to have them submitted one way or the other. In deciding between the SW and the school, I would choose whoever is likely to provide the fullest picture of the challenges your DS has faced because I know these can be significant.

However. If I may venture gently, you sound stressed by the possibility that your DS may not end up in one of the most elite universities. If I may use Oxbridge as a shorthand, the reality is that selective schools will encourage applications only from those who have a good chance and literally only a handful in the land have an acceptance rate of 30% or better. The large majority of qualified applicants from everywhere are rejected; that’s just life. It isn’t something you or DS should be heartbroken about if if it happens.

When DPs feel that Oxbridge is the key to a good life and their DC are rejected, they often come to excellent programmes like ours already feeling like failures. They are then unable to engage properly and it can be awful. Furthermore as this Board attests, no uni is right for everyone and I have welcomed Oxbridge students who just needed a change.

Your life has real challenges and your elder DC sounds like he is doing well. Please don’t worry about his options for uni. From what you have told us his future is bright. Best wishes

@poetryandwine and wine, thank you for your post and insights. I will speak to school and the disability sw in the Summer when he's started on his a-levels. Thank you for your honesty too.

My eldest is worried already about uni places snd I'm worried/ stressed about him worrying if that makes sense? I'd love for him to go to uni (any uni) as I believe education is important but I don't think oxbridge is the be all for him. I'm concerned he does though.

@Hardpillow Of course it makes sense.

Do you know where your DS may have got the idea that Oxbridge is the only thing that matters? I doubt it is from his teachers, because they know the real story. I suspect it is ignorant peer pressure. Even if this is not a single sex school, IME boys are more brazen about this.

These children will, sadly, get their comeuppance, but it may take a while. I am very busy today but someone has copied a link from The Times on another thread showing Oxbridge acceptance rates from the most successful schools and colleges in the country. Would it help if you dug that out and showed it to your DS? Or perhaps look at the career sites of some other good unis? Check out the short CVs and bios of successful people in the Business section of the mainstream newspapers. Sure, some went to Oxbridge but overall fewer than I would have expected.

Figuring out what he wants to study and where the strong degree programmes are will also help. A lot. Not having any idea of that, he has no real motivation to learn about other unis.

Growing up is the biggest help of all.

What i would say is take the time to research courses, some courses at universities he may not have thought of may be rated higher than others. Also look at opportunities like a year in industry, integrated masters etc. Ds is not at a russel group uni but his course is in the top 5 at the uni he is at. He was also eligible for contextual offers due to postcode. He ended up getting an unconditional offer.