Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Applying for 2023 - all welcome thread 2

344 replies

AnonymousThreadStarter · 17/03/2023 15:07

I have started a new thread as our previous one is nearly full. Name changed so I won’t forever be the OP. Originally for non early entry applicants I am sure anyone who would like to can be on this thread as we wait for final decisions to come in, negotiate UCAS extra and hope that the results will match the offers come August.

OP posts:
NotDonna · 23/04/2023 17:04

Ten!!! Is there even ten? 🤣🤣🤣

NotDonna · 23/04/2023 17:05

Posted too soon. DD won’t really care as long as on campus.

troppibambini6 · 26/04/2023 09:55

Good to see everyone progressing, I feel like the exams are coming towards us very quickly!

Busy week for dd it was her 18th on Monday, we are going to Leeds offer holder day today and her driving test tomorrow.

She has firmed Leeds and insurance is Newcastle.

I'm looking forward to seeing Leeds law today dh did the open day with her so I've not been yet. He said it was very impressive.

Cantonet · 26/04/2023 10:04

DD was still waiting for Liverpool Architecture as she hadn't heard from them. Only to receive an email to say they hadn't received her portfolio. The portfolio she sent to the head of department a long time ago. As she wasn't getting any emails from Liverpool at all throughout this process. She has emailed the dept head several times. The school even confirmed this with Liverpool admissions weeks ago.
So she's now given up & will just withdraw & firm UCL & UAL.
It doesn't bode well for the Architecture dept, if they can't even organise their own admissions properly.

PettsWoodParadise · 26/04/2023 10:04

Good luck to your DD @troppibambini6 for her driving test (DD passed second time back in November) and hope the open day goes well today.

DD’s last day in school before study leave is 11th May. It struck us all that she has no more Mondays at school ever! Yesterday was her last Monday due to bank holidays, study leave and she has no Monday exams either.

bguthb90 · 26/04/2023 10:39

There seems to be a lot of "lasts" happening @PettsWoodParadise but I'd missed the "last Monday in school" one.

My DS finishes next Thursday - 4th May - so given the teacher's strike today, he only has 4 full days left.

Think I seem more upset than he does tbh 😂. Although I am looking forward to the "last time I iron a school shirt"

Cantonet · 26/04/2023 10:51

@Bobadob18 how is it going for your DD's application? DD was rejected from Edinburgh. Which to be honest we weren't surprised by, as she wasn't eligible for a contextual offer.
I'm another shocked by the increasing rapidity of 'lasts'. But this is my third going through this & my 4th will be next year. So it feels as if we' re still in the 'grinding' process ...

Bobadob18 · 26/04/2023 11:02

@Cantonet thank you for asking. I’m sorry to hear your DD was rejected from Edinburgh. DD was too which like you we sort of expected. She also got rejected from UCL which she was so desperate for. She is now coming round to Newcastle and will firm that up. Gosh you are a veteran at this! Where did your DD firm up. I’ve forgotten which choices she had.
its been more stressful than I thought it would be!

Bobadob18 · 26/04/2023 11:39

@Cantonet ive looked back to remind myself and your dd had offers from UCL and Manchester at that point. Has she gone for UCL? did she hear from Liverpool? I wish my dd had applied for Manchester or Liverpool and not taken up two UCL choices but hey ho when do 18 year olds listen to their parents!!

Cantonet · 26/04/2023 12:08

@Bobadob18 DD received offers from UCL, UAL & Manchester. She's withdrawing from Liverpool as they have requested her portfolio again, having had it weeks ago. Plus she has been the one chasing them & emailing the dept head as she didn't receive any emails or requests from them at any point. She's now given up in exasperation. I'm sad because I went to Liverpool myself.
I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter's UCL response. If it's any comfort at all apparently there was a 1/20 success rate there this year. I hear you on the listening to parents thing...
I believe Newcastle is an excellent place to go to though.

Bobadob18 · 26/04/2023 12:28

@Cantonet thats very frustrating about Liverpool, but some great unis to choose from there.
I’ve heard UCL was highly competitive and as we hadn’t heard she had resigned herself to it being a rejection so she seems ok.
she did really like Newcastle on the offer holder day so I’m sure it will all work out.

Weddingmum · 26/04/2023 12:55

DD has had offers from Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham & Sheffield still waiting for Durham which would be her first choice. They said she would hear by the 21st April but nothing, so frustrating!

NotDonna · 26/04/2023 15:47

@Weddingmum fingers crossed she hears soon!
Good luck with the driving test tomorrow@troppibambini6
Last Monday at school! Wow! I think DD has a couple more weeks before they go on study leave. Seems very late. Yet the exams very very close!!

troppibambini6 · 26/04/2023 18:08

Thank you @PettsWoodParadise and @NotDonna.
I have everything crossed for her it's her second try and she only failed last time because she hit the curb when she pulled in.

Leeds offer day done. It was ok, this year they had 21 applicants for each place offered. When dd asked if there was any flexibility in the offer grades it was a definite no.
The offer is A star A A he went on to say that usually over 70% of the ones who get in exceed the offer and have a minimum of 2 A stars.
Think he was trying to make dd feel better but she came away saying am I going to be one of the thick ones there?
She's more than capable but needs to believe in herself a lot more!

Aurea · 26/04/2023 18:19

Accommodation allocated at Edinburgh Uni the day after firming - Beaverbank. Does anyone know anything about this hall?

It all seems so real now.

PettsWoodParadise · 26/04/2023 19:18

@troppibambini6 DD failed her first test due to a car carrier coming in the other direction like a juggernaut. She felt she had no choice but to nip into a small gap. The instructor at the end said he was impressed with her skills and she hadn't done anything a regular driver wouldn't except she should have reversed a quarter of a mile up the road rather than nip in to the small gap, whilst she didn't hit anything she was classed as 'too close'. She also had a car behind her so can you imagine trying to reverse back a quarter of a mile up a narrow road with cars all on one side!!!

Then the shenanigans of trying to get another test was really annoying. Someone recommended some apps to us, one didn't work but one did, the app was about £18 but did actually work to move you gradually up the queue. You had to have 'a' test already in the system which were only available when DD woke up at 6am on a Monday morning and booked the the next test slot within 30 miles of us which was in six months time. The app managed to move her up three times so it was 2.5 months in the end rather than 6. She ended up doing the test in our family car rather than try and juggle things with her driving instructor as it just became too cumbersome and rebooked slots disappeared before she could check with her instructor.

Nothing was this complicated when I was learning to drive, apply to university, sitting my A levels etc. I really feel like our young people already deserve a medal for all they've been through and achieved.

NotDonna · 26/04/2023 19:37

Crikey what a hideous driving test @PettsWoodParadise

Fourcandlesx · 26/04/2023 20:11

@troppibambini6 we did the Leeds offer day on 15th (did wonder if you were there!). It wasn't the best to be honest and the open day was so much better. It's like they didn't think they needed to put any effort in and they are probably right as my son has firmed Leeds too! Nottingham is insurance but it's quite a gamble as Nottingham accommodation is bad enough if you firm them. They aren't even guaranteeing accommodation for insurance choice this year. Cross that bridge if we come to it. As you say, it sounds unlikely that AAA would be enough for Leeds so I'm sure they are all feeling the pressure.

troppibambini6 · 26/04/2023 21:22

@PettsWoodParadise wow that sounds awful!! Your poor dd!
We ended up paying over the odds for a cancellation her driving instructor sorted it through some cancellation website. If we hadn't the next available date was in July (1st test was Valentine's Day) you're so right, everything just seems so much more of a faff these days!

troppibambini6 · 26/04/2023 21:27

@Fourcandlesx that was definitely the vibe I got, no need to make much of an effort as you've probably already accepted us. It was a shame really as I didn't go to the open day dh did and was really impressed as was dd.

I went to Sheffield on the 15th which was completely the opposite. I was very underwhelmed by the open day.... law school was closed for decorating, no campus tour, very chaotic.... whereas the offer day was great.
They did a taster session just for the kids and it gave dd a chance to chat with the other kids there.

I really though dd would go for it but has decided on Newcastle for insurance.

tealgate · 27/04/2023 14:52

We seem to have gone into pre exam panic mode here. Five offers on the table and she's pretty sure which one she wants to firm and do as insurance. She's now considering deferring as she wants to consider an apprenticeship scheme starting in 2024.

I have no idea if this is possible at the moment or how to go about it. Is it possible to defer now or do we have to do the whole application again next year? Without the help of school?

Has anyone any knowledge or experience of this?

NotDonna · 27/04/2023 15:02

I’ve two friends with DC who did this last year. One did it on results day and called them (Cardiff) asking to defer, which was granted and they start this September. Another called them (Exeter) around June/July, if I remember correctly (could have been earlier) certainly prior to results and it was granted, they’ve since decided on a different course and uni after their gap year so have gone through the process with grades in hand. Your DD can call and ask then make the decision. What apprentice is she considering?

tealgate · 27/04/2023 15:11

Who exactly would you call? She has the name of the Professor who spoke at the open day, but she's really nervous about calling.
She's looking at either consulting or real estate, neither of which have anything to do with her degree choice of Classics Smile

kidstaxidriver · 28/04/2023 06:12

Question on accommodation and deferral - DS’s insurance choice say they only guarantee accomm if you have them as your firm choice. DS is deferring. If he doesn’t get grades for ‘firm’ choice and is off to his insurance choice in theory, would he then be better to reapply and to see if he gets another offer from them to make them his firm choice to guarantee accommodation or is this all too risky as might not get a re-offer? I know he would be able to apply for accomm as soon as it opens as he would know he has his insurance choice but they don’t allocate until after results and obviously many will have it down as their ‘firm’ not their insurance……..Last minute nerves here as didn’t realise so many unis can’t guarantee accomm if they are an insurance choice - thanks in advance for advice. Now panicking we will be doing this all over again and if we reapply we might not even get reoffers. Or would it be wor to emailing admissions first in this scenario ? Thanks

kidstaxidriver · 28/04/2023 06:13

*worth

Swipe left for the next trending thread