University for Middling Achievers

[goosebumps]

Please tell me you plans/or experiences for university for your year 12 kids (either now or in the past) who are not all A star grades and 9's at gcses. But rather 5's and 6's with maybe a single 7 and A level predictions of C's and B's (on a good day). MN is so full of the high achievers (which is obviously great) so it would be nice to hear about the
dc's who still work (reasonably) hard and want/had the uni experience. What are the best places to apply and can they get just as much out of uni as the high flyers?

has firmed

Mine will be looking at uni entry in 2025 or 2026.

Would like Russell group but isnt straight a.

Will likely have mix of a/b maybe also c.

Not science/maths.

Maybe business?

I'd rather a city for diversity but maybe more 60s/campus unis fit this bill?

My eldest went to an RG and the support there was terrible. My middle child went to Leeds Beckett and they were amazing, great pastoral and study support, fantastic city and degree course.

There are some Russell Groups that have good support systems. They have other selling points so don't need to invest in it so much. I think Cardiff was OK (just) for Dd, but there were some issues. I've worked in Higher Ed for 21 years , but not at Russell group. Some of the things she told me would make me very nervous, running around bleating about quality and student support lol.

You will get some who will say students are adults and need to get on with the work they're given, should be self-directed especially at a very academic institution ect ect. I don't think this is true, they are still young and need some support. On the other hand some Unis definitely put everything they can into marketing their student support as their unique factor.

The reality is most Unis are strapped for cash. Sometimes something's got to give. Academic staff are dreadfully overworked, especially if they need to be doing research too. Support services can only be stretched so far.

Those with more than one child will realise that fees haven't changed all that much at all over the years and the 9k fee when it was introduced didn't even replace what Uni's got as grants from the government.

Anyway the point is read everything you can about an institution Russell Group or otherwise, try and get some real life reviews if you can. We are so fortunate to have such a wide array inthis country.

I'm sure this isn't a RG vs every other uni thread, but take it from me, it doesn't matter how prestigious/supportive/well regarded/ friendly the Uni is, if it is the wrong fit for your kid.

I wish I'd pushed Dd to do a gap year - she has managed to find herself, and mature a bit anyway this year. Covid really really had an impact. But regrets and all that.

Dd had 6s and a couple of 7s at gcse. Was predicted BBB at a level but was quite poorly in year 13 and I think ended up with CCC or maybe BCC. She had an unconditional for Lincoln and went there. She’s got a 1st and is applying to Cambridge for a masters. She’s certainly thrived.

BG I believe is well thought of for teacher training, certainly a few years ago had a very good reputation. Two friends kids have done teacher training there and found it really good.

Students I've taught that are academically middling and not the academic high flyers have enjoyed going to...

Aberystwyth
Bangor
Bournemouth
Gloucestershire
Oxford Brookes
Plymouth (both unis)
Portsmouth
Reading
Swansea
UWE

Many have been in touch and have contacted to say they're having a great time at uni. Some of my eldest DC's friends are at these places and loving it there too.

@OrangeCinnamonLatte those are really good points.

I think my experience was frustration that the RG university said it would offer support but then when needed there was none forthcoming so it felt deceitful.

Reading isn't remotely at the same level as the other universities you list @woldscotsma. It currently stands at 31 in the overall CUG rankings, which would put it in the top 25% in the UK. The only other one in your list which is inside the top 50 is Swansea at 42.

Personally I don't set much store by university league tables but Reading is not 'middling' in the way that UWE, Bangor and Plymouth are – it's at least 30 places higher than each of them.

Yeah I'd agree Reading and Swansea are pretty decent.

To be fair she said the students were academically middling, not the unis! It's perfectly possible to gain admission to Resding, Swansea or Aberystwyth- which I'd also place apart- with BBC type grades.

I was the middling / low achiever at school. And went to lincoln had a great time. It was over a decade ago now. But I've seen they've made really good improvements to the campus. New med school and things

@Damnspot @thing47

If you read the OPs post, she was looking for recommendations on universities that were popular amongst students who were in the BBB - CCC grade range. I listed the universities that my previous students (and daughter's friends) who are in the BBB - CCC grade mark have gone too and really enjoyed themselves. Yes, Reading and Swansea are at the top end of that list, but I do know several students who have gone there with BBB or BBC (narrowly missing their predicted grades). Some of the others are towards the bottom end of the OPs range (CCC).

If you read my post, I've made no comment about the universities themselves, only that the students who achieved grades BBB - CCC have gone there and loved it.

@fortyfifty good for your nephew. I'm a geotechnical engineer. The Portsmouth undergrad degree is really well respected.

I'd definitely encourage Dd to go for PGCE at Portsmouth if she goes down that route. The Education lead there is fab, he taught me for a professional programme.

Dd has actually got an offer for Sociology for Portsmouth. It's not top of her list due to doorstep location (but made the criteria of goo local uni, go figure 🙄).

It is a fun city to be a student in and many well respected degrees within certain industries as it seems above.

I can personally recommend Education BA at Goldsmiths. It contains lots of elements of Sociology, there’s a wide range of modules and the academics are fantastic. It’s teacher training but many students go on to do a PCGE at Goldsmiths (and they’re guaranteed an interview).

Entry requirements BBC, but will often take lower especially in clearing.

*NOT teacher training

Think carefully about the course - you are probably better going for a more vocational course that leads into a job in a field where qualified people are in short supply. I wouldn’t do French, Art History or Biology at a middling university. One the otherhand many of the old polys offer courses designed for local industry with good employment records.

Well we must remember we can only guide our DC. We can't choose courses and life pathways for them.

We can't restrict subjects to certain students just because WE think they won't have enough earning power.

You might aswell say only blonde children with a string of A stars are allowed to do Art History and only at one of the ancients.

Let's not extrapolate from Mumsnet that kids who don't have great A Levels do not get on at life. We all know that life is a little bit more complex than deemed being a successful Lawyer in London and earning shed loads.

Fair enough @Piggywaspushed, always respect your posts.

For Education courses you can get onto the majority with 3 x Bs – even top-rated ones such as Manchester and Nottingham which officially ask for ABB often take a grade (or even 2) lower. So most options in that field are open to middling students. I don't know anything about sociology.

Let's not extrapolate from Mumsnet that kids who don't have great A Levels do not get on at life. We all know that life is a little bit more complex than deemed being a successful Lawyer in London and earning shed loads.

Quite so. And furthermore A levels grades don't really tell you shit once you're a few years down the line. Unless you want to be a City lawyer, most companies aren't going to look at the A levels results of their graduate job applicants. Universities themselves don't – if you apply for a Masters they do not routinely ask for your A level grades.

Reading Uni, DS is very happy there, he got B/B/B in sciences and maths and had them as his first choice, felt lucky to get in with his respectable but not starry grades.

DH works in private equity and looks at CVs on a weekly basis, for newly qualified recruits he looks at GCSEs, A Levels and degree. It’s pretty brutal, for starters anything less than 11 or 12 A (9s) at GCSE and it doesn’t reach his desk, 3 or 4 A at A level. Money is great but DH and I often joke how only one of our 3 kids would have a hope of meeting the criteria. Interesting to read here that most employers don’t look at GCSEs or A levels once you have a degree.

We also know that an awful lot of students exit universities with huge debts and end up working in minimum wage or non graduate jobs. I have no problem with people working in those jobs - they are essential to modern life and for many they may provide them a happy life. But if you are about to saddle yourself with such huge debts then a cost-benefit analysis is appropriate.