A Levels 2023 - Results Day & Beyond: Part 2

[SlightlyJaded]

The previous post is filling up and as i seem to be one of the few still in limbo, I thought I'd start a new thread.

A place to discuss 2023 A level results and navigate our way through clearing/frustrations/questions and anything else.

Previous thread here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4873934-a-levels-2023-results-day-and-beyond?page=10&reply=128536278

Waiting till the old thread fills up before we hop over here.

Direct from DD's bank as that's where her maintenance is being paid into. She got to choose whether to pay it monthly, in one lump sum or termly.

Last year my friend (who is not known for reading fine print or checking up on things) had told her son to opt to pay for his accom in one lump sum, thinking it meant he'd know how much £ he had left for the rest of the year but didn't know that the maintenance wasn't paid in one sum. I think they were able to change it before it was too late.

I keep thanking our lucky stars that Wales' arrangements means that no matter how the means-testing comes out, she will get £11,720 paid to her for maintenance. Of that, £1000 (the minimum she can have) is a grant that doesn't need repaying. It goes up to £8100 of grant for those on low incomes.

It does mean a larger debt at the end of it, but it also means there is no question of whether she/we can afford her accommodation costs. We will subsidise in small ways, but setting her up with all her stuff and buying her her first full shop. We learnt from DD1 to take some fridge and freezer stuff with us on moving in to bag space in the kitchen and THEN to go shopping for storecupboard stuff when she has actually moved in rather than taking lots of space up in the car.

I flew back from holiday today and it was interesting to see some people arriving who looked v much like students from the amount of luggage they had, inc one who had brought a beanbag on their flight! :)

Hi just read through the thread as I've been away and not on for a while.@SlightlyJaded such good news!
I live in Manchester and honestly it's such a good city. One of the reasons my dd was so particular about where she wanted to go was because she loves Manchester so much!

Can someone please tell me to give my head a wobble?
I just feel so gutted for dd still.
I can't tell her that but it's just so unfair.

She was predicted 3 A stars and got A star, A, B which a fabulous grades but meant she missed out on first choice Leeds (A star, AA) and Newcastle (AAA)
She's going to Sheffield through clearing on the course she wanted to do.

I don't know if anyone remembers me telling you about the group of girls that were really mean on results night but they all got onto Leeds as did her boyfriend.

She's okish about Sheffield but her hearts not really in it and i just imagined her being so excited about her going off to uni and it just feels flat.

Got her remark back today for her B and it was exactly the same and I think it's brought it all home again.

Sorry to moan and I know she's in a really good position compared to some but I just feel sad.

I set up my DD's hall fees to come out of my account, it was very straight forward.

If it helps at all Sheffield is a fabulous city. My son is there and loves it. He had a brilliant first year, loved his course and tutors, and is really looking forward to going back in a few weeks time. My friend's daughter loved it so much she stayed for a year after graduation to work in and have fun. My other friend's niece has just bought a house there - she never left after her degree. I have several work colleagues who went there and all really enjoyed their time there - there's a lot of love for Sheffield. I've yet to meet a friend or colleague who lived or studied there who doesn't have extremely fond feelings about it.

As a resident and ex-student of Leeds, I'm very annoyed that my city is going to have these dreadful young women inflicted on us whilst Sheffield gets the pick of the bunch with your DD @troppibambini6 !

My brother went to Sheffield and he loved it. I reckon she will find kindred spirits quite quickly and these ex-friends will soon be a distant memory.

@DailyMaui thank you. Sheffield was my first choice for uni but I didn't quite get the grades and I've only heard great things too. I know in my heart of hearts she will be fine and I definitely believe things happen for a reason but it's just hard seeing her so flat.

Thank you @tribpot. I hope you're right. I love Leeds as a city but I really like Sheffield too.

My mum very kindly took dd over to Sheffield today. She did the open day and offer holder day already but went today as a "I will be living here" look round day.

The people on reception for her halls actually took her up to what will be her room and let her have a look round. She loved the accommodation it has a big common room for the block, a games room, cinema room and gym that only people who live there can use.

She said the city felt small but I explained a walk round on a Thursday afternoon in the summer with her grandma will be very different to student life there!!!

My youngest got into Sheffield as his insurance. We’ve had a whole gamut of experiences with our children- NTU, Southampton, Surrey, Imperial and now Sheffield. Its student support is fantastic (second only to NTU), my son has changed course but he has had a marvelous time , great friends , more than enough cheap student accommodation, and a variety of night life. Peak District on the doorstep and easy travel to all over the Uk. Brilliant!

Love this!

She will love Sheffield.
As another poster said, many Sheffield graduates remain in Sheffield after graduation.
Great university and affordable accommodation.

Do you know where her accommodation is? There are some fab locations for students in halls.

@troppibambini6 I TOTALLY get the sadness when they don't have that spring in their step. Many of DD's friends are off to Leeds but the one that really hurts is the Frenemy who is taking utter delight and being a passive-agressive spiteful cow about it.

She has got her head around MMU but it's not the joyful, excited occasion we were anticipating.

BUT... they will settle in, they will find their people and they will be fine. I keep comparing it to the heady buzz of falling for someone who has all the flash and charm and wears the right clothes vs being with someone steady, less exciting on the surface but actually a slow burner who you fall for in the end.

It will be fine

Also - what course is she doing? if it is Biochemistry my son would be happy to have a chat and say why he loves the course (and the city).

My son had originally wanted Kings in London and got an offer for Biomedical science. However he took a gap year, decided on Biochemistry instead, applied with his grades (the same grades as the biomedical offer) and got declined by Kings the second time. He was initially really upset - I think he'd pictured himself in the Waterloo student halls walking along the Southbank to lectures - he knew the area really well as I used to work there and he'd visited so may times.

I have just asked him if he has any regrets about not going to Kings and he said no. He knew London (we lived there many moons ago too), he didn't know Sheffield and he's really happy to have had a new experience of a place none of us had any connection with. He even came home at Christmas with his mega pack of Yorkshire tea as if we were some sort of heathen southerners without taste in tea (we had some in the cupboard but ..)

We are also packing Yorkshire Tea to take to Wales, @DailyMaui - you can't be too careful.

@SlightlyJaded don't tell me Frenemy is coming to Leeds as well? Are we cursed?

Thank you so much everyone
.
@DailyMaui she is on Allen court and is doing law. She did say she loved the accommodation.

I know she will be fine and I'm sure she will love it.... I feel like she just needs to go now. She's very similar to me and it's the unknown that's making her wobble.

@SlightlyJaded where abouts is your dds accommodation as I said I live in Manchester so if I can help at all..

@tribpot Yep Frenemy is off to Leeds. Spiteful thing she is and could not be more pleased with herself whilst managing to be Oh So Sympathetic to DD. Lots of "I know this must be SO hard for you" and "I still can't BELIEVE your results. It's all SO shocking!" with saccharine smile. 🙄

@troppibambini6 We managed to get a room in halls. It's pretty basic but a fifteen minute walk to campus and with a private bathroom so she should be ok. But I will bare your offer in mind - thank you.

I love this thread- it’s so supportive. Update on my DS - OB replied to his email to say he must reach the full points offer- only possible if each subject goes up one grade!

Today he heard that his C has been remarked to a B- he’s so pleased that he wants us to send the D off. This is less likely as he is further away from a C than the first subject was from B. It is also an essay subject so maybe less likely to find extra marks? We have also asked to looked at the U papers and his teacher will go through them with us just in case. Thanks to the PP who advised this rather than going straight for a remark.

I’m happy to do all this so we have done all we can but I do worry that he might be getting his hopes up about OB when it’s such an outside chance that all three grades will go up.

Really pleased to read about the DC who are happy (or accepting) about their uni - hope they have a fantastic first few weeks.

thank you :)

I’m so fuming on your DS’s behalf @SlightlyJaded. It’s easy to say don’t let the frenemy get under your skin but harder in practice. It’s always worth remembering that in life sometimes you’re ahead and sometimes you’re behind so always best to concentrate on running your own race. Maybe dd needs to rehearse some pithy responses to put frenemy back in her box. The great thing about MMU is she’ll probably make some better friends than having to spend more time with people like this girl.

For those with DC going to Sheffield, I went there (a long time ago!) and had a whale of a time. I actually started off at Bristol, hated it, moved to Sheffield and loved it (same course). I work for a Sheffield based company now, and loads of my work colleagues did degrees there then decided to settle down in the city.

@troppibambini6 you might remember me from an earlier thread as my son also applied to Leeds for the same course.

He also got an unexpected B in his strongest subject and missed out on Leeds and his insurance so I totally understand how you are feeling.

He has actually chosen a different course at his insurance and I think it will be much better for him. I know Sheffield was in the running for insurance choice for your daughter. We went to the open day and the staff and students were really lovely. Leeds offer holder day in comparison was a shambles!

Anyway I just wanted to say that everything happens for a reason and your daughter was meant to go to Sheffield, she really was.

To @SlightlyJaded and everyone else who is in the same situation, I guarantee that in a couple of months they will be sitting drinking with their new found friends, getting all emotional about how they would never have met if they had got into their first choice uni and thanking the universe for bringing them together 😂

@Fourcandlesx hi yes I totally remember. I'm sorry your ds missed out too but thats brilliant news that he's on a good course.

@SlightlyJaded that's good thar you managed to get such central accommodation.

Im feeling much better about it all. Dd seems to have really turned a corner with it all too. She presented me with a very long list of stuff she "needs" for uni so must be feeling better!

@abterol that's really good to hear. I've heard of so many people who end up settling in Sheffield after uni but it's lovely to hear of good experiences.

@abterol My DD1 is in 4th year at Lancaster uni, and she loves the city, I dont think she will come back to our little village in Nottinghamshire, and all her 6th form mates drifted apart in the end, so thers nothing really here for her except us oldies. Her base is with her friends in Lancaster. Shes hoping to try and stay in the northwest if she can for her phd, whether its Lancaster/Liverpool/Manchester. I understand why you settled at Sheffield, its a great city.

@SlightlyJaded your DC will love MMU and it will be good for her to be away from Frenemies. Give it a couple of months and she wont give those people a second thought when shes enjoying her time at uni with her new friends.

DD2 has pretty much got everything for Reading now. Just applied for student bank account, and awaiting the important password/pin/card to come, and shes done the enrolment of her uni and course. The uni also has a freshers fortnight, so I really dread to think how thats going to go down, especially in week two. She does not want to go to them all, but shes interested in the Abba night, and Zoo night (she does zoology) and the tribute Arctic Monkeys band at the SU called the Mardy bums lol. Been checking out the bus services, which drops her right outside of halls which is piece of mind for me, when its late at night, or shes got bags of shopping.

Thanks all for the ongoing thoughts for DD. She does seem to have mentally turned a corner despite the blip of yesterday. We finally got her Geog remark back. She needed 4 marks to go up a grade boundary. She got 3....

A Levels have not been kind to her. I am hoping that this means the Degree Gods will smile down on her - she has earned it!

We went shopping yesterday and spent a small fortune on fluffy cushions, fake plants, fairy lights, rugs and bedding as well as all the bathroom and kitchen stuff. She has a normal bank account and Unidays - and I also remembered a couple of days ago to divert her student loan from Leeds to Manchester - nearly forgot that! Can anyone advise if we should be doing anything else financial?

Nearly there everyone :)