Applying with grades ‘in hand’

[buggybored]

Does anyone have experience of DC applying to university post-A level? I’m curious as to whether offers tend to come through more quickly than when applying in year 13. And also whether DC should be applying to universities where grade requirements are equal to what they have ‘in hand’ or a bit lower? I suppose I’m just a bit confused as to whether, if for example they’re applying for a course which requires 3 x As, they will be judged more favourably because they actually have those grades already or more harshly against someone who is predicted A stars. Or maybe it varies depending on course/university…

@RosyCheekBird and @mondaytosunday no offers here yet (4 A stars in hand) - just one early rejection - thanks LSE....

Nothing here either…

Nothing here yet either. He’s only applied to Loughborough and Bath.
Loughborough waited until the end of April last year before rejecting him, I was quietly optimistic he’d get an offer fairly quickly this time but maybe not!

Arrgh I was hoping for a positive message from you @mrsconradfisher ! Lboro can be late to offer IME - ds’s offer from there was the last he received. His UCAS form went in a lot later tho, around Christmas time IIRC. Crossing fingers!

Crossing fingers for all!

Maybe I’m being naive but if he meets the grade requirements (finally!!) and has a brilliant PS (it is genuinely brilliant, not just me being a proud Mum) plus he has gap year experience I honestly don’t know what else he can do. I thought it would be a fairly quick yes or no as clearly nothing can change between now and results day…he’s either what they want or isn’t!!

I think I’m driving DS crazy as I keep asking if he has heard anything!!

It is still awfully early, @mrsconradfisher I remain optimistic for your DS. I am also a big fan of Bath in general.

I know…I’m just impatient! It feels like we’ve waited a year already if that makes sense?

DS absolutely loved Bath. We went in half term and did a Campus tour as the Open Day was fully booked. The Uni itself was great, very impressive sports centre. And he really liked Bath, he said it felt right there. Completely different to the feeling he had at Birmingham. I think if he gets offered both, he’d go for Loughborough just because of how hard he has worked to get there and logistically it’s much easier for him to get to than Bath which involved a very long and expensive train journey even with his railcard. But it was lovely to see him so positive about somewhere other than Loughborough, he didn’t have that at all last time.

I went to uni after a-levels but dropped out after year 2 (deeply regret it now). At 23 I applied again with all my grades and got the offer pretty much as soon as applications closed. It was unconditional as I didn't have to wait for grades to come through.
I have to say the second time around it was much easier and less stressful. I applied as an independent student (so didn't have to provide mums financial info or divorce papers etc to prove that she's a single mum on singe income - it was a faff the first time round as divorce happened in another country so all had to be translated and fourth approved)

Well Glasgow came through with an unconditional offer within 24 hours of adding it! Last choice but as I said a confidence boost.

I think Glasgow is currently the hidden gem of the British HE system. So this is great news! (A few years ago I would have saud Bath, more recently Lancaster, but they have both been outed.)

It's just so far away @poetryandwine! We'll go to an offers holders day (if they do one) depending on what other offers materialise.

Genuine question rather than trying to spoil things, but has Glasgow sorted out its accommodation crunch?

For first years, yes.

Had a dispiriting chat with a friend the other day, which I think I posted about in another thread. Her daughter achieved A star A A and applied to courses with requirements all below. She either didn't get any offers and went through clearing or got just one (mum contradicted herself when telling me). It was for the (in my mind ha ha) inexplicably popular Psychology and they were also TAG grades (2021). Whether TAGs counted against her who can say. She's at Oxford Brooks now.

How is it a hidden gem? I went to Glasgow (many years ago!) and thought it had always been pretty prestigious?

Probably because it isn't Bath/Bristol/Exeter/Loughborough/other university popular on MN.

Glasgow takes a lot of English students through clearing. It also has an excellent reputation.

@RampantIvy has well explained what I mean. I know this has been true for some time, but in the 2021 REF (national research ranking) many Glasgow STEM Schools - and I must admit to bias, STEM is my focus - really shot ahead. For example, Glasgow Maths led Scotland and was very highly ranked indeed. (DH is a mathematician and I remember his comment; the 2021 REF rankings are searchable by subject)

Overall and within Schools, Glasgow has long had a strong reputation for Teaching and Learning and student satisfaction. With the enhanced research reputation, this becomes a very potent combination and was the basis for my remark.

Also think it's overshadowed by Edinburgh. Her head of sixth recommended Edinburgh, but she decided if she was going to look at Scotland she should look at St A (doesn't do the course) and Glasgow. The online info about Glasgow made it stand out.

How’s everyone doing? ‘Offer’ in from Bath for economics. Phew. First one.

DD got an offer from Durham last week. Nothing from Bath yet...

2 offers here, both insurancey options but DC would be happy to go to either. Awaiting Durham, UCL and Oxford now.

DS didn’t get offer last year from Leeds or Bristol so accepted Bath for economics. Achieved A* x3 geography, maths and economics. Rejected Bath and decided to take a gap year (arghhhhh)
Reapplied - has had offers back from Nottingham, Warwick and Loughborough but nothing yet from Leeds or Bristol. Nail biting……..

@Mumofash nailbiting indeed! Are Leeds and Bristol the ones he most wants? Although with three A stars in hand he should hopefully get a clean sweep of offers.

Yes - still hoping for either. Bristol have put him on hold again (eventual late rejection last year) and Leeds have written to say they won’t start assessing until after the UCAS deadline.