St Andrews

[Innisfree]

Happy new year to all 2024 St Andrews hopefuls!

Gearing up for a few months worrying about DS’s UCAS Uni offers. His first choice is St Andrews, then Exeter, Durham, Glasgow and he has had an offer from Newcastle. All for Classical Studies (always small cohorts). He’s at an independent school in Scotland on a scholarship, and predicted 3 As. He’s also contextual as a young carer, helping to look after me (I have MS and, this year, breast cancer). I desperately want him to get some good offers as I am feeling terribly guilty about the level of impact the caring has had on him and his studying both practically and emotionally.

Hoping St Andrews might give us an early ish offer as a home contextual, but nothing yet, though they have been in touch late Dec to say his carer status has been verified. There are so many applying with A star grades though, so not sure how his application will go.

Would love to hear of any St As offers coming through.

Thankyou and well done to your friend’s son. Excellent achievement.

Large numbers of my class at school got in English universities with Highers, 2 (including me) into Oxbridge. It makes me really sad that a Scottish school feels it has to offer English exams. He must be doing some pretty niche subjects at A level if they aren’t available at Higher. I did Higher Latin and Standard Grade Classical studies. Is it more about the Scottish syllabus of things like English and History being too Scottish-focused?

Anyway best of luck to him. If he gets in to St Andrews he’ll feel right at home as it’s full of English students anyway.

Hi there,
DS1 also got an offer from St Andrews back in November. He is in England and non contextual, Computer science.
Most of his friends who applied haven't heard back yet.

@Innisfree My DC is waiting to hear from St Andrews for Classical Studies. We are also Scottish( non contextual ) and only a couple of offers for different subjects have come in so far to others at their school.

@KingsleyBorder the whole point of independent schools is that they offer parents choices, that's what they are paying for, I wouldn't take it personally ( although it's sometimes difficult not to).
I actually think 3 A- levels is probably a lighter workload than 5 Highers one year and then 3 Advanced Highers the next ( AHs are worth more UCAS points than A- levels due to the course content), that's a lot of important exams one after another. I can see why a student who really knows what they want to study at uni, especially if it's a niche subject might choose A- levels if they were available.

Glad I found this thread. DS has two unconditional offers, but still waiting for St A. He was equally torn between Edinburgh and St Andrews, has his Edinburgh offer. But it would be nice for him to be able to make the choice. Fingers crossed!

Thanks so much Innis for starting this thread. Congratulations to Bianca and Travel for your DC's offers, that's really fantastic. I have twins, both applied for science subjects. We're RUK so also expecting that we will be one of the last to hear. We visited in April last year and they both loved their respective departments and the town. Good luck to everyone and hope the wait is not too long.

Ditto thanks. DC has offers in from the three English universities applied for (grades in hand) but has yet to hear from St A or Edinburgh which, inevitably, are the ones most wanted - particularly St A. Applying for a fairly niche ML so, although we are RUK, really hoping a decision of whatever nature comes through fairly soon.

I really don't think being rUK makes you likely to get a late reply, early replies are the exception, apart from some internationals. Scottish students apply with grades in hand and they have to wait just as long usually, they don't give places to Scottish students first and then what's left to RUK students despite rumours to the contrary. Popularity of course and size of dept probably make a big difference. It's a small uni so therefore can only support a smallish admissions dept ( although it does seem to find plenty of money to throw at recruiting Americans) but gets a high volume of quality applications and a fair few speculative ones from some Scottish applicants who stick all four ancient Scottish unis on their applications to fill UCAS slots.

Hi! Hopping on here. DD has applied to St A's for MFL. It's her top contender and she loves it. We are RUK and non-contextual however she is from a state school and MFL isn't as competitive so we're hoping for something soon ish!

DS git an unconditional offer for St Andrews last week. We are in Scotland and widening access.

Waiting on St Andrews (and edinburgh) here too. We are in Scotland, no contextual though.

I actually don't think he'll like St Andrews tbh but he really liked the taster lecture so who am I to say? We live nearby but he wouldn't stay at home which I think is probably a good thing, I think he needs the independence.

In all honestly I suspect he will be rejected from St A as his national 5s weren't good (although top grades at higher). Time will tell.

Wow, that’s great @Oooooft is that his firm choice and which degree subject was it? As we are widening access too I was hoping DS would hear before end January, but he has predicted grades so it might be different.

Well done to your DS!

Someone in DDs friendship group got an offer from StA this week too (we are in Scotland ) so hoping DD doesn't have to wait much longer

Waiting for St Andrews and Edinburgh in this house too.
Last ones to hear from

It's for Biology. He just got offered Edinburgh too, so i think he will pick there instead. Delighted for him!

Now the test will be if he completes 6th year! I honestly don't know what's the best thing for him to do with that.

Good luck to everyone waiting x

I feel like I can breathe a bit now and post, I felt like I was maybe tempting fate for DS1 being on this thread (irrational, I know). He now has 3 offers, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh - Edinburgh being second only to St A for him but now he has that offer (all contextual at ABB) I feel like I can be a bit relaxed. Waiting on Leeds and StA.

Has anyone heard anything recently from St Andrews at all? It’s so quiet! DS gets regular ‘apply for a scholarship’ emails but that’s just standard. Really hoping offers start to move again soon.

Still waiting to here from StA for physics. DD has had offers from all other universities- wondering when the cut off date for offers might be. Does anyone know?

I reckon end of Feb and first half of March is when a bulk of offers will come out for RUK. Not expecting anything before then. And it does seem to be very quiet. Not hearing of many (if any) of RUK receiving offers lately.
The odds of getting an offer seem so small, that I’ve almost given up!

Yes, it’s hard to get too excited as the odds seemed stacked against the DC, given the small number given offers each year. I was hoping DS would hear early one way or another, being contextual, but no such luck.

It’s around mid May, from memory. Exams will have started!

DC had to wait until April last year for the rejection to come through which was torture - RUK non contextual. Predicted A star A star A with an A in EPQ (and achieved those grades). Competition is fierce.

Where else has your DD applied?

Edinburg, Manchester, York and Sheffield - all offers in. How about you? @legobrickseverywhere