University Offers Coming In 23/4 - part 2!

[WombatChocolate]

Following on from the old thread which was getting full….come and share the highs and lows of the journey that is A Levels and UCAS!

@Rollergirl11 We'd assumed (wrongly) that it would be a no for UCL because he didn't hear before Christmas when others had, but there were other 'issues' with his application (number & grades of GCSEs not as high as predicted A Levels) so we thought they might reject him on that basis. But it was an offer!

If she's feeling a bit fragile at the moment still from the C decision then there is no point in mentioning it. She doesn't need to know that you know others have had offers. I just hope you don't have to wait too long! x

@Rollergirl11 yes he does have all of his offers back. He's emailed UCL to ask if he can change from the straight history course to history with a year abroad but I'm fairly sure he will firm UCL either way.

@Rollergirl11 I seem to remember from the Open Day at Durham that they were at pains to point out that not hearing until late meant that you were still being considered...a positive spin perhaps but one I'm clinging onto!

My ds is applying with grades in hand too. He applied in October and has had 2 offers. He was rejected from Cambridge and is waiting for 2 more Universities. He is above the standard offer. It’s hard for me to judge though as my ds applied for medicine last year and didn’t get in, by the time results day came he didn’t want to try for clearing even though he did great. He wanted a year out and to work. He has now decided to do a different course.
last year was crazy with grades, some of my sons friends were accepted with big drops.

I have to say though I thought he would be at an advantage with grades in hand but this hasn’t been the case. They are treated the same as prediction. Got my fingers crossed for you that your ds gets some more offers.

The system is all wrong that grades in hand are treated the same as predicted. Insane.

@TiaSeeya I don't think they are though - if you have grades in hand you will get either a rejection or an unconditional offer whereas if you have no grades yet you will get a rejection or a conditional offer (i.e. you have a place if you make the offer grades).

A lot of universities get far more students applying with the grades/predicted the grades they state as their minimum so they cannot take them all hence the delays in making an offer - the departments may want to see everyone who applies and then choose who they are going to make offers to.

Just because you have the grades required doesn't mean you will automatically get a place if the course is oversubscribed.

@TiaSeeya how do you think grades in hand is treated the same as predicted grades? Do you mean because your son is still waiting to hear on a few applications?

I’m hoping that since they don’t seem to have changed their grade offers that there will be the same fiasco as last year and clearing will be rich pickings.
It wasn’t widely reported but Unis were dropping grades significantly and many of DS’s friends were accepted onto first choice courses with significant grade drops. DS’s UCAS tutor said that the night before results day that they were panicking but then in the morning there was relief as students were being offered their first choice without achieving the offered grades.
The exceptions were Durham, Bath and Exeter. But only a handful of students went through clearing and all off them got places easily.

Congratulations @Revengeofthepangolins and fingers crossed for your dd @Rollergirl11 that she'll hear very soon.

Good luck to those sitting mocks.

I read on another MN forum that Exeter have previously been flexible with students who narrowly miss entry grades? I thought that would make it a good insurance choice, if so.

Exeter were very flexible in our experience last year - know of a number who didn't make their offers and they were let in (one was three grades below overall).

It is not an exact science making offers though as you know some students won't get the grades and some who have you as insurance will go to their first choice so universities always make more offers than they have places for based on what is the usual % of A grades, B grades etc.

But the % of A grades shot up during COVID - usually it was about 25% and over the two years it went up to over 40% when exams were marked by teachers (resulting in too many students making their offers than universities had places/accommodation for) and then it came back down and so the whole system was put under a lot of strain.

@Angrymum22 my DD has her grades too. But she has three A stars, well above all the average offers on the courses she's applied. She got Glasgow within 24 hours (normal grade requirement AAB), Durham six weeks later (AAB). Waiting on Bath (ABB). She was unsuccessful for Cambridge.
I think it depends on the course - I know Bath started making STEM offers late November, but I haven't seen any offers for the same course DD has applied for. It probably did help being PQA for Durham though, but who can say for sure?

Finally able to join this thread after a long wait (Dd applied October). Surprised by a v speedy Durham offer for CHSS this evening as DD only added it on Ucas 3 weeks ago. I’ve not seen much sign of LSE or Edinburgh yet on here or TSR?

@mondaytosunday that must be a great relief to have secure offers and that she has a good choice.
Everything is such a rush in yr13 and it is a lot to ask a 17yr old to decide where they want to spend the next 3-4yrs. Deciding what they want for dinner can be a massive challenge at that age.
DS has benefited from his network of friends, most of whom have gone to Uni or are on gap years. He has a much clearer idea of what to expect and ruled out several Unis he initially considered because of feedback.

@Cremebrulee45 I had to google what CHSS was. Looks fab.
Congrats on the offers.
PS: your username is making me crave a certain dessert

@Angrymum22 I think it's a great idea to have a gap year, for whatever reason. Knowing their grades means they can be more confident in their applications, and offers being unconditional takes so much stress out of it. Plus an extra year to mature, work, travel, or in my DD's case do an Art Foundation course (and will now be spending February in Portugal doing work experience, all paid for).
It also lets them really consider what degree they'd like to do, or even if university is the route to go down.

I completely agree with you, it’s done my ds the world of good and he’s really enjoying working! His confidence has grown so much.
Which universities are you waiting for @Angrymum22 ?

@WriterOfWrongs Thanks and yes it was a bad
choice- I’m now thinking about them every time I login 🤣.

CHSS is basically an interdisciplinary social science option but with the ability to take some humanities modules too.

@MerchSwyddEfrog DS is waiting for Cardiff, Birmingham and Liverpool. He loves Cardiff and has a couple of offers from Cardiff Met, one for a very niche course only available at undergraduate level there. He was dead set against Birmingham because we are only 40mins away but has recently had surgery at the Priory in Edgbaston so we drove through the campus several times and he liked what he saw. He also has a number of friends there who have given him feedback.
Liverpool was basically to fill the space but he does know people there.
It would be great if he gets an offer from Birm, he would be third generation if he attended, I’m not biased, honest.
We are an academic family so university was always his natural path. He hasn’t changed his mind if anything he is more focused. He has been unable to work yet due to his surgery ( his shoulder was immobilised for 6 weeks and now he is having physio, another month and he will be fit)

Cardiff is great but I might be a bit biased! It’s a fantastic student city, safe and cheap to live in. Lots of ds friends ended up staying and going to uni here. Both Cardiff Uni and Cardiff Met are good and the sporting facilities at the Met are fantastic.
My son applied to Liverpool last year and we went to visit and he loved it. Has your son visited?
I don’t know about Birmingham but sounds like you have that one covered!
It sounds like your son has been through the wars, I hope the rest of his recovery goes well and he’s fully recovered very soon.

Dd has ABB offers from York and Sussex but also did the epq, so I'm hoping that's a reasonable grade! I believe the offer can be slightly reduced if so?

An A* EPQ is worth 28 UCAS points - half an A level essentially @Tortiemiaw so if the university is just looking at UCAS points it can certainly make up a dropped grade or three (the UCAS points is 8 per grade) but it depends on what the offer is based on.

@Tortiemiaw I think it would say in the offer conditions they sent if they'll reduce the grade for an A or higher EPQ.

Thanks both. I remember this with ds but I can't recall what happened!!