Options for university

[Bushwinder]

My DD is not confident she will get her 1st choice of Bristol when results come out. And she is really is not that interested in her second choice option. She made it in a panic.
Either way she is taking a gap year and will start uni in 24/25. Assuming she does not get her first option, what is her best strategy?

1. Accept 2nd option, defer for a year and at same time start looking at other courses to apply for in upcoming ucas application.
2. Decline 2nd option, look at clearing and if finds a course she likes and is accepted, then ask to defer.
3. Do neither of above and just look to apply to ucas this year, knowing her results.

I think she should do no. 3 and take some time to look at options and universities she likes. She also has a European passport so I think she could look at irish or NL universities. But is there any advantage in doing eiher one or two?
We think her results should be OK, just not high enough for her first choice.

Thank you in advance for any advice.

Unfortunately, Option 2 isn't a possibility - Clearing places are only for the upcoming academic year.

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/dates-and-deadlines-uni-applications/deferred-entry#:~:text=However%2C%20if%20you%20are%20holding,and%20follow%20the%20Clearing%20process.

If looking at NL, taking a year out would make it a much less stressful experience as their term starts almost immediately after results day. Many courses don't like deferral but it depends on whether they really want you or are undersubscribed.

My kid has applied to NL. Things you should know - there is a national accomodation crisis. Entry criteria is generally lower but drop out rate higher - unless competitive courses, which are known as numerus fixus. It's certainly worth it for saving money. The fees for EU citizens are around 2500euro. Much more choice of course if able to study in Dutch.

Ah I did wonder. Thank you for flagging that.

Really useful, thank you. She would only be able to look at English courses there. Interesting re drop out rate. I wonder why.

Most European countries have the policy of letting pretty much anyone enter university, and then drop out if they can't handle it. This is made easier because more students live at home and apply to their local uni than in the UK.

It used to be even cheaper, so for many it's a try it and see approach I think. And yes, large numbers commute. Dutch students get a travel pass that gives them free train travel for either commuting or going home at the weekend.

Look at Clearing in case they want to go this year , reapply with grades in hand in autumn. You can't have a deferred place and reapply on ucas.

Thanks. Just to make sure I've understood, she couldn't defer her 2nd choice AND at same time reapply thru UCAS? I'm from another country do don't know the ins and outs of ucas.

Also does anyone know anything about German university courses for EU citizens? She did German to GCSE, not that she could do the course in German but at least she'd be familiar with the language.

Yes that is correct. Holding a deferred place does not allow a further UCAS application.

Haha so basically my options one and two are null and void
Useful!

My DD applied to study in the NL on a numerous fixus course, but could not get accommodation. She was like your DD with the dilemma, does she take her 2nd choice UK course or defer. She deferred the UK course and started an unplanned gap year, then 2 months later withdrew from the deferred course via UCAS and reapplied with grades in hand to 5 new courses and universities. First time round it was Bristol, Warwick, Manchester etc, second time round it was LSE, UCL, KCL. She ended up studying a completely different subject too.

I think if she's not keen on the second choice now she won't be keener in a years time. May be better to decline and reapply next year with known grades. As she has an EU passport, can she work abroad for a year?
Also, if she just misses the grades for Bristol it may be worth giving them a ring anyway, as they may have spaces on the course and let her on.

Is ringing them an option? Do we ring the school or the admissions office? Yes she's going to go travelling this year, though will likely work here first to earn money to travel.

The accomodation is a huge problem. We applied via student housing lottery but no luck there. We've found somewhere privately in the end. Taking a deferral year would at least mean that you can be sure that if you pay in advance for a place to live, you won't lose a place based on grades.

The student has to do any ringing. You call the admissions/clearing line initially. It might also be worth considering a related or combined degree course which might be less subscribed. However if she plans to wait until 2025 there is no advantage to ringing yet.

Re. university courses in Europe: you get what you pay for. Most European universities don't have the extensive range of student support services, student union/guild support, or student extra-curricular clubs & societies, or sporting clubs & expertise. There is little bespoke or reserved student accommodation, and many university students live at home.

Class sizes in many courses are large, and personal seminars/tutorialks rare (average "seminar" is 50 students).

It's a very different experience, and very much sink or swim.

Don't ring until Thursday - Results Day. They won't be able to answer your questions & you'll waste the time of very very busy people at this time of year.

And the actual applicant needs to do it, not the parent!

@Bushwinder Honestly, start again for next year with grades in hand. She wasn’t going in Sept anyway. She will then be certain about where she can go and get accommodation. It takes the stress away and makes it easier to plan. Taking a uni insurance place she doesn’t want doesn’t make sense. Clearing often leads to no accommodation as well.

Don’t know anything about EU unis. Some won’t be equivalent of Bristol though. I assume no uk loans either. It might depend on the career she wants too. Where is more highly regarded for a future career? Is she going to work here?

Everyone, thank you so much for the advice. It's invaluable! Everything is pointing to start again with a clean slate and with grades in hand. Who knows, by some miracle she might even get her first choice!

Can only speak of where my kid is going but am impressed by the student society. On a tour they were having lunch together daily and there is a highly supportive peer group organised for induction. I agree with the sink or swim aspect though. And the drop out rate concerns me. But this is what child wanted to do, knowing the risks.

Bear in mind that you can't hold a deferred offer then while reapplying elsewhere. You'd have to ask the deferred place to release you before you can hit send on the new UCAS application.

Wait until the results come out.

DC might have made her firm offer. Even if didn’t get the grads, they might well take them anyway.

If not, might suddenly feel more positive about insurance.

If not, might see something in Clearing that appeals for this year…take that place and go.

Quite often students talk about not going immediately and re applying with grades in hand as they get panicked about missing their offer as results day approaches.

Until they see what is in Clearing, they won’t know exactly what they could be doing and where this year. They can start looking at uni websites now to see what looks available but lots more will be added on Thurs.

On one hand, if they don’t know what they want to do, it’s worth waiting and reapplying. If it’s more about where to go it they are set on a particular course, Clearing can be a good option.

People tend to drop out when the course isn’t right, not the location. Getting the right course is key.

And in Clearing you might get a place with a lower grade offer, than you’d get if applying in the standard round next year with grades in hand, when you’d be competing with all the students with their ambitious predicted grades and just standard iffers made. On Clearing you can get a real ‘bargain’ and get a great course with lower grades than standard.

So have a talk about exactly what they want to study. A gap year can be good if you di t know what to study or have a specific plan. But if you know what you want to study, Ckearing can be great. Lots of places will have special open days this weekend so they can have a look before accepting a clearing iffer.

Actually you can apply through clearing then apply to defer. Obviously not guaranteed but worth a try. We did that successfully last year after my son missed both his firm and his insurance and he starts uni in September.

OK, thank you. I hadn't realised clearing was so comprehensive. If I'm honest I always thought it was the worst courses at the lowest rated unis.