Any interest in a non-Oxbridge/ non-RG parents chat?

[SockFluffInTheBath]

There are lots of threads about applying to Oxbridge and other ‘top’ unis, anyone interested in a thread for those of us with DC looking elsewhere? Not trying to be divisive, but there’s no ‘drop in centre’ thread for other unis, and I thought it might be good to have a space to chat sometimes.

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

I will join you. DS2 had his first offer today for Surrey but really wants Lancaster. Very excited to have an offer though and we are having takeaway to celebrate.

I like these threads. Sorry I have no skin in the game now, but ds1 wasn't particularly strong academically. He went to Swansea in the end with pretty low A level grades. Got a 2.1, loved it, met his gf there and they are getting married next year. I remember when he got his grades posting something on here and getting loads of snotty responses about training as an electrician.

I made DS submit his application early to motivate him and make it all seem real and imminent. It seems to have worked since he's just told me he's off to do some revision

Oh, and he's a doing very well in a graduate training scheme.

@user746016 how exciting! Always good to get the first ‘yes please’! DS went off this year and I remember it well. DD has still to put her form in, trying to get her predicted grades up in their November mocks. Looking to do modern languages, had a long shortlist of unis but fell hook, line and sinker for Aberystwyth at their recent open day.

@Thommasina how wonderful for your DS. Our view of uni is it’s somewhere you need to be happy and want to just develop your character. I suppose being ‘free’ from top grade pressure allows you to see it differently.

What subject has he applied for out of curiosity? 🙂

Can I join. Dd has put her form in today. Hoping for Leeds

I am currently nagging DD to get her PS done and hand the bloody thing into college for them to submit. I think she too wants Lancaster and possibly Bangor as insurance. She has absolutely no interest in Oxbridge and RG despite her college telling her that she should try for them! And she's interested in humanities/languages rather than STEM so hoping that it's not quite so competitive (her potential course was in clearing this year so she's quite hopeful).

Applying for a mixture of RG and non-RG, does that count? Offers from one of each so far.

My DD is very happy at an art school which has ended up as part of a "new" university and I'm very happy to share experiences or answer questions!

@SockFluffInTheBath DS3 just graduated from Aber. Loved his time there. Had to wake up to this view from his window every morning after his first year in (very reasonably priced) halls.

DD has just gone to Abersytwyth - doing French and International Relations.

We're visiting early next week so I can tag you on a post about how she's doing if you like?

Watching with interest for DD who will be applying next year and likely aiming for non RG / less competitive RG.
Can anyone tell me what happens when your grades are a bit polarised? For example lots of offers seem to be BBB, but DD could easily get ABC or even AAD. Do those get treated as equivalent as long as an A or B is in the subject you want to study??

No unfortunately not. But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t still make an offer.

Some unis (generally "post-1992") make offers based on UCAS tariff points. Then the individual grades are less important than the total score.

@user746016 is right that there is no flexibility if the offer is based on letter-grades. (At least, unless they accept a missed offer anyway on results day..!)

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/entry-requirements/calculate-your-ucas-tariff-points

It's also perfectly possible for a university to accept you anyway even if you dont meet the grades. The key is having the right predicted grades to secure the offer in the first place.

@PhotoDad how many art places did she consider? So far DD has looked at Central SM, Brookes, ManMet, and next on the list is Nottingham Trent. I'm encouraging Goldsmiths as well, although she's leaning towards non-London cities (and not interested in Falmouth)
What sort of things about the course your DD is doing swung it for her?

@ImaginaryCat She produced a short-list of five... her wish-list was "not in London, small cohorts, traditional drawing-based course, art school with its own identity and buildings." Her top three choices were Norwich UA, Derby, and Anglia Ruskin (in no particular order). She ended up at ARU and is very happy there (one drawback is high accommodation costs in years 2 & 3). It's a tiny course with lots of contact and feedback with tutors, plus Cambridge is a beautiful city with lots of green spaces and easy countryside access (important to her!)

I put some useful info on a thread a while back which might interest you?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/highereducation/4795276-art-and-design-at-university-for-past-present-and-future-students-and-parents

I think maybe a poster who mentioned Leeds possibly doesn’t realise it is RG. Unless Leeds Beckett of course! It’s also fair to say Lancaster and Surrey are often in the top 10-20 of unis and although not, might as well be in terms of quality. Bath and St Andrews are also not RG but clearly prestigious unis.

The poster whose dd wanted MFLs: do
look at RG if she has grades. They won’t need to be AAA at anywhere bar a few unis. MFL grads have to compete against RG grads for grad jobs and this is an area of study that benefits from the breadth of study RG offers. It’s not wise to go to low tariff for MFLs if you can get better. MFL departments are closing or reducing so don’t get caught up in that.

My DD2 went to London College of Fashion so I’m not biased towards RG!

We are waiting until after DD’s mini mocks next week to put in her application. She wants to apply to York, Surrey and Essex. Good to hear that Surrey doesn’t hang about with giving an offer, so hopefully we might hear soon after applying. Just fine tuning her PS - she wants to do English lit, so need to make sure it shows off her ability to write. Good luck to everyone else’s DC who are applying at the moment.

@boys3 it’s terrible, can’t think why she liked it 😅

@HPFA thank you, that would be great!

@NeedingCoffee DD is similar- A or high B in the relevant a-level and BC/CC for the other 2. She planned to contact admissions at Sheffield and Nottingham to ask if they would look at her application, but fell head over heels for Aberystwyth.

Surrey definitely didn't hang about. They received the application from UCAS late Saturday morning and by 11am on Monday DS2 received an offer.

@user746016 oh wow that was quick! I hope they are in our case too.

@HebeJeeby One course does not define a uni. Some years ago we got to 1 May and DD had not heard from Brighton. Her interview had been in February. All of these unis can keep dc waiting. They also have to consider fair access. The deadline is January. They cannot fill up from early applicants.

York is RG.