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]

@EmmaStone - brilliant news- such a boost for them when the offers come in!

DD got her first assignments back - a 70% and a 68%.

She seems very pleased - being two years post A-Level I think she was worried she might be rusty and did say it had taken a long time to write the essay assignment. Hopefully she can now start on the next ones with more confidence.

That's an encouraging start @HPFA
First assignments are tricky because you don't know what is expected of you - content, structure etc. A lot of students fall down with the referencing in the early days as well.

Thank you. I didn't like to ask how others on the course had done (assuming she even knows) so don't really know the context. She seemed very happy with it so just going with that!

Hi all, my DS is applying to a mix of RG & non-RG so can I camp out here with you please?
He's decided on his future career (civil engineer) and wants to live at home while studying, fortunately there are four universities offering MEng within commutable distance. He's also applying for degree apprenticeships but is realistic about his chances as they are massively more competitive than university offers.
He has a meeting with his progression tutor this afternoon and will submit his UCAS soon after, I'm really hoping he gets some offers quickly as he had a couple of knock-backs from job applications last week so could do with a little boost.

I don't think DD started getting these kind of marks for her first few assignments. However, she did end up with a first, but it took three years to get there.

Good luck to your DS @MillicentFaucet

I admit to being a bit of a fraud on this thread, but I am enjoying it and am finding it a refreshing change, and if I can be of any help to anyone I am happy to provide the benefit of DD's university experience.

Hi all, my DS is applying to a mix of RG & non-RG so can I camp out here with you please?

You're very welcome. The thread is just here to reassure people that there is life - and many happy and thriving students - beyond RG.

The more, the merrier! DS still hasn't heard back from the one non-RG on his application. DD is in her final year at Anglia Ruskin/Cambridge School of Art and is working hard to finish this term's portfolio and essay before Christmas!

Thanks, it's great to read about offers coming in so soon. When my eldest went through this 3 years ago it seemed to drag on forever.
This time around we've only visited one campus (Newcastle) and that was just to have a nosey at the labs then do a bit of early Christmas shopping 😁

DD1 is made up by her Swansea offer. We were told at open day that they'd only give offers for nursing after the closing date unless they gained full marks on the interview. She loved the interview with them yesterday so we're just waiting for the final decision (cardiff) and then she'll make her actual decisions.

That's all gone quite fast!

We’re having a crisis 😂 thinking about changing from French to geography. This is apparently why the form’s not gone in. I don’t mind, her older brother did the same, just want her to be happy. Heart still set on Aber.

It looks like Aber has one version of Geography and Earth sciences with an integrated year abroad and one of the locations that dept offers is Nova Scotia in Canada. Where they speak French and English. Is that an option?

@SockFluffInTheBath my Dd went from OT in September, to mental health nursing in October and finally applied for Psychology in December! My Ds’ form isn’t in yet either, partly because he’s changed from Real Estate to PPE! They’re still young and it’s a big decision - there’s also still scope for another change via clearing in August. I changed subjects after my first year so I sympathise! I feel like I’ve heard somewhere that Aber is good for Geography?

Thank you both, what a roller coaster! She’s particularly interested in human geography, bit of an angry socialist at heart and wants to make life better for people, so it’s not a huge surprise. She does want to keep up her languages though, reckons they have evening language clubs/lessons there. I hoped for a calmer run than we had with DS but if she ends up in the right place then it will be worth it. I changed from accounting to engineering, DS changed from chemistry to marine science, so maybe it runs in the family 😅

I feel like your angry socialist is bound to come across my angry socialist son at Aber!

Ha, they can form The Angry Socialist Spawn of Mumsnet Society 😁

They don’t speak French in Nova Scotia I’m afraid. You may be confusing it with New Brunswick next door, which is a bilingual province (the only one) otherwise French is really only spoken in Quebec.

Dd also having crisis, submitted yesterday to college and has now asked for it back. Today was deadline day but as her chem teacher as moved her grade up today she can apply to places she thought may not offer. I have pointed out she then needs to get the grades though. Luckily at least one course still on the list! But apparently Newcastle and Leeds, are options! Not visited either . I'm hoping she keeps Lancaster and NTU as back up. The stress is getting too me. Her brother was so much easier!

Well there was plenty of French at St. Anne's University of Nova Scotia and the surrounding areas, including pockets of Halifax when my kids were there for 5 weeks immersion this July....

And when I toured Nova Scotia there were French-speaking communities! About 4-5% of the population are native French-speakers. The history is interesting (the colony of Acadia).

There are French speaking schools and pockets of French speakers everywhere in Canada - but so there are in London! You can find French speakers there but it isnt correct to say that Nova Scotia is French speaking, it is not a francophone or bilingual province. I was just correcting the false impression that statement gave..

Would this course in French and International Development at Reading be of any interest?

https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/subject-area/languages-and-cultures-ug/ba-french-and-international-development

For my DD? Thank you so much, but she’s discounted international development on the basis of one person she knows (and doesn’t like) who does it. The wisdom of youth 😁 I am backing off for now, I think she needs to stop flapping and breathe. I am looking in the background, just not saying anything!

Looking at social policy courses this morning. Still on the rollercoaster 😅

Both Bangor and Swansea have Social Policy degrees if she still wants to study in Wales.