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]

Interesting. DD has an offer there and is deciding between firm/insurance for it. Going to an offer holder day in March so that might help.

NTU is a very solid mid-rank university @MarmiteMakesMeHappy. The reason it sometimes appears a lot in clearing is that it's a huge university, and as it is often an insurance choice, what is available can vary a lot from year to year depending on the number of students who get their first choice.

That said, it is perfectly possible to do well enough at NTU to go on and study for a Masters at a truly world-class institution, if that is of interest. DD2 has done exactly that.

More info on the Cardiff uni proposals here.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/cardiff-university-raise-admission-grades-30955568

So, there’s a massive deficit now. To solve this current deficit crisis the university plans to cut domestic intake by restricting clearing and sticking to published tariff. The thinking is that this will feed through to better international rankings which will attract more international students.

Unless I’ve missed something, it’s going to take a couple of years for this ‘improved intake’ to filter through and lead to better international rankings.

How are they selling this as a strategy for tackling the current financial crisis?

This in itself is actually logical - IF they can struggle through the next few years

My son has had 5 offers now, all contextual offers for BBC. He's gotten offers from York, Lancaster, Chester, Salford and Newcastle. Was not expecting an offer from York as that was an aspirational choice. So proud of him! He's torn between Lancaster and York. No idea which to firm and which to insurance as they're all offers of BBC

I highly recommend going to offer holders days if possible before making a final decision.

If you have a look for his subject for each uni on the UCAS website and scroll to the bottom you will see the lowest grade they have historically accepted. Whilst no guarantee, that might give a steer as to which could be an insurance choice if one of them, for example, has accepted BCC or CCC before.

Definitely go to the offer holder days. My DC was set on Exeter for months. Went to the open day, absolutely loved it and that was where they were going.

Then we went to the offer holder days and they immediately switched to Lancaster being the favourite as a result of the great sample lecture and seminar (and the opposite experience at the Exeter offer holder day)

Final offer in from York, the one she really wanted. Skipping around all giddy kippers now 😅 all the offers are BBB though so no wiggle room there.

Excellent news, well done to her. Is she ready to firm now?

Thank you, I think so. Mocks this week though- one tomorrow morning so I’ve suggested she sleeps on it (to minimise distraction tonight). Starting to feel very real.

DS found out this morning he'd been unsuccessful after an apprenticeship interview he went to 2 weeks ago 🙁
But this afternoon he got his last offer through - yay!
It's for Durham though so I guess I'll have to leave this thread now

So, there’s a massive deficit now. To solve this current deficit crisis the university plans to cut domestic intake by restricting clearing and sticking to published tariff. The thinking is that this will feed through to better international rankings which will attract more international students.

It's a strange one isn't it. DD's offers from Cardiff and Aber were the same (BBB) which surprised me. I assumed that the RG Uni would be higher but no. As it happens DD has no intention of going to Cardiff, she liked the department but didn't want to live there for three years although she said it was a great place to visit.

Good to hear that most people have got offers coming in now. DD has booked offer days at the two she's intending to put as firm and insurance (Lancaster and Bangor) she doesn't want to visit the others because it'll only make it all harder she reckons!

@MillicentFaucet what a rollercoaster day! So glad it ended on a high.

Cheers SockFluff he's got another interview in 2 weeks and has an online assessment thing to complete for another company. He turned down another interview as they wouldn't confirm he'd be based locally if offered the apprenticeship. so all still up in the air.
Exhausting!

It certainly is exhausting. DS went through this last year, DD this year. Glad we stopped at 2!

I assumed that the RG Uni would be higher but no.

A guy from Bangor Uni commented that they'd closed their Chemistry department partly because of losing students to places like Cardiff who were promoting the RG brand while lowering their offers.

Now Cardiff wants to exclude them to chase the rankings. And the course at Bangor has gone.

Two of my kids had this, my DD was sensible, picked a good range of unis to cover all eventualities come results day. She was lucky to recieve all 5 offers, the absolute insurance - with a low publicised offer, asked for the highest grades. The same as her RG choice. That same uni was scrabbbling and taking very low results in clearing. The others were all the same offer. My DS's aspirational RG was his lowest offer.

It's so frustrating, makes planning difficult and forces students into making often costly last minute decisions. Even after putting more than one child through the system, it still annoys me for being the most illogical, stress inducing arrangement.

It's frustrating that the universities don't seem to be learning from grades returning to "normal" post Covid and that so many quote offer levels way above the grades they have actually accepted per the UCAS tool. It encourages teachers (especially at independent schools where there's more parential influence) to be over optimistic with predicted grades which does no good long term, and makes it impossible for the YP to make informed decisions as the PP said.

Come on universities - read the writing on the wall - there aren't enough A star and A students for all of you!!

It's also shortsighted as I suspect many decent Universities end up scarring off strong B students who are just as capable as their A* counterparts but may not thrive under A-Level exam conditions (which, for many degrees, matters not a jot).

I have to say of my DDs offers so far: most have been pretty much the same, except for the very prestigious RG which has offered the lowest. So she'll probably be going there. (We think it could be contextual, but aren't sure.)

Still debating here, had an intresting lower offer for nottingham due to her epq and subjects so now need to visit. So york, lancaster ( my fave) ,keele, NTU and Uni of Nottingham Added to the mix is she's now debating the course having been set on biochemistry for while. Considering pharmacy swill need a year out to apply. Not really sure if this is just a wobble. Still wants to do the offer holder days and think. He brother was soooooo much easier.

Also still contemplating here. Favourite is Lancaster second favourite is Surrey but the requirements are the same. Surrey has changed its contextual scheme so DC is excluded this year due to going to an independent school. So it looks like Surrey is out. Insurance will be between Essex and Reading but Reading are only asking one grade below Lancaster which is bonkers. Essex have offered really low so likely to be the insurance choice. Silly for Reading in particular to do that since they must know that kids with ABB have better choices.

@user746016 But Reading will be v lenient if there is a disaster (their clearing offers are very low and bear little relation to their standard offers) so if she prefers Reading and would rather go there she should put Reading as her insurance.