University Applications 2026 - Support Thread

[Ventress]

DS is applying to start university in Autumn 2026. He's done several open days and has a reasonable idea of where and what he wants to wants to study - History or History & Politics.

He loved UCL and Exeter, liked Warwick, didn't like Bristol. He's also talking about early application but can't decide whether to apply to Oxford or Cambridge. He's also muttering about Durham, which he didn't visit but others in his History class did and loved it.

Anyone join me for a thread to support our DC as they navigate this process? DS is my only child so this is all new to me!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn most unis do ask for a portfolio but I don’t think Edinburgh do - it’s not that clear on their website and, looking back on The Student Room for last year, I think they might if you haven’t done Art A level. Queens, Belfast don’t ask for one if you have done ok at Art GCSE.

DD has applied for Sheffield, Edinburgh and Cambridge so far. She will add two more before 14th January and once she has got through her Cambridge application etc. She hasn’t made up her mind yet where but it will likely be two more portfolios and if she goes for Loughborough then there could be an interview. Nottingham and Cardiff are also possibilities.

Good luck to your DS, hope the school do their bit reasonably soon.

Ah that sort of makes sense, if you've done A Level art I guess it's easier for them to assume the creative side. My friend at uni (back in the last century!) went to Edinburgh to do her PG Dip and loved it. She still lives there now but has swapped architecture for art while I still plod on with architecture. Whenever I see her it makes me want to start painting again but I just don't have the time. Maybe when I retire. 😀

Fingers crossed for your DD's applications.

Cambridge is now off the table so DD is taking some time to lick her wounds and then consider her other options. Looking at the offer rates on the other courses she has applied to I am feeling nervous for her - somewhere between 30 and 40%. She has a bit of time to decide what else to add in - I know she will go for at least one safer option it's whether to add another very competitive one to the list or take a bit of pressure off with two safer ones.

I hope she is taking it okay, the whole process is so challenging and they wouldn’t know anything better until next step,

I’m sorry to hear Cambridge is out now @ArchitectureMum , it’s going to be hugely disappointing for her if she had her heart set on it. She still has two other great options to hear from, where else is she considering? My friend’s son is in his final year of architecture at Loughborough and has really enjoyed his time there, is that somewhere she might look at? If she want’s somewhere more competitive then the Bartlett might be one to look at or the AA?

Oh no @ArchitectureMum- what has happened to rule out Cambridge and make your daughter worry about her chances at her other choices? She has her two spare choices. You mention Nottingham and Cardiff are these still contenders for these spots?

@JustHereWithMyPopcorngreat choices from your son. Fingers crossed for him.

It’s sad when you have high hopes for a place and you come away with them dashed@Philandbill. Where else is your daughter looking at?

My son's application has finally been processed by school so now we wait
Bath being the top choice and notorious for offering late 😬

@ArchitectureMum sorry to hear that about Cambridge. Dd is loving architecture at Manchester, loads of external speakers, extra workshops, opportunities, etc. feels very well supported though workload is brutal which I think is true for all architecture courses. Might be worth her looking at Instagram accounts of the different architecture courses to get a feel for them. They all seem to have quite active accounts.

Dd pressed the submit button this morning. Bit of a relief really! Although afterwards she told me she’d applied for the Integrated Masters courses! My expectation was that she would apply for the BEng just to get in as that what everyone has suggested. Oh well, her decision.

@GrowingUpNow and @SilverBlue56 that’s great news. Hope you get some contact from the uni’s soon.

Thanks for everyone’s kind words. DD seems more cheerful now. She is considering doing an Art foundation year and reapplying but she has lots of time to think about things.

Yes Loughborough is a possibility - it is another very competitive place with a great reputation - good to hear good feedback about there and Manchester. Nottingham and Cardiff are definitely still in the running. DD didn’t want London and I have heard bad things about the culture at the Bartlett..

Only two free slots available on the UCAS form. I’m really hoping that Sheffield will make an offer in the next few weeks - I am sure that would make things easier for her decision making and also make her feel so much better. I imagine Edinburgh will be slow. (@ventress what happened was she was rejected for a Cambridge interview 😢)

@Ventress History of Art. Very niche but it is her passion. York is currently the favourite, they're asking for AAB. She's going to do an art foundation course locally next year as a bit of a pause and apply with known grades. So she still has time to do another round of open days. Her art teacher wants her to apply for Oxford but I'm really not keen on that for her.

I’m sorry @ArchitectureMum, I thought I was keeping up but clearly missed this. I’m glad your daughter is feeling more cheerful now.

Good luck to your daughter @Philandbill. History of art is a fascinating subject. Having that year to do the foundation course and apply with grades in hand is such a good idea.

@ArchitectureMum its such a stressful time as as parents there is so little we can do to help and so much risk of disappointment.

Major stress here with coursework, epq and Oxford interview prep. Never known pressure like it for dd. On the (major) plus side she has offers for 4/5 unis the outstanding being Oxford of course and no sign of interview offer yet. I don’t want to say which ones as will be outing but one of them are is renowned for offering very very late so we are so chuffed. So this helps re Oxford pressure as she’d be happy to go to that one but she does have her heart set on Oxford. She seems to be doing Oxford interview prep all the time and not a lot of the other work with deadlines looming. I shall be very glad when we reach the Christmas break! And then the grade offers are so high we reach another period of stress in the run up to exams! I knew y13 would be hellish but I wasn’t expecting it to be hellish quite so soon!

York is lovely. DD wanted that one but they don’t do her course. Such a nice campus and city.

DD’s older brother didn’t have any of this stress, just tripped off to Uni and I don’t remember any drama! He’s a lot older so maybe I’ve just forgotten it like you do childbirth!

@Countrylife2002 what is she doing for interview prep? Dd has done none and I’m not sure she will, which is a bit alarming.

@ArchitectureMum Sorry to hear that Cambridge didn’t progress. It sounds like she has good other options to pursue though.

I think she’s reading a lot, she’s watched various mock interviews that you can find on the college websites. But mainly I think she’s making sure she knows every thing mentioned on her personal statement inside out.

My son is similar @Countrylife2002. He’s reading around the specific items in his PS. He’s also looking at past admissions test questions and discussing them with his student group (they have an after school group and a WhatsApp group) which seems very organised.

DS told us today that he got an offer from Warwick two weeks ago. Thanks for sharing DS! 🙄

My DD has done zero Cambridge interview prep. Didn't know you needed to tbh - son now at Cambridge and didn't!

Your DS sounds like he’s nailing being organised and very chilled @Ventress! Hope you’re doing ok.

DS is looking at example interviews online and making a summary of the reading they he’s done, lectures he’s attended etc so that they’re fresh in his mind to talk about. We think we’ve got a tablet sorted with the software that he will (potentially) need so that’s a relief.

@Ventressthat sounds like a good group supporting each other. DDs friends are all applying various different subjects/unis so there is no “helping each other” as such. But I think they do a time keeping app that shares each other’s hours spent learning.
And I really hope you are doing well. I wrote a response and posted it, but for some reason it didn’t appear- on the other thread.

Thanks @Newleaseand @Muchtoomuchtodo

I think the group they’ve got is for wider humanities courses rather than specific ones and it’s mainly for support and discussion points. I’m sure it’s different for STEM and medicine. most of DS’ cohort are applying for science/maths courses and have split out into course based groups, so it’s nice for the humanities boys to have their little support group.

A time keeping app sounds interesting @Newleaseand good to have the software installed ahead of requirements @Muchtoomuchtodo

Your daughter is doing very well to have so many offers so quickly @Countrylife2002. It is a stressful time for them all. There really doesn’t seem to have been a time during sixth form when the pressure has eased off.

Hi All - there is a petition.org on the TSR website or change.org started by parents who are questioning the frequent data breaches and unusual low scores in the TMUA this year. Please support if you were affected - thank you.

Thanks @Lilabella - signed