TMUA Results - Scores

[vaux777]

Hi,
Just trying to ascertain what the TMUA scores are this year. DC got 3.7 and is really disappointed. DC attends a grammar school and the majority of the cohort seemed to score between 3 - 4.5.

Curious to know what others have scored? Have results/scores been that low this year?

Also, what was Imperial cut off last year? Does anybody know from historical data what the cut off at Warwick was?

Tks.

I think the TMUA has changed so radically in a short time period that many schools and colleges, state or private, will not be fully aware of the ins and outs.

My DC was the first to sit the (old style) TMUA at their comp and had to work with the exam officer to get the school registered as an exam centre for it.

At least there was not the pressure of trying to book a slot at an external centre and, crucially, there was only the one sitting in the autumn so it was more obvious that UCAS choices could be held back until early December and refined on the basis of the score.

I think there is a place for harder maths exams in the autumn prior to the UCAS deadline. For my child, that did not disrupt their A level learning and probably boosted their maths and FM prior to their winter mocks.

Ideally some reform is needed: a return to a single autumn only test (or two tranches in the autumn), an expansion of test centre places and the right to withhold results if you wish, which was a core principle of the old TMUA, to encourage the less confident to give it a shot.

@YellowEllie13 great your DD is loving it! So is DS. I wonder if they know each other!

DS has loved and excelled at maths since he was 2!

Yes I agree TMUA isn't definitive, I think STEP is a better indicator.

@WoollyguruYes, I wonder if they know each other! My DD is in a hall beginning with C…Really glad to hear your DS is enjoying it too. I had been so anxious as DD is autistic but so far it’s been a v positive experience. And yes, STEP is a more robust test. Sounds horrendously difficult. DD’s first choice was Warwick so she thankfully avoided having to do it.

Hmmm what do you mean by “UK universities must recruit a reasonable number of UK students”? Do you just mean the social contract?

I have not heard this said at any of the open days we have attended. On the contrary the high tariff universities want the best quality students - wherever they may come from.

Just to add to my point above, there are lots of FOIs on university applications data around nationality of applicant. I think if universities were explicitly discriminating against overseas applicants without a lawful, transparent policy this would be challenged.

@YellowEllie13 glad to hear your DD is doing ok, DS has made some nice friends and I hope your DD has too.

DS had a Cambridge offer and didn't meet his STEP requirement but he's very happy to be at Warwick and I'm kind of relieved as I was worried about how intense the Cambridge maths course is.

My DC2 only applied for Oxford and waited for their TMUA score before popping on the other options. They still have one space to fill and can’t yet decide. They felt the TMUA went well and scored 7.8, thought they had scored higher but from reading posts here and having a DC1 sit it last year I believe the scaling has changed.
Good luck to all our lovely DC.

That works for the first sitting of the TMUA (or ESAT) but not for the second. It doesn't work for students who completely mess up their TMUA (or ESAT) and want to apply for a different course (eg Management rather than Economics) in the light of their results but have already submitted a Personal Statement for eg Economics.

No it wouldn't. UK universities are UK taxpayer supported organisations. There is indeed a minima a social contract to recruit UK students.

The timing of the TMUA is complicated given that students from all over the world sit it. It would be hard to abandon the sitting post-Christmas break, which is realistically the only possible sitting for many international applicants.

That’s true, hadn’t thought about those at the second sitting. I suppose you need to ensure you have at least one Uni not requiring the TMUA.
I read that some people were questioning their result-did you get any feedback from Pearson?

I've been reading the relevant threads on The Student Room. People are clearly absolutely flummoxed by the TMUA results and are mooting ways to investigate whether the test results are reliable and fit for purpose. Most people taking standardised tests are not completely thrown by their results so either the TMUA practice tests are not closely related to the actual format on the day or there has been some sort of system error.

Sorry, what do you mean by this: “There is indeed a minima a social contract to recruit UK students”. Do you mean universities have to have a certain % of UK students or that they would be challenged (by who?) if they had “too high” a % of overseas students or morally admissions tutors try to have a good % of UK students?

I don’t see unis like Imperial or LSE applying restrictions.

[Sorry if this is a derail of what seems to be very significant issues around TUMA results. I’m genuinely curious. I wish UK students would be prioritised, but I don’t think they are so was wondering what your basis was.]

If you want to have this conversation, you need to start a new thread. The discussion about the TMUA is important and useful on its own.