History degree, predicted Bs and Cs

[MountainofWashing]

Dd, year 12, wants to do a history degree. She is dyslexic and also has some anxiety and low mood which aren't making sixth form easy for her at the moment and she is wary of putting herself under intense academic pressure leading to a worsening of her mental health. But she is bright and really keen to study history.
Current school predictions based on GCSE results are Bs but it looks like a mix of bs and cs are on the cards really
I've searched Mumsnet for previous threads but a lot of mumsnetters children are aiming a bit higher.
Any recommendations for good history courses and unis at this level? We're based in the north but she's happy to travel (she doesn't want London or Scotland and for cost reasons I think avoiding these is a good plan).

Oxford Brookes. I know nothing about the history courses but DD went to OB and really thrived. A quick look suggests it's achievable.

Oooh yes Edge Hill. Another uni that’s underrated maybe but has a good offer. Always fields a strong team at BUCS athletics and I have spoken to a number of its students there who really rate it.

This is a good point and worth bearing in mind.

But yes a DC can suddenly bloom. My Dd with her BCC inc B in Eng lit found uni suited her in many ways and assessed essays rather than exams allowed her to gain a first and really show what she could do.

But yes if you are at York with BCC there will be others with AAA for sure.

Tell your daughter to aim high! My son and his friends who applied for humanities degrees got offers at all 5 choice unis. Then they all got into their first choice unis despite none of them getting their offer grades! This was at Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool and Leicester.

I saw lots of history degrees in clearing last year - top unis were not wanting very high grades at all.

https://www.worc.ac.uk/campaigns/study-history-politics-sociology

The University of Worcester never seems to
get mentioned on MN. It’s a wonderfully nurturing place to study. Not particularly exciting but a small town with everything you need and a thriving student community.

Will she get contextual offers due to being dyslexic? Or is she doing an EPQ as that can give a grade drop at some places if she gets an A. History has been in clearing a lot so I wouldn't aim too low.

Ooh yes agree here too. I know a couple of ppl (one is ND) who went there and rate it highly.

Be aware @MountainofWashing that those missing their offers may have had high PGs. If your DD’s PGs are BBB she may not get offers from such as Leeds. So maybe balance is a good plan.

Chichester is the home of historian and academic Alwyn Turner. DS2's history teacher went there and loved it. He was also an excellent history teacher.

Just seen you're Northern. Lincoln has a good history department in a lovely city.

This is such an important post. Humanity degrees are not graded like A Levels - there isn't a fixed national standardised marking system in the way that there are for 'sat exams' at A Level. There is tutor/lecturer discretion and different Unis (and Tutors) mark things in different ways.

By all means punch high initially, but gives yourself a sensible insurance option and seriously consider whether you'd rather scrape into a top RG where every assignment you do is going to be graded next to naturally more academic people, or whether you'd be more comfortable sitting nearer the top end of your cohort. DD and DS are (as mentioned above) at NTU and MMU. Both are really bright, not brilliant in exam conditions and thriving where they are. Both mostly score low firsts/high 2:1s on assignments which we don't believe they'd be doing if they were in a more competitive cohort.

Once they're out the other side, it's only a few old school/finance/law firms that will care that much whether they got their degree from Uni of Notts or Notts Trent. They will be looking at final score, extra curriculars, work experience, volunteering experience, acquired skills, personal strengths and confidence. Much of those will be improved by being at a Uni that is a good fit.

Yeh DD at Leicester did say to me once, I’m actually glad I’m not at Warwick (her initial first choice before she missed her grades) as I bet everyone would have done all the reading by day one of the course.

She found the atmosphere at her uni of “crikey the essay on Oliver Twist is due tomorrow, better read the book” consoling - made her feel more comfortable with her own ability.

She found the atmosphere at her uni of “crikey the essay on Oliver Twist is due tomorrow, better read the book” consoling - made her feel more comfortable with her own ability.

Gosh, no way am I advocating that kind of slack arsedness. Terrible attitude and such a waste.

I’m exaggerating obviously.

But she did feel better about herself and her efforts than if she had gone to somewhere where everyone had got all As and A stars. Even if she had too, I think the pressure to do it all would have been too much.

So I was relieved as well that, while the work was challenging and she worked very hard for her first, she wasn’t putting herself under such comparative pressure.

This. Our DC in third year on a humanities degree course says that the performance range of the cohort is massive and that some students have clearly peaked in 2nd year and are finding 3rd year extremely challenging.

I went to one of the MN approved (TM) unis for English. I read all of the books on the summer reading list dutifully and turned up bright eyed and bushy tailed to my first lecture and no one else had done the reading... not sure that's related to the 'calibre' of uni or the academic background of the students tbh !

What do students do with a History degree these days? Switch to Law perhaps? (It used to be that many historians went into accountancy but I gather accountancy is now mainly looking for STEM.)

My DS is doing a journalism masters. I am sure plenty go into law. Teaching, museum work, curation, academia.

Yes I was thinking all those things.

Also PR and comms, marketing, librarianship, anything requiring close analysis and attention to detail.

People with history degrees probably do the same sort of jobs most of those with other degrees do. Ship work, admin, own company, private companies, public sector work.

There are probably other threads about the issues of getting a degree, how to pay for it and implications. But here, the OPs DC has made those decisions “off screen” , and has decided she’d like to do a history degree.

Wow thanks everyone for all your replies and experiences and sorry for my slow return (I have Mumsnet blocked in the day! And then it's been pancakes...)
Really reassuring to hear all the stories of DC enjoying history courses at various unis.
Several people mentioned Liverpool and the potential to aim a bit higher and get in on results day for this and some other unis. My son who is at a different Russell group but who had loads of friends who did this also suggested it.
I wasn't sure about this for the reasons Parma mentioned, as DD has said that aiming high and feeling behind within the cohort might be stressful for her. It sounds like a mix with one or two which ask for higher grades like Lancaster or Liverpool in case things go really well and others that are outside the Russell group plus might be a good plan. Lincoln definitely on the list to look at and Reading.
I had naively thought that post 92 unis were better for technical subjects and might not be great for humanities so it's reassuring to hear that ntu and man met are good.
I will show DD all the suggestions

In terms of the dyslexia yes I know history isn't an obvious choice! Over the years I've explained to her how essay subjects are more difficult for her and encouraged a slight interest in textiles, applied science etc to no avail. But Dd loves humanities and social sciences and managed to get an 8 at GCSE in history and RS with 25% extra time. I have reluctantly decided that her commitment and interest are worth quite a lot. Good to hear a few saying ignore the naysayers. As it does worry me!

She uses a reading pen which really helps but isn't keen on text to speech as it struggles with a Yorkshire accent apparently! I will look at getting her dragon. I think unis are probably better than schools for adjustments and I think her needs actually make her quite independent in her study which should help a bit.

I'm currently doing a very part time masters at Bangor (mainly distance /online) and have been really impressed with them. DD should get in comfortably. I don't know what their history department is like though!

Thanks for this reassuring comment. I have wondered myself at times how easy it would be...

Thanks for this which is really helpful

This is so lovely to hear. And well done to your son.
DD is interested in teaching although school has been a rollercoaster for her at times.