The trials and tribulations of Uni Apps for 2018.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Just thought I'd start a wee thread for those with DC applying for uni for next year (or indeed applying for themselves) in ase anyone was up for sharing knowledge/support/venting etc.

I have DS1 applying for this year. Still doesn't know where to or what for .

Not done any open days yet and lots now clashing so can't do them all. He wont go alone and wont ask anything or tell us anything about it if he did, so looks like it might be family days out for the next month or so. Dragging DS2 with us as he is currently doing Highers and given his poor Nat 5 results, he needs some motivation to pull his finger out if he wants to go to Uni.

How is everyone else getting on?

Oh and both congratulations and that's a shame grovee but you can't feel guilty.

It's the business managers fault 😂! She told me the successful candidate would be in place for mid June.

Thanks I am delighted. I'm loving the role. Just didn't expect my job share to phone with the news that she was leaving on Friday!

Ds has his last exam tomorrow.

Congratulations Groovee!

DD also has her last exam tomorrow, and last ever day of school!

DS last exam on Tuesday, said he may study a bit tomorrow...

To all those experienced uni applicant mums out there - any thoughts on whether the early uni open days are worth going to ? Edinburgh this week and Glasgow next week ... but also have more in August.... just wondering if there’s any real benefit going now when DS is still really undecided on what course to apply for .. thx.

We were at the arse end of open days I'm afraid susie it depends on what you are looking for I guess. At the end of the day most of the unis will all offer very similar (on the face of it) courses. So, if specific subjects are still undecided you could use these early days as a change to get a feel for locations and general uni'ness. You might be able to eliminate some just on that or it may mean that you end up going back to go to specific talks or ask specific questions.

We ended up running about at the last minute, applying to 5 different places only for DS to decide he didn't want to live away from home...if he'd said that upfront he could have applied for a range of courses at one uni instead of leaving himself with very little choice after his offers came in. Good luck with deciding.

I have DS2 just gone into 6th year, we have no idea yet whether he wants to go to Uni or whether he will have the results over last and this coming year to go either so no early visits for us again...

If your ds is unsure as to what he wants to do, early open days might help inspire him.

He can always go to the later ones as well, with more specific objectives if/when he decides what he wants to do.

Hi susie. It might depend how familiar your DC are already with the Unis. Mine have all been to various school and social things at lots of the different Scottish options already and so are familiar with them. This wasn't the case for me when I was at their stage and so would definitely have benefited from more pre-decision visits. For early visits would recommend sending them on their own if possible. Being typical teenagers, mine tend to disengage if I am there. Anyway DD1 said there were loads and loads of over involved parents asking all the obvious questions on my behalf when she went with her mate to St Andrews - I'll leave you to imagine the accompanying eye-roll.

Getting hold of as many paper copy prospectuses for any likely candidates is very useful for comparing. Differences in options and course structures are quite hard to compare on-line.

Mine had a tentative plan based on her best / most enjoyable school subjects. She is having a bit of a wobble now she's done the exams so I've got my fingers crossed and encouraging her to consider / research as many options as she might vaguely be interested in atm. She's also in need of a break which I suspect a few might be.

Ds changed his mind totally over the summer about what he wanted to do : from Maths/Physics/Astrophysics to International Relations This was with no input from us and before his exam results came in

He'd already started doing AH Maths and AH Physics but fortunately had also started crashing Higher Modern Studies.

The only Open Day I accompanied him on was the Aberdeen one, which he only went to under duress from me and no other friends were going, so he "let" me go with him. Guess which Uni he is going to in September? He loved the feel of the place (a cross between a city Uni and St Andrews).

Although I took him and a friend to St Andrews, it was only with the promise of not going round with him (which was fine by me as I could re-visit old haunts). Although he said it was probably the best IR course in Scotland, he hated the feel of the place: too claustrophobic and isolated and like a giant boarding school. I couldn't disagree with him as I said that is indeed what it was like; I'd loved it but it was astute of him to recognise that it wasn't right for him, so not to waste an application there.

He also only went to the Strathclyde Open Day under duress but then decided he preferred the course there over the Glasgow Uni one. As he only wanted to apply to one "home" Uni, that meant that Glasgow Uni was off the list.

Thx for all your replies and suggestions. DS doing AH physics , chemistry , maths & mechanics of maths in S6. Chemistry is his current favourite so he’s thinking along those lines but that may well change as he really gets into the course work next term.