Does anyone else have a child who didn’t get four or five A’s at higher who wants to go to university?

[Tig33]

Hello I am hoping to find other parents with children in a similar situation to my child. It seems all of my child’s friends and peers and my friends’ children did really well in S5 so have four or fives A’s at higher. My child did not achieve this and is feeling very despondent (as am I!) as we go to open days and look at university choices. It looks like Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrew’s and Strathclyde are completely out as require AAAAA for entry to courses they are interested in. They got four B’s
in S5 and If they work very hard this year they may get an A or two in their highers or a B in their AH but with their current grades I am worried that that will simply be out of the running as so many students have such high grade. We have visited Stirling and Dundee and were considering Aberdeen but perhaps also out of reach after guardian’s high ranking… I would like to hear from others in similar position please.

I went to uni with ABBC, not long graduated (Aberdeen)

My DD got AABD at higher and having the same worries. Doing 2 AH's and 2 highers this year but a lot of places seem keen on what they got in one sitting so I'm worried.

Hello thank you for replying. What did you study at Aberdeen @YerAWizardHarry ? What was the published entry requirement and were you aware of what other students had entered with in terms of grades? how did you find the difficulty of the course work and assessments? I am feeling very anxious for my child a) in terms of actually getting offered a place and b) if they do get in their ability to cope academically if a lot of their peers performed so much more strongly at school. So would be very interested in your experience please.

hi @Whattodowithallthebooks your daughter did really well with two As and a B. Is such a shame that students who worked so hard and did well are worried as the entry requirements seem so high. What does your daughter want to study and what places is she looking at? My child is doing one AH and three more highers. They did the subjects they got As in at Nat 5 already and got B’s so am concerned that they are going to struggle to perform at the level required in their highers this year. They are doing AH history and are aiming for a B in that but the other highers are new but related so will need to work v hard. They do have an appeal in for one of their B’s but seems SQA are noting being very generous with appeals after all so not holding much hope… and they do at least have more exam experience now so that may help but it is really worrying me. I don’t have anyone who understands what it is like! So would love to share experience and support each other

I did primary education so probably not what your child is interested in. I did however do lots of electives through the first 2 years of my degree and none of them were particularly difficult at L1 and L2 (psychology, sociology, philosophy, geography, history, politics)

Thank you @YerAWizardHarry personally I think that they would be well suited to primary teaching (and that was what they used to be interested in until some kids were loud outside one of their exams and they went right off the idea!) that is really interesting to know how you found the electives and that you did so many as part of the teaching degree. I would love to go back to university now and study that type of degree. Are you a teacher now?

Are they wanting to do medicine? You definitely do not need straight As for most universities/ courses.

@Tig33 yes I’m a teacher now! I really enjoy it but needs to be something you are really interested in/dedicated to

That is great that are you enjoying it @YerAWizardHarry totally agree it should be a vocation. Am trying to support my child in what they want to do but seems history is very competitive to get into.

hi @ScotsLassie322 no definitely not medicine! they want to study history. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Strathclyde and St Andrew’s entry requirements suggest straight A’s. So have looked at Aberdeen, Dundee, and Stirling which have AABB which may also be out of reach depending on S6 performance. UHI offers history and have entry requirements that match current achievement. Is not just the entry requirements though it is the achievement of other applicants as many others also applying may have already got AABB and also whether that is the level they need to be to cope well academically.

perhaps doing an HNC first might be better so they get another year before staring a four year degree and some of the universities will look at their HNC grade to meet entry requirements. So hard to know what to do to support them as nothing from school and don’t know anyone else in same situation.

What subject do they want to study at university? Last open day I worked I spoke to many many students with a mix of As Bs and Cs planning to go to university.
Most courses at Aberdeen, Dundee, Stirling, Heriot Watt, Strathclyde, Napier, Glasgow Caledonian have entry requirements well below 5 As

Ok, I just checked and the entry requirements are higher than when I was at university and it wasn't very long ago!

Depends where you are but our best grads were from Caledonian University, which is one that I'd never considered going to myself.

I'm also a teacher now but was in banking previously.

Yes the entry grades have crept up in the last few years, not just covid as was happening before.
Don't think the courses are any more difficult, just supply and demand I guess.

Hi @academicyeah we have looked at entry requirements and for the area my child in interested in four or five A’s was the case for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Strathclyde and St Andrew’s so we are looking at Dundee Stirling and UHI. Concerned that even though those institutions have AABB as their requirements my child’s peers who are also at those open days have four or five A’s and will be applying for the same place so worried it is unlikely that those without the straight A’s will even get a look in!
hi @CasaDelSoot they are very interested in history but it seems to be competitive unfortunately which is why I am so worried. That is really helpful to hear about your DC getting in and doing well. Yes I think an HNC may be the way to go. Dundee and Stirling both seem like great options but still a reach if does not get appeal (which am not counting on at all!) they will need to get a B in AH AND at least one A at higher in s6 and I am just not sure how realistic that is for a four B student. I am going to try and find tutors to support them in s6 but is going to be hard year. Feel sick worrying about it as want what is best for them and realise not everyone is academically able so don’t want to set them up for disappointment. They fee quite despondent and left out at the moment and really need to feel confident and motivated to achieve what they need.

Yes supply and demand! This is a demographic peak as well I think mid noughties baby boom?

My son got 4B s 1A and still applied for courses that asked for more so he got a conditional offer.

Although he didn't achieve those conditions the uni awarded him a place. He's just graduated. This was Heriot Watt, actuarial maths.

There are plenty of other universities than those ones. They are far from the be all and end all and I say that as a 5A higher student who went to one of them. The league tables have the same problem as school ones IMO it’s all down to wealth.

I feel sorry for kids now. The subject I studied has always had high entry requirements but you could get into an arts or science degree on 4 Bs at Glasgow or Strathclyde back in the day. Since when does someone need 5As to do most degrees. All down to funding I suppose and Scottish students not having to pay fees

Op, your DC's school should have a careers adviser - worth speaking to them about this.

I wouldn't worry about your DDs 5A friends applying for Aberdeen/ Stirling/ Dundee etc. Unis have reasonable stats on how many offers are turned into acceptances so it shouldn't stop your DD getting an offer. She's got at least 4 Scottish options for History and just needs one. I would talk all of these up rather than be disappointed about not being able to apply for the others. Plus also look at HNCs (I think one of the social science ones has history modules). Although check how many students get a uni place from HNC.

I wouldn't worry about her managing the course if she gets an offer. Lots of contextuals get in on much lower and do well. DD says once you are on course your interest and drive is more important than your Higher grades.

We're in England but my DS didn't even takke Alevels and he's just started a Foundation year at a RG uni. If he passes it will give him a L4 qualification he can use to apply anywhere, if he passes well, they guarantee him a place on one of their degree courses

Lots of unis offer foundation years, which night be the way to go if she wants a top university, but also lots of places will accept much lower grades .

If you don’t get the grades for Glasgow and your dc have their heart set on going there then they should look at doing an HNC. They are affiliated with certain colleges, for example, if they do social sciences they will be matriculation into the uni and given a place if they complete the course. Otherwise, they can apply to Glasgow Cally or UWS. I know those universities don’t rank as highly as the others you mention but it depends on the course. There are some courses that are much more useful and practical than some at the more highly ranked unis.

Thank you very much everyone. I think an HNC might be the best plan. There is one in social sciences which several universities consider. It is hard to know what is best as if all their friends are off to university and they are staying at home they might feel left behind but another year gives more time to mature and also to see what level 7 study is really like. I just worry about them being rejected by places like Dundee and Stirling if there are so many applicants with such high grades!

I know what you mean about the feeling of being "left behind".
This happened to one of my DC's friends last year.

But honestly it's only for the first couple of months they felt like that because by October they were doing the rounds of the Uni open days, then completing their UCAS, waiting for their offers, then making their choices. All whilst working for the A grade the likes of Glasgow wants.

If they go for the HNC the year will whizz by for your DC

www.rgu.ac.uk/study/courses/917-ba-hons-social-work
Not entirely related but Social Work at Robert Gordon is BBCC so she meets the criteria already.