University clearing

[Shani]

My daughter is in Y13 at the moment and has her heart set on one university only. She's gone as far as to say if she doesn't get into that one, she won't even consider any others. She's already deleted one of her choices (Leeds, I believe) as she definitely doesn't want to go there.

I believe the usual entry requirements for her chosen uni is BBC, but she's predicted A* AA (I think). However, as an arts course, it apparently wouldn't be out of the norm to be offered an unconditional based off an interview and portfolio. We're going to the open day early December, followed by the interview 2 days later (7+ hours drive and 3 nights hotel, costing a fortune already and she's not even started yet!) so we'll hopefully know a bit more fairly soon.

[WhereIBelong]

My dd is at Bath. She only wanted Bath to do the course she is on .

She applied a year earlier. The a level fiasco on first year of covid happened and she was allocated 2 grades lower than she needed (with no grounds for appeal as they removed mock results as grounds).

Bath rejected her as she'd had a conditional offer and did not meet it. She rejected her insurance. Bath had no places available in clearing. Felt like the end of the world...

But... she took the actual exams that autumn, got a job, earned some money, applied to Bath for the following year and having met the requirements got an unconditional offer and started in September.

So even if it all goes wrong and their world collapses with seemingly no hope, it is never the be all and end all. Uni applications are not a one off, they can try again next year with some life experience under their belt.

[Tetrarch]

Originally Posted by novocastrian

Excellent thank you

this is all new to us... my daughters school seems on top of everything but good to know when these things happen

on a side note my daughter and iirc about 12 others in Y12 have been singled out as good uni prospects but from educationally disadvantaged house holds (or words to the effect) as neither me or my mrs went beyond Y11 in education. They get extra assistance & help with applications etc etc

seemingly universities are also quota'd to take x number of entrants from such backgrounds...

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All universities give out what are called contextual offers which lower the requirements by one or two grades. When you see grade requirements on a website saying something like AAA-ABB, the first will be the standard entry requirements and the second, the contextual requirements. However, the criteria are individual to each uni so you would need to check each uni your DD might be interested in to see if she qualifies.

Contextual offers are usually based on things like your home postcode being in an area of low university attendance or the school being low achieving rather than education level of parents.

Debra

[BevS97]

Open days this year have been a bit sporadic. Some are doing full ones but they started later than usual. Some are just offering campus tours.
We are off to Lancaster tomorrow and I think that is our last one as they seem to be winding up now.

[123]

Originally Posted by Tetrarch

All universities give out what are called contextual offers which lower the requirements by one or two grades. When you see grade requirements on a website saying something like AAA-ABB, the first will be the standard entry requirements and the second, the contextual requirements. However, the criteria are individual to each uni so you would need to check each uni your DD might be interested in to see if she qualifies.

Contextual offers are usually based on things like your home postcode being in an area of low university attendance or the school being low achieving rather than education level of parents.

Debra

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Just to add to that list, often contextual offers are also on postcode to allow local students to attend a local university (but if you are in Ox/Cam don't expect any favours from those two just because you grew up in the town)

[cmpjdp]

Thanks everyone. Like many others on here my DS only wants 1 in particular, doesn't want to stay away from home (suffers with OCD), so fingers crossed x

[novocastrian]

Originally Posted by Tetrarch

All universities give out what are called contextual offers which lower the requirements by one or two grades. When you see grade requirements on a website saying something like AAA-ABB, the first will be the standard entry requirements and the second, the contextual requirements. However, the criteria are individual to each uni so you would need to check each uni your DD might be interested in to see if she qualifies.

Contextual offers are usually based on things like your home postcode being in an area of low university attendance or the school being low achieving rather than education level of parents.

Debra

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Thanks

thats not quite what we've heard they defiantly singled out pupils whos parents are not university educated maybe just to help with applications rather than universities entrance quotas

cheers

[Mrs Toolman]

My son went through clearing a few years ago. He wanted to go to Loughborough to do automotive engineering, needed AAB. He put Oxford Brookes as his insurance choice, need ABB. He actually got BCC - was heartbroken, Oxford Brookes gave him a lower course which he didn't want. So we started ringing round. He rang Hertfordshire (which was one of his original choices, they snapped him up due to his brilliant GCSE results, invited him to a clearing open day and the rest is history. He loved it, loved the course and us now an engineer at McLaren - his dream job! Things always happen for a reason.

[Pookie3101]

My daughter really wants to do Biology at Loughborough but she isn’t sure she will get the grades. She is really struggling with Physics which she really needs to get a B in - she reckons she’ll be lucky if she gets a C. She has put a couple of insurance choices but the course content in the others are not quite what she wants.
She’s working hard but maybe she will change her mind by results day ( she’s been flitting between biology and geography as it is) and a perfect course will be found through clearing if she doesn’t get the grades she needs.

My friends daughter completely changed what she wanted to do and ended up going through clearing and is loving where she is and the course.

[WhereIBelong]

Originally Posted by Pookie3101

My daughter really wants to do Biology at Loughborough but she isn’t sure she will get the grades. She is really struggling with Physics which she really needs to get a B in - she reckons she’ll be lucky if she gets a C. She has put a couple of insurance choices but the course content in the others are not quite what she wants.
She’s working hard but maybe she will change her mind by results day ( she’s been flitting between biology and geography as it is) and a perfect course will be found through clearing if she doesn’t get the grades she needs.

My friends daughter completely changed what she wanted to do and ended up going through clearing and is loving where she is and the course.

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mytutor online 7 or 8 weeks of tutoring twice a week... took my daughter from a C to a solid A in Chemistry, increased her base understanding as well as core knowledge immeasurably. Cost us £690 (less than one fight to Florida last time we went), money well spent.