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Re: First timer!!
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:25 pm
by fairyelephant
I’ve noticed in DD’s list that most unis are looking for A*AA but some give a range. Guess this means they offer lower either contextually or if they really like you??
She wants to study Economics and Geography which is only taught at a very few places
she’s intending to apply for a couple of straight Economics places too and sending a separate PS. Have to rely on school for advice I think. Am sure I’m out of date!
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:35 pm
by kenyancowgirl
It tends to be contextual (aka widening participation) offers - or, like I have said upthread, the old "reduced offer if you firm us" (which is one up from unconditional, I suppose). There aren't a huge number of unis that interview nowadays - not unless they have to - as the numbers applying are so much larger than when I was there, so a lot of offers are made on algorithms - or if a uni is short of applicants they might offer a sweetener of a lower grade offer - or, if a course is short of applicants and you have applied for a similar course, they can make you an alternative course offer.
It is a minefield so always worth your dc making friends with the school careers adviser and the person in charge of the UCAS process!
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:59 pm
by copella
With both my DC, one of whom I hope will be going on to do an MEng this autumn, we started looking after y12 exams at possible uni' s visiting about three each to get a sense of the different courses and types on offer ie city or campus. Both of their schools were terrific, giving them great advice and going through personal statements several times before the applications went off. I don't however think any of the unis took much notice of the PS as my youngest pretty much got all his offers within days, although he had to interview at Manchester and nearly all dropped the grades they initially said they required. So GCSE results and any, AS results are really important.
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:10 pm
by scary mum
Most but not all of DS's offers were reduced by a grade if he gets an A in his (unrelated) EPQ.
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:50 pm
by KenR
Tinkers wrote:Since the focus is engineering, decide on whether doing an MEng straight off or doing a Masters after. Does the course offer a placement year and how much help do they offer to get one.
Most importantly, check the course is accredited by the relevant Engineering institution. Just about all will be, but sometimes the odd one isn’t for various reasons, usually not for long.
Most courses will be similar in content, as they have to be to get accreditation, so look at how the course is taught and what extras and options are offered, eg languages.
I know for another subject Bath do look at the PS but I don’t know if that applies across the board. It’s certainly a well thought of uni.
(My DD is in year 12 too so currently at the same stage, although she isn’t interested in engineering. AS level mock this morning. Year 12 exams half half term. )
I would be very careful before committing to an undergraduate Masters, many are not very good value for money. My DS at B/Ham had the choice of an undergraduate Master or a postgraduate M.Sc. He chose the latter. The former was £9K in course fees but only 8 months duration whereas the latter was £8.3K in course fees but a full 12 months duration and far more intensive. He has found that the M.Sc he did (Microbiology & Infection) a better preparation for a graduate job in Industry
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 11:24 am
by TIDDLYMUM
I know nothing about engineering, but my friends son has just been offered an apprenticeship on 18k plus his degree paid for .... Obviously not for everyone but something to consider.
For my part, my son went a GS, aced his e mails but did badly at A level. Awful at the time and he didn't get any of his offers and ended up at definitely not a RG but doing the exact course he wanted. He's loving it- doing well and planning to do a Masters at a 'better regarded University' after next year. So hopefully things will turn out ok for him. He's met lovely friends, stayed away from the worse excesses of student life and so all is good.
Good luck to all doing A Levels shortly
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 2:07 pm
by kenyancowgirl
TIDDLYMUM wrote:I know nothing about engineering, but my friends son has just been offered an apprenticeship on 18k plus his degree paid for .... Obviously not for everyone but something to consider.
For my part, my son went a GS, aced his e mails but did badly at A level. Awful at the time and he didn't get any of his offers and ended up at definitely not a RG but doing the exact course he wanted. He's loving it- doing well and planning to do a Masters at a 'better regarded University' after next year. So hopefully things will turn out ok for him. He's met lovely friends, stayed away from the worse excesses of student life and so all is good.
Good luck to all doing A Levels shortly
I reckon I could ace emails too....
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 4:47 pm
by nervousmom
So if a Uni says the entry requirement is A* AA, could they make an offer for AAA?
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 4:55 pm
by mad?
nervousmom wrote:So if a Uni says the entry requirement is A* AA, could they make an offer for AAA?
Yes, they can make whatever offer they choose, and after results day can accept whatever grades they choose.
Depending on a myriad of factors largely outside of DCs control,
some of them, for
some courses,
sometimes accept lower grades than they offered.
Re: First timer!!
Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 6:09 pm
by fairyelephant
A teacher mentioned at parents’ eve that you could apply for more than one course at Durham (impliedly in the same UCAS round). DD can’t find any mention of this on the website. Did I miss hear or is this a thing? Will email to find out...