pass at A level

thegirlintheattic

Seanymph wrote: »

Well thanks for the instruction (I won't say advice because it wasn't phrased like that), however whether or not I accompany my child to a city some 7 hour drive away to be with her overnight the night before and wait for her to be interviewed in order to drive her back is my business.

She drives, but her car is not that reliable. Some universities are out of town campus ones - all are in areas she is unfamiliar with - and all bar one involve a night away because of the distance from home.

I certainly wouldn't 'attend' the interview - but I would travel with her had she needed to go and spend a weekend away as a bonus.

Fortunately she has received her four offers so far with no need to attend for interview.

However if she needs to attend the last one I'll certainly be travelling with her.

As long as you don't go into the interview with her there should be no problems. When I interviewed for university many parents were sat in the waiting room or in the cafe downstairs. It was the only interview/open day I attended on my own because it was near to me and I was defiantly the odd one out.

Speaking to my students now, many parents take them to the interview and then hang about campus whilst it is carried out. You can even take her to the right building. The only big no no is when she registers she should speak herself and you should not ask questions/chat to the staff unless they approach you. Your DD needs to come across as confidant and outgoing.

Seanymph

Oh I wouldn't dream of attending her interview - and she won't be interviewed anyway because her first and back up are both in the four offers she's got.

I was just pointing out that parents 'these days' generally accompany their child to open days, I never even mentioned interviews.

juno

Person_one wrote: »

Its not rubbish at all.

Most courses start making offers to outstanding candidates long before the deadline, so its pretty obvious that you have a better chance of getting in if you apply in October when there are say, 100 places left than if you apply right at the deadline in January when there are only 30 or 40 left.

It's only obvious to people who know nothing about the UCAS system. The rest of us know better.

thatlemming

^ Agreed. I applied on the 15th January (last day possible) and I got 5 offers from top 20 unis for biology.

Mrs_Ryan

I worked my backside off to get through my A-levels, I got CDE. My E grade I was thrilled with, my tutor wrote me off early in the course and gave me no support at all when it became clear that I wasnt on course to get a good grade and therefore spoil her reputation if you like. I was left totally on my own and to top it off my Dad was rushed into hospital seriously ill in the middle of my exams and I was left to look after my disabled Mum on my own as well as study. It was through my own sheer hard graft that I managed to pass and this most certainly didnt stop me getting into two decent unis - Northumbria and Nottingham - Nottingham I believe is third in the country for my particular course.
Oh and by the way I work with elderly people with challenging behaviour in a hospital setting - hardly a non-job! My E grade has never stopped me and you know what to some people an E grade is a big thing - it was to me as I was written off and never expected to pass - my tutor accused me of cheating when I worked so very hard and took extra tuition from a German friend of my Mum's to push my marks up a little higher in my mock!

whitfreak

onlyroz wrote: »

Drive her there by all means, but I really do think she needs to enter the campus alone. It seems like things have changed a bit since 1997, but in my experience it was unusual for young adults to be ferried about the country for university interviews and open days. I visited maybe 5 universities - and the only one my parents took me to was Cambridge, because the train journey would have been a nightmare. They dropped me off close to the college and then went and did some shopping until I was finished.

Things have changed alot. A fair number of universities complain about helicoper parents.

But most of them will also point to the fact that there is an expectation that parents will be providing a fair amount of money and other support to their child. If you were going to be forking out money wouldnt you be checking that "you" are getting for your money?

Person_one

juno wrote: »

It's only obvious to people who know nothing about the UCAS system. The rest of us know better.

Dear me, you've got a terribly superior attitude haven't you? Not to mention presumptuous.

Nobody's suggesting that applying early guarantees you a place or that applying late means you definitely won't get in, but if you are advising young people that they have an EQUAL chance if they apply on the 10th January for EVERY course, you are giving bad advice.

Some courses wait until all applications are in, some hold blocks of interviews and make offers after these are over, but some DO start to interview and offer very early in the year, October or November is not that uncommon.

So think about it logically for a second. If you have a first rate application but the course is massively oversubscribed (as many are) if you apply in October you may be up against, say, 300 other applicants who got their UCAS forms in early too, and there are still 200 places available.

If you submit the same first rate application in January, there are now as many as 5000 applicants for that course and possibly only 50-100 places left.

Yes, it is possible and common to get into uni with a late December or January application, but if you are a good candidate applying for a competitive course you have a better chance applying earlier and this is the sensible thing to do.

juno

Person_one wrote: »

Dear me, you've got a terribly superior attitude haven't you? Not to mention presumptuous.

Nobody's suggesting that applying early guarantees you a place or that applying late means you definitely won't get in, but if you are advising young people that they have an EQUAL chance if they apply on the 10th January for EVERY course, you are giving bad advice.

Some courses wait until all applications are in, some hold blocks of interviews and make offers after these are over, but some DO start to interview and offer very early in the year, October or November is not that uncommon.

So think about it logically for a second. If you have a first rate application but the course is massively oversubscribed (as many are) if you apply in October you may be up against, say, 300 other applicants who got their UCAS forms in early too, and there are still 200 places available.

If you submit the same first rate application in January, there are now as many as 5000 applicants for that course and possibly only 50-100 places left.

Yes, it is possible and common to get into uni with a late December or January application, but if you are a good candidate applying for a competitive course you have a better chance applying earlier and this is the sensible thing to do.

No, don't think about it logically. As I say, I've been advising on UCAS stuff for 8 years, and have been quoted in the Independent Clearing guide. I might sound "terribly superior", but that's only because when it comes to UCAS matters, I truly am.

It doesn't matter when unis start giving out offers, or even interviews. The way they process it means that all applicants who apply before January 15th are given equal consideration.

Person_one

juno wrote: »

No, don't think about it logically. As I say, I've been advising on UCAS stuff for 8 years, and have been quoted in the Independent Clearing guide. I might sound "terribly superior", but that's only because when it comes to UCAS matters, I truly am.

It doesn't matter when unis start giving out offers, or even interviews. The way they process it means that all applicants who apply before January 15th are given equal consideration.

Then please explain to me how an applicant who is one of 5000 competing for 100 places in January is in an equal position to an applicant who is one of 300 competing for 250 places in November on a course that attracts more suitable candidates than it has places and starts making offers in November.

You can quote yourself in the Independent if it helps.

juno

Person_one wrote: »

Then please explain to me how an applicant who is one of 5000 competing for 100 places in January is in an equal position to an applicant who is one of 300 competing for 250 places in November on a course that attracts more suitable candidates than it has places and starts making offers in November.

You can quote yourself in the Independent if it helps.

Because the one of 300 competing for 250 places doesn't exist.