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Kathryn

Good news - Uni applications: UPDATE

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Thought it was about time I posted some positive news from our end. :)

 

My daughter who is doing an Access to Higher Education course has had a conditional offer from her first choice university and has an interview for one of the others so far. Both good uni's and well respected courses. :)

 

We went through the process last year and she got two conditional offers but she got ill and severely stressed and was unable to finish the course, so she had to start again with the UCAS application process, and re register to complete the Access course. With only 15 credits left to do (she has already got 45) we have high hopes that she'll be able to do the work easily, and she is virtually assured of her first choice as the conditions are easily achievable which is a huge relief, given the record numbers of people who are applying and being turned down.

 

Last weekend was a bit fraught though. She updated her personal statement from last year but kept most of it the same. However she has changed her first name between applying last year and this year, so the UCAS system treated her as a completely different applicant and she was accused of plagiarising her own personal statement! Plagiarism to my daughter is tantamount to being accused of murder so we had a weekend of tears before it was all sorted out on Monday - in five minutes once they realised what had happened. :wacko:

 

UCAS are incompetent - their system discounts matches where the name and date of birth are the same but does not take account of name changes. It treats applicants as guilty till proven innocent and automatically sends a "similarly detection warning" to all the universities without allowing any time for an applicant to clear up the matter with an actual human being with a modicum of common sense. :wallbash:

 

So, fingers crossed for the next stage... I can't believe there are no more dramas ahead, but for the moment, things lookin' good... :pray:

 

K x

Edited by Kathryn

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Awesome news :thumbs: :thumbs:

 

Both good uni's and well respected courses. :)

I'm assuming given your recent experiences you've talked her in to doing 'Practical Plumbing' (theoretical courses also available, but these only allow for supervisory, rather than hands-on, work) somewhere close to home (you don't want call-out charges from t'other side of the country). :lol:

 

UCAS are incompetent

Ooooh, you know NOTHING yet!!! :lol::rolleyes: Just wait till you/she have/has (is that grammar correct? :whistle:) to deal with SFE and DSA - then you'll know incompetent. :shame:

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I'm assuming given your recent experiences you've talked her in to doing 'Practical Plumbing' (theoretical courses also available, but these only allow for supervisory, rather than hands-on, work) somewhere close to home (you don't want call-out charges from t'other side of the country). :lol:

 

Alas no - I've tried, but it looks as though two impractical arty types have only managed to beget completely useless arty children - no practical use to anyone - at ease with constructions of the grammatical kind but not much else. :lol: Judging by his GCSE option choices it looks as though the 13 year old is going the same way as his sister. :rolleyes:

 

K x

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Thought it was about time I posted some positive news from our end. :)

 

My daughter who is doing an Access to Higher Education course has had a conditional offer from her first choice university and has an interview for one of the others so far. Both good uni's and well respected courses. :)

 

 

So, fingers crossed for the next stage... I can't believe there are no more dramas ahead, but for the moment, things lookin' good... :pray:

 

K x

 

Hello

 

Are you the same Kathryn who I talked to on here aaaages ago, like round about 4 years back?

 

I hope so because I can remember talking to you about HE stuff way back when I was on here before.

 

How are you and your daughter?

 

‘Daisy’ - now doing Distance Learning and absolutely loving it.

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It looks really hopeful then :)

 

My brother had trouble with UCAS becaus of having an extremely common name. Apparently someone with the same name and date of birth has applied for university at some point, no great shock there then. And then he had the same problem all over again with Student Finance. It all took ages to sort out and reassure them thay he definitely had not been to university and forgotten about it.

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Hello

 

Are you the same Kathryn who I talked to on here aaaages ago, like round about 4 years back?

 

I hope so because I can remember talking to you about HE stuff way back when I was on here before.

 

How are you and your daughter?

 

‘Daisy’ - now doing Distance Learning and absolutely loving it.

 

Hello Daisy, yes I'm still here! We've had our ups and downs but things are going fairly well at the moment. Good to see you! :)

 

K x

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I am pleased that there are people who remember me and who I remember still here!

 

I'm very pleased that things are okay at the moment and that your daughter might be off to university.

 

Daisy

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Wow thats brilliant, what will she be studying at uni?

 

I have had real strong feelings lately to look in the future at doing a social work degree so I can help families like mine, and ensure they get the support they want, but I dont think Im uni material, so not sure, would have to do Access course first!

 

I hope your Daughter the best of luck and Im sure she will love Uni life toox

 

JsMumx

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Thanks all. :) She will do English Literature woth either Language or Creative writing depending on where she ends up.

 

Yesterday she received another offer so she is thrilled that she now has a choice. She is still waiting to hear from her other two choices so there could be more.

 

I'm so proud of her this week. The UCAS issue was not over as we thought: she got a letter from one of the universities asking for her to provide an explanation about the potential plagiarism. She was really upset but did a lot of phoning and emailing around (UCAS and all the universities)to sort it out and had to cope with rudeness from this particular university admissions department as well, although the others were fine.

 

She made about 10 phone calls in two days - and she is someone who hates and usually avoids the phone. All difficult stuff which she handled brilliantly.

 

K x

Edited by Kathryn

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It's really great to read about your daughter - well done to her, on several levels. It also gives those of us with younger 'students' hope for their futures. Brilliant news! :thumbs: :thumbs:

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This is about the right time to post an update to the above. :)

 

L eventually got 5 offers out of 5 - which is absolutely amazing, especially as she had completely given up on York where she had a gruelling and stressful interview. It has boosted her self confidence so much. So she had the luxury of being able to reject 4 good universities (including York!) before going for her first choice. (Pm me if you want to know what it is). She managed to complete the Access course and meet the requirements despite little tutor support and the college's incompetence, but I don't think she really believed she was actally going until she saw "unconditional offer" pop up on her UCAS account. She will be doing English literature and language on a course which normally requires three A's at A level. I'm very proud of her. :) She's done this all on her own mostly and with minimal help from the system - all school ever did was hinder her desire and ability to learn. So academically she'll be fine: I just hope she can hold it together emotionally and socially during the next 3 years.

 

Thanks- yet again- to friends old and new and some who aren't even here any more (I hope you're reading this) for all the support over the years right from when I first joined the forum in a very different desperate situation. It has kept me going.

 

25th September is the day we deposit her in her flat with all her stuff - life will be a bit hectic over the next week!

 

K x

Edited by Kathryn

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:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

Don't forget to pack a 'comforts' box that's easily accessible - kettle (if not provided), cups, tea-bags, long-life milk, teddy, chocs.

 

I hope she settles in really well and has a wonderful time. >:D<<'>

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Great news about your daughter Kathryn. How she kept it together during the application and interview process I do not know - I certainly barely didn't! OMG I start my course in 5 days!!

 

I hope Uni is everything she wants it to be and make sure the enabling support dept (or what ever the eqivalent is at her Uni) are fully aware of her needs. They are usually pretty on the ball and will do everything they can do to assist her. Use the facilties that are there to make sure she has the best experience possible.

 

Finally and importantly - I hope she learns more than just academically. Uni is about growth and development and about FUN!

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OMG................that is flippin brilliant :thumbs: .Knowing how hard you guys had it through high school and the problems your DD had that is some achievement for you all, you must be so proud.A big massive well done :thumbs: , just goes to show does,nt it ,that they can succeed and achieve their dreams, despite what teachers tell us and the struggles they face.A big well done, feeling very emotional for you, just waved my boy off on his first day at college on his next stage too, hes toddled off with his big rucksack to catch a bus :tearful: ....... :crying: .......yep having a good blart for you Kathryn >:D<<'>

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I hope Uni is everything she wants it to be and make sure the enabling support dept (or what ever the eqivalent is at her Uni) are fully aware of her needs. They are usually pretty on the ball and will do everything they can do to assist her. Use the facilties that are there to make sure she has the best experience possible.

 

Finally and importantly - I hope she learns more than just academically. Uni is about growth and development and about FUN!

Make sure she gets work experience during her vacations - don't assume she can walk straight into a decent job afterwards solely on the strength of her degree result.

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Great news about your daughter Kathryn. How she kept it together during the application and interview process I do not know - I certainly barely didn't! OMG I start my course in 5 days!!

 

I hope Uni is everything she wants it to be and make sure the enabling support dept (or what ever the eqivalent is at her Uni) are fully aware of her needs. They are usually pretty on the ball and will do everything they can do to assist her. Use the facilties that are there to make sure she has the best experience possible.

 

Having a "trial run" last year definitely helped: she found the UCAS process very stressful first time around and she was better prepared this time. The university have been extremely good so far and have offered lots of support: whether she takes it up is a different matter but there seems to be a lot of help available. Hope your own course goes well, dekra. :)

 

 

Make sure she gets work experience during her vacations - don't assume she can walk straight into a decent job afterwards solely on the strength of her degree result.

 

Thanks, that's good advice. Ideally she needs to find paid work if she can, as money will be tight, although I realise that's very difficult at the moment so any experience would be good.

 

Thanks all for the good wishes and Mumble for the many practical tips. One week to go now. :o:)

 

K x

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Ideally she needs to find paid work if she can, as money will be tight, although I realise that's very difficult at the moment so any experience would be good.

Check out her uni's student union webpages (or contact them). They often have some work avaliable which they advertise at the start of the year.

 

When I was an u/grad I occasioanlly worked on the door of our campus bar when they had special events they charged for, collecting money - sounds horrendous but was actually great. Firstly we were a tiny campus so actually it wasn't a huge thing at all, secondly I got a yummy bouncer either side of me :wub: :wub: (my job was to collect payments - they wanted someone who could do quick mental maths), thirdly it was a perfect excuse not to attend these events as I had to be outside taking the money! :lol:

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Check out her uni's student union webpages (or contact them). They often have some work avaliable which they advertise at the start of the year.

 

When I was an u/grad I occasioanlly worked on the door of our campus bar when they had special events they charged for, collecting money - sounds horrendous but was actually great. Firstly we were a tiny campus so actually it wasn't a huge thing at all, secondly I got a yummy bouncer either side of me :wub: :wub: (my job was to collect payments - they wanted someone who could do quick mental maths), thirdly it was a perfect excuse not to attend these events as I had to be outside taking the money! :lol:

 

Oooh, I did that too Mumble...actually one of the yummy student-boucers was my boyfriend at the time :wub::devil: I liked stamping the backs of hands, plus listening to the gig for free!! I also worked in the refectory kitchen, because you got a free evening meal, but that wasn't as much fun... :sick:

 

Kathryn, I can still remember how excited I was buying the bits and bobs for going off to uni...I still use the tray my mum bought for me :D

 

Enjoy! >:D<<'>

 

Bid :)

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Very very best with the 'depositing' today, and hope the flat proves a perfect launchpad for life at uni (and beyond, when she leaves with a string of distinctions and a first :thumbs::thumbs: )..

 

L&P

 

BD :D

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Thanks for the good wishes and sorry I haven't posted an update - the last week has been hectic and I came down with a bit of a flu bug at the beginning of the week as well.

 

She survived Freshers week and the registration process: found it a bit boring as everyone just seems to want to go out clubbing, and it's very daunting when you don't know anyone. But she's signed up for a few societies and has made an effort to go out and meet people. We went to see her yesterday to take her a few things and took her out to lunch. Lectures start this week so she won't have time to be lonely - I hope.

 

It's difficult sitting here wondering if she's coping and eating OK and getting up on time etc.. But apart from that,I miss her lots. :crying:

 

K x

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oh lordy it must be so hard when they take those first little fledging steps from the nest,fingerscrossed she settles well suzexx

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