Conversation Between admbeatmaker and *whatkatiedidnext*

Hi Katie,

Well, put simply, I'm just getting rather frustrated with the length of time York and QM are taking to get back to me. I have had an update from Sussex since last week, they've asked me to submit some examples of my assessed essays, which I've done and hopefully an offer will materialise. Especially since their accepted score from my course is 60% and so far I'm hitting 70% and above.

My favourites are QM and York. I have now convinced myself that I will put myself through this bloody UCAS thing again if I don't get into one of them.

I've done a fair bit of chasing up with emails. I emailed them both in December, which they both replied saying I'm still being considered. Then I also followed up with another email in the late part of January explaining to them that I have received marks for my first assessed assignments which is a distinction (QM wants a distinction, York says they only require a merit [60%]). Then I restated my prediction and told them that if they want to get any more information contact my tutor. Both replied saying thanks and they've added this information to my application which will be assessed in the "near" future.

I may call up this week. Is a call seen as something annoying? Or maybe it's seen as something with more pursuance given the difference in effort compared to an email lol.

I'm reluctant to accept the Lancaster offer, I will only accept it if I get a much poorer score. Given that my offer is to only get a pass at 50%, something rather easy. Plus, I'm not convinced Lancaster can be compare to QM or York in any way in law, the reputation just isn't there for Lancaster, it seems. Anyway, if things don't fair well, there is always clearing, or even worse, UCAS next year.

Adam

Hey,
Just seen your post on the mature students applying 2012 thread. You seem a bit..... despondent maybe about uni applications? Have you rung/ emailed admissions at QMUL, York or Sussex? Or maybe heard anything good or bad? I cracked this week and rang Leeds who said they 'haven't forgotten' me and are in the process of getting second academic references from people on one year courses. Rather coincidentally the next day my tutor got an email asking for grades received so far. Feel much better having chased it.
Still got really good feeling you're going to get the offers you want. Worst case scenario will you accept Lancaster if you don't get good news elsewhere?
Fingers, toes etc crossed for you.
Katie

I really feel, for the good and the bad reasons, I've matured a lot in the past few years and I'm hoping that I won't be penalised for my past. I've had to put my A levels down, so that makes me feel rather apprehensive about getting any offer, though, Lancaster proved me wrong on that with their offer and I just hope that is the standard practice. I think if I had to reapply next year, with my grade, I'd probably omit my A levels. Whether it is wrong or not, I don't think it's beneficial to my application given that my GCSEs are bad enough!

Anyway, next weekend I hit the mid-way point of my course and it seems to be going well do far. Let's just hope it ends on the same note!

Any news from your end (UCAS, Access)?

Sorry for the late reply. I've been pretty busy. I spent the weekend away in Gloucestershire with my brothers and sister as well as visiting my aunt and uncle in Watford on the way home.

I'm also pretty darn busy getting this essay finished for Monday, nearly done now. I've hit the word limit and it's now time to do the tweaking.

From what you've said, it seems like you were never really sure of what you wanted as a career, did something for the sake of it and then with time, found what you truly wanted to do. I am the same, except with worse grades :P. Apart from the mishaps at college and school, I've never been sure of what I wanted to do, so without a goal, I saw no reason at that age push myself to get those great grades. Never mind, what is done is done.

Still nothing from York, QM and Sussex. I am really getting quite worried. I think, as long as I get an achievable offer from York I'll be 110% happy. A friend on my course is doing the course for an insight into law because he's training as a police constable at the moment, but he want to York and studies chemistry beforehand. He said York is a lovely place with an excellent all round reputation. He said that if I don't get in, he should never have been deserved to go. Made me feel like I'm doing something right!

Guess I over ran too, oops!

Basically I've grown up since then! Started college in September and it's going pretty damn well because I'm actually applying myself. Like you said though I do feel like I've gone back a step and without being harsh to the others on this course, even the tutors have said I'm overqualified for it. I'd have loved to do something like yours but at least it's got my confidence back up and some decent Uni offers. Have you heard anything else yet? I'm still waiting on bloody Leeds and getting a bit fed up with the whole business.

What area of law, that's like the million dollar question and I am so torn. Essentially I'm pretty motivated by the money, not exactly on the breadline but never any money left after paying the bills and I want more than that, to be able to buy a house one day rather than being stuck renting forever, that sort of thing. So, I'm tempted to go down the lucrative commercial route, particularly as I am enjoy the contract law that we're doing at the moment. At the same time I think I'd really enjoy family/matrimonial practice but there's not that much work in it and I'd hate to end up in conveyancing. I don't sound this confused on my UCAS thank goodness. I guess the only way to find out is to get more of a feel for everything next year. Really looking forward to the extra-curricular stuff too, the law society and probono opportunities. Just a bit scared at thought of networking!

I sometimes worry I'm overthinking it all and getting ahead of myself but there's not harm in being prepared right? How's your course going this week? Ours is fairly quiet at the moment but being set two assignments this week and theoretically should be working on research project 'Lord Devlin described trial by jury as "the lamp that shows that freedom lives", however in the twenty-first century is it the best guarantor of justice?' though it's not due til May and old habits die hard so finding it hard to get motivated when deadline so far away.....

Sorry, incredibly slow reply! No idea where this week has gone, don't seem to have done much yet it's Friday again already. Sat at the computer now trying to finish an application to become Citzens Advice Bureau adviser but considering it's a volunteer position the form is surprisingly arduous. I think I just hate application forms which doesn't bode well!

Sorry for quizzing before, didn't mean you to feel like you had to share your whole life history, not that it isn't interesting reading. Glad to see I'm not the only one in the first year drop out crew. It's been 5 years since I dropped out and I'm still not sure my dad has forgiven me. I didn't realise at the time though it's ok to say you're not enjoying being there when everyone around you is trying so hard to have the best time ever.

Your school sounds shocking! Whereabouts in Kent were you? I grew up in Canterbury, went to a great grammar school had all the opportunities in the world and if I'm honest was incredibly lazy and messed around from being about 15. Ended up with good-ish GCSE's (3 A*, 5 As and a C in Art) and significantly worse A levels; A, C and D. Even that was on resits. I got the D in History purely for not bothering to submit any coursework, maybe not my best decision ever. Anyhow, took a year out working in a solicitors doing secretarial stuff, got frustrated at being unstimulated but loved reading all the cases etc. Then ended up doing Politics and Economics at UEA in Norwich through clearing. It did not go well. I essentially dropped out at the end of the first year before they kicked me out. So I ended up at 21 knowing I was bright but with slightly dodgy academic background and went to work as a Barristers Clerk which was great.

Sorry! (perhaps not as short and sweet as I'd hoped)

- Started this Birkbeck course and that's where I am now. I've already proved to myself that I can do it, by getting 70% (distinction) in my first completed module and even an offer at Lancaster. I feel incredibly happy to have a single offer, considering my patchy academic history. (I didn't put any mitigating circumstances down, I don't want to dwell on what has happened).

So, yeah, I've never truly been out of education. And for that, I feel like a cheat. I wanted to try again at A levels but didn't want to spend two years doing them again. I considered fast track A levels but thought I may struggle with the work load. Plus, after having started a degree I didn't want to work backwards. this course is treated as the first year of an undergraduate degree in every respect.

I was, too, considering going at Oxbridge again next year. But I don't think I would fit in there. I'm a boy who's grown up in East London, I doubt I would mix well with the Oxbridge crowd. I would take QM or York in a heartbeat, they're where I want to go. I am more drawn to York, but I feel my life objective is better served at QM. I want to show that you can grow up in East London, a deprived area, even go to university in East London, and still become a lawyer in some kind. It would be hard for me to decide between those two.

What areas of law are you considering?

Where in the South did you grow up? I've experience how much more friendlier Kent is to London! A much more steadier pace of life here.

Have a great weekend too!

Adam

(Number 2)

How I became a member of this mature student band? Well. It's long, but I'll try to be short and sweet. Basically this is what happened:

- Did GCSEs (not too well, one B and the rest are Cs - I was predicted higher but suffered at the hands of some pretty cruel teachers. Like for example, my science teacher, who hated me (whilst I was the top performing student of the year), later entered me, "apparently" by accident for the lower tiered paper, capping my mark at C, which, of course, I got. Another scandal happened with the head of business studies and my bloody coursework, which, along with my science GCSE accounted for four GCSE grades.
- Moved to Kent, began A levels.
- After starting A levels, my sixth form announced it's closure for the end of my second year. Half the teachers were cut, with more cut during our second year. We had teachers teaching subjects they'd never touched before!
- Whilst doing A levels, I thought things weren't going to go right with this situation of the centre being closed down and all the decent teachers having left, so I decided to get a part-time job and invest more time in that. I Finished my A levels with CDE. At the time it didn't bother me as it was the highest anybody in my family has ever reached, so in that I'd already gone one better.
- Applied to study law and got a place at UEL (University of East London).
- Studied for one semester, hated the university but really LOVED the subject. I sat up through all hours of the night doing all the reading necessary. I think I was probably the only one to have actually read the books required lol. I ended up dropping out, deciding that law was for me but not at UEL. I got an average of a 2.1 in my marks with my best two being 67 and 86. So there it was, I believed that I could do far better and my A levels were truly a blip due to the teaching, a bereavement in the family, and a few other things.