[gadgetgirl79]

Hello!

After a late application to do a Secondary PGCE, I had an interview a week later at my first choice, then 2 days later got a phone call to say they'd love to offer me a place, but unfortunately the course is now full, so the place is for 2013.

I'm also the first reserve should someone drop out.

What are the odds on someone dropping out?

Has anyone been on a reserve place and got a place before? When did you find out?

I presume this also means that in 2 weeks time when degree results come out, if someone with a conditional offer doesn't get the degree they needed, then I'll get the place? Then after this, I presume it's hoping that someone changes their mind?

There are still vacancies at my second choice, but I'd MUCH rather have my first choice, so my first choice suggested I could wait until clearing, then if a place still hadn't come up, I could try for my second choice if there's still a place available.

Is there any way you can find out what places were available during clearing last year?

[affinity89]

To be honest, there is quite a good chance of people dropping out before the course starts. A few of my friends on my pgce course didn't get told that they had a place until the start of September after people dropped out over the summer.

[rachelsays]

As with all courses, people will change their mind, have circumstances change or not meet the conditions of their offers. I've known several people apply for PGCEs and then back out at the last minute - mainly those who applied because they didn't know what else to do after university and there will always be a fair few of those - but I've also known someone who had to pull out due to an unexpected pregnancy, so there are all sorts of reasons why places could open up. As the first reserve, I'd say you have a good chance of getting a place for September.

Speaking for myself, I am currently holding a PGCE place that I accepted while waiting to hear whether I had got onto a GTP programme, which was my preferred choice. I'd rather not have had to accept the PGCE place and mess everyone around, but I had no choice as the decision dates were a few weeks apart and I didn't want to risk ending up with no form of training place at all. As I have now received confirmation of the GTP place, I will be withdrawing from the PGCE which will free up a place for someone on the reserve list. I'm sure there will be plenty of others like me out there.

Good luck and well done on doing so well with such a late application. I hope it all works out for you.

[gadgetgirl79]

Thanks!

I've got 1 month notice to give on my job, and additional childcare to arrange, so I guess the latest I can wait is about mid-August.

Are people just as likely to drop out or lose a place on an Oxbridge place as anywhere else? It's a VERY good course, and SO much better than my second choice, hence my keenness to get a place this year.

Financially, it's looking unlikely that 2013 will be possible.

[rachelsays]

Yes I think they would be to be honest - most people choose their PGCE courses based on where's convenient for their life rather than academic prestigiousness, so I shouldn't imagine Oxbridge PGCE applicants would be much different. They'll still have the same issues and doubts as people at other PGCE providers. I think actually with the fee hike for PGCEs this year there will be quite a few dropouts across the board.

[masamune1989]

I was a reserve last year but I didn't get a place that year but have secured a place my second time around.

The thing to remember is that with a secondary PGCE there are less places to begin with, where instituitions for primary may have excess of 60, some secondary courses have as little as 5/6. Obviously there will be people who don't get the grades they need and so on, but I don't envisage many people will give their place up unless they really have to and many institutions will select candidates who already have their grades to prevent drop outs.

However, being a reserve does put you in a better position for next year, techinically you were good enough for a place this year, there just wasn't one for you. I'm not saying don't keep your hopes up for a place this year and people do drop out, but for some subjects it is unlikely that people will drop their places.

If you are on the reserve list for your first choice, why can't you apply for the second and get a place there so that you at least have the security of doing your PGCE this year?


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[gadgetgirl79]

Masamune, were you first reserve too???

My place is guaranteed for next year, but I'm not sure if it's going to be financially feasible to start a PGCE in 2013, and I have no idea if the bursaries will also be available next year too (It's the science course, so I get a £12k bursary), so I'm really keen to get onto the course this year!

I can't apply for my second choice without releasing my first choice, and as long as I hold on as reserve, that counts as holding a place.

I have since spoken to my second choice and explained the situation, and there are still quite a lot of places left, so they said there's no rush for the next couple of weeks at least, and have asked me to send them my details.

I'd be perfectly happy with my second choice, but I REALLY want my first choice, as it's so much better in terms of placements and most of all location, as I'll be living at home.

[masamune1989]

Hello, yeah I was first reserve and waiting all summer to find out if I'd got on! You can get called up until October but after that I think it's rather difficult to catch up to the others on the course in terms of knowledge.

Good luck, I hope you manage to get a place and were luckier than me!


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[arched_pigeon]

I am also first reserve for a science with chemistry course for this years entry! I'm just waiting now until a place becomes available!
If not I will just apply early for 2013 entry!


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