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I'm not sure if going to uni is my decision.

Im currently in year 13 and I've sent off my application to uni (and got my five offers back). I'm using this chat as a means to ask for some advice. The grades for the unis are the following:

AAA- Russell Group
AAA- ABB if I choose them as firm (my personal favourite)
ABB
BBB
BBB

Throughout year 12 I was predicted between AAB and ABB and my final UCAS predicted grades were ABB. This is where I have the problem. My mum loved the Russel group uni but I wasn't overly keen. She managed to convince my school to move my grades up to AAA so I could get accepted into the Russell group uni. I'm not a big supporter of myself and I do personally think that AAA is out of my reach, however if I really knuckle down I think it could happen. The problem I have is my mum is a real pushover. She wants me to go to the Russell group uni and basically any other decision would be wrong. I am not sure how to handle this. I want to make my own decision but I don't know whether the decision will be biased and I choose the decision against my mum just because she's telling me to make the other one. Its easy to say to me that I should just make the decision I want, but its not that simple. She's not budging and thinks I'm going to make the wrong decision.

I'm not sure who else to seek advice from, hopefully from someone who is not biased to either my mums or my side. Any advice would be amazing!

*added information, I'm staying at home for uni and commuting. (I don't like the sound of sharing dorms with others, I know it is a good independent skill but I'm moving into our small guest house)
Make your own decision - the school have experience of predicted grades and it sounds unlikely you would make the RG grades (I’m not negating that if you knuckle down you might get them, just it is unlikely). The uni you like best also has offered you a sweetener but that is still only to the predicted grades your school wanted to give - firm that and insure another. It is YOUR decision - you complete your ucas form, not your mum. Bottom line is, even if you firm the RG, if you don’t get the grades you won’t be going there - whether your mum likes it or not!!
i suspect your mum is looking at things as go to Russell Group because they are better. Unfortunately that isnt true and there are universities outside the RG that are as good as most of those in it. Examples being St Andrews and Bath. The fact your favoured university wants AAA suggests it is likely to be an excellent choice. It is vitally important you go where you are most comfortable. It is you who has to spend 3 years studying there not your mother. I suggest you explain that to your mother. You sholdnt be making this decision until April so you have plenty of time to think matters over. Only go for the unconditional if that is where you really wish to go. In the meantime go on visit days to help you decide.
Original post by taylamb
Im currently in year 13 and I've sent off my application to uni (and got my five offers back). I'm using this chat as a means to ask for some advice. The grades for the unis are the following:

AAA- Russell Group
AAA- ABB if I choose them as firm (my personal favourite)
ABB
BBB
BBB

Throughout year 12 I was predicted between AAB and ABB and my final UCAS predicted grades were ABB. This is where I have the problem. My mum loved the Russel group uni but I wasn't overly keen. She managed to convince my school to move my grades up to AAA so I could get accepted into the Russell group uni. I'm not a big supporter of myself and I do personally think that AAA is out of my reach, however if I really knuckle down I think it could happen. The problem I have is my mum is a real pushover. She wants me to go to the Russell group uni and basically any other decision would be wrong. I am not sure how to handle this. I want to make my own decision but I don't know whether the decision will be biased and I choose the decision against my mum just because she's telling me to make the other one. Its easy to say to me that I should just make the decision I want, but its not that simple. She's not budging and thinks I'm going to make the wrong decision.

I'm not sure who else to seek advice from, hopefully from someone who is not biased to either my mums or my side. Any advice would be amazing!

*added information, I'm staying at home for uni and commuting. (I don't like the sound of sharing dorms with others, I know it is a good independent skill but I'm moving into our small guest house)

You are the one going to uni - pick YOUR facourite. I'm a teacher and for some degrees a non-RG uni can offer a better choice. RG is just a self-selected 'club' - it doesn't mean the courses are better and often the teaching is worse because some of the lecturers care more about their research than teaching students!

What are you hoping to study?
Reply 4
Avatar for taylamb
taylamb
OP
2
Original post by Muttley79
You are the one going to uni - pick YOUR facourite. I'm a teacher and for some degrees a non-RG uni can offer a better choice. RG is just a self-selected 'club' - it doesn't mean the courses are better and often the teaching is worse because some of the lecturers care more about their research than teaching students!

What are you hoping to study?

Business with marketing. I understand what you're saying about it being my choice, and thank you for your respones, its just hard when someone is controlling my decison so much! Its hard to work out whether its my decison or not
Original post by taylamb
Im currently in year 13 and I've sent off my application to uni (and got my five offers back). I'm using this chat as a means to ask for some advice. The grades for the unis are the following:

AAA- Russell Group
AAA- ABB if I choose them as firm (my personal favourite)
ABB
BBB
BBB

Throughout year 12 I was predicted between AAB and ABB and my final UCAS predicted grades were ABB. This is where I have the problem. My mum loved the Russel group uni but I wasn't overly keen. She managed to convince my school to move my grades up to AAA so I could get accepted into the Russell group uni. I'm not a big supporter of myself and I do personally think that AAA is out of my reach, however if I really knuckle down I think it could happen. The problem I have is my mum is a real pushover. She wants me to go to the Russell group uni and basically any other decision would be wrong. I am not sure how to handle this. I want to make my own decision but I don't know whether the decision will be biased and I choose the decision against my mum just because she's telling me to make the other one. Its easy to say to me that I should just make the decision I want, but its not that simple. She's not budging and thinks I'm going to make the wrong decision.

I'm not sure who else to seek advice from, hopefully from someone who is not biased to either my mums or my side. Any advice would be amazing!

*added information, I'm staying at home for uni and commuting. (I don't like the sound of sharing dorms with others, I know it is a good independent skill but I'm moving into our small guest house)

My unbiased advice would be to Firm the Uni that offered you ABB if you Firm them because they are, in your own words, "my personal favourite". They must be a pretty good Uni to be making offers in that range (you are allowed to name them on this site by the way, if you want to). It seems unlikely that you will get AAA, by your own admission, so ABB is a very good choice for you. I would then insure either the other ABB (which could go lower on results day) or one of the BBBs depending on which Unis they are (come on, give us some names!)
Reply 6
Avatar for taylamb
taylamb
OP
2
The unis are:
AAA - Queen Mary
AAA (ABB reduced offer) - City, University of London
ABB - Royal Holloway
BBB - Brunel
BBB - Oxford Brookes!!

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