Will you take a gap year if university is still online in September?
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Original post by RememberMyLast
Nobody owes you anything. Ignoring the people who are deferring because freshers may be cancelled, people need to decide if they will be getting value for money because at the end of the day they are the ones studying that degree and are who will end up with the debt. Maybe 2021 will be the year where universities are more selective in picking applicants for academic ability instead of just seeing how much money they can get because everyone and their dog wants to go to university these days.
I'm not a year 12
And I just think that year 12s are already struggling to find work experience/go to lectures/do summer schools etc and so have hardly anything to put on their personal statement. We should be able to say 'It's fine, everyone's in the same boat' but if copious amounts of year 13s are going to be applying as well, they won't be. If everybody in year 13 now asked to defer entry, there wouldn't be anyone going to uni in October and all the 2021 entry places would be filled up before applications opened! I get that it's a horrible position to be in but by October I can't imagine we'll all still be in lockdown, and the uni will obviously try their best to give you the same education, as they are now.Original post by apolaroidofus
I'm not a year 12 And I just think that year 12s are already struggling to find work experience/go to lectures/do summer schools etc and so have hardly anything to put on their personal statement. We should be able to say 'It's fine, everyone's in the same boat' but if copious amounts of year 13s are going to be applying as well, they won't be. If everybody in year 13 now asked to defer entry, there wouldn't be anyone going to uni in October and all the 2021 entry places would be filled up before applications opened! I get that it's a horrible position to be in but by October I can't imagine we'll all still be in lockdown, and the uni will obviously try their best to give you the same education, as they are now.
And I just think that year 12s are already struggling to find work experience/go to lectures/do summer schools etc and so have hardly anything to put on their personal statement. We should be able to say 'It's fine, everyone's in the same boat' but if copious amounts of year 13s are going to be applying as well, they won't be. If everybody in year 13 now asked to defer entry, there wouldn't be anyone going to uni in October and all the 2021 entry places would be filled up before applications opened! I get that it's a horrible position to be in but by October I can't imagine we'll all still be in lockdown, and the uni will obviously try their best to give you the same education, as they are now.The 'same' education online whilst being asked to pay what they would for face-to-face teaching. I'm not an applicant, I'm on my second degree now and I feel for all the people who are going to get ripped off.
Universities will make adjustments for 2021 entry because the ones that make it will be desperate to get all the money they can for their own benefit, so students need to take it on themselves to make sure they are getting good value for what they are paying for. Anyway, I doubt the actual number of people deferring will make that much difference. This is all talk now but when it comes down to it, many people who are saying they will defer will probably end up starting this year.
Original post by apolaroidofus
Not being funny but I think it's really selfish if people start deferring entry - obviously I get that it could entirely wreck freshers and it's really unfair but it will make 2021 places extremely competitive which isn't fair on current year 12s. Everybody's life will be disrupted in some way and you've maybe even got it the worst out of everyone, but year 12s are missing out on months of vital work and will still be expected to take exams, the least we can do is give them the best chance to get into university
Original post by apolaroidofus
I'm not a year 12 And I just think that year 12s are already struggling to find work experience/go to lectures/do summer schools etc and so have hardly anything to put on their personal statement. We should be able to say 'It's fine, everyone's in the same boat' but if copious amounts of year 13s are going to be applying as well, they won't be. If everybody in year 13 now asked to defer entry, there wouldn't be anyone going to uni in October and all the 2021 entry places would be filled up before applications opened! I get that it's a horrible position to be in but by October I can't imagine we'll all still be in lockdown, and the uni will obviously try their best to give you the same education, as they are now.
And I just think that year 12s are already struggling to find work experience/go to lectures/do summer schools etc and so have hardly anything to put on their personal statement. We should be able to say 'It's fine, everyone's in the same boat' but if copious amounts of year 13s are going to be applying as well, they won't be. If everybody in year 13 now asked to defer entry, there wouldn't be anyone going to uni in October and all the 2021 entry places would be filled up before applications opened! I get that it's a horrible position to be in but by October I can't imagine we'll all still be in lockdown, and the uni will obviously try their best to give you the same education, as they are now.Thank you!
Original post by Anonymousamie
Thank you!
So basically, 'think about the year 12s'
Original post by RememberMyLast
So basically, 'think about the year 12s'
Not at all. If I was in year 13 I agree that I’d take a gap year too because I just don’t feel at that stage in my life to move away and meet new people, and I’m pretty sure I won’t in a year’s time. I don’t think we should stop living because of this and I think people should still be free to pursue their plans, but we also have to acknowledge that some things will be forced to change, and unfortunately university intakes are one of them. None of us know what will happen right now and whether we’ll even be back by September, but I have to agree that the OP suggesting that she wants to defer again because of things like freshers week is ridiculous as the whole purpose of being at university is to pursue your education - a thing that shouldn’t be taken for granted and a lot of ambitious but poorer students may struggle to afford. Anyway, I don’t want to spark an argument, I was just thanking the other user for representing year 12s too, because we are all in a tough position right now and who knows what the future holds. Good luck to you.
Original post by apolaroidofus
I'm not a year 12 And I just think that year 12s are already struggling to find work experience/go to lectures/do summer schools etc and so have hardly anything to put on their personal statement. We should be able to say 'It's fine, everyone's in the same boat' but if copious amounts of year 13s are going to be applying as well, they won't be. If everybody in year 13 now asked to defer entry, there wouldn't be anyone going to uni in October and all the 2021 entry places would be filled up before applications opened! I get that it's a horrible position to be in but by October I can't imagine we'll all still be in lockdown, and the uni will obviously try their best to give you the same education, as they are now.
And I just think that year 12s are already struggling to find work experience/go to lectures/do summer schools etc and so have hardly anything to put on their personal statement. We should be able to say 'It's fine, everyone's in the same boat' but if copious amounts of year 13s are going to be applying as well, they won't be. If everybody in year 13 now asked to defer entry, there wouldn't be anyone going to uni in October and all the 2021 entry places would be filled up before applications opened! I get that it's a horrible position to be in but by October I can't imagine we'll all still be in lockdown, and the uni will obviously try their best to give you the same education, as they are now.That’s their problem. People are being made redundant in this crisis so some year 12s not being able to get work experience at daddy’s consultancy firm should be the least of everyone’s worries
It does seem that OP is only worried paritcularly about freshers which is quite ignorant seeing as anyone (including non-uni students) can still attend freshers events and parties, and you can basically do freshers week during any part of your year.....I also think that universities will probably not allow you to suddenly take a gap year unless it was planned. I asked my firm choice to defer my year and they asked to provide me with a suitable reason to allow to defer the year since I didn't apply for a defferal in UCAS. If everyone had the same mentality as the OP then there would be a much more competitive intake for the 21/22 year and so universities would most likely reject defferals unless there is a geniune valid reason that would help. Its also worth noting, that you need to be seriously productive in your gap year because if your just taking it for the sake of it then it could potentially harm your job prospects in the future. We all understand that if lectures do go online, you won't get the same value of education (and trust me as a uni student I know), but most of us are in the same boat and the best thing you can do is try and ask for a reduction in tution fees for next year.
Original post by bingbong9214
It does seem that OP is only worried paritcularly about freshers which is quite ignorant seeing as anyone (including non-uni students) can still attend freshers events and parties, and you can basically do freshers week during any part of your year.....I also think that universities will probably not allow you to suddenly take a gap year unless it was planned. I asked my firm choice to defer my year and they asked to provide me with a suitable reason to allow to defer the year since I didn't apply for a defferal in UCAS. If everyone had the same mentality as the OP then there would be a much more competitive intake for the 21/22 year and so universities would most likely reject defferals unless there is a geniune valid reason that would help. Its also worth noting, that you need to be seriously productive in your gap year because if your just taking it for the sake of it then it could potentially harm your job prospects in the future. We all understand that if lectures do go online, you won't get the same value of education (and trust me as a uni student I know), but most of us are in the same boat and the best thing you can do is try and ask for a reduction in tution fees for next year.
Exactly!
Original post by apolaroidofus
Exactly!
See above. Freshers is important for everyone and all students have freedom of choice
Original post by Kavala
That’s their problem. People are being made redundant in this crisis so some year 12s not being able to get work experience at daddy’s consultancy firm should be the least of everyone’s worries
Don't think you've understood what I'm saying - I'm not arguing that the year 12s are the only people being affected by the coronavirus - that would be ridiculous! But dismissing it as 'work experience at daddy's consultancy firm' is not fair - if these people can't get into uni (because they will undoubtedly have weaker applications than year 13s who already completed all their extracurricular activities and have been successful in gaining a place once), they won't be able to get the jobs in the first place. I just like to think that we can all be compassionate and look out for each other, and not be absorbed in always doing what will benefit us when it will make it a harder time for others, that's all.
Original post by bingbong9214
the best thing you can do is try and ask for a reduction in tution fees for next year.
Let's face it, the chances of this actually happening are very slim. The government are unlikely to go back on their decision of not bailing out universities and they know plenty of students who may be disgruntled will still attend regardless in the hope of 'asking for a discount' again. Once we find out more of what's happening it's up to students to look out for themselves because the universities and government won't be doing things for their benefit.
Original post by Kavala
See above. Freshers is important for everyone and all students have freedom of choice
You do realise you don't have to be a uni student to do freshers lol. I don't think unis will allow you to defer your entry just because 'you can't have freshers week' when you can always do it in your 2nd or 3rd year.
Original post by bingbong9214
It does seem that OP is only worried paritcularly about freshers which is quite ignorant seeing as anyone (including non-uni students) can still attend freshers events and parties, and you can basically do freshers week during any part of your year.....I also think that universities will probably not allow you to suddenly take a gap year unless it was planned. I asked my firm choice to defer my year and they asked to provide me with a suitable reason to allow to defer the year since I didn't apply for a defferal in UCAS. If everyone had the same mentality as the OP then there would be a much more competitive intake for the 21/22 year and so universities would most likely reject defferals unless there is a geniune valid reason that would help. Its also worth noting, that you need to be seriously productive in your gap year because if your just taking it for the sake of it then it could potentially harm your job prospects in the future. We all understand that if lectures do go online, you won't get the same value of education (and trust me as a uni student I know), but most of us are in the same boat and the best thing you can do is try and ask for a reduction in tution fees for next year.
Agreed. Who's to say that we'll be back to normal in 2021? At the end of the day, if you are allowed onto campus, you will meet people one way or another, and by then hopefully you can at least hang out in accommodation and in your seminar groups etc.
Original post by Free81
If Freshers is the deciding factor as to when you start uni, then maybe you shouldn't be doing uni at all? I mean, getting the actual education should be more important than Freshers, surely? or am I missing the point here?!?!
It's not the deciding factor but social life at uni is a big factor either way, I don't see the problem with that
I'm in the exact same position as you OP, I emailed the uni I'm meant to be going to & asked about a second deferral but was basically told 'you probably can't but I don't really know for sure' and then was told I would get clarity but emails have essentially been ignored (understand they're probably busy though).
Personally for me, if uni does start online or is radically different to normal, I'm prepared to reapply for 2021 and will do so if that is the case.
Personally for me, if uni does start online or is radically different to normal, I'm prepared to reapply for 2021 and will do so if that is the case.
Original post by apolaroidofus
Not being funny but I think it's really selfish if people start deferring entry - obviously I get that it could entirely wreck freshers and it's really unfair but it will make 2021 places extremely competitive which isn't fair on current year 12s. Everybody's life will be disrupted in some way and you've maybe even got it the worst out of everyone, but year 12s are missing out on months of vital work and will still be expected to take exams, the least we can do is give them the best chance to get into university
As a Y12 who wants to take a gap year or redo Y12 (so I won't be affected by this), I agree. If the Y13's mass defer this will have knock-on, long lasting effects.
Original post by RememberMyLast
Nobody owes you anything. Ignoring the people who are deferring because freshers may be cancelled, people need to decide if they will be getting value for money because at the end of the day they are the ones studying that degree and are who will end up with the debt. Maybe 2021 will be the year where universities are more selective in picking applicants for academic ability instead of just seeing how much money they can get because everyone and their dog wants to go to university these days.
Who said that they are in Y12? The exams have been cancelled and Y13's will sit get a grade that holds the same value as people who have actually sat the exams so they can't have it both ways if they decided to firm early. It's not just about the Y12's it's about the knock-on effects mass deferment can have. Most private, International, possibly EU candidates and those who have "low predicted" grades or choose to sit the autumn exams will most likely have to defer even if they didn't want to for whatever reason. So unis need UK Y13's who have B-A* grades and who have firmed to go to uni. Realistically I don't care if the unis go bankrupt, the main issue in the knock-on lasting effects. Unis will be overloaded for years if Y13's who have B-A* grades and who have firmed mass defer and it's annoying that uni fees will not go down but oh well.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Free81
If Freshers is the deciding factor as to when you start uni, then maybe you shouldn't be doing uni at all? I mean, getting the actual education should be more important than Freshers, surely? or am I missing the point here?!?!
Exactly
Original post by mma_jd
It's not the deciding factor but social life at uni is a big factor either way, I don't see the problem with that
Freshers week is not the whole uni social life. Majority of it is actually based on the clubs and societies joined during university. I don't think you understand who the post was targetting. The post was particularly targetted to those people who are considering taking a gap year solely because they won't get freshers week, which is obviously the wrong mentality.
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