LIVE video Q&A with Unis Minister, Michelle Donelan 3 Sep 4.30pm - Ask questions now

Covering two ages:

Why are universities insisting third years on performance-based degrees like acting/theatre do Autumn term remotely? With a missing ten months of performance, this will affect their ability to achieve good final performances and impress agents, so surely there should be a dispensation?

For year 13 applying for med/vetmed without all the mandatory work experience they need, are the universities making allowances for fairness? There are some small adjustments but every university has done it differently. Why could they not agree an approach to make things less complicated?

To answer the latter, different universities have different specific requirements for work experience, so it's difficult to agree an approach because some take it into account much more than others. I imagine most universities will be flexible though as long as the students are clear as to what they learnt from the work experience they did gain :smile:

Original post by Wannabevetnurse

What will UCAS use as predicted grades for 2021 reapplicants, will they use my CAGs or my mocks?

Neither, it will be whatever your teacher predicts you when they complete your UCAS application :smile:

Or if you apply after your results then you won't have any predicted grades at all.

Original post by Parziva1

I have a few questions I would appreciate if answered:

1) Would there be reduced content for the A-Level Exams, given that many students are behind in their education?

2) Will the deadline for the UCAS application to Cambridge/Oxford be extended?

3) Will the entrance exams for Russel Group Universities be progressing as usual or are changes to be expected ?

Thank you very much.

1) Some small changes have been announced already for certain subjects, there's been a push for more to be done, so more may be announced in the coming weeks, but we'll see!

Original post by Anonymous

Will the GCSE grades the class of 2020 got affect uni/job prospects in any way?

Realistically, other than checking you got a 4 in maths and English, GCSE grades are unlikely to have any impact on job prospects at all. Uni is a little different in that some courses/unis do look at them (for example certain medical schools rank on them I believe), but ultimately I don't think it will have a major impact on most people.

Original post by Zmbbnbq

Given that the GCSE grades were based on the algorithm/teachers grade mix, will there be a higher consideration placed on Year 12 mocks for 2022 uni entrance?

Unis don't get to know your year 12 mock grades, they can only see the results if they are official AS exams, so not explicitly. Your school could choose to do so when generating your predicted grades, but most probably don't look at GCSE grades in the first place.

Original post by Haribo22

Will there be practical experiments/assessments required for A Level Sciences (2021 summer exams)? I am self studying at home due to living with someone who is in high risk category for Covid, and it would save me up to £2,000 to not have to take the practicals at a private centre if it's not necessary.

Also, is it possible to guarantee getting predicted grades from past teachers or elsewhere, if people are self studying at home?

Some concessions have been made for A level sciences, such as being allowed to watch a demonstration of the PAGs rather than doing it yourself. I don't know if you'd be able to do it entirely at home though, you need to talk to your centre to find out about this :yep:

Do you mean for UCAS? You would usually find someone who has taught you recently (like last year), would be willing to write your reference, and may be happy to give you predicted grades :smile:

Original post by Anonymous

How will Year 13 students be supported in catching up on the months of classroom learning lost and also finding the right uni and course for them? Especially since we cannot visit the Universities ourselves and have a normal open day.

Will the grade boundaries be lowered or the course content reduced in the 2021 exams?

Are we expected to choose a university based solely on online events?

Some changes to course content has already been announced for some subjects, and since there has been a push on increasing it, then more may be announced in the coming weeks. Grade boundaries are entirely set based on how well everyone does, so they won't be artifically lowered, but if people have done worse than usual, they will be lower than usual :smile:

At the moment that is looking likely, unfortunately :frown:

For the time being, do your research as best as possible, and hope that offer holder days will be able to happen in the spring so that you can decide based on them too :smile:

You can also talk to people currently at the uni on TSR to hear about their experiences!

Original post by iman56

When is it too late to start our personal statement also what if you still unsure about courses and which uni to go to

It's never totally too late, but I would recommend allowing yourself a good chunk of time before your internal deadline your school will likely have. You can decide on your unis after writing it, so don't worry about knowing them before applying, however you obviously do need to decide on a course. Try looking at the specifics of the courses you are potentially interested in at different unis. Which courses make you feel most excited about potentially studying that? That will give you an indication of if that would be a good choice for you :smile:

tory hot air...

This forum did a great job of inviting Universities minister on 3 rd September to answer questions.
My posted question was not asked at the time and i wonder if @BlinkyBill or any of members are still collecting unanswered questions and putting them to Universities minister?
I am posting my question again. Thanks in advance,
"On clearing chat for medicine on student room I have read and participated in last 4 weeks where number of able students with required grades , good academics, satisfactory UCAT applying for clearing process to gain entry in medicine are rejected without good reasons. For example my son who fits in the clearing process who had required grades, good academics, good UCAT who applied through for Medicine through clearing , got 3 clearing interviews and was put on reserve list of three medical schools, waited for another 12 days to be told that he is rejected from all of them. Feedback from one of the school was that "very few clearing places after Govt' decision on 17 th august."
Even though Govt's Universities minister said in news- "This year many more students have been successful in meeting the required grades to study medicine and dentistry, and the Government has removed the caps on student numbers in place on both of these subjects. We know it is especially important to ensure a supply of medical students "

This does not seem to have happened when able students who normally would have got place thought clearing are all rejected .I as a parent worry about impact this on mental health and find difficult to get answers for my son. How could we approach Universities minister for clarification on this urgently please? thanks in advance

Reply 143

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

20

Original post by Yashchou

"On clearing chat for medicine on student room I have read and participated in last 4 weeks where number of able students with required grades , good academics, satisfactory UCAT applying for clearing process to gain entry in medicine are rejected without good reasons. For example my son who fits in the clearing process who had required grades, good academics, good UCAT who applied through for Medicine through clearing , got 3 clearing interviews and was put on reserve list of three medical schools, waited for another 12 days to be told that he is rejected from all of them. Feedback from one of the school was that "very few clearing places after Govt' decision on 17 th august."
Even though Govt's Universities minister said in news- "This year many more students have been successful in meeting the required grades to study medicine and dentistry, and the Government has removed the caps on student numbers in place on both of these subjects. We know it is especially important to ensure a supply of medical students "

This does not seem to have happened when able students who normally would have got place thought clearing are all rejected .I as a parent worry about impact this on mental health and find difficult to get answers for my son. How could we approach Universities minister for clarification on this urgently please? thanks in advance

If they lifted the cap more students got places, they would have likely prioritised those students who had offers (of which more will have met the grades due to the CAGs as firm offer holders).
I dont think you can ever really say a student would normally get a place through clearing medicine. These places are always very limited, and very very few got a spot this way, so the fact all the students you saw got rejected is very hard to draw anything from that.
--

OP

Original post by Yashchou

This forum did a great job of inviting Universities minister on 3 rd September to answer questions.
My posted question was not asked at the time and i wonder if @BlinkyBill or any of members are still collecting unanswered questions and putting them to Universities minister?
I am posting my question again. Thanks in advance,
"On clearing chat for medicine on student room I have read and participated in last 4 weeks where number of able students with required grades , good academics, satisfactory UCAT applying for clearing process to gain entry in medicine are rejected without good reasons. For example my son who fits in the clearing process who had required grades, good academics, good UCAT who applied through for Medicine through clearing , got 3 clearing interviews and was put on reserve list of three medical schools, waited for another 12 days to be told that he is rejected from all of them. Feedback from one of the school was that "very few clearing places after Govt' decision on 17 th august."
Even though Govt's Universities minister said in news- "This year many more students have been successful in meeting the required grades to study medicine and dentistry, and the Government has removed the caps on student numbers in place on both of these subjects. We know it is especially important to ensure a supply of medical students "

This does not seem to have happened when able students who normally would have got place thought clearing are all rejected .I as a parent worry about impact this on mental health and find difficult to get answers for my son. How could we approach Universities minister for clarification on this urgently please? thanks in advance

Hi there,

I'm sorry your question didn't get asked when we ran this Q&A. I have sent a few more questions over to the minister's office since, but I think their capacity to answer individual questions ongoing is somewhat limited I'm afraid.

I'm sorry to hear about the trouble your son has been having with his uni applications and clearing this year. I'm afraid it's likely the best option at this point would be to speak directly with those universities. He could also ask to speak with the programme coordinator for the course specifically, as sometimes staff responding on the clearing hotlines may not have all the context about that other staff in the courses themselves may have about why some students are/aren't placed.

Apologies I can't be more helpful in terms of connecting you with the minister. Best wishes to your son.

LIVE video Q&A with Unis Minister, Michelle Donelan 3 Sep 4.30pm - Ask questions now

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