Ucas

Kold

Ok, I didn't make the grades stated on my first choice but I did get my insurance choice, just a couple of Q's regarding.

What do I do now? Do I call them up? I was told to ring my first choice to see if they'd accept me anyway.
I haven't done anything about sorting out accomodation. Is it too late? My 2nd choice was Canterbury which is a smallish place, it can't be too hard to find a place to live?

graciek

I need 2 B's out of Chem., Bio and Maths, and I also needed 2 other B's. I got the 2nd two but I got a C in Bio and a D in Chem. I rang them up and the guy was horrible, he said there was no way I could get it, because I was not capable of passing the course. I know I did **** in those subjects...but he could bother to take look at my overall grades and or my aptitude results...grr.... so bloody irritating, I want the course SO bad! I said if I could get a medical cert. to prove that I wasn't well would that make a difference...and he said I did so badly that he didn't think I'd get it. He treated me like I was stupid, just because I did badly in those exams. He could have been a little more polite.......
Anyway, my point is if you weren't too far off your course then definitely ring...
About accomodation, you'd better get moving once you've been accepted, the results don't come out for English students until tomorrow, but don't forget about all the other years. Good luck!

Roller Toaster

I thought we had to wait for offers to come in? I got a deference from london metropoliton a week ago and i need to send it in soon I guess. Southbank was my first choice which I don't think I got so like you I'm in the same boat. I had always thought it was up to the unis to contact us. I think I'll get on to the phone lines to ask for advice once the commotion from tomorrow dies down. I'll tell you what they tell me. Also check the UCAS handbook I guess.

Kold

St Andrews were very polite but said that "unfortunately I had been rejected". I called up Canterbury and they said I was in. Fabtabulous. They sorted me out about accommodation too... Now the question is how do i pay for it...

Roller Toaster

Jeeeeesus man, you really haven't thought this through. Moving to a whole new country to study isn't as simple as hopping on a plane and then trying to get a job before the term starts.

How are you going to pay for the initial accomodation deposit?
Do you have any firm employment opportunity there and does your school timetable allow you enough time to work properly there?
Are you prepared to spend most of your time working and studying to get by with limited time for anything else?
What happens if you get sick? Are you covered through the irish system or english?
Are you ready to invest in the region of €40,000 for the 4 years you'll be there?
How much are you getting from government grants or student loans? Whats the repayment plan like?
How do you plan to get around?
What happens if you can't get a job? Will you have enough cash at first to support yourself while you look?
Have you worked out how much its going to cost per week to support yourself?
Will you be living with other people to reduce the rent cost? Have you even found someone who wants to share with you?

The only cop out to all of the above is "I have rich parents who are willing to pay for me" which is a pretty ****ty cop out...with only 6 weeks or so to go you seem to have a lot to sort out.

Funky

This is kinda OT but i didn't want to make another UCAS thread...

How do you notify ucas that you aren't accepting any of their offers? I was using it as a backup if i screwed up my leaving pretty badly but i didn't and got what i wanted...

Roller Toaster

On the back of the statement of decisions 2004 booklet (the small orange one) theres a form that lets you withdraw for the academic year (ie for good in your case).

ecksor

Roller Toaster wrote:

Jeeeeesus man, you really haven't thought this through. Moving to a whole new country to study isn't as simple as hopping on a plane and then trying to get a job before the term starts.

I'm moving to England to study, so I'll throw in my comments on this.

How are you going to pay for the initial accomodation deposit?

I paid mine with credit card.

Do you have any firm employment opportunity there and does your school timetable allow you enough time to work properly there?

Not planning to work for the first couple of years if I can help it or unless I get handy nixers. Apart from holidays.

Are you prepared to spend most of your time working and studying to get by with limited time for anything else?

Nope, planning to spend time studying and the rest of the time focussing on my hobbies and socialising ...

What happens if you get sick? Are you covered through the irish system or english?

As a student I'll be covered by the NHS apparently.

Are you ready to invest in the region of €40,000 for the 4 years you'll be there?

Yes, but no more than if I studied here.

How much are you getting from government grants or student loans?

Nothing.

How do you plan to get around?

Public transport and on foot.

What happens if you can't get a job? Will you have enough cash at first to support yourself while you look?

Not looking for a job ...

Have you worked out how much its going to cost per week to support yourself?

Per-week, no, but I did roughly work out what it would cost for the year.

Will you be living with other people to reduce the rent cost? Have you even found someone who wants to share with you?

I took on-campus accommodation. Lots of places offer it and it's well worth checking out to see if it is suitable, although anyone going through clearing or taking an insurance place might find it tougher to get.

The only cop out to all of the above is "I have rich parents who are willing to pay for me" which is a pretty ****ty cop out...with only 6 weeks or so to go you seem to have a lot to sort out.

There's another cop out, which is "I saved up".

graciek

I sent a really long winded emails to edinburgh today about how much i wanted the course, and just basically asked politely if they would take into account my aptitude tests, and j.c. results because i felt i had not performed to the best of my ability. i know it's a long shot, but i want it soooo much!! so finger's crossed and let's hope god/allah/buddha/anything that might exist has got my back.

Roller Toaster

ecksor wrote:

Stuff

I went into my guidance counsellor and told her I wanted to apply to england. Within about ten seconds she blasted me with those questions and at least ten others, it really made me stop for a second and think about what I was doing.

I figure it's almost impossible to get by unless you have plenty of cash to begin with which is why if I do decide to go to england I've deferred my offers until next year so I can spend this year working my ass off to build up enough cash to get by. I also have a good bit of cash put away already too. Hopefully while I burn some of that cash on the first few months there I can get a job of some type but the important thing is that if I don't I'd still be ok for the first while. Factor in student loans and grants and its almost almost possible to get by until my working year at which point I would be earning proper cash doing what I love doing. That year and working the summers would give me enough cash for the final year and beyond.

As a student I'll be covered by the NHS apparently.

I meant that if you got sick during the school year and you needed to be working to support yourself you'd be in a spot of bother.

Basically you're confirming to me all the positives of taking a year off to save up rather than leaping in the deep end in 6 weeks time. What are you planning to do and where are you planning to do it?

ecksor

Roller Toaster wrote:

I went into my guidance counsellor and told her I wanted to apply to england. Within about ten seconds she blasted me with those questions and at least ten others, it really made me stop for a second and think about what I was doing.

Which of those questions wouldn't apply to studying in Ireland (assuming that someone isn't living with their parents) ? Food and accommodation and healthcare isn't exactly free here.

Roller Toaster wrote:

I meant that if you got sick during the school year and you needed to be working to support yourself you'd be in a spot of bother.

Well, as it happens I also have health insurance.

Roller Toaster wrote:

Basically you're confirming to me all the positives of taking a year off to save up rather than leaping in the deep end in 6 weeks time. What are you planning to do and where are you planning to do it?

I still don't see how this is England specific stuff ... I'm starting a degree in Mathematics at the University of Reading in a few weeks time.

oeNeo

graciek wrote:

I treated me like I was stupid, just because I did badly in those exams.

Haha

Roller Toaster

I never said it didn't apply to Ireland, it applies to any situation where you're studying away from home. I'm sure if I went in and told her I wanted to study in...Waterford she'd ask similar questions. We had a special class on studying away from home where she went over stuff like that, it seemed to put a lot of people off. Any situation like that needs a modicum of planning. Maybe you don't always need to take time off to build cash up...fine if you don't but you're lacking a certain safety net.

Well, as it happens I also have health insurance.

Well then that's that sorted.

I still don't see how this is England specific stuff ... I'm starting a degree in Mathematics at the University of Reading in a few weeks time.

Again, not specific to England but since this is a thread about UCAS I don't see the point to discussing moving to Waterford.

ecksor

Roller Toaster wrote:

Again, not specific to England but since this is a thread about UCAS I don't see the point to discussing moving to Waterford.

Right ...

Roller Toaster

I'm glad that's all cleared up.

sceptre

graciek wrote:

I sent a really long winded emails to edinburgh today about how much i wanted the course

Good luck with that. Edinburgh's a hell of a town.

Kold

I'm English so I qualify for English grants and am covered by the NHS. Yes I plan to work and study at the expense of my social life. I partied all this year and I've had my fair share, I'm much less willing to go out unless it's a special occasion. Student accomodation sounds pretty attractive and all locations seem to be within 15 minutes of the university. Basically what ecksor said although I will have the aids of grants. Payment isn't really a problem. My Brother and two sisters did it before me and I'm the brightest in the family (even though my grades don't reflect this). The Leaving Cert was my learning curve and I am willing to pull my weight now. TBH I look down on those living with their parents going into their first year of college.

Intel

<<TBH I look down on those living with their parents going into their first year of college.>>

Im in agreement with you there Kold. Moving out and being independent is all part of the college experience, and indeed part of growing up.
Some of my friends say they have to stay at home because of the expense.
In a few cases this is probably true(ie. large families etc) .Ireland isn't a 'poor' country anymore, and primary and secondary school are free,and to a certain extent 3rd level, so living away from home for the case of education should not be a problem. In addition to this grants are available for less well off famlies..
Im writing to you from West Africa, where one of my friends(classified as middle class here but would be considered poor in irl)who is in college decided to move away from home for the very same reason mentioned above.
Indeed, this is generally the case in this country...

rainbow kirby

I'm living at home while in college.
For the first year there was no way in hell I could afford it. Same with 2nd year. Now (fingers crossed!) going into 3rd year I've decided I'm going to Japan for a year when I graduate, so I'm going to try and save money for that. So I'll finish the degree, living at home for 2 more years, then off to the Land of the Rising Sun! :):)