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DD 16 planning for university

6 replies

RosiePosie15 · 07/08/2020 18:06

DD is already planning for university and wants to do natural sciences at Cambridge. I’m happy that she knows what she wants to do and that she has chosen the right A-Level subjects to take to get her there. But I’m worried that maybe she’s being too ambitious or that she’ll be sorely disappointed if she doesn’t get in. She was predicted all A’s or above (7-9 Grades) in her GCSE subjects but hasn’t done any work since March, which isn’t really all her fault since her current school has had nearly zero contact with her and so has her new school (she’s moving schools for sixth form since her current school was having a serious affect on her MH) and she barely left her bed the first few weeks because her horse died suddenly. She’s filled a lot of her time helping DS 14 with his work so she hasn’t wasted it but she also hasn’t done anything towards her own education. Will this affect her severely in the future? I know that it’s a couple of years away, but how do I help her if she’s rejected? Any advice would be appreciated x

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june2007 · 07/08/2020 18:16

I would wait to see what GCSE,s she has as this may efect what A levels she can do. But it,s the Alevels that Uni,s will primarily go on. (Probably want an equivelent of a c for core subjects but is she doesn,t have them, she could retake? .)

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RosiePosie15 · 07/08/2020 18:39

I could see her wanting to retake her GCSE’s if she doesn’t get the grades she wants/needs. But how do resits work if she’s moved schools and already starting her a-levels?

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SylviaM · 07/08/2020 19:13

I would post this under higher education. There are whole Oxbridge specific threads on there with people who have had experience of their DCs getting Oxbridge offers.

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RosiePosie15 · 07/08/2020 19:59

@SylviaM Thank you! I’ll do that

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Aknifewith16blades · 08/08/2020 16:19

Nothing wrong with aiming high. At the start of Y13, when she's ready to apply, her school will be able to guide her in whether her hopes are realistic and her choices may well have changed anyway.

As well, other universities offer Natural Sciences courses (Durham does for one, also Leeds), with lower entry requirements.

If university is a new thing for your family, it may be worth looking at access schemes/ Sutton Trust that provide support in applying to top tier universities.

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RosiePosie15 · 08/08/2020 18:20

I’ll have a look into Leeds and Durham. Uni’s not really a new thing for our family, DH went to uni but I didn’t and DD is my oldest.