Thread 30 Covid Cohort, Mad March Hareing Towards Exams

I still can't get Ds2 to fill in the student finance stuff. I am away now anyway on the south coast. I came down to stay with dm Sunday as she had a hospital appointment yesterday she wanted me to take her to. She lives near Hastings. But now has a follow up appointment in Eastbourne tomorrow. She can't get there, so I'm staying another day to take her. She needs an operation in Brighton. She can't get there either. I'm hoping we can find volunteer transport. It's so difficult when she's on the south coast and I'm on Norfolk/Suffolk border. Ds3 is going to be annoyed as he didn't want me to go away. He's such hard work so I'm quite enjoying the peace. Ds2 won't miss me of course.

@Fonty sorry to hear about St Andrews, I do agree though that having an answer one way or the other is better than hearing nothing.

@Cantonet that's great news on your DS's mock, really positive.

@crazycrofter I'm so sorry to hear that you are fighting an uphill battle with the meds and actually getting seen. I think I'd use the 2020 meds too, IANAD but I think the issue with out of date stuff is more to do with its efficacy than it being dangerous?

How did I miss the end of the last thread|? there's some fast typing going on here!

Thanks for the new thread Orange and the updated list Singing. Also keeping my fingers crossed for @Monkey2001 to add an offer to the list along with anyone else still waiting.

@Fonty sorry to hear about St Andrews, but at least you will be spared the pain of finding accommodation which is not only super expensive, but so hard to find! DS thought he had something sorted, but it fell through and even with a budget of £600/month each they have not managed to get anything.

@fonty That's a shame. Hopefully the others still outstanding will be offers.

Good to know applicants are enthusiastic about the visits last weekend.

2 hours not 3!!

Around 6 years ago we paid £40 per hour for a Maths tutor & he only did 3 hour sessions!

Good to hear about positive offer days. DD’s student finance application is being held up by dh having two student loan accounts from the 1990s (this is supposedly not possible). They need to clarify which one to use for this application but he has to remember which Welsh address he used! He can’t remember ever using a Welsh address or what it would be (he lived in England, uni was in Wales). The person on the phone was possibly the most unhelpful, unresponsive and useless person ever! Although I’ve come across quite a few similar characters when speaking to HMRC! I can’t understand why they need dh’s loan account details to give dd a loan?!

Thanks for all the responses re tutor. DS had his first session tonight, seemed to think it's going to be beneficial - £50ph!! At least it's only short term . I'm really hoping he'll particularly help with exam technique

We paid £30/hour for an English tutor for GCSE a couple of years ago (also Hampshire). She was an experienced teacher. I'd expect to pay more for A level.

Covid update. DD (+) much the same. DH's PCR came back negative overnight and he feels better now (he had cold symptoms over the weekend). I went to work on the basis of a negative lft this morning but by the end of the day started developing cold symptoms so I went for a pcr on the way home. We will be gutted if we can't take DS to his planned offer holder day at RAU on Sat. All keeping as far apart as we possibly can so I've been in bed since 7.

DS's tutor seems quite expensive compared to others 😵‍💫 He is a teacher, uni lecturer, former head of sixth form and A level examiner and I'm hoping can help DS with exam technique.

Thanks for the new thread & list. I’ve realised I never said what Ds’ offers are - Leeds & Bristol are AAA, Sheffield AAB and Southampton ABB.

No real news here. He’s had his mocks but no results yet.

@DoggerelBank we were at Bristol on Saturday too. Hoped to put dd off the place, but a journey with no traffic jams and beautiful weather all worked in the city's favour! It is really lovely - just a bit further than I would have liked.

@sofakingcool we used my tutor as well. £28ph. You can have a free trial to see if your DC likes them.

Oh I’m sorry for that disappointment @fonty…

Thanks for the new thread orange & singing Fab to see some of the offers turning into Bold!
Glad the offer visits are going well too.

We had the expected rejection from St Andrews tonight. DS is very philosophical about it and at least it’s an answer one way or the other.

Have finally completed student finance tonight too. Onwards & upwards!

Just as a rule of thumb in the NHS 16 + is classed as an adult (yes I know its nuts) unless they are in a large regional specialist hospital which have transition services covering 15-18.

We have a maths tutor for DD in Maths £20 per hour online - started in lockdown and he's doing a phd and has degrees in maths. He's the son of a friend on my DH. (I know he's cheap and would normal cost more)

Fresher's wrist bands are a giggle @BlueMarigold normally gives access to several events organised by SU at local nightclubs in the first week or fortnight - always get the kids one - they don't always go to all the events but its fun to have a few boozy crazy nights.

Thanks for the new thread and updated list.
Spent a very happy Saturday at Bristol offer holder day. They had some very entertaining lecturers, and the labs looked much nicer study spaces than I'd imagined. The vintage clothing shops also met with approval. The course isn't exactly what he's after, probably, but unless anything better turns up, he will end up going there with a smile on his face. Phew!

Inspired by those of you who have sorted your DC with ADHD etc I have contacted school to ask whether they can do anything to assess DS. It is probably too late for anything, but I do think he has it.

He has been doing things to help his concentration like avoiding carbohydrates in the morning - he has 5 or 6 eggs for breakfast every day, both for protein and because he says that carbs are known to induce brain fog. I have no idea whether he is right, but people could try that for DC who struggle to concentrate on revision - try a carb-free breakfast, 30 min rest, then a couple of hours of work.

He was relieved to get his PE mock back, we all did Maths and Physics |A levels in our household, but PE is an unknown quantity, so an A, even if it was only just over the threshold, was a relief. He has not had feedback for coursework yet, but is not expecting the practical to be A/A.

Glad to hear @Cantonet also had an encouraging result.

@sofakingcool - DD had an online tutor for Biology for a while which was only £22.00 (mytutor) she was brilliant but unfortunately couldn't carry on this year as she is doing her a PHD.

@sofakingcool we've just got a tutor for DS. Lessons are online and £40 per hour. I did find one charging £157 😱 We're South (ish) but the tutor is in Manchester.

Has anyone any experience of tutors? Costs etc?

We're in the south (Hampshire) and have had a couple of quotes of A Level tutors and they seem really expensive

@Heifer Ohhh cozy.