Year 12 - 2024/25 - Support, Discussion and Looking After Each Other

It does! I’m so confused as dd is obsessed that she needs 3A*s. Maybe that’s just for predicted grades. I really try and stay out of it and just offer support and not push.. Phew.

We’re also acorn 4 which I think for Oxford helps push her to a contextual offer but I’m not 100pc about that. It doesn’t help with any other uni they all need acorn 5 or 6.
acorn 4 is ‘financially stretched ‘ which couldn’t sum up my situation better - definitely not deprived or struggling but stretched is right !!

@Countrylife2002 The standard Oxford offer for Classics is 3 A grades not 3 A* grades - hope that comes as a relief!

@waspie history is hard to get into at Oxford isn’t it , I was looking at all the difference offer rates on the table dd showed me. It sounds like he’s doing all he can for that personal statement though - very impressive!

DD has been to 3 open days now at Oxford (for her subject - classics, including one access day for lower income families) and loves it. It would suit her, I didn’t initially think this but now I see it would. Acceptance rate for state school applications for classics is 49pc. It’s still less likely than likely that she’d get in of course and it would be a 3x A* offer which she is obviously not certain to get . I am deeply not looking forward to the application process and all the stress that will involve. She does do well under pressure though (me not so much!).

It’s been quite a while since I posted on this thread, have been catching up with what’s been going on with all the DC.

DS has thankfully passed his driving test a month ago and is suddenly out quite a bit more, enjoying the independence. Mainly to his girlfriend’s house, or collecting her to come here, but he’s been doing some city and motorway driving too. I’m enjoying not being a taxi! Oh my god the insurance though.

After a bit of nagging he’s booked into a few uni open days - but he’s torn between maths-heavy economics and engineering, so will try to explore both options. He hasn’t ruled Oxbridge in or out yet, also interested in Imperial, Warwick, Bath, Bristol plus Southampton and Sheffield. His first ‘working at’ grades were strong so no need to limit his options based on academics yet.

No joy on either part time jobs or work experience despite best efforts, though he’s just been given a couple of big school positions of responsibility as the y13s step down - not useful for uni applications but hopefully helpful if he applies for any degree apprenticeships.

@Waspie Dual Controls – He-Man Dual Controls

I hadn't realised dual control could be added to a car later. I will look into this. Thanks @TeenToTwenties This could make me more comfortable driving with DS.

Greetings from the other side of the Thames @JustHereWithMyPopcorn Did you son enjoy the UCAS Discovery event? DS went today and all I've heard is that the Oxford woman was "snarky" and that there were no pens or keyrings on offer. So, just the important feedback so far 😂

DS would love Oxbridge - it would suit him perfectly. He has a friend in her second year at Cambridge doing a similar course to the one DS wants to take and they've talked about it a fair bit. DS tends to thrive under pressure and works less well when he's left to cruise along. He would like to do History and Politics. The acceptance rates are 20% Cambridge and 12% Oxford.

There is no HAT for Oxford this year - it's written work submissions like Cambridge. He has been working on his super curricular - additional history essays and he's been writing some articles for online school/college level politics websites. He's also in various school groups like the debate team, he's head of the law society and politics discussion groups. He is really trying to broaden his knowledge beyond the course work and I'm proud of his efforts. He's also learning Russian - he says it helps with his chess as a lot of the good chess websites are Russian language.

DS says the chances may be low to get an Oxbridge offer but those chances are still higher than if you don't apply at all. His friend wants to do a course at Imperial which has a less than 1% acceptance rate, so it could be worse!

For DD1 we accidentally bought a dual control car (as in we were looking and this one came up). Made all the difference.
You can also get dual controls added later for ~£300 which compared with extra driving lessons isn't that much.

@Wehaditsogood with huge levels of patience that I don't normally possess! It's terrifying when they are first learning and then just scary when they've been driving for a while. 😂

How do you all cope with driving with your DCs when they are still beginners?! I find this very hard. Even sitting on the front passenger seat stresses me out and I learnt to drive on the Continent.

@SunblockSue blimey! Good luck to him, he's clearly got a talent for maths.

@temperedolive we have no idea about the process either so it's a learning curve for sure. All I know is that he has to sit the PAT test as part of his application so I will make sure the registration date is in the diary when it opens!

@bluefineliner possibly materials but also it might turn to chemistry or pharmacy. Equally, he could come back from the UCAS fair today with something completely different in mind! 😂

@Philandbill I am not convinced Oxbridge is for DS, I think you have to be completely passionate about the subject and very self motivated to thrive there. While he really is passionate about the topic I don't think it translates to study quite as strongly and he is a 'less is more' kind of boy when it comes to work!! But if he wants to explore it then why not.

DD2 not considering Oxbridge. SIL (English teacher) felt she should but BIL thinks not. He feels that you need a specific mindset for it and DH and I agree with him, I think DD would find it too stressful and I want her to enjoy university and she does not have an Oxbridge outlook. BIL did his first science degree at Oxbridge and found it very stressful though he did well academically there. He then did post graduate medicine which he actually enjoyed. Friend currently has a child at Oxbridge and he is a classic fit for them in a way that DD is not. Horses for courses and all that. 😊

@bluefineliner Theology and Religion.

I fully understand what you mean about our perceptions of the difficulty of their work. Mine is doing a Latin A-level and studying Greek as a supercurricular and I just can't get my head around how she's absorbing and comprehending it all!

@bluefineliner Maths for DS

It is interesting to see how many DC are considering giving oxbridge a go. DDs state school are very encouraging to anyone thinking of it and there is a lot of support. DD was considering it when she was looking at biomed but eventually decided she wouldn't fit in so wasn't prepared to give it a go. There is no debate on these things with DD at times 😂.

No issue with not considering but now ironically she is looking at medicine which is equally stressful and difficult to get in to and requires more preparation! Urgh, oh well it is her that has to do this not me. Good news is she has had a week of hospital work experience confirmed now with more to add on in another dept later on. I'm trying not to think too much about what she has to achieve over the coming weeks and months just to be able to apply for med because it seems a little overwhelming. Ucat is the most concerning but that is based on my own perception of the questions, it seemed literally impossible to my poor old brain!

I'll be there cheering her on whatever she decides to do though.

DD not going to any UCAS events none near enough us but I'm not sure how useful they will be now. She's been to some mandatory uni 'fairs' with school but they weren't useful, just one or two gave a brochure but all that info is on the websites anyway. I think if you are very undecided they can be good though.

ETA what subjects are your DCs wanting to study at Oxbridge?

I have two due to start in 2026, though one is thinking of a gap year. The other has her heart set on Oxbridge, so Im trying ro educate myaelf now anput the process.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn yes he is doing maths in year 12 and further maths in year 13. Trying to get him to revise has been a struggle though!

@Muchtoomuchtodo yes, DS acknowledges there is a slim to no chance of getting in but wants to give it a go.

DS wants to apply to Oxford. It’s about a 10% acceptance rate for his subject so the chances are slim but if he doesn’t give it a go he definitely won’t be going!

DS is also doing his UCAS discovery event but it's tomorrow.

@SunblockSue is he doing his A level maths this year?

@Countrylife2002 and @Waspie Oxford is in his 'would like to try' list, whether he gives it a go or not will entirely depend on his end of year exam results and predicted grades. His subject standard offer is A* A A so will need that as a minimum. It's not quite looking likely at the moment unless he pulls something out of the bag. 😬

Re: the driving theory test, we booked for just after his birthday, you can't book a test until you have i and it's a six month wait on average so good to get it out of the way as soon as possible. @Waspie we are Bucks and the availability of tests here is equally appalling. The bots really are winning.

DS may go for Oxbridge. It will depend on the results of his mocks in two weeks time. Although he is saying that UCL or LSE will be his preferred choices. Not they are much easier to get offers for than Oxbridge from what I've read!

DS is going to the UCAS Discovery event on Friday which I hope may help him to focus on what he wants from his university experience as his current "short list" is ridiculously long..

I got DS a driving test online on Monday morning. It is in October (not a problem) but it's in Hertfordshire (we're in Berkshire) so I do want to change this as we don't know the area at all. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to swap for something closer to us next Monday morning. I was fourteen thousandth in the queue at 6.02am on Easter Monday. DH says says 13,000 of those ahead of me were probably bots. He may be exaggerating for effect but it's sad and shocking that there is a black market trade for driving tests.

DD isn’t 17 yet but I’m trying to persuade her to start on her theory prep. I’m going to book her theory for the week after she turns 17 so that’ll put the wind up her nearer the time! And then try and get the practical booked for (6?) months later? The instructor we’re hoping has space by then does 90 mins lessons.

DD is going for Oxbridge. I’m trying not to think about it too much 🫣

DS still no closer to knowing what he wants to do at Uni/apprenticeship - but does seem very laid back about the whole thing. We have a school meeting about UCAS in June so his school is obviously not moving at the same pace as some of yours.

He sat a full set of Maths papers for his mock and he had to get an A to confirm that he was able to sit the real thing in the summer. He tells me he did and his first exam is 4th June! Blimey - so soon!