Year 13 -2025/26 - Support, discussion and looking after each other (new thread from y12)

Having great difficulties applying for student finance here. Can't get into the website. Anyone else had issues??

@postitnot so sorry to hear that, hopefully she did much better than she thought. It's so hard to tell and given that lots are saying it was hard the grade boundary might be lower today. I used to leave exams thinking I'd done really badly but in the end got really good grades and was surprised every time! With Econ, it's just 1 out of 3 papers so if it didn't go so well, at least she has two more chances. What grades does she need for University?

Think the tears are because she knows now what she wanted to write down...
Who knows, just have to carry on regardless!

I am so glad that I never ever have to take exams again for the rest of my life!

Oh dear @postitnot - really sorry to hear she’s so upset. Poor love. Hope she can put it behind her.

Anyone else doing Russia for History tomorrow afternoon. DS is dreading it.

I'm not getting much detail from DS other than it was ok (economics Edexcel). Onwards to FM paper 2 on Thursday.

DD really didn't like the economics paper today. We've had tears! She said she realised she'd made a mistake in the 15 marker and that threw her for the 25 😞 I'm hoping it's not as bad as she thinks it will be but now she's catastrophising not getting to university at all!

She's been quite chill until now

DD is home, and pretty happy with Edexcel macroeconomics although she would (as always) have liked more time. We did a big blitz of niche topics together over the weekend, so she was pleased with what came up. Next stop: Politics 1, on Thursday.

@Ventress @ComingInByAnsible DC (OCR exam board) also said that Econ 2 was much harder than the last paper, although felt it was hard 'in a good way' and was quite pleased with the questions overall. Lots of his friends also found it hard. He said he ran out of time and couldn't write everything he wanted to so had to prioritise the most salient points. I asked if he could add some bullet points at the end but he said that would mean he would be marked down as they grade the overall structure, writing fluency and thinking process. Not sure if that's right but hope so...Does anyone know? In my days, that's what we did in exams and we ended up with a few extra marks that way.

History tomorrow and then a longer break until after half-term.

I’m glad sociology was good today!

DS is doing OCR board @ComingInByAnsible. I’ll hear more at dinner hopefully but at the moment, like your DS, he’s moved onto history revision for tomorrow. I hope your son found the edexcel paper not too awful despite the lack of topics he would have enjoyed writing about. It sounds like the paper was tricky irrespective of board. As you say, hopefully the grade boundary will be low.

That Exeter contract sounds extreme @Fabfabfab

Which board is your DS for economics, @Ventress? Sorry to hear it was hard. Hopefully it means the boundaries will be low.

DS said the Edexcel macroeconomics was a bit weird and frustrating as none of the big topics or his favourite topics came up and it was all about more niche topics. He hopes he still did ok but didn’t have as much to say.

@Fabfabfab, a 30 page contract sounds a bit daunting, especially at this point!

@Rumplestiltz, that’s good news that sociology was great, hopefully it will give him more confidence! History and geography here this week as well. DS came back from macroeconomics and went straight back to history revision for tomorrow.

Hope everyone else got on well today.

I suspect that if DS doesn’t get his firm he will take a gap year. We’ll see I guess. I hope Exeter manage to sort their planning issues.

DS is home and said that macroeconomics was a hard paper that the whole class (including those with economics offers from A Star universities) found difficult. He thinks maybe 7 out of 10. Still the themes paper to go after half term so all is not lost.

Hope everyone did okay today 🤞

@BlackBean2023 I can totally understand that he wants to be on campus and it's tough if you pick a campus university and end up elsewhere. I have read though that lots of students get put in the town centre at the Depot so at least they would all still be together with other 1st years. For Insurance students/clearing, it seems highly unlikely they would get uni halls hence me looking at the private options but there are significant downsides e.g. expensive, may not end up with other first years, most are off campus. @Ventress yes I think the reason for this is a delay in planning permission and it will hopefully be easier for those starting in 2027. Not much good for our DC though but I'm sure it will work out one way or another. @ComingInByAnsible it was reassuring to hear that they will refund the money but when I tried to provisionally book online there was a 30 page contract with lots of smallprint which I didn't get a chance to read through properly before the offer expired. Feels important to be sure they won't charge for the whole year if DC ends up at his firm choice (Durham) which is still very much the hope.

Good luck to everyone doing exams today. DC has Econ 2 now and I can see that others are doing sociology and business. Hope it goes well!

@Countrylife2002 hope your daughter gets through her 6 hours of essay writing exams this week! Seems a bit unfair to put the exams on the same day (but I imagine organising exam timetables isn't an easy task).

Given the exams kicked off last week with a tricky geography paper that threw my ds, so pleased to hear him say sociology today was “great”. History tomorrow and more geography on Thursday.

Good luck to everyone this week. DS's first one on Wednesday, now it's starting to feel real!

Agree, @Ventress, that sounds a very promising response from the private hall provider, @Fabfabfab. Definitely sounds worth doing to potentially avoid last-minute scramble in August.

Good luck to everyone for this week’s exams! DS has three coming up, starting with macroeconomics this afternoon.

I think that might be due to the refurbishment work @BlackBean2023. They are probably covering themselves in terms of halls. I think I’d be stressing that it’s very good that accom (wherever that might be ) is guaranteed. I know DS was way more relieved than I expected when we booked his accommodation (different system to Exeter).

DH went to uni many years ago and ended up in a flat off campus for the first year- he was very nervous at first but absolutely loved it once he’d settled.

Yes, Exeter guarantee accommodation for firms but they can’t guarantee choices or that it will be on campus. DD doesn’t want to live off campus so that might be a problem!

Sorry, sociology this morning. Good luck all!

Like @ComingInByAnsible, we haven’t looked at insurance accommodation @Fabfabfab. That response sounds very positive though

@BlackBean2023- is firm accommodation not guaranteed? It is for our son’s firm. I also remember that Exeter guaranteed accommodation for those coming through clearing last year. Did anyone mention this @Fabfabfab? It may be different this year of course as last year they were doing a vast amount of refurbishment work on various halls and placing students in other halls/locations.

good luck for Business 2 this morning @BlackBean2023and to everyone else taking it. DS has macro economics this afternoon. He’s not looking forward to it. History tomorrow then half term, thank goodness.

@Tebheag- I’m sure your son will be okay, he sounds a lot like mine in terms of coming in and going out!.

lots of revision over the half term I guess @MiniMidiMaxi- from what I see it’s science exams which seem to be later. Swings and roundabouts I guess - DS’s are all over on 4th June but started on 11th May which was the first day.

Anyway, good luck today to everyone taking exams 🤞💐

Sociology for DD today - there was a spate of revision yesterday!

Business paper 2 and history tomorrow. History could be the kicker.

Yes - 6 hours of writing essays ! She’ll be dead on her feet when she gets home.

@ComingInByAnsible I asked one of the private halls if the deposit is refundable and they said yes as long as you cancel within a few days of result day and can prove that they got their firm choice. It appears you have to pay some of the money upfront early August though which isn't ideal.

@AuntyBulgaria I spoke too soon he just got back had food and said he was off to the cinema.
Sorry to hesr your also having issues with revision time.
I gave up nagging as the only result was me having a headache !

@Tebheag your DS has done more than mine if that makes you feel any better!

More economics and FM next week and not a jot of revision has taken place this weekend. I have tried nagging but it just causes arguments so I've given up.

I think this is a risk when exams are spread out. All rhythm is lost.