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

I think it depends hugely on subject as well as institution. DD came into the weekend with a full slate of offers, all within a week after UCAS submission. But it’s not because her application is so special, it’s because she is a linguist and there aren’t enough of them these days. (The downside obviously is that MFL courses are at risk of disappearing under your feet).

She is also making what is a very long-shot international application, so we will be on the “waiting on tenterhooks for interview invitation” bench along with everyone else!

Thanks - guess we'll hear when we hear! I won't sweat it then.

Some come back in a couple of days, some won't come till next May, most are somewhere in between. It's super frustrating but no way around it. You can search around on The Student Room and Reddit for specific steers/a sense of who's getting offers from where/when but it can add to the tension as much as help so probably better assuming it'll take ages and then it can come out of the blue sooner or later.

How soon do offers come back? I know that some people who applied for Oxbridge have got some offers through (like husband's nephew, though he's not heard from Cambs yet). DC applied just before half term, so not sure when we should expect to hear by.

@Echobelly hope you get a good resolution🙏🏼. My DD is also doing history & they've been told the work is going to ramp up, but more in terms of timed essays in class.
The school have been brilliant since my brain bleed & have given her extentions for course work, although tbf she's on top of it, but was very grateful as it meant more time to get her submitted written work in for Oxford - which she sent on the last day!
Two offers in now, Bristol & Warwick, so she's delighted about that, but realistically wants UCL so all fingers crossed for that.
Entrance results from friends have been up & down - a friend has an interview for Theology from Oxford & another friend deselected for Architecture Cambridge🙁 (both boys). But upwards & onwards.
Well done to everyone getting invites & offers - how quick is it all going?!

DH and I are going to message school tomorrow I think to support DC, as it sounds like there is one teacher giving everyone problems. The history teacher is apparently setting way too much work, and DC is now falling behind in both history and biology because they get in trouble if they don't complete the work set. Other people have complained and I think we should join because it seems to be the most likely reason teachers' assessment of DC seemed to suddenly plummet last term in History and Biology.

Not sure best way to approach it, something like 'DC has brought it to our attention that Ms X is setting what seems to be a very heavy workload for history and it is impacting his ability to work to expected standards in History and Biology. His teacher assessment in these subjects dropped sharply and uncharacteristically last term and he feels that this is the reason. We gather that other students and teachers are concerned as well and wish for the school to investigate the volume of work set as it seems to be having a serious impact on our child and other students which should be addressed as soon as possible'

@Ventress I don't think my DS would ever spend hours revising - just not in his DNA!
I used to be the sort that would pull some very late nights for an exam but he is much more books shut at 9pm and an early night for a clear head. We shall see whether he has over estimated his ability come results day!

DS has finally given his UCAS application in to school to get them to add his reference - on the final day they’d set as their internal deadline. So he’s basically drafted his personal statement in a week. He’ll update it once he knows what will already be covered in the school reference. It’s felt like pulling teeth though! He’s just started a weekend (16 hours) casual job in the run up to and over Christmas, so feel like we don’t see much of him at the moment!

Hope the entrance exam results have been positive for people. DS has decided against Imperial so won’t now do the second ESAT. And he’s keeping an eye out for degree apprenticeships too, there are a handful just advertised that would allow him to live at home, which he seems open to.

Is a weekend of industrial scale revision on the cards @AuntyBulgaria? Fingers crossed for his mocks.

Good news on the splint coming off @MuchtoomuchtodoHope driving practice goes well! DS has his test in February but only seems to drive to the gym with DH. I keep saying he needs to do more, both in quantity and variety, but to no avail. I have made it clear that we won’t pay for the next test so if he wants to save himself £60 and queuing on the website at 5.45am on a Monday morning he should aim to pass first time!

Yes, having an offer is certainly comforting. DS “only” has one so far but the other 3 non- Oxford are usually later to offer after all applications are in in January so no surprises.

Echoing JessyCarr in that I hope test results were good for those getting results this week!

DS is in a good mood this weekend as he had mini tests in each subject at school just before half term and he has had good results in all of them. Still needs to pull up on economics to achieve his predicted grade but it didn’t help that he forgot to take a calculator on the economics test days 🙄

Hope there’s good news coming through today for those who have been waiting for admissions test results.

@Ventress that’s amazing. I really hope mine would pick it back up about interviews, class tests going on, which was put on back seat due to ESATs and PS. But they don’t have big tests until Feb.

@Ventress that is some commitment towards exams by your DS. Mine isn't doing that much and his mocks start on Monday!

It’s great to see so many offers coming in. Do your dc feel a bit more relaxed knowing that, as DS said ‘someone wants me!’?

Good news yesterday - DS can stop wearing his wist splint and get back to his driving practice. Think we’re going to head to a quiet car park later just to dust off the cobwebs!

TMUA results tomorrow- ds’s not mentioned it this week so neither have I. I think he’s most anxious to hear whether or not Oxford would like to interview him. That’s going to be a couple more weeks of waiting though.

Congratulations to your Dc on their Bristol and Manchester offers @ComingInByAnsibleand @JessyCarr!

DS has sent off his additional work as requested by the Oxford college he applied to. He is revising daily for mocks in January. He was even revising on Tuesday which was his 18th. I can’t fault his commitment 😊

That’s great news about Bristol, @ComingInByAnsible. Manchester has come through with an offer here this evening.

Thinking of all those waiting for test results and interview news.

Great news on those predicted grades @gingercat02, well done to your DS.

@Raindropsandposies congratulations to your DD on the offers. It’s very sad news about Nottingham. Unfortunately so many unis are in trouble at the moment, I was reading about the planned job losses at Lancaster the other day.

Here, DS has received his second offer, from Bristol for politics and IR, after having been ‘put on hold’ for a few weeks. He is also making the last few changes to his history NEA. He is pretty tired, it feels like the last few months have been quite a marathon, and it’s only just beginning.

Well done on those offers @Raindropsandposies and @gingercat02and fantastic revised predicted grades too!

It’s same here as well.. It used to be “I need to do this and that” now it’s more relaxed, I say this is not how you prepare for Early applications. She was the one decided to go with it and spent whole summer sitting in her room, I guess ESAT result looming is a bit terrifying :( Next few days will be fun
We have mocks only in Feb. So not sure what we would do for Christmas holidays!!

Fantastic @gingercat02! Well done him. Hope his favourites come through with those offers.

DS has just come home with revised predicted grades of ABB, so his rather pleased with himself!
That makes offers from Newcastle and Sheffield unis more likely, instead of "only" (his words) Northumbria and Leeds Beckett.

@PinkChaires ds has had a couple of geography tests last week and told me yesterday he now had no work to do for the rest of the term.
I was eh, yes, apart from mocks revision and actual A levels revision!

Well done to those who have offers already. My DD has offers from Nottingham and Southampton so far. She was feeling pretty positive about Nottingham but is now concerned that the closing of the music department there will mean far fewer opportunities for extra-curricular music, which is a big part of her life.

@JessyCarr Congratulations on the first offer :) They seem so excited about it, even though few more in waiting.

@JessyCarrcongratulations to your DD on the Edinburgh offer.

@PinkChaireswe are finding similar and I have had to remind DS a couple of times recently that it’s all well and good having great predicted grades but he does now need to put the work in and try and achieve them - seems like he was resting on his laurels a bit after a really strong Y12. Hoping that upcoming mocks will give him a reality check.