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

No, it's for theatre writing, directing and performing...

Very exciting news! Is this for medicine?

Congrats to her!

DD has been offered an interview at her second choice......

@Ventress so sorry to hear of your diagnosis hope the treatment is over quickly for you. Your son does sound lovely and very well prepared for the coming weeks uni wise.

Well done to those progressing with their ucas applications and getting offers. It’s all moving quite fast!

For DS the next big day is TMUA results day.

@Ventress i’m sorry to hear your news. I hope the treatment is effective and not too gruelling. Teenagers can be funny so and so’s with their emotions. I’m sure your DS will be processing things in his own way and know that you’re always there for him
xxx

@Ventress sorry to hear your news. I've been following these threads since the year 11 ones and always found your comments really supportive and insightful (and your son sounds lovely). So sorry you're going through this - wishing you the very best for your recovery

@ArchitectureMum and@bluefineliner - thanks for the solidarity; it's much appreciated. It's strange to think that in less than a year all of thjs will be a memory and all these YP will be setting out on their paths.

@Ventress I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Here's hoping you respond very well to treatment and have lovely news to share here soon.

Oh @Ventress so sorry to read about your diagnosis. Hope the chemo works well and you get the all clear soon. Hope also you can rest well and be looked after. Your DS sounds extremely bright and capable, congratulations to him on the Exeter offer, it’s a lovely place.

Wishing you well @Ventress and hoping for the best outcome.

DD emailed her final UCAS into school over half term, which was a relief. Will see what happens next.

When are offer holder days generally held?

@bluefineliner thank you, I might ask him him to speak with is lovely Chemistry teacher as it's his form teacher that has given the feedback.

@Ventress yes, had lots of looks and, personally, I don't think his draft was that dissimilar in style to those claiming to be successful Oxbridge / Durham etc type ones. Obviously you need to be carefully not to be cribbing other peoples PSs but content wise it feels similar. Apparently yes, you have to show your passion for the subject to make yourself stand out. He's not applying to Oxbridge or big London unis now, but has Bath, Notts and Sheffield on his list and his predicted grades are good for those. No other apprenticeships have come on our radar, Chemistry ones aren't really a thing it would seem, unless you specifically want to be a lab technician which he doesn't.

Well done to your DS on his offer, I agree it's easy for them to get obsessed, we have seen friends do the same and DS's girlfriend has applied to Oxford and is similar.

I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis that must be so hard for you to be dealing with. Do not beat yourself up over the timings of this, you must put your health first and I am sure your DS absolutely understands this. I hope the chemo is doing it's job and you don't have to suffer it for too much longer.

@JustHereWithMyPopcornhas your DS looked at the personal statements online? UCAS website and lots of the universities have guidance. It’s fairly rubbish for the school to give criticism but not offer any help. Does he have to have passion? Could he focus on one aspect of chemistry that was the first thing that made him love the subject and talk about that a little?

Does he have any other apprenticeships he wants to apply for?

DS has an offer from Exeter and the Oxford college he applied to have emailed to ask for his work examples to be submitted. He’s had a mock interview which was helpful. He was supposed to have two but the other guy didn’t join the teams call which is a shame. DS has emailed and (politely I hope) asked if it could be rescheduled. He’s really happy with his Exeter offer and is trying not to be Oxford obsessed as he knows it’s such a long shot. He’s also seen friends become obsessed, get rejected, and then not be willing to accept an alternative end up without a university place at all.

We are having a lousy time as two months ago I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer so I’m current having weekly chemotherapy and am not very well physically and mentally. DS is dealing with it primarily by ignoring it but I’m feeling so guilty that I’m putting additional stress on his A level year. He is also 18 next week. Goodness knows where that time went!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn I think it is really hard sitting alongside our YP and watching and not having an awful lot of control over what decisions they make. I know my DD will listen to my advice then do whatever she wants instead and I have had to bit my tongue numerous time in recent months. Sorry I can't advise at all on chem but hope your DS finds the energy to get his PS done, are there any kind teachers at his school who understand him well? I know DD has a bond with her bio teacher and can go to her with any issues, not just bio which can sometimes help focus them.

@temperedolive It is a shame they can't celebrate achievements if other thoughts are taking priority but I suppose it is understandable with an ongoing oxbridge app. DD is quietly waiting to hear about any med interviews which could take weeks/months still so I am trying not to talk too much about it with her as I can sense the underlying stress of not knowing for her. No advice just solidarity.

@temperedolive I think this is difficult because the Oxbridge application process is so intense with so many steps. They become invested in college choices and have put so much effort in. It’s not long now in the grand scheme of things until they will know one way or the other. If it’s a rejection then I guess that is the time to move on and get excited about the other options at offer holder days etc.

Any advice for helping a DC relax over Oxbridge? She has achievable offers from three out of four of her other possibilities (hasn't heard from Nottingham yet) but is so fixated on getting an interview offer that she's not really enjoying that success. She was happy to review the modules for the first uni that offered, but with the most recent one - which she loved when she visited - she just said she'd look at it if she didn't get an Oxford interview.

I would really like her to be excited over one of these other options, just in case Oxford doesn't pan out...

DD has had confirmation from 2 unis that they have her application. No confirmation from the one she actually wants though....

@TheLivelyViper ds applied to
Zero Gravity but didn’t get accepted. He’s a state school pupil applying for university so I’m not sure why.

Hi all, I have fallen off these threads for a bit as getting DS to do anything proactive is like pulling teeth. We finally got a draft PS together and his teacher has basically said not good enough and to show more passion but he doesn't know how to do that (not sure he has passion for the subject but definitely likes it!) and I don't know anything about Chemistry to be able to really help him. His head is now firmly in the sand about it all and my stress levels are rising! He applied for one degree apprenticeship but was rejected within a week saying he didn't meet the criteria. He more than than met the criteria so that's nonsense, I wish they would just provide real feedback so he can learn from it.

Also still not been able to find a part time job.

And breathe.

There are online free versions of these tests to pratice and they give you feedback, I suggest he does some. Also if he searches up on YouTube, aptitude tests for finance (these are often used across industries) and also some for engineering there are videos with lots of tips on how to do well.
https://www.graduatesfirst.com/
You can make an account and access free ones here, they have paid things but lots of them are free and you can do I think at least each one twice. But I may be wrong on that.

https://aptitude-test.com/

Also, ZeroGravity is a free platform for students from Y12- post degree, he should make an account. It has free mentoring from a student whose done or is doing what you are applying for, so at uni on x course, or on a degree apprenticeship. Also they have lots of different very organised forums, where people in uni/degree apprenticeship, on grad jobs, in 6th form etc, ask questions, get advice from others, also older students post resources for free, people ask for help with neas (generally), personal statements to be read, again help for interviews. Once you get a mentor they can do pratice interviews with you, help with cover letters etc. ZeroGravity also works with lots of companies who do exclusive webinars and talks online and in-person for free, so there are some on these aptitude tests, maths tests, again ones specific to industries like software/CS, engineering etc and from companies in that area, and also from people on those apprenticeships now giving their tips. Again also for interviews and other application stages. They also offer like opportunities with brands, which they may prioritise someone from ZeroGravity (no criteria to get on the site), or only have exclusive to ZeroGravity and other sites they work with, in-person and online, building your CV etc, networking events, all sorts. The more you use the site, the more offers they give you.

Anyways I sound like I've designed it, but it's just really great, and I and many people I know have gotten great benefits from it, I also mentor students on it, would highly recommend. Another one is Futures for All (formally Speakers for Schools) and Springpod, offering in-person and virtual work experience, events, useful webinars etc.

I’ve just realised I put graduate apprentice in my first post I meant degree apprenticeship 🙈.

Thanks @JessyCarr ☺️. Engineering, mostly software but there are a couple of other areas he’s also looking at. He’s just sat a Job Simulation for one company and feels it went horrifically bad. But we’ve tried to encourage him and tell him at least he knows what to expect if others use a similar test during their applications.

There is nothing worse than answering questions to a camera with no one the other end, it feels to stilted, and he felt that too.

Welcome @KellySeveride and best of luck to your DS for his applications. What’s his intended subject area?

May I join?

DS1 is currently sitting yet another aptitude test for a graduate apprenticeship position. University is his plan B. He’s doing 4 a levels and is predicted all A’s so he’s hoping if he doesn’t get into an apprenticeship that he’ll get into university of Birmingham. Which handily we live a couple of miles away from so he’ll stay at home whilst he studies. I believe Bath and Warwick (and maybe Bristol) are his other choices. He’s trying to be financially savvy and not have too much in the way of debt.

Gosh @GirlsInGreenthat must have been terrifying. So glad you got seen quickly. Hope you are recovering well 💐 and that CAT went well for your DD.

@Muchtoomuchtodo it must be a relief to get the cast off despite frustration. Hope the time before the splint comes off too flies by.

Good luck to everyone with driving tests coming up. We have finally managed to move DS’ test to our own town, but at the cost of moving it from Feb to the end of March. With everything else going on though that’s no bad thing.

The TSA is finally done, it’s a relief to get it out of the way.

@bluefineliner ds’s test must be at a similar time to your dd’s.

I think it’ll need to be moved, but as his driving school do all of the test bookings they should be able to sort that.

They brought Ds1’s test forward as he was ready and someone else wasn’t so hopefully they’ll be able to do the same for someone else this time 🤞🏻

@GirlsInGreen how scary for you! Hope you are recovering well now. Glad your DD got her CAT out of the way.

@Muchtoomuchtodo It will be annoying that driving practice has to be delayed a bit longer but I guess you don't want to hinder the healing process at this stage. How long until his test? DDs is about 5 weeks and we are trying to get her out as much as possible but it is not that easy when they have lots of commitments too.