2015 Yr 12 support thread

At the moment her biggest anxiety is the UNIQ summer school in July, and how they're all going to be cleverer than her. There's a forum for them to chat beforehand and according to her "everyone" is reading French books and watching French films and she doesn't. (She just reads cycling reports in French and Spanish and follows various French and Spanish cycling-related Twitter feeds, lol!) So that's all going to be awful I do hope it goes well - she went on a French exchange earlier this year which she was really excited about and it wasn't as great as she'd hoped, so I think she's feeling a bit more wary now.

And yes, dd2 thought D1 was ok

Morvah I've been reading up, but I'm none the wiser ... www.ucasonline.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/entering-levels-and-as-levels-on-your.html?m=1

Atia DS seems to think that is the case with C3 and C4, and according to his teacher, whom he said he asked, universities don't see those results this time round. However he may have got the wrong end of the stick! I do hope not though, because he has really concentrated on the other five papers as a result, and is not looking forward to these last two.

MrsUltra from what I gather they can take C3 and C4 again next year to improve the grade, and from what DS says a very large percentage of FM people do. Frankly, why not, because unless you get full marks, you could always end up doing better.

But as all this is second hand from DS, I have no idea if I'm right!

He was very happy with D1 today though, which was a relief!

OCR mechanics here today, and a big smile of relief that it is all over, and happily feeling confident for results day!
They are doing core 3 over the next 6 weeks and then it will be STEP paper practice over the summer.Fortunately DS has a genuine interest in his subject so has already read widely!

And imo it's definitely more confusing than the actual maths
Agree with this!

I am confused and daren't ask DS as he is prone to bite our heads off the moment...
DS is not doing FM - just Maths, and also Physics Chemistry & Biology.
Next week he takes C3, which he mentioned at one point is part of A2.
Is that the case? And if so presumably mean fewer exams next year, unless he re-takes?
And what is cashing-in?
Sorry to ask on here when (in theory)I could go upstairs and ask him...

I think it must be so much worse if your dcs are trying for medicine or oxbridge, or both Needmoresleep The interview process and extra reading and tests pile even more pressure on everyone. The autumn term/early spring term become yet more exam periods.

And imo it's definitely more confusing than the actual maths

Morvah I was tutoring maths up until last year, and have a y13 dd and a y12 dd both doing Maths A level - and it still took me about 2 years and several read-throughs of the explanations of maximising grades for Maths and FM to properly understand them! I'm not clear on the UCAS implications though. (And goodness knows how things will have changed by the time my y9 son is in the 6th form ...)

My dd2 is leaving C4 til next year as she thought that would give her a chance to retake C3 if necessary - but she is only doing single Maths, so maybe finishing it for her would mean it was compulsory to cash it in straightaway? Maybe doing FM as well means you can leave things more open, because the applied modules won't get divvied up between Maths and FM until next summer after they're marked.

I did think you had to put every paper you'd sat so far on the form though? But some can be as pending if you might retake?

Thanks Dunlurking. DS seems confident about this one, which immediately makes me nervous!

Hi Atia, just us then! DS has C3 on Friday too, which he's very worried about, and C4 next week. I gather that these needn't count though somehow as he can do them next year if necessary and universities don't see the C3 and C4 grades? You seem very clued up. I really ought to read up a bit more on it all. . . . it's almost more confusing than the actual maths . . . .

Yup, dd2 is doing Edexcel D1 today :) She's had two and a half empty weeks in which to revise, so she's feeling quite happy, although slightly peeved that past a certain point it's kind of wasted ums as it won't affect her grade! (She already has 90 ums for S1 from last year, so her D1 will probably be part of her A2 rather than her AS.) Then C3 on Friday, in which every ums will count :)

Good luck to your ds for today Morvah. Let us know how it went. What's he got left after today?

Don't suppose anyone else is doing maths D1 today?

Thanks, hellsbells.

Here we are .....a new thread!
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/2397031-2015-university-open-days?msgid=54829781#54829781

I think a separate Open Days thread would be useful, in terms of which ones and coming up and DC's impressions.
Yes this would be good.
DS has added CL to his list ( he told us today), and by a complete coincidence (he was not aware) at a party last night DH & I were chatting to a UCL Physics lecturer. So hoping he will give some insight.

I think a separate Open Days thread would be useful, in terms of which ones and coming up and DC's impressions.

Morvah we're going to the Sept Exeter day as well. Just waiting for booking to open.
hellsbells must be nice to know your dd1 has a place she's going to be happy. Good Luck for exams for them both.
eatyourveg I was surprised there wasn't a thread as well. Do we need to start one or do we chat about them on here?
I can sympthasize ancientb As hellbells said further up, it feels like a long wait for results.

We are doing open days after exams.

LSE and Cambridge. Frankly, on the reports back on how the exams have gone it will be a nice day out and of no practical use this year at all. Hey ho.

I was looking for an open days thread in HE but couldn't find one - first one done and dusted here and really hoping ds strikes it off his list but I'm not going to offer any opinion unless/until he asks and he says he's not going to comment until he's been to all the others! Decided I'll have to dig out his spreadsheet and take a peek at the post open day comments column tomorrow when he's at college.

DS has started A2 work in between exams. One new and over enthusiastic young teacher has given them homework......

Dunlurking - our plan today is to look at prospectuses and open days!
I went to a BBQ last night and was chatting to a friend's DD who has just finished her 1st year at the uni that DD1 has firmed. She is having a ball!