Year 12 preparing for AS levels

DS has his last exam on 17th June then has a UCL open day on Sat 18th June and a Kings one on Sat 25th June. He wants to do computer science in London, he had a taster day at City a few weeks ago and is back for the open day in September.

His expected grades are about right for UCL with KCL as a good insurance but he likes the professional pathway option at City (which requires lower grades) so he might have a tough choice to make.

Dd3 has booked four open days (all after June 24th as she didn't want them to interfere with exams). Three are at the weekend which is easier.

Two northern universities and two southern with a range of grades.

Yes, I think looking at the AS grades first is a good idea. It'll help them develop that gut feel hopefully for what they want to do / succeed at retake

Liney, she was thinking about History until one of her AS level teachers managed to put her off (not intentionally, but because he's a twit!)
I think her AS level grades may give her a better idea, but I imagine something more rooted in practical application than academia might actually be better. She is going to 2 open days oop North (I am a Northerner, so would love her to study in the North!) with friends, so that might get her thinking - might manage to fit some others in after that too.

AQA Maths C2 was 'alright actually'

X post with you Tilly

I'm sure it will all change!

What does your DD want to do, Tilly? Is she keen on open days or does she prefer doing the 'virtual' tours?

DD was talking about a gap year before GCSES, but not heard anything about it lately. I suspect she may be hoping to go to uni with a friend. So not particularly adventurous

I know someone who got mostly A* at GCSE who hasn't decided what he wants to do at Uni yet - is thinking about maybe a gap year?
So I think there's a lot of variety on how much idea they have about what's next at this stage?
Your DD has some adventurous plans I think BTM?

I am impressed and that you/your DC are so knowledgeable about possible courses/entry requirements - DD hasn't got a clue what she wants to do. Her only criteria currently is a city with a good social life

Daughter found OCR Maths C2 hard and worried that she hasn't made up marks lost in C1 debacle. Bracing myself for therapy and counseling duties tonight... She is down because she had done so well in Mocks and various tests, but there are always resist next year, if she goes on to A2, I suppose.

Doesn't seem to have been like C1, though. Thank God.

Cool - I'm sure they could both have a great three or four years in Manchester together!

Juggling, that's a great idea to look at Salford. They do Biomedical Science with work placement.

I'm trying to hold on to those thoughts too Liney - that there are a great many different courses and universities which will be able to offer them a great context for experiences and learning for their first three years of independent living, coming up all too quickly.
I think both mindfulness and gratitude are helpful things - ideas to help keep everything in some kind of perspective?
But my DD also did well in her GCSE's and is finding these AS's at least somewhat more challenging. I guess exactly how much so we won't find out til results day. But I'm trying to keep an open mind and help her to do so on which Uni's to apply for. I hope we'll be looking at and applying for those offering a range of offers from something like Sheffield (asking for AAB/ABB for her course) to South Wales and Salford (with a typical offer of BCC) Possibly Lincoln in the middle with likely offer of BBB. Of course she may have a completely different set of places in mind!
But for example we visited Salford last summer and I could imagine her having an amazing time there. As long as she does well enough to go somewhere I think it's going to be great! Really liked the department and campus and several of the lecturers we met there were very encouraging.
What is your DS hoping to do Liney? Glad today was good

He's got a hankering for Biomedical Sciences, teta, and he's looking at Manchester, Cardiff, Exeter and Warwick at the moment. I just hope the admissions tutors are aware of the 'transitional period' being a bit of a nightmare for the students.

HSM loving the shopping list!

Dingit - DS said the same thing. His teacher predicted him 100% on C2 but DS said the last question was a killer. He's hoping to have picked up a few marks for it but that's all. His friends all thought the same.

Liney ,if your DS is brilliant his brilliance will eventually find ways of circumnavigating the exam stress.
What does he want to do and what other options does he have other than Durham?

Dds maths tutor said that they will come out focusing on the last question, so if it was hard, they will worry about the whole paper. Dd said c2 wasn't bad, except for the last question! She's now fretting that if she doesn't get 90% on each paper, thats an A* out of the window for A2. The pressure they put themselves under.

I understand, teta. DS needs AAA for e.g. Durham and has already cancelled going to its open day in July. He's asked me to help look for other options. It's heartbreaking for me as his mum to see this brilliant kid struggling with this exam system.

But I know he'll find a great course at a really good university.

Yes, it was Edexcel.For some reason I keep.on wanting to say Abrsm : But thats music exams ( my 52year old brain cannot cope with this).
I've e-mailed the Maths teacher and asked her if she can reassure dd1.I don't know what's happened but I know she is a real perfectionist.I f all else fails she can repeat the module and defer Vet applications to the following year.
The main problem is with the requirement for vet. School being A/A* there is very little leeway to make mistakes.So I think she's putting too much pressure on herself.But thank you all for being so kind .

adds small portable sun to shopping list

I asked if dd3 had taken spare batteries for her calculator after the exam and she pointed out it was also solar powered (hadn't I noticed?) and that to change the batteries she would need a screwdriver too.

adds screwdriver to shopping list

It is good that they put it in the form of a maths equation Liney.

teta hopefully she's thinking about the one difficult question, not the whole paper. Poor thing. It's a cruel system.