GCSE summer 2020 thread 6 - Carry on Corona Cohort, Further adventures aboard the Corona Charabanc.

Me too Fools. We will not know really how much this year has effected them until they head back to school/college and apply themselves once again after such a long break from normality. What ever that’s going to look like. Even those who have had some continuity of teaching since March. My gut says they’ll be more grown up but more guarded than previous Y12 peers...

@OrangeCinnamon1 It will be interesting to see if Open Days return in 2021. DS1 is a bit of a worrier & would not have been comfortable applying to somewhere he had not seen in person. As Ds2 got dragged along to many of the open days last time round, hopefully he will remember what those unis were like if we can’t visit in person for him. Though I bet he won’t want to apply to the ones his older siblings are at (even though they are both excellent for Economics for example).

No need to go on the HE board just yet. As I have a DS waiting for A Level results I'm there already. There can be a bit of handbags at dawn but by and large it's fine.

There are lots of people with valuable insight and experience who really do want to help. I think sometimes posters just rub each other up the wrong way (mainly on Oxbridge and Medicine) because of tone taken but it doesn't last long.

I must admit the Secondary Board does seem a 'safe space'. We have to plan a year ahead for summer trips etc due to DH job so I have a list of institutions to check out most are very local though a couple of Midlands institutions. Dd dead set against the London Unis either because of living costs or lack of campus can't work out which.

Post GCSE present is some nice personalised leather folders Dd has had her eye on in typical teen palette of pastels with rose gold

No I agree Decorhate, and I think they do mean well even if certain posters bring out their competitive side. I am hugely indebted to MN communities for knowledge, and will be even more so for HE as I don’t have first hand experience. Good to hear it served you well with DS1.

I think it’s safest to stay here for a while. There’s usually a thread in Higher Education at the start of Y13 for those who have dc applying to uni. Ds2 (the one I’m on this thread for) is probably looking at Economics or Politics or PPE.

Although some regular posters on HE can be tiresome, especially when they have regular arguments with each other, then can be good sources of info. For example, I found out something very important for DS1’s application for engineering courses that we might have overlooked otherwise.

Clearly need to find an alternative word to ‘know’ 😱

ooh, maybe we get to stay here then for another 2 years? I know some of you have older DC and are used to the HE threads, and know that whilst certain individual posters mean well with their mountains of knowledge, the constant oneupmanship is tiring - even just to read.

Another one here interested in either MFL, or english, but keeping options open still.

I think FE is more vocational courses rather than A Levels? Though maybe it depends on whether your dc are staying at a school that has a 6th form or going to a 6th form college. It’s all schools around here.

I’ve one dc doing medicine & one doing engineering. After the process for medicine, engineering is much less stressful - not least because you know they will invariably get in somewhere regardless of results whereas medicine is often one chance to get it right.

I agree Southampton is good for engineering- I really liked it but Ds preferred Bath.

I think we can tell from this where Bath has been oversubscribed!

I used to like the old school prospectuses that told you how many places there were and how many applicants per place.

DS still wants to do MFL , with a view to being a football club interpreter.... niche...

Don't we stay here for sixth form? Certain posters descend the minute you go to FE, sometimes helpfully, sometimes not.

I thought we went to FE when uni applications start?

Doubting myself, now.

@Monkey2001 - I feel like I'm your follow-on with DD planning for medicine and DS2 planning for engineering (he's just finishing Year 10). I do know he's registered his interest to apply for an Arkwright Scholarship next year as school wanted people to make their plans clear ASAP.

No but Dd is considering Southampton and apparently it is very good for engineering. There is a facebook group called WIWIKAU (what I wish I knew about university) started by two mumsnetters (i think) a couple of years ago which is helpful for subject info etc

I always call it weeweecow in my head

This thread is making me think about university for DS2, which is probably quite sensible. At the moment the universities are doing virtual open days which makes it feasible to visit a lot more than you can when it is all physical, so we have the opportunity to sign on to virtual days in the autumn and visit a short list in summer 2021 if the world is normal again.

Does anyone have a DC considering Engineering? My head is stuffed full of medicine after 2 application rounds for DS1, need to swerve across.

I think we stay on Secondary until after results and then move to FE. I think as we approach and go through results day there will be a lot of posts! I certainly remember that from when DS1 did his GCSEs a couple of years ago.

Just a thought...do we move to 'Further Education' for next thread? That feels odd somehow !

Big, not bit, grrrrr......

For Psychology Bath say:

We are aware that the context in which you are studying can have an impact on your ability to perform your best in exams and coursework, or limit which subjects or qualifications you are able to study at your school or college. We take this into careful consideration through our contextual admissions process.

The list of schools is not as bit as it is for Bristol or Birmingham, but bright children at poorly performing schools will get a bit of help there.

Bath entry requirements for Management

Here’s hoping all our dc get the grades they need for the next level and beyond!

Thread slipped off my watch list. Sympathy to those who know the children who died from drugs. What a tragedy for the families.

DS knows nothing yet about results day. Seeing a few friends to play sport but no just socialising happening.

Monkey2001 that's encouraging to know. She seems to get on with students who are a bit younger anyway as is young for her year so this could work in her favour. She also isn't into drinking yet so won't have all that out her system. Round here vodka seems to be the girls choice of drink which seems terrifying to start on. Perhaps they were on the flavoured cider and weak rum and cokes at 14 but DD seems totally out of her depth. The boys just seem to drink beer.

I work for a university. Not only is the loss of international students a concern, so is the fact that when we exit Europe at the end of this year, all students will pay the full wack in international fees as European students will no longer qualify for home fee status. The difference in what they pay will be huge!! It will therefore mean less of them will come to study here. Universities will take a huge financial hit!!