AIBU to think Bs at GCSE are ok?

[catwalker]

Some issues with DS and GCSEs/6th form. He didn't get the grades he was predicted (As and As) but then I didn't expect him to as he doesn't put much effort into anything apart from his x box. He got mainly Bs, a couple of As, a couple of Cs and a couple of Ds. I was quite happy until I started reading the secondary education forum where people are tearing their hair out because their dc's didn't get straight As and may have blown their oxbridge chances. I get the impression that anything less than an A just isn't worth the paper it's written on. He could have done loads better but Bs are OK aren't they?

Radio 4 had a programme about the personal statement on the other day which probably is still on iplayer. I didn't listen to it to the end as I was just in the car. The interviewer made up one for a mythical boy who wanted to study law and the programme got in the sixth form university entrance person from the state London Oratory school and a judge to assess the boy's attempt. they went into how many people copy t he statement and are caught out - masses and masses of them and also spoke to a company which will write a bespoke one for you and no one else and allege it's just for "reference".

Schools advise but they don't write them. I looked at my children's for spelling errors etc but I thought the schools had better experience than I as to what should go in so did not interfere. One of mine had quite an interesting story from childhood about what led to her life long love of her subject which was quite good and true and relevant (she'd won top prize in a competition at age 10). They certainly don't expect you to be referencing research papers.

What copy a default one?

An admissions tutor for medicine told me she gets 1000s saying they saved someone from drowning as a teenager and hence wanted to become doctors and she immediately thinks "bullshit"

I admit to helping mine out with hers although I've never had to write one myself [thick emotion]. I give her ideas and guidance. Mainly because she is very modest and would underestimate/undersell herself.

I think they can spot those who have plagiarised-never a wise thing to do. I know there was a particular story about reasons for studying medicine which was quite good-but not when it cropped up over and over again!
My DSs rejected most of my suggestions. They got a lot of advice from school.They seemed to write them and rewrite them and then suddenly got a 'eureka' moment where it finally came together.

So what would good PS normally contain?

Thanks cat64

Cat, thanks but yikes, these people writing and correcting these PS's are not 17 and it tells.

DD3 asked UCAS whether she was at risk of being done for plagiarism (even being accused of it would have made it very hard to get her preferred offer this year) since she was applying for the same course as DD1 at three out of five of the same unis, had identical grades, from the same school, had won the same National Final of the same law competition, had very similar but quite distinctive work experience deriving from that competition, worked (for money) at the same place for the same number of years etc. etc.

The plagiarism detection thing is quite sophisticated.

I think one thing which really helps is not to read anyone else's at all. Essentially, to be natural and yourself. And not to be a suck up.

Yellowstone, good advice there.

Yellow sound advise, that's what we had in mind when we get there.

People have to bear in mind that it is a bit like 11+, getting the place is only the first hurdle and they then have to cope.
If the DC has the A grades because the parent has helped, supervised revision, kept them on the straight and narrrow and written the personal statement they may not be able to cope when let off the leash with a great distance between them and home.
It is much better to write their own personal statement, leave them to manage the workload because they will have to do it all alone. Once they are there you know only what they tell you. Even if you ring up the university will tell you nothing at all-it is all confidential. (and a good thing too)

I agree but then that also fits in with always wanting enough time to do things I want to do and relax too so the non helicopter parent approach always seems to be win win all round for me. Daughter 1 won a cruise down the Nile. She picked up about 100 competition entry forms off the floor at an air port when our flight was delayed certain she would get the winning entry. We were all laughing at her 10 year old enthusiasm, not imagining she'd get the very top prize. It certainly wasn't an invented story and I am sure there would have been publicity to prove it if UCAS thought it wasn't her own very personal experience.

My teenagers only ever showed me a personal statement after I had asked and id not really want my comments and I trusted their schools to keep them on the right lines. The R4 programme was quite interesting although I didn't listen to it to the end and by the time my younger children apply the system may well be very different.

My teenagers only ever showed me a personal statement after I had asked and id not really want my comments and I trusted their schools to keep them on the right lines.

They probably did not want to bother you in your super important job.

Those who have 'masterminded' the whole school career and personal statement etc are going to be in for a huge shock when they then get completely 'locked out' once they get to university.

Excellent advice, Yellowstone. Agree completely.

Remember we see 40-100 per year - so I've seen - gulp - a thousand or so PS... and I react with faint nausea when ANYBODY says - as per the R4 example - that they are 'passionate' about their subject. If they get interviewed it tends to make me grill them - 'so you are passionate about Plato. Tell me about X or Y in Republic'. So it's a bit of a hostage to fortune; it always sounds flannelly.

It's better not to lie.

FWIW, though, one of my son's teachers asked me to help him advise the kids, and he seemed utterly clueless; had them listing sporting wins etc for Oxbridge. So pace Xenia I wouldn't trust the school - they tend to coach - and we try to spot it and test for what lies beneath - and often have very very old ideas dating back 40 years or more to when Oxford was Gents Clubland.

Our school will be checking them over very soon but I want to see the finished statement before it goes off.

I'm sure Yellowstone's advice is sound but my DS's first attempt at a PS effectively said "I don't know what I want to be in life so I'm just going with the flow and aiming to get a 2.1 from a Top Ten university. I have undertaken exhaustive research and my 4 choices of university seem to have the best social life".

Oh, grovel . You've made my morning.

OTOH, it doesn't take a wonk from Oxbridge Admissions or Winchester to spot the error here. :)

Grovel - that was entirely the view of my DS1 (though his cxarefully tweaked personal statement said otherwise). 6 years on he's had the social life, the 2.1 and has been head hunted into his second well paid job. Grrr!

Thank you, Sieglinde. He's very happy at Durham.

Pious remarks Volume 98. Oxbridge admissions are meant to winkle out the people who would be happier at Durham or Nottingham. There are lots of these. And why should well-rounded people even think of doing a degree that involves much more work than the perfectly marketable competitors?

DS was in a History set at school "where everyone always gets an A". He observed that there were at least 3 levels of ability in the set.

1. Very clever and willing to read around a subject out of academic interest.
2. Clever.
3. Quite clever and very hard-working.

Made me sympathise with university admissions people.