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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Christmas half term - Year 13 (another original thread title!)

976 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/11/2017 10:15

Carrying on from previous thread

I'm so rubbish with thread titles. Anyway...

This time last year there was lots of chat about tests/exams/mocks at this point. Are there fewer of them, or is everyone more chilled about them?

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Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/11/2017 17:13

fully agree Ursula. Fingers crossed!

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TheSecondOfHerName · 29/11/2017 19:08

If DS1 wants to submit a UCAS application this year, the school has given him a firm deadline of the end of November. It was meant to be a couple of weeks ago, but the head of sixth form gave him an extension.

He is writing a personal statement as we speak...

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/11/2017 20:26

eep!

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TheSecondOfHerName · 29/11/2017 21:28

First draft written, he's going to see if one of his teachers will glance at it tomorrow morning. He has filled in the other sections of the form and saved those bits.

knittingwithnettles · 29/11/2017 22:03

I've now suggested two new unis to Ds2. Edinburgh Napier and University of Surrey. He seems in an excellent mood. I have bought him some new school shoes and he asked me to tie the laces for him Shock....He has printed out 14 pages of coursework. I haven't read it - don't think I even want to at this stage. He read it to me last week, I listened with increasing horror and made the suggestion he needed to include some examples from the texts. He claims he has done that now - which examples and how he used them and to make what point, I dread to think.

knittingwithnettles · 30/11/2017 08:36

Ds1 has finally gone back to school this morning. He has already changed his UCAS to put University of Surrey in, I'm impressed! He certainly doesn't dither when he wants something badly enough.

In our house, both showers are broken (one has no door and one has a broken thermostadt) so we had the battle of the baths this morning, as you can only run one tap in this house at a time..All three children are now at school in clean clothes and with relevant knapsacks leaving a whirring sieve like mama behind them, drinking several cups of strong coffee to recover.

inchyrablue · 30/11/2017 09:11

Surrey has a lovely campus knitting. DD hated it, but I think she was worried we’d make her commute from home!

NoHaudinMaWheest · 30/11/2017 10:57

Hi been absent for a while but I see things are moving forward for many of you.
Dd got her first offer last night (less than 48 hours after submitting). She is much more excited about it than I expected given that it is the standard offer and within her predicted grades.
She only applied to two in the end as they are really the only places where she can do what she wants to do.

HesMyLobster · 30/11/2017 16:21

Brilliant news Haudin!
Glad your DS is feeling better and back at school Nettles Smile

DD is struggling to fight off the lurgy this week. She's right in the middle of the School Musical which isn't helping and also means no chance of a rest.
3 shows down and 3 to go.
Then just one day to recuperate before she heads off to Oxford for 4 days for interviews!

UrsulaPandress · 30/11/2017 18:46

After the excitement of her first offer it has all gone very quiet.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/11/2017 21:18

Don’t worry Ursula, there will be more soon :)

nohaudin, that’s great!

dd isn’t feeling great tonight poor love. She doesn’t moan so when she fesses up about not being right she means it.

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UrsulaPandress · 30/11/2017 22:13

Is there something going round. Or is she just exhausted?

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/11/2017 22:17

there’s lots going round, but with her it’s a combination of exhaustion and stuff.

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NoHaudinMaWheest · 30/11/2017 22:22

lobster that sounds like a tough few days - I hope she copes ok.
kitten I think they are all exhausted at this stage. Roll on the end of term.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/11/2017 22:24

definitely. And she seems to have taken on the most bonkers work load possible.

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UrsulaPandress · 01/12/2017 15:48

Well Christmas is officially ruined in our house. Apparently. I purchased a chocolate advent calendar for DD and it has been lurking down by the side of the sofa in the conservatory. She went to get it when she got in from school - and it has been partially eaten Xmas Shock. She was not feeling well anyway but this seems to have tipped her over the edge and it is proof that Christmas will be rubbish. And it is too late to get another one. On and on and on.

So it seems that the lovely wee little mouse that I used to see scurrying around the patio has moved into the conservatory for the winter.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 01/12/2017 17:38

ah. oops Ursula! It won’t be such a wee mouse now!

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inchyrablue · 01/12/2017 18:34

DD has been fairly glum the last few days for a few reasons (some sensible, some probably not) so I was utterly delighted this evening when she came home with a couple of friends, made some chips, and ate them with her birthday champagne. She is more or less teetotal, so it was a bit of a surprise to say the least. Champagne always helps doesn't it! Grin

UrsulaPandress · 01/12/2017 18:37

Mmmm. Champagne and chips.

DD has her second offer through.

Re offer holder days, are these a thing everywhere or is it only for some subjects/those with interviews?

inchyrablue · 01/12/2017 19:08

For DDs subject they have either a joint interview/offer holder type day, or a post offer holder day. Either way, I think it is where they do the hard sell, and show you the nice accomodation.

UrsulaPandress · 01/12/2017 19:13

What's a post offer holder day? Sorry to be thick.

knittingwithnettles · 01/12/2017 19:38

Lobster hope the Musical has been a great success, perhaps there will be plenty of extras she can put into the interview? Or is it an unrelated subject.

Ds1 is in a very buoyant mood. He is finally going through his Personal Statement with a senior tutor (I think he is near the end of the alphabet) and she told him it read like a visit to Butlins! and lots of "why" and explain this comment. At last, I am so relieved someone is going to make him alter it slightly. He is so cheerful I don't think he realises how oddly it reads. "I love music because it is very melodic" Confused that sort of thing..

But he is really charming at the moment - and he is now writing a Blog about films.

Ds received an Advent calendar from his godmother this week, but rather like your mouse he pays no attention to the dates on the doors!

First Sixth Form preliminary offer today, dd has been invited to one of her schools for an interview in January, which is good news, at least her application was appealing. I feel as if I am going to drown in application forms and open day visits quite soon.

inchyrablue · 01/12/2017 20:10

Bad grammar. 😬 I meant post offer (like after they’ve given the offer) offer holder day. So like an open day, but with a harder sell. Sorry I can’t think how to word it better.

Icouldbeknitting · 01/12/2017 20:16

Offer holder days sometimes come as "taster days" and they spend the day in sample lectures.

Littledrummergirl · 01/12/2017 20:34

Ds1 has been in buoyant mood the last few days, he's been looking at finances and checking out uni accommodation.

Today he has had an interview offer from one of his top choice unis so is over the moon. Grin

We are just trying to work out the logistics of getting into the centre of London for 9am on a Monday morning just before Christmas! Xmas Grin

I am so pleased for him.