Half way through Year 13 and the last school year.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

eep.

Second that does sound worrying.
DD still isn't 18 yet so still not much nightlife here except house parties (which suddenly seem so much safer!)
Hope he got in ok and you managed some sleep!
Brilliant news on the unconditional as insurance! That's the dream!!

Kitten public transport late at night is a scary one for me too. Luckily DD has never needed to travel late alone - I do feel better when there's a few of them together.

Speakout another hug to 18 year old you. 18 year old me had an offer to a good uni too but didn't make it as far as starting because DD came along! I initially deferred my place thinking I could start the following year, but that never quite happened.
I do sometimes wonder "what if" . But at least that was my decision, I can't imagine what it must be like having the decision taken from you by your parents.

That must have been difficult, your DS going away so far for so long. What an experience though! Glad he's doing something he's happy with now.

Nettle hopefully it's a case of "thinking it went worse than it did" I know DD had a couple of interviews like that. Good Luck to him for Glasgow.

Fantasy I suppose it depends on the course - is it what she wants to study, how does it compare to the others that she's looking at in terms of content and structure?
I'd say do as much online research about it as possible first.

hes
She looked over the course she didn’t like it
We’re at a tricky spot dd has ultimately fallen in love with Goldsmiths she loves the course but loves that at Westminster you get your £9,250 worth because of all the abroad trips etc
Goldsmiths is BBB it’s english literature which is a worry she’s predicted a C as is the whole class highest grade last year was a B in English lit
Westminster is BBC

Unsure whether to firm goldsmiths and insure Westminster or is it better to make st Mary’s an insurance which have said if made firm would do an unconditional offer so it seems they’ll be the most flexible on results day

I really think if she doesn't like the course it's not a good idea to put it as insurance.

I think she might be better perhaps to put Goldsmiths as firm with Westminster as insurance and hope that one or both will still accept her if she drops a grade or 2 (this seems to happen a lot I believe, based on reading previous years' threads on here)

It is a tough decision though, and I do understand the lure of an unconditional must be very difficult to resist.
It's not worth it though if it's not the right course for her.

I agree. Grades are a gateway, but the important thing is to do the course you love.

Just as a general warning and not aimed at anyone in particular, with our dc becoming adults in their own right, it's sensible for people to be cautious in posting to ensure that questions asked across forums don't accidentally end up identifying our dc without their permission.

hes
It’s a case of not loving the course like goldsmiths
Lure of unconditional is high currently with all the other issues going on..
She’s going to ring them on Monday to discuss grades etc

So many courses are in clearing so DS will only firm & insure his 2 favourites and go into clearing if necessary.

I upset him yesterday as I noticed some scars I hadn't seen before on his wrist. I gently just checked they were old ones. It took a lot of hugs and reassurance after that throw away comment. He's gradually started wearing t shirts in an attempt not to hide them and so hopefully I haven't set him back. I did tell him he should be proud of moving on, and not to be ashamed of them. Where was all this stuff in the baby books!

To top it all, DH has a disciplinary for gross misconduct for forgetting to unlock a fire door. So serious yes, but considering a 12 year unblemished record, rather worrying. I have worked out we will have £150 / month for food etc after bills if he loses his job. That doesn't include the 3 remaining school fee payments or the 3 remaining kitchen payments - I can only hope he keeps his job or parents will help us out (embarrassing to ask). It's so annoying, we were finally to be within spitting distance of being solvent. Oh and the holiday booked, still needs a final payment.

Derek I am really sorry that your rollercoaster of life is featuring mostly "down" at the moment. I hope that the hearing is very soon because the waiting must be the worst. I'm not going to say that it will all be fine because I have no idea (I would expect a warning to sit on file) but whatever happens you will get through it one way or another.

Derek it must feel as though you are walking on eggshells.

I hope things go ok with your dh.

Sounds like I'm always moaning! I'm using you lot as a sounding board. My mum who is the one I usually let off steam with has just undergone almost a year of cancer treatment so I don't feel able to burden her. And as lovely as DH is, he's not really one to talk about things.
I'm just so fed up of having no money, and I really thought we could see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I usually have quite a drama free life!

But we all have our health, and I'm sure it will be fine whatever happens. Things do have a habit of working out - thank you for listening

Hope things improve soon derek I definitely know the 'light at the end of the tunnel' feeling with the finances...I've been promising DH that next year will be the year things start to improve for years now! I don't think he believes me any more, and has effectively written off the next decade as we've got two to get through university, and DS2 want to do vetmed so could be there for 5/6 years. Like you say though, things do have a habit of working out...

Fantasy I live in London and tbh I have never heard of University of East London, whereas the other three unis I know people who have been there. University of Westminster, I know someone very recently who did Film Studies there and absolutely loved it (Harrow Halls) He was v academic and did not find it wanting although most people had much lower grades (to do Film) than him. Queen Mary seems enjoyable too, although most of the people I know there go home at weekends or even commute there after first year. Twickenham is a lovely lovely part of London. Most of the people who I know by hearsay were doing the teaching training. Basically they all sound good, so maybe location can be your test? I suspect uni of East London is for people who already live locally, otherwise it would be a waste of money to pay all those London accommodation prices?

Derek surely they cannot sack him for one breach, that is apalling, they have no way of knowing the next employee wouldn't make exactly the same one off mistake, at least they know he has that 12 year unblemished record and is a much more reliable employee.

derek I am so sorry to hear that life is throwing you more challenges

I hope that his long excellent record will help persuade the company to stick to a warning

Let's hope his company are just going through the motions derek.

DD has just clicked the firm and insurance buttons on the UCAS site. She is itching to submit her accommodation request but has to wait for the email to arrive.

Yay, she got there Ursula :)

derek sorry to hear you've got so much on your plate at the moment.

Ursula that's good that she has responded to her offers. DS1 still hasn't 'clicked the button' on his, but he needs to get this sodding coursework done before he thinks about that.

derek
Morning is textbook unfortunately and that I think is sometimes the hardest thing because sometimes you don’t have a bleeding clue how to handle situations that arise
Money worries are the worst I think, because sometimes it seems like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel but there is I assure you! Hopefully with such a good record they will keep him! Hugs

ursula
I wish I was at that point with dd! They have a talk on Wednesday about clearing adjustment how to choose firms and insurances so I’m hoping that helps her

Inspired by Ursula and her DD, I got DS1 to log in to UCAS and reply to his offers. He has known for some time which ones he wanted to choose, but he has been procrastinating.

Context: He is likely to get at least Cs, and hopefully one or two Bs.

Firm: His ideal course at a university he likes, but they are asking for ABB / 128 points, which is aspirational for him. If he misses the offer by a grade or two, he's hoping that the course will have spaces and take him anyway.

Insurance: Unconditional offer from a newer university that's less of a 'name' and the course is not quite as attractive. However, it means that if his health issues impact on his A-levels, he can still study the subject he loves.

Dds first choice wants AAB and her insurance 112 points. But they are both in the same city which is where she wants to go. She was originally sniffy about the insurance - ex Poly - but uninspiring Mick results have sharpened her mind.

That would be mock results. No idea who Mick is.

She was originally sniffy about the insurance - ex Poly

The institution DS1 has put as his insurance hasn't even existed long enough to have been a polytechnic!

Ds cannot go to the Applicants Day at Ox Brookes (re:scheduled one) due to the fact that he has a mock (which has also been rescheduled) and there are loads and loads of Mocks coming up all on Saturdays. And unless he goes to the applicant day he really will not know which uni to choose out of the three lined up atm. I think he is probably right that it is better to put his A level results first atm, and Not go prancing off to any more applicants' days just at present but it is frustrating. The uni in question does campus tours on sat so maybe that will help at a later date (but before 15th may eek)

I've just had a slightly zombie apocalpyse thought, maybe ds won't even push the button, if his exam prep is going badly enough by beginning of May [cheers up, at possibility of a gap year and no decisions finalised]

Seeing teachers tomorrow at school, don't expect to get much joy from them re: flexible arrangements.

Second and Ursula very intrigued to know that the unis in question are...not something beginning with M U?