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Further education

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

Original poster

Half way through Year 13 and the last school year.

999 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 14/02/2018 20:14

eep.

OP posts:
UrsulaPandress · 15/02/2018 23:39

Oh stop it. You just want snow.

There is still snow lurking behind the dry stone walls. Just waiting for the next fall.

starfleet · 15/02/2018 23:52

Nettles - you're right re insurance choices/grades.

I spent quite a long time speaking with Dr Head of Something at DS's offer holder at Newcastle yesterday (DS was taken off on a departmental tour) and he stressed a few times that if you do drop a grade telephone them on results day.

The department know who they have offered places to and would rather give a place to someone who put them as their first choice and really wanted to be there but missed a grade. Newcastle don't offer DS's subject in clearing.

DS better get his finger out as it's definitely his first choice. It always was but yesterday cemented it - in spite of the freezing cold!

raspberryrippleicecream · 16/02/2018 00:59

DD has gone down from Newcastle on a bus in a t-shirt and cardigan. No coat with her. She said she's northern and London would be warm!

I agree also about the grades. Both DS1's firm and insurance dropped grades in clearing. He was ok anyway, but York which at AAA was his insurance had 2 Bs in clearing

Also one of the DC I know who went to Bangor this year did not meet her offer but was accepted. Incidentally none of the DC I know there are doing Marine Biology but are having a great time.

raspberryrippleicecream · 16/02/2018 01:04

Also, feeling very ancient, what does the tagging do?

ShanghaiDiva · 16/02/2018 01:10

I'm here!
Ds has been revising for mocks which start in March. Seems a bit late to me as his real exams start in May.
Going to spend time next week reviewing uni choices - he has decided to reject Bath and Lancaster and needs to choose between Leeds, Warwick and Loughborough.

Nettleskeins · 16/02/2018 08:34

ds has gone off to do revision on Streetcar at school. He is being sooo annoying. Went to bed at 1.30 although I specifically asked him to try and go at 12.oo at latest. Impossible to wake this morning (but has now left the building) However he does seem better in the morning than the evening (once he has actually woken up) as he doesn't automatically say NO to everything. as in..would you like my friend to help you with Sondheim...yes possibly I'll ask her...rather than NO NO NO.

dd rang up from Austria at the crack of dawn to tell me she was feeling sick all the time even when ski-ing. She had the virus two months ago which had this effect; I suspect it is something to do with blood pressure/blood sugar, teacher is making them eat loads of sweets and chocolate on the slopes. But it is not how I want to start the last day of half term being woken at 6.30!

LoniceraJaponica · 16/02/2018 08:39

I'm here. Been in Leicester the last couple of days for DD's MMIs. Don't think it went well so she is probably looking at reapplying for med school next year.

puppypower1 · 16/02/2018 09:12

I'm a v infrequent poster but here.

DS sitting on his offers until after mocks. He has an offer holders day booked at the end of March at the uni he thinking about firming, but which he hasn't visited yet. He's showing no interest in visiting any others again. 😳🙄

There's some revision going on but I think that's mainly because of exams in 2 weeks - without those I think there would be lots (more) Xbox, time wasting etc

The year is going so quickly...... we're about to start focusing on DS2's A level choices, having sorted DD's year 9 choices.

It's fun fun fun round here!

I'll try and keep up from now on with everyone!

flatmouse · 16/02/2018 09:55

DS picked first choice and has no insurance (as first choice was actually lowest offer). He has to re-sit one of his mocks (U) over half term, so i have advised him that re-revising (or indeed, revising for the first time for this mock) would be in addition to his already timetabled revision plan, and he should do the exam at the end of the week.

Applicant day at his choice next week. Sorted him a railcard and used split ticket website to buy tickets - saved a fortune.
Let's hope he gets there so his railcard becomes worth it over the year :)

LoniceraJaponica · 16/02/2018 11:17

flatmouse would you be able to post a link to the split ticket website. Pretty please.

chocolateworshipper · 16/02/2018 11:44

Awww, the gang's all here (mostly anyway) - feels like a cue for a song.

To tag someone you put the @ sign followed by there username (no spaces) and they get a notification that they've been mentioned in a post, with a link to the thread.

Anyone got any tips for Reading Festival? DD has been going back and forth trying to decide between that and SW4, but knows a lot more people going to Reading so would feel safer. I'm thinking about buying her one of those passes to the decent toilets.

Nettleskeins · 16/02/2018 12:02

ds has now used his Railcard at least 5 times since we purchased it. But perhaps that is because I don't drive long distance..even to the suburbs it is proving useful. But I think I need another railcard to cover me too with him, as without my trusty 15 year olds it costs a fortune to accompany him. Yet I still think it is worth checking out the unis myself, because can a 17 year old really weigh up the pros and cons of a 50 thousand pound venture? Perhaps I'm missing the point of independence but it seems like this decision is much much more weighted than it was if/when we went to university and do they really know enough to make that decision clearly?? since they cannot even be trusted to go to bed on time?

Nettleskeins · 16/02/2018 12:06

puppy the two year gap is particularily draining, I wish they had mentioned this when I conceived...you will end up with two lots of exams two lots of decisions two lots of visits both uni and sixth form transfers, two lots of delinquent non revising teens. If only I had timed one for Sept and one for late August it would have made so much more sense Envy I seem to know people whose children are 2 years apart but somehow fall in 3 year academic gap.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 16/02/2018 12:19

Two year gap was not good. However I had a three year gap (planned though not really with exams in mind) and then ds had to repeat yr 12 for medical reasons. Best laid plans and all that.

Would a Two Together railcard help with costs? I agree that it is necessary to see for yourself though as both of mine have disabilities they really wanted me to come anyway.

raspberryrippleicecream · 16/02/2018 12:28

Thanks chocolate.

Puppy that 2 year gap is awful, and you seem to have managed it twice! DC 3 has a 3 year gap for me which helps a bit - this was not deliberate though!

LoniceraJaponica · 16/02/2018 12:51

The points about two year gaps are interesting. I sometimes post on threads where posters have much younger children who are thinking of going for a 3rd/4th/5th etc child. I ask them how they will cope with the years of exam stress/university applications etc. It is as if the thought had never occurred to them. I am glad I only have to do this once.

FantasyAndHope · 16/02/2018 13:01

rasp
I sent dd down to London all muffed up as it was cold up north she got down and was boiling and more dissapointed her makeup had melted off Grin

No revision happening here dd had Tuesday Wednesday off work and she’s in work till Sunday her feet are killing

She has two applicant days next week, she’s happy for one as it gets her away from school

Still having troubles with the bitchy girls

Littledrummergirl · 16/02/2018 13:03

14 months between ds1 and 2 so just about in the two year gap. They are so different though with completely different ideas about their futures.

We used some Tesco club card reward points to buy ds1 railcard. It's been a fabulous decision as it's been used loads.

puppypower1 · 16/02/2018 15:07

Thankfully it's a 3 year gap between DS2 and DD3 - just timing of choices at different schools - they are at single sex schools. 🤓😁

flatmouse · 16/02/2018 16:50

@LoniceraJaponica https://www.splityourticket.co.uk/

flatmouse · 16/02/2018 16:56

@chocolateworshipper I didn't get notification when @LoniceraJaponica tagged me, do I need to do something with my settings? Best thing about this tagging is (if the notifications don't annoy too much) it ensures I spell names correctly!
Looked as using Tesco Clubcard for railcard but only had £14 and needed £15, plus it's only 2x which I thought was a bit tight. Hoped nectar would do railcards as had more cash there, but unfortunately not.

flatmouse · 16/02/2018 17:03

@chocolateworshipper DS went to Reading last year and had great time. They got early entry (big gang went which helped with my nerves!). They'd go to supermarket for beer/water and Mac Donald's for loos! Lent him old iphone4 to use with cheap payg SIM so no issues if lost (wasn't), and also for his bday before he went a charger thingy to recharge phone.
Persuaded him to take black bin bags in case wet weather etc, and got him loo friendly wet wipes and loads of little snack things - all were appreciated.
He had to txt everyday to say he was alive. Times varied Wink
Came back filthy, shattered and with no voice and "reading cough" which lasted a couple of months.

ZBIsabella · 16/02/2018 17:47

Good luck to everyone applying this year (my 2 are now at university and enjoying it so I was just popping on here to see how it was going). Last year seems a long time ago now. We had a 2 year and then 1 year gap with our first 3 and then twins later so it was pretty continuous with the first 3 (and 3 at university and/or postgrad at the same time).

doistayordoigo · 16/02/2018 17:50

Nettle I agree with your logic about picking firm and insurance by what you actually feel is a good choice, even if grades are similar, but is that true about Birmingham not dropping grades if you've had an unconditional but put their conditional as insurance? This is the position DS is in, and I'd suggested putting them as his insurance using the above logic, but if they don't drop grades that would be a big risk!

UrsulaPandress · 16/02/2018 18:54

DD has done Leeds Festival for the past two years. First year they were in VIP so had decent loos. Last year she said it was grim.

She is going again this year but I've no use why as the line up is pants. Apparently.