Year 13 support thread - The End.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Not the end of the threads, just this chapter of life. We'll keep going, don't worry!

However! Not to be used until this one is done

True. We are all in the same position really.

gosh it is nice to be back! [from family visit abroad]
House smells of woodsmoke (ds was here alone so that was ominous, but it turns out it was the neighbours burning things again (probably effigies of me)
ds has left a pile of Dominos pizza boxes - not quite sure if he had people over, he is now out finally celebrating somewhere with RL people, or at least seeing them ( I don't think there is any beer involved)

Kitten you have the summer for things to settle, and make sense. What a shame she felt so upset, and yes you are right that it is very unfair that she has worked so hard and feels like this. It makes you doubt the whole process and how blithely they recommend students to embark on the application without telling them just how overwhelming and cut throat it will be for Maths at Cambridge. It seems at the last as if it is pure luck of the draw (one Step paper) that is making all the difference between the winners and losers and that doesn't seem a particularily good test of someone's suitability so I can see why you feel absolutely fed up.

I am not yet able to join you in the beer garten (biergarten? sp). I now have to take dd to a Leavers' Mass and tomorrow I have to drive her to a mash up day dressed as a character from Clueless. And tomorrow we have ds2' Prom and the inevitable last minute panic that his jacket is the wrong decision (it is pink velvet )

ursula sparkly tidings of great joy! (re safe dd and History) but glad you did not squash the fox...argh!

Kitten I also agree that knowing Cambridge wanted you but just missing on one paper is incredibly frustrating, and they should probably change their method of selection. I think handing out offers and then pinning them on such high stakes and leaving the whole summer for stress to build is not actually how normal life works, whatever people may say it teaches you about resilience. By all means make it a difficult exam process but then let it be over by January the most rigorous part of the selection, or bring back the Year 14 exam (which was how it was in the old days) so that you apply to Oxford and Cambridge With your grades. I've seen a few people undermined by only finding out in August, having set their hearts on the place/future and just the exam grades at A level making the difference not the original application process which is surely should be the biggest hurdle.

The trouble with the seventh term entry exams were that they were taken disproportionately by economically advantaged DC who could afford a gap year. That's one of the reasons they were dropped.

It is incredibly hard to get into Cambridge for maths and they want the very best mathematicians. It's cutthroat. I'm sorry that your DD doesn't feel confident after today, but I don't think anyone finds STEP 3 anything like easy. It's not over until the fat lady sings.

I guess it's a debate for a whole other thread and not one that I have my heart in at the moment.

There are soft drinks available in the beer garden as well nettles so you can still come in. Am pleased the finishers area is filling up now as it was getting a bit lonely.
Is it only the mathematicians with exams left now or have we missed anyone out?

If it is any comfort anyone dd talked to at her school thought the STEP 3 paper was pretty grim.

I will bang on about this till the day I die, but I do not understand why England can't do uni applications the same way as Scotland. There, only those who are marginal or messed up 5th year (Y12-ish) have conditionals. Everyone else gets and unconditional and still manage to work their arses off throughout their final year because they want good grades. Scottish pupils don't doss about in their final year - they keep bloody learning. Because they want to, which is why they are going to uni!

Of course now that AS are disappearing, any chance of England following Scotland is out of the question.

Anyway rant over. DD has spent the day in her room doing maths papers. I've been out all day and have missed her, but have just realised I need to feed her! Off!

hardwicke as a Scot now living in England and with dcs going through the English system, I totally agree.
My 6th year was relaxed because I knew I had a place but I was able to concentrate on the dissertations which were good preparation for independent study at university.

That actually is a comfort NoHaudin :)
dd seems happier now,

Ah good to hear she is happier.

I forgot about dinner. Fortunately we had some stuff in the freezer.

Good to hear DD feels slightly happier tonight Kitten - maybe a sneaky may help you unwind from an emotional day - not just the STEP paper but the shop for your 👙 today too!

Sorry that STEP has been so stressful. I think it's just so hard that so much rests on these exams when they've already done so much. DD wants to do medicine, so has had to get through UKCAT and interviews, work experience etc. Once she got offers, I felt so relieved, but now realising that if she doesn't get 3 As she can't do it, the stress is back again!

C4 tomorrow, which used to be fine,but today seems to be causing lots of problems

It's awful drink. Stress just scrambles the ability to think clearly. They aren't able to do their best at all.

I am feeling happier too now. Poorly, but happier. I will have a beer though.

I am such a rubbish ambassador for cambridge. No one who reads these threads is ever going to apply for maths there if they are of a slightly nervous disposition.

Two more breakfasts to go.

Two maths papers tomorrow, one after the other: Core 4 and Decision 2. Apparently they get a 10 minute break between the two papers but DD doesnt know if they will be in quarantine for that time.

I expect so Gnome cos others will be taking d2 only having taken c4 last year. They will probably be allowed an escorted trip to the loo.

dd has two c4 papers as mei does odd things.

I'm really proud of dds resilience. Two years ago this would have been a major catastrophe, even if it works out fine, but she's so much more resilient now.

sorry, I've merailed the thread

I don't know about that, you're still on the A level topic Kitten. Derailing would be talking about George the worm or car insurance.

Wanders off whistling innocently..

Knitting
How are all the Georges?! 🐛

Ps Kitten Don't be silly - not derailing or merailing (like that!) at all, and anyway that's what we're here for! You've spent years supporting all of us through dramas, you're allowed a wobble sometimes!
How's your DD been tonight?

kitten I don't think you've merailed the thread at all. We all post when we're stressed or our dcs are stressed, and we all get nice messages to calm us down. It's what's so nice about this thread. I'm glad the STEP is over now for you, and just the normal sort of exams left. Nobody would ever apply for maths at Cambridge expecting it to be stress free would they?

Dd has D1 tomorrow, and has done nothing towards it at all. Apparently it's all fine and she doesn't need to revise because it's easy . Then it's only M2 left to do on Monday, which is a resit and she thinks the mark she got last time is fine actually (so why did we bloody well pay for a resit then?) So she's nice and relaxed. I have suggested it might be time to start contributing to the running of the household again if she no longer needs to revise. This was met with silence, and no effort has been made to actually do any household chores yet.

C4 also appears to have become a problematic paper here too. She has been quietly confident about the second paper in it, but not any more!

Also forgot this is her first and only morning exam, so has no study time in the morning, for which she had been saving a past paper!

OYBBK hope your DD has a good nights sleep and puts it all behind her for the present. And that you feel better soon.

Finishers' party people, I hope there is some white wine in the fridge ready for tomorrow

Actually I suspect I have starved my worms...