Thread 19 - Corona Cohort, Enrolling on Year 13, hopefully NOT unlucky for some

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

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I watched one of those personal statement videos by Cambs uni and it specifically said not to mention disabilities/illnesses as it's seen as emotional blackmail. I noted it because I was wondering whether ds should mention his condition on there.

Sometimes too many activities/supracurriculars can be a drawback when it comes to writing the PS as it's so much more complex figuring how to structure all the information. DS1's PS was so simple and straightforward, ds2's gave me a headache yesterday as he kept asking me to read it and whether I thought he'd added all the stuff he's been doing and reading his 'reflections' aaarrrgh!

Hmmm... not sure what I think about that emotional blackmail thing!

I disagree about the emotional blackmail - of course you should not be milking your misfortunes, but if they have shaped the person you now are, it is relevant!

Quite : would someone who said 'I play wheelchair basketball' or 'have learnt to climb overcoming my partial sightedness' be milking it?

I did read a statement once which went on a bit (sorry, that sounds awful) about anxiety and depression and it dominated the statement so I did check that and was told the best place for that was in other sections of the form and in school statement - but that it could still be mentioned.

Oxbridge do like to have 'roolz' despite claims that they are trying not to be arcane!!

I think it's possible to frame it so that you're sharing useful info in a positive way. So not "I've been ill so let me in, I deserve a place" but "this is what I've learnt, and this is how it's relevant and makes me a good candidate".

Yes, absolutely.

Anyway, we are just back from Warwick, which we liked very much. Similar size to Nottingham I would say, but a bit more modern feeling, there aren't so many buildings with any age to them. The central bit felt like a little town, and then the accommodation is on the outskirts. Lots of trees and nice spaces. Big arts centre that we didn't go in but it looks impressive, and the business school is massive.

We took a detour to see the separate campus for life sciences / medicine, can't remember who mentioned that being down a lane but there is a path for pedestrians and cyclists, through a nice little wooded bit. It is lit and is about 10 mins walk from the main campus.

Hmm, I can sort of see, it's a bit like the X factor where everyone comes on and says they're doing it for their nan who died recently.

At least DS won't have to worry about including too many activities - a bit of sport, a lot of lazing about and that's about it!

First post on this thread - it’s moved so fast!

DD first day back today and got her timetable which is pretty similar in terms of lesson time as year 12. Came home in an exhausted state and went straight to her room mumbling about how much she had to do.

DD has not started the PS and the deadline for UCAS conservatoires is 1st October. She will probably mention her disability in passing as she is part of a project made up of neurodivergent musicians.

DS used to have Tuesdays off , owing to their 3 hour lessons . Now he has to go in on Tuesdays, just for a tutor session!!

I didn't know there was a sleep train London to Cornwall. I think I'd throw up though. It's only a 10 min train ride from our local train station to Norwich and I feel quite queazy in that time.

Ds isn't telling me anything about school. After eating food, he's straight up to his room to play on his Xbox. I hear him shouting to all his mates. Ds2 is the sort that will write his PS without telling or showing us. Ds1 kept asking me to read it over and over, asking me if it was ok, I had no idea. I was quite pleased to find a spelling mistake though, as his film studies teacher and biology teacher had both read it before me. Being uneducated I was chuffed...but actually the teachers probably only scanned it briefly.

DS Apparently we need draft PS this week
Me Apparently? How did you find out?
DS. GF told me
Me. How did she know
DS. Her tutor said
Me. Are you sure your tutor didn't say anything
DS. Yeah

Hmmmm.......
So I have written a first draft - took me about 45 mins and gives him something to edit. I don't approve of parents writing it, I know I should have made him do it, but we are only expecting admin people to read it as his choices don't use it, and it would have been too painful to get him to do it by Wednesday!

Monkey, I’ve had to do something similar for DS recently. Like you, I didn’t feel like I should, but he was overwhelmed at the prospect of starting, and time was ticking, so I asked him what he wanted to include, wrote something and then got him to trim and add as he chose.

Hoping he’ll have got himself together by the time he gets to 6th form (he’s going into year 11), but maybe not.

DS drafted his PS when we were away in Greece. Since we returned he’s started a MOOC and signed up for a volunteering job every Sunday. I said “what has brought that on?”. He said “Just making my personal statement come true…”!!

Horace I feel the same about trainees being back in the office, mentored etc, hoorah.

That Cambridge link re writing the 'killer PS' has got me thinking. I've read ds's tonight. It's coming along nicely. Killer? Err no!

Ds's does look like he's swallowed a dictionary. I had to look up a few words. I did say 'it does make you look like a right poncerelli'. Unfortunately I think he mistook this as a compliment.

DS asked me tonight if I had read anything iin email etc about them needing to have done draft of personal statement. I said I hadn’t heard anything . He said that was good as he hasn’t, just as well then !

Good he asked as has refused to discuss university at all. First blood test since been on medication soon so will see if levels improving. Fingers firmly crossed. I hope by end of autumn term they will have for his dose correct and he will feel a lot better.

Saw this on the year 11 thread. Link to AQA A level provisional exam dates for 2022: filestore.aqa.org.uk/admin/t_table_pdf/AQA-TT-GCE-JUN22-P.PDF

Volterra apologies but I can’t remember your son’s condition? Glad he got a blood test booked though - there’s been a problem with a tube shortage apparently! We had to gets another load of bloods done in a different hospital last week as original hospital couldn’t take them for a month.
I am going to hunt down Dd1s old PS. Poor Dd2 has had a crap day healthwise, vomiting everything up, two seizures and went to bed at 8.30 with a headache. If this is the start of covid it can F off. We have been semi isolating all summer so to go back last week to 1500+ school with no covid measures is too stressful.

Zanda your poor DD 💐 Hope she improves really soon and it isn’t Covid. I can imagine how stressful going back must be, I’m so sorry.

I was expecting issues with the blood test but GP very good and both of us having them. He hasn’t got anything serious and meds should sort him out once dose sorted and levels build but he must have been feeling very rough for ages as way off normal levels, maybe a few years and I feel rubbish for not realising sooner - thought it was stress over Covid. The worry over him and some other things looks like it has triggered something and I have been pretty unwell recently , hence bloods so things are a bit weird at the moment. Better now than spring I guess.

Yikes @Zandathepanda: sounds tough. Hope she’s feeling better soon and fingers crossed it’s not the beginning of covid.

Hope she's OK zanda!

Dd isn't even back till next week!

Thanks for the link @PaddingtonPaddington

I know it's only provisional, but what happens if they have two exams timetable for the same morning or afternoon?