Corona Cohort: Statements Scripted, Grades Predicted

[Monkey2001]

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting. It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, please don't within this thread. Please also be sensitive when responding to threads about grades.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue.

From OrangeCinnamonCocktail:

Our DS/DD may go down various paths (such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will most likely find us within the Further Ed board.

Previous thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/4339233-Thread-19-Corona-Cohort-Enrolling-on-Year-13-hopefully-NOT-unlucky-for-some?pg=1

@singingstones Thank you so much for the explanation. His first choice is Warwick so if he gets an offer from them and his insurance it would be a good idea to take the offers so he could get first choice on accommodation?

If he's sure of where he wants to go and his choice of firm and insurance have offered before the others have responded, as PP says you can withdraw from the others and choose your firm and insurance early.

Sometimes it's useful as some places open their applications for accommodation quite early and it's first come first served. So people don't want to miss out because they are sitting waiting for an offer from a uni they don't even want to go to. Other unis sort out accommodation much later, in which case you might as well wait until all of the five have responded.

Unis tend to have open days for people with offers, between offers coming out and you having to choose firm and insurance - they can be useful when it comes to making a final decision.

Regarding DSA, I attended a webinar by the charity SOSSEN in March, which was excellent (that's where the advice above came from). You can sign up and buy access to all their SEN webinars here (usually £10 each). It was intended for those already with EHCPs but a lot was applicable to all students with disabilities.

I have been looking online for universities with lower grades than Sussex for history and philosophy (ABB) I've seen Bath Spa I take it that's a different university to Bath? Is it not so good? Suffolk is asking BBC but too close really. There aren't many offering that course.

@icanbewhatiwant Cardiff history is ABB-BBB, I’d look at Swansea as well and what about UEA?

Just noticed you’re looking for History AND Philosophy, not sure whether the ones I mentioned offer that combination, but I know Keele seems to have a good reputation for offering combined honours.

Just checked and Cardiff does offer BA Philosophy and History ABB-BBB.

@Shimy thanks. He is looking at history with philosophy. Though it is just history at Suffolk. UEA is where ds1 is and really regrets staying so close to home. Norwich is the city nearest that we would shop at or go to cinema etc. Ipswich is the same distance, but we've not actually been into Ipswich town.

He's refused to consider Wales. No idea why. He will put 5 choices down to see what comes in. Sussex might not even make an offer. Though they phoned ds1 up to ask why he hadn't chosen them.

So far we only have Sussex and Suffolk.

Do you have access to Unifrog? that will find the courses for you and is easier to use than UCAS.

If not, I can look later for you if you like?

I'll ask Ds about unifrog. Thanks.

I had a quick look Icanbe and almost all the universities do History and Philosophy! Sheffield, Birmingham, York are all AAB (Sheffield ABB+ EPQ). What are his predicted grades? Did you look into whether he qualified for contextual offers anywhere?

I think we might see lots of unconditional offers this year as universities look for certainty at uncertain times! Birmingham used to give a lot of unconditional offers.

@Monkey2001 ok thanks. I put into google history with philosophy and not that many came up. I have had nothing from school with his predicted grades. So I have to take ds's word for it. I know he's almost completed his business studies qualification, it is A level equivalent. He should get distinction star. The other 2 I'd say B to be on the safe side.

Sorry. No one answered my previous question.
If it ok to submit your UCAS application asap? Ds1 just wants to submit and get it over with before his November mocks. I can understand wanting to just get it 'done'.
Are there any disadvantages?

If he is definite on his choices, I can't see why it is a problem.

My DDs school aims to have everyone submitted by the early deadline whether they have to or not. Some aren't ready, but most do, so I can't see an issue.

Sorry if I'm being obtuse but DD has been told her UCAS needs to be in by a week today. I asked about the payment and she has no idea. When will I be asked or do I have to actually offer to pay it before being asked. How has everyone else paid? Is it done through school or at home through UniFrog or similar?

Yes Piggy. He's sure. And we are all fed up to the back teeth of bloomin PS.
He's been offered to do a extra mock, next week, pre the November mocks, for pyschology to push his predicted grade from B to A. He'd then have A*AA. He wants to submit it by October 1/2 term. Just to be rid. And concentrate on Nov mocks. I can understand the appeal. HoY who is in charge of UCAS applications said she thought it was best.

Payment is via UCAS AoC.

You pay and then UCAS send the form to the school.

Arrgh Piggy that's no clearer. Am I supposed to actively pay without a prompt? Am poorly in bed and feeling woolly headed so please spell out what I am meant to do.

Once the stuff is all filled in and the PS done it prompts you to pay. You can't do that if there's any info missing form the student sections.

I didn't get it either but then it was obvious what to do when we got there.

Hope you are OK!

Aw thanks Piggy that makes sense as everything is done apart from the PS so once that is submitted I'll get told by DD to pay. She's sorting it all herself but this bit she was hazy on.
Have a scratchy throat, pounding head and sniffles. Am resting in bed, I learnt a long time ago that powering through doesn't work for me and a day in bed tends to knock it on the head so I'm better quicker. DH does this and that's where I got it from. Paracetamol is not helping my pounding headache though. LFT negative but may fudge symptoms (may lie and say I have cough) to get a PCR booked if no better tomorrow. It came on suddenly in the night and I feel dreadful. No temp though and def tasted the marmite on toast I had earlier.

The loss if taste comes about 5 days in. Scratchy throat is definitely reported a lot with delta so getting a PCR might be a good idea. Fingers crossed.

When you book PCRs now, it no longer specifies symptoms!

Thanks for that, have now just ordered a home testing one. Rather be safe than sorry.

I had Covid a while ago @AnneOfCleavage, so not delta, but it started with a pounding headache and really sore throat. Hope you feel better soon.

I feel totally out of sync with the rest of you as dd hasn’t even started her PS! She has exams this week (2nd chance for UCAS) and work experience next week. Maybe after that she’ll start thinking about it!

When ds1 did his application, everything was done through school, they didn't send it in until January. So I'm sure it'll be the same this time. As I've said before ds2 doesn't tell me anything. I don't remember paying anything for ds1 either. I must've done.