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

thanks for new thread and shoutout @Monkey2001.

Sorry to hear more DD/DS are feeling ill. Last thing they need is to worry about missing school but it's understandable. Hope they recover quickly.

There seems to be so much going on at the moment, PS drafts due, UCAS forms to be filled in, revision, homework, 18th parties... I bet they can't wait until half term just to have a breather!

DD currently has a shortlist of 2 - Nottingham and Bath with Swansea as a possible backup. She has also decided she wants to do a Masters instead of Bsc. That is a far as she has got (she did have a list of 6 or 7 but reduced them down). Hopefully once her current exams have finished (this week) she can look again at courses and decide which unis she might like to apply to..... This is after a massive wobble last week of not being sure she even wants to study Biology - I think it's just so overwhelming for her at times.

When I talk to some of my friends they don't seem to have a clue what their DD/DS is up to, or ones with older children have no idea of the stuff we know. Are we massively over invested? are we unusual amounst your friends?

It's neuroscience, @Heifer

We are unusual amongst my friends, yes @Heifer

I've been quite surprised that even the parents I secretly think of as a bit overbearing (eg telling their 17 year olds to put a coat on so they don't get cold) know very little about what courses or unis might work for their DC. To be fair many of the DC in question will not be told but the parents don't know the basics of applying, when things happen etc. I guess sitting back and waiting to cheer or fix whatever happens next August is the best way for some but DS does need a bit of help with it all. I think DD might be a bit more self sufficient but we'll have to see.

There are some DC we know who need talking down from eg economics at Bath when predicted a C in maths, I mean wildly optimistic, and nobody seems to be doing it at the moment. Maybe things will come into focus for them when official predictions are out and choices have to be made.

You may well be right @Piggywaspushed. She’s very influenced by friends. She’s also just been with some friends from her old school, which was even more academic than the grammar school she’s at now. Plus she had a long session with the careers lady last week who wanted to make sure she’d considered all other possibilities.

I’m sure we’re all a bit over invested really! But I like to be fully informed about everything!

Thanks for the new thread @Monkey2001

@crazycrofter I think it would be great if anybody applying for health courses started with a general foundation so that they can work out what they really want to do. We don't know what all the jobs are, how can they when they are just 17!

So, dd has come home from school today in a panic as she’s heard that ‘everybody’ goes home from Royal Holloway each weekend and it’s ‘dead’ then. Recently it has been her first choice and too far away for her to come home frequently. I’m wondering if anyone can share any insights at all? Thanks

Yes, exactly @Monkey2001. Having just talked to her, the problem is she really wants to do some sort of psychological therapy ultimately, rather than helping people practically . OTs are able to train as high intensity therapists after qualifying so that was one of the reasons for choosing it. But I also think she’s 17, she needs to try out some different settings and types of work to see what suits her.

That’s a bit of a worry @cariadambyth. I don’t think I know anyone who’s been to RH. Perhaps she could ask on The Student Room forum?

Sounds like you might need to start researching psychology degrees, Crazy! Do you think the wobble is coming from DD, or have the friends said something?

Over invested here. Phoned HoY earlier. Spent evening long at Pwc, KPMG, mazars and Menzies.

That’s a good shout @crazycrofter, thanks. While I think she’d suit a more low key university experience, she, and I, are both keen she experiences university life which would involve socialising at weekends.

We started with Psychology degrees before deciding on OT! The thing is, whilst she’s academically able, she’s not an academic person, if that makes sense. She’s totally people focussed. I can’t really imagine her spending 3 years writing essays in her room. I think she would enjoy the placements.

@cariadambyth what subject is she looking at? What about Keele? That always seems a bit gentler to me.

@Oblomov21 there are loads of ways to end up as a chartered accountant. If he doesn’t get an apprenticeship or into the high end unis, there will be loads of other options, hopefully some in clearing.

That is definitely something I have heard about RHU.

I haven't heard that specifically about RHU but it is one of the reasons DS is interested in it, we live about 45 mins drive away and I notice from FB that quite a few people I know locally have DCs there (but they aren't people I tend to chat to now, more acquaintances left over from the primary school gate). I also can't help thinking that Egham doesn't look like the liveliest town for students and that it's location close to the M3 makes it very accessible travel-wise.

Re the over-invested thing, at the end of last term I would have said we were definitely ahead of the game, but I think others are catching up now, I went out with a bunch of mums of DCs that went to primary school with DH (the ones I am still close to, which doesn't include any of the RHU ones mentioned above). However I don't think on the whole they have the depth of information we have shared here, they just know in outline and have booked the odd open day etc.

Thanks for new thread

Thanks for the new thread.

Fast moving new thread, thanks Monkey

Thanks piccolo reassuring to know Cardiff feels safe.

DD had her first driving lesson today, apparently I’ve done a good job teaching her so far though she told me she doesn’t need to stop at every junction like I’ve been telling her to.

PS reviewed and now trying to edit down to the character limit- any tips as it’s still 500 characters too long?

Take out all the adjectives and adverbs - that's what the guy in the video from Oxford said!

@cariadambyth @EssentiallyDisorganised
My nephew has just started so will feed back. Dd has it on her list now too.
I seem to remember reading something similar on the Student Room..but some of those posts are years old.
DN has made friends in his flat and upstairs flat and they've all been partying over the last week. Worth remembering that student schedules are different to ours though.

Thanks for the new thread Monkey

Well done to Hatti's DD on passing driving test.

DD had her PS picked to pieces today by two teachers so feels quite disheartened. One says take out head girl as they'll put it on teacher statement but the other teacher said put it in. Quandary. She needs to give more examples, which she knew, but doesn't know how to iykwim. DD feels it's not passionate enough as she's read online that it must sound like you are super excited about the course which she is but doesn't know how to convey that. I'm not sure how to help as I'm out of my depth by all this.

@PaddingtonPaddington yes both my ds's didn't stop at junctions unless they had to after being taught that way by instructor. I'd rather they stopped and had a good look. It made me nervous!

DD handed PS in last week. Now wants to change a choice so has to formally ask for it to be 'unlocked'!