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

Can't believe we have got to page 5 in 1 day. Ready with another thread title in a week?!

@cariadambyth several of the home country universities have a reputation for people going home at weekends. That has always been the case and was one of the reasons I wanted to go a bit further from London back when I went.

decor, if you get a chance could you find out the grade thing for Social Policy at Bath?

I don't think Social and Political Sciences at York will work as it's one of those hybrids but , if it does, that too!

decor, if you’re not snowed under with requests about grades, could you look at English+film at Exeter and Southampton, please?

I do think this information should be in the public domain as part of statutory info or something. I know we can't rely on the same scenarios occurring year after year but it would be helpful.

You can sort of get it on Unistats and Discover Uni (also Unifrog) but not quite at the level of detail that UCAS is showing.

I think number of places and number of applicants should also be in public domain as a rough guide.

Re Royal Holloway, I drive past it all the time to drop Ds1's girlfriend home, and also on our way to Virginia Water lake, which we walk round often. I don't know that much about it, but god it's so beautiful, spectacular looking. yes I suspect some/many students go home at weekends. I think it would be quite quiet. And yes Egham is very quiet. Bustling hub of nightlife and den of iniquity, it is not. But for a slightly quieter choice of uni, which presumably all of our ds's are looking at it, for this very purpose (my ds is) I think it's a good choice.

It's open days start this weekend.

We've had a big breakthrough this week. DD said yesterday that she thinks she wants to be a Clinical Scientist. She can apply to complete a NHS 3 year course after her Biology degree. Work looks interesting to her, salary range good, happy days, gives her something to focus on.

Unfortunetley today she is ill in bed, feeling sick and dizzy and also her braces are really hurting her, lots of mouth and tougue ulcers - I've sent an email to her practice for advice - haven't hurt her this much before (been wearing them for years)..

Re grade info - is there anyway to find out what grade predictions students had to get offers for Biology at various unis? I assume the info that Decor is so kindly providing is the grade students actually received?

@AnneOfCleavage sorry your DD feels a bit disheartened about the feedback - it is all a bit daunting. In case it helps, the advice my DS got was:
(a) You have to take the PS very seriously but keep in mind that a lot of unis will take them with a pinch of salt because there is so much scope for parent / teacher influence. But even if no one reads it, it is worthwhile doing to help you finally decide what you want to do and why (eg if you're struggling to motivate why you want to do biology, then maybe consider that biology isn't for you). It is also worth keeping as an aide memoire for future CVs / applications etc.
(b) DS's school has quite a lot applying for US unis and apparently they want a PS which is very different to what the UK unis want. For the US you'd say something along the lines of how passionate and excited you are about a subject. For the UK they take the view that anyone can say that so concentrate on the facts (eg I did a 2 week residential camp in the subject) to demonstrate interest.
(c) On the prefect type stuff they said if there is space keep it in but really brief (eg In addition to xyz I am a prefect, represented my school at XYZ and have done ABC). I was quite surprised by this as in my day (in a different country) this would have featured quite heavily. If the teacher's reference is definitely going to cover it then maybe she could leave it out? I do think this is a shame for the kids who have contributed extra to school but have to remind myself that the kids will be able to show this in different ways (eg your DD might not get to say she was head girl but the skills and confidence she has gained from being head girl will stand her in good stead going forwards). If I'd been head girl I reckon my folks would have tattooed it on my forehead.
(d) Unis understand that because you have to use same PS for all the applications it is difficult to make it specific to a particular course. So show interest in the subject but don't worry if you can't tailor it exactly to the course.
(e) It is a PERSONAL statement (this was possibly aimed at DH who decided to get involved in the minutiae of the statement). So make sure your DD is happy with the end product (while obviously considering the feedback given by teachers).
(f) At some point you just need to submit it because you could tweak it forever and the changes / improvements you make become more and more marginal. This comment (very politely made) came in response to about the 17th revision of the PS my DS submitted.
Sorry to ramble ...

That's good Heifer.
I too agree with Horace, re poor AnneOfC's dd becoming despondent. Hopefully she'll do another draft and feel better about it.

We have to get perspective here. It's only a PS. It was quite clear to me on one my recent uni open days, that the course leader had no clue as to applications, personal statements etc. He just knew about his course, his dept. Many unis don't even read PS's. The person who does the admissions, what do they care?

Ds's HoY made a good point at our open evening. It's all tense atm, high drama, PS's, getting UCAS applications in, mocks in November. But she said we need to remember the overall student, their MH, but more importantly the bigger picture : good attendance to all lessons, knuckling down to study your 3 A'levels. Because it won't matter if your PS is great, if next summer you haven't put in the constant work now required to get the grades.
So she asked us to remind our dc to focus on the actual A'levels. Which I said to ds yesterday morning and he agree was a good point.

Heifer that’s really lovely that your DD is really learning about what interests and motivates her. Sounds like a good plan. As a 8-year veteran of braces etc it sounds to me like she is just ill, and that is showing itself in part in mouth ulcers and aching teeth etc. I always used to get mouth ulcers when running a fever or just run down. Salt gargles and keeping up fluids and paracetamol will help but it is totally miserable so I really sympathise. Also keep her away from anything you might use to tenderise meat - tomatoes, pineapple particularly, red wine(!), lemon juice, kiwi (definitely), MSG in eg Chinese food - all these things make mouth ulcers much much worse.

Sorry to change the subject a bit but I’m after some advice if possible.
DD is due her 2nd Covid vaccination from tomorrow (Pfizer) and is concerned as she’s heard that the after effects are worse from the second one. I told her it was subjective as everyone reacts differently but just thought I’d ask here for advice?

Thanks @Delphigirl that is really helpful advice - and makes sense re illness. DD had covid early Aug, then festival flu and hasn't really been fully well since. Lots of rest needed I think. Hopefully she will be less stressed once her last test (was supposed to be today) is out of the way and Im guessing she has some more time until next draft of PS due.

@whoamitojudge - I was poorly after my 2nd Pfizer jab and when I googled it did seem for those that did have side effects it was usually after the 2nd jab but LOTS of people never have any symtoms at all so fingers crossed for your DS.

DD had a headache for a day and a sore arm. No more than that whoamitojudge.

Aha, found you! Storing up all the university application info for next year, since dd has abandoned it for now.

Today's the day she is meant to be going in for one lesson (RE) to see how she copes. She's had 2 appointments with the school counsellor and actually managed face to face for the second one. The lesson starts at 12.50, very much hoping she makes it into the classroom...

@whoamitojudge my Ds (just 18) had his 2nd Pfizer on the weekend and was worried but was 100% fine. My DH however was in bed for a day. It may be that teens react less badly or it may just be luck on his part. Also he has never had Covid - maybe the reaction is worse in those who have?

Poor DD @heifer. One thing you might try is a daily vitamin D spray. I think it helps the immune system and my DS who is prone to mouth ulcers too hasn’t had any since he started using it before the summer, but not has he been ill or stressed so who knows. It is generally good for the immune system though

Re personal statements… agree entirely with @Horace123 and @Oblomov21

Fingers crossed for your DD Zitti

Who I had Pfizer x 2 with minimal side effects after the first one and nothing at all after the second.

Just had an appointment through for a booster, and DD (15) has had her appt through too, which she can't make because you have to wait 28 days after testing positive.

@whoamitojudge it seems that the vaccines effect people differently. They do say second Pfizer and moderna are more likely to cause side effects than the first, then it's the first AZ that is more likely to give them. Ds1 (20) has had both Pfizer vaccines and had no side effects from either. Ds2 (17) felt poorly after the first Pfizer and is asking to not have second. DH also had Pfizer he was poorly after second, he had a high temp. and shivers. Now I just need to persuade Ds2 to have his second. It's not due until late October though.
I'm going to get a letter for ds3 to have his soon (he's 12) I'm still really undecided as to whether to get him done. I wanted the older 2 dc's vaccinated, just not sure about ds3.

Who My DS (19) had his second a couple of months back with no real side effects (he is at uni so I can't guarantee that, but he would have told me if he was feeling rough!). He also had covid last year so that doesn't seem to have had an impact for him.

On the subject of second vaccines - those of you with 16 and younger 17yos who have only had one dose purely due to their age, have any managed to get a second dose? There don't appear to have been any announcements on this, unless I've missed it. DD won't be 18 until the end of July next year, and I am worried about the gap (a year) between first and second doses - or will they have to start again?

Sorry for the delay in thanking everyone for their Royal Holloway insights, everything stops for ‘Bake Off’ on a Tuesday evening in our house! It’s certainly given us good for thought and as she says, another thing for me to worry about.
@crazycrofter is going to study history, Keele is a long way from here but probably worth a look, thanks.

*food!!

@icanbewhatiwant we had a letter from shool / helath authority yesterday, they are coming to our school next week to give vax to 12-15s. I had a mild panic as it's not a month since DS2 had positive PCR so I called them about it. They won't vax anyone with a positive PCR in past 28 days and so will put him on the list but wait until end of Oct to give him his jab. I have given my consent now.