Thread 23 Covid Cohort Stepping Into Christmas, Tests, Mocks & Interviews

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

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.

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

@20newnames/ DS / Engineering
@Alsoplayspiccolo/ DD / English + Film
@AnneofCleavage/ DD / gap year? Primary Education
@BlueMarigold/ DD / Biology
@cariadambyth/ DD / History / Southampton, Bath Spa, Warwick, RHUL
@collywobble/ DS / PPE, Economics / Lancaster (AAB)
@crazycrofter/ DD / Child (?) + Mental Health Nursing
@Decorhate/ DS / Economics + Politics
@Delphigirl/ DS / Oceanography
@DoggerelBank/ DS / tbc sciencey
@ealingwestmum/ DD / Middle Eastern and European Studies
@EerilyDisembodied/ DS / History or Environmental Management
@estherfrewen/ DS / History / Birmingham (ABB), Cardiff (ABB-BBB), Warwick (AAB)
@EwwSprouts/ DS / Biology
@Fiddlersgreen/ DS / Journalism / Bournemouth (104 pts), Brighton (BCC), Cardiff (ABB)
@Fruitygal/ DD / Biology
@Hattifatteners/ DD / Vet Med
@Heifer/ DD / Biology
@Hopeful201/ DS / Medicine
@Horace123/ DS / Classics / Edinburgh 34/665
@icanbewhatiwant/ DS / History + Philosophy
@Isthisjustnormal/ DS / Comp Sci
@JustHereWithMyPopcorn/ DS / Law
@KingscoteStaff/ DD / Medicine
@Knickerthief1/ DD / Child nursing / York
@Monkey2001/ DS / Medicine
@mummabear74/ DD / Environmental Science
@mummyinbeds/ DS / Law + French Law / Birmingham (AAA), Kent (AAB)
@Nard75/ DS / Maths
@NCTDN/ DD / Liberal Arts
@Oblomov21/ DS / Accountancy / Southampton ABB
@OrangeCinnamonCocktail/ DD / Music (uni)
@PaddingtonPaddington/ DD / Music (cons)
@Piggywaspushed/ DS / Social sciences / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), York (AAB-ABB)
@ProggyMat/ DD / Classics / Bristol (BBB), Edinburgh
@SandyBayley/ DD / Medicine
@Seeline/ DD / Liberal Arts / UEA (AAB), Kent (BBB), Nottingham (AAA)
@Shimy/ DS / Business + Management / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), Loughborough
@singingstones/ DS / Neuroscience
@Volterra/ DS / Maths
@whatsnext2/ DD / English joint hons
@Wheresthebeach/ DD / gap year? Marine Biology / Southampton, Portsmouth
@whoamitojudge/ DD / RyanAir cabin crew training
@Zebracat/ DD / Liberal Arts or Anthropology
@ZittiEBuoni/ DD / tbc applying next year

@Fruitygal our school show students the reference before sending it. Under data protection law they can get a copy now, if the DC call UCAS they will email it to them.

One poor person on TSR was rejected by Manchester for medicine because the referee was biology teacher and only put the biology grade in, left the others blank! They were told it is now too late to submit grades!

@Monkey2001 thanks for the info.

I would question why an UCAS algorithm wouldn’t pick up an applicant with only one A level and send a message to the centre to query it. Probably a legal case if a school is working from a single point of failure - most odd - most schools have about 5 admin & staff checking everything.

@icanbewhatiwant. I honestly don’t think it matters that you didn’t go to university. You are clearly super loving parents, your children will not be ashamed of you for this, unless you put it into their heads that your situation is somehow shameful. Mine had zero respect for my profession and were all amazed to discover that it required an MA. They will be ashamed just because, like all of us, doubtless you are really embarrassing!
I just wonder though, if maybe you should go? There are access and foundation courses, you would be entitled to loans, it is possible.

@icanbewhatiwant never say you JUST work in a shop. Until last year I just worked in a shop, for 17 years, it was the most stressful (customers!) and physically demanding job out of many of my friends. Now, I just do admin in a hospital. We are all valuable.
DH and I didn’t go to uni either and I felt that was embarrassing for DS but he’s not embarrassed by it at all

DH and I didn’t go to uni either and I felt that was embarrassing for DS but he’s not embarrassed by it at all

Ditto. There are more of us than you think @icanbewhatiwant! Be proud, you’ve served them well and if they’re not appreciating that yet, it’ll come when they’re older.

I think it’s time to have a little faith in your username. There is no T in it

Sounds like this group could turn into a study group over the DC are despatched. I think education is wasted on the young, we appreciate it much more when we are older!

Neither me nor DH went to Uni although I did an OU degree. I work as a medico legal secretary and DH is retired after work injury. DS had no idea what to put in those UCAS boxes!,

@AnneOfCleavage I hope you recover soon.

@icanbewhatiwant I went to uni to study architecture and both of my parents were in very normal jobs and not university educated. I was never ashamed of them despite being surrounded by very middle class kids. Be proud of who you are and how you have raised your DCs, look at what they are achieving.

In terms of the UCAS application, I am amazed they still ask this question. Do they ask for both parents or just one?

Thanks for saying it's ok to just work in a shop. I've actually only been working in a shop a couple of months. Never done it before. As I get older I find it hard to process things and remember. I can be shown something and it's gone a few mins later. I never used to be like this.

@Fruitygal yes I think farming is something to be proud of. Dh knows so much about farming, livestock, crops etc. he is older than me...he said he'd retire at 60 with brexit I think it was a good time to stop. I'm glad the boys didn't want to farm though. Ds1 is considering agronomy, though it doesn't seem easy to get into (he's third year in his biology degree)

I am not sure why we have fairly clever dc's. The older 2 mostly had A's or 7's/8's at gcse. Ds3 is the brightest of them all. He's in top sets for stem subjects, when he brings maths home and I can't help I feel terrible and worry it might hinder him. He wanted a hand with chemistry last week, I didn't understand it at all.

@Zebracat thanks...yes I have considered an OU course, there's one that is before a degree, that can be done to find out what you enjoy and whether you could do a degree. I might have a go one day. It's expensive though. But my biggest problem is remembering stuff. I'd be no good if I had to do that. I am sure it's my age. I never used to be so forgetful.

Of course, there are two T’s in your user name ican, but I hope you know what I meant! 🙄

On an aside, you may want to get your hormone levels checked for peri-menopause. It is a time well documented for brain fog/memory loss. Amongst the many other lovely symptoms we ladies have to endure. But seriously, it can hugely affect self/confidence.

Oh do have a go. Memory is trainable, you might surprise yourself. I did a Btec a few years ago and found it really hard to remember everything, bu5 it really helped. But I didn’t keep practicing and I’m back to Mrs forgetful now.

What a lovely idea Monkey. I definitely enjoy learning stuff now vs when younger.

@icanbewhatiwant I think you will find that if you haven't already done a degree you can get a loan for the fees which you obviously wouldn't pay back at this stage in life. You may even be entitled to a maintenance grant, look into it! So if it is your first degree, it is pretty much free.

I LOVE the OU. I worked there for a few years and have many good memories. I was so proud of our students who were there because they really wanted to be, not just to have a good time.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn they ask about parents for research and to identify contextual flags. I think you can choose not to answer.

If you ask my DC what we do for a living, they will say “my dad plays the drums and my mum teaches the flute”.
DH failed his A levels and hasn’t got a degree, but he went to music college as a mature student and has fulfilled his ambition to have a career in music.
I have a degree and post grad qualification, had a promising career in music, but gave up performing when DS was a baby, to be at home with both DCs. These days, I teach privately, but not enough to call it a job, unfortunately.

If we tell people what we do, they either think it’s a hobby, not a proper job, or they think it’s terribly glamorous and well-paid. The reality is a long way from either.

The world wouldn’t run without people in all sorts of roles, including bringing up children.
If Covid has taught us anything, it’s how much we rely on people doing “just” roles to keep life going.

My OU was fully funded and came with a grant for books- I absolutely loved it!

Well, I've had various jobs from council offices to publishing houses and national newspapers but currently I'm trying to get a business plan together to open 'just' a shop . So not sure what dd would put for me.

We're just back from the GP who has doubled dd's medication and suggested pathways for getting an ADD assessment. But, as with anything right now, there is a loooong waiting list.

Exciting to see all these offers start rolling in so soon - so different from my day, when there were so many hoops to jump through first.

@ealingwestmum yes I'm sure I've been in the peri menopause stage for years. I am almost 50. I worry about my memory/brain fog. I hope it's just my age and I'll get over it. I tried to learn french during lockdown as ds3 and I joined our village twinning group. While I was actually on the app I was quite good, but frustratingly 24 hours later going back to it, it had all gone. I do have zero confidence too. I definitely never used to be like this. It's funny how at our age we all lack in hormones needed to function properly, while our dc's are at the age where they have too many to function properly.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have not gone on to further education. My aunt and uncle both did OU in their 20's and went on to become secondary school teachers. I know quite a few others that have done degrees that way.

I am doing an OU degree part time at the moment and get a loan for the fees plus ~£3k per year maintenance loan, no questions asked. It's my second degree too. I think there is more maintenance available but means tested. I haven't looked into it as I can freelance around studying to keep us going.

I am very grateful for the financial help and would highly recommend the OU!

(Disclaimer: this is in Wales, might be different in the other nations)

I left school at 16 and went to work in an office. Ended up with a job I loved at middle management level (with no one to manage but myself - ideal) and I was proud of that tbh. I decided to quit when I had DD as wanted to stay home with her for a couple of years and my employer wouldn't let me do my role part time - they offered me other roles, but I took voluntary redundancy instead. Then moved up North and never did find a "proper" job again. Tried for years to get a good part time job, then full time. I now work 3 part time jobs, lunch time in a nursery at DD school, administrator (hours vary massively depending on how many clients we have at the same time, and working for our gardening oompany dealing with booking, invoicing and account etc.

DH did go to uni to become a Landscape Architect and later an Urban Designer but has recently quit to become a full time gardener and designer - he is so much less stressed (worked for council covering 3 peoples roles). I am enjoying my work when there is enough - but I do struggle to learn new things now (used to be a quick learner). Found doing our accounts this year very time consuming as kept forgetting what I was doing and where I was moving information to :-) I really do hope I get my memory bag when the perirmenapausal fog clears... Lists and writing everything down has become 2nd nature.

@Heifer yes sounds like me with the memory part. I can't believe how I have to read things over and over, it still doesn't sink in. I played a new version of monopoly with ds3 last night. He thought it was hilarious how I had to keep referring to the instructions. We have played it before, but still can't remember the rules. They must think I'm completely stupid at work trying to process all the stuff on the till (things like lotto, parcel plus, bill paying, mobile top up etc.) the fact there's a face staring at you waiting is really off putting while the cogs in my brain turn trying to remember.

Just looked into the access course on OU and ordered a prospectus. Might be a start.

I was annoyed they ask on ucas applications whether parents had been to university. I said it's none of their business. But someone told me it's often a good thing as universities like to have students that are from families that didn't go to university. Not sure if that is definitely the case. But good if it is. Though dh's dd went to university. I think all 3 of our dc's will go.

DD is excited - just had an invite through for an offer holder's day for her course at Nottingham! Several dates available in Feb/March, but as she has mocks straight after half-term, we're trying to keep half term empty.

I went to Poly for my degree as my A levels were pretty poor . Later did a post grad on day release from my Council job in order to gain my professional qualification.
DH went straight into work and got a professional qualification. Did OU degree later, and then another different professional qualification after that.
I was the first in my family to get a degree.

Not sure I have the brain power to learn anything new these days, but some of the courses now available at unis look amazing.

Ds1 considered biology at Harper Adams as he is from a farming background and a lot would have been farm/crop based. But they dropped the course in the end. But when I went through the prospectus, there were so many courses I'd have loved at their age. I was horse mad and went on to do horse qualifications, Harper Adams offer equine degrees etc. I had no idea stuff like that was even available back then. I would have enjoyed something like that. I'd have been very envious had he gone there.

That's exciting @seeline. I think our lot will be quite reliant on offer days, having not been to many open days.

I went to a poly due to low A level grades too, it worked out OK and I did get into a graduate job afterwards (although as I have mentioned previously I think that was in large part due to a brilliant industrial placement year as I only got a 2:2. I did about half of an OU degree in a different subject a few years ago, but the new much higher tuition fees came in halfway through and although I could have finished it at the old rate I just couldn't do it and balance work, DCs etc (I was going through the EHCP process with DS). I absolutely loved it though. We have friends who have done all sorts, gone to work straight from school, done part time study, done degrees/PhDs.

It is important to tick the "parents didn't go to uni" box if that is the case because it is a parameter for contextual offers at some unis.

Having a bit of a wobble about DS's grades, having finished the PS. His attainment grade for one of his BTECs has slipped from merit to pass, we got these updates at half term but I'd forgotten about it in the rush to do the PS and finish open days plus DD's 6th form choices (I too am struggling a bit with memory, brain fog etc). I'm worried that with him having gone into boarding and not having me on hand to nag support him he has slipped. I have emailed the teacher. To be honest most of his choices offer a foundation year if needed so its not the end of the world but he does have one uni where that's not an option and we did like that one.