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

Bath is expensive. I haven’t been to visit yet and need to with DS but a fair few people have said the campus is lovely.

We looked at a lot of psychology courses before DD changed her mind! Most seemed fairly similar if they are BPS accredited. It seemed that it was only in the final year that there was any real difference. In view of this, we'd come to the view that the actual campus and location were probably more important factors in deciding where to go. She liked Cardiff and Swansea. DSs girlfriend is 2nd year at Manchester and enjoying it, but don't know any specifics I'm afraid.

@Alsoplayspiccolo

Someone at DD’s school had an offer from Birmingham a couple of weeks ago, but got an email this week to say they’d made a mistake and were rescinding it until they’d seen other applications.

Wth?! How awful of them to do that!!

Some people were asking earlier on here about whether Warwick offers were out. DS got an email this morning confirm his application to Warwick and saying don't expect to hear from them before end of Jan. he got one from UCL saying similar.

@crazycrofter I think cost is a very reasonable factor to consider, if there are plenty of courses which fit the bill academically. It was certainly part of the reason we discounted London from the start and when my niece was looking she went to Bath and was told it was the most expensive place to be a student outside London.

I have thought before that it would be great if there was a healthcare career those which started really broad and split it after a term into medicine, nursing, PA, paramedic, OT, etc. These kids can't really know the variety of options when they are 17/18.

That may just be for his course though.

course not those

That would be such a good idea @monkey2001! Dd would definitely go for a course like that.

York seems to be a reasonably expensive place to live too?

Hi all 👋👋 writing from my bed. On day 8 now and feeling better in terms of symptoms easing but man the exhaustion and coughing is still there plus annoying loss of both smell and taste.

DD has had summons to interviews from 4 of her 5 Uni inc the fave one. Two have asked for online interviews (with break out rooms for group work) and she has to prepare a 4 minute task for the group to do plus other stuff to read and prepare. Two have asked for in person interviews plus group work and stuff to prepare so she is v overwhelmed by all this as mocks are also looming plus dance exams from being missed the last almost 2 years due December and February too.
The online two are early next week but we're hoping to defer the in person ones til after Christmas as means us having to drive her so time off work etc. Back of my mind I'm waiting for her to get Covid but so far she's avoided it from me and also DH too.

Wow Monkey what a mistake to make. Poor DD's friend Alsoplays that is v poor form. Guess these things happen but still, for those involved it's devastating when they renege.
😲 about the Warwick stabbing too.

Really sorry to hear that Anne, I hope you’re properly on the mend soon 🌷Good news about DD’s interviews, fingers crossed for her.

I think cost is a very good reason indeed and am slightly (very) in denial about Bath as after the summer with DS being ill, fairly close to home has ramped up hugely on the criteria. Still 2 more slots to fill though so as he does seem to be doing better I think I had better start looking at cost properly.

Re Warwick I have seen mention around of Maths offers having been made but from what I read about 90% of applicants get their standard offer which is really high and has little flexibility come the summer so maybe they feel on safer ground than other subjects.

Sorry to hear you're still suffering @AnneOfCleavage, hope things start to improve. Great news about the interviews but I can imagine it's a bit overwhelming. Hopefully she'll feel a bit calmer after next week's are over and done with. Dd is also feeling overwhelmed and stressed at the moment, partly due to her uni indecisiveness, but she also has 'mock' tests coming up, plus grade 6 singing. I actually have a very clear memory of being this age (although I think it was spring term) and feeling really stressed; my mum moaning about my untidy room was the last straw and i had a bit of a meltdown! I also did grade 8 piano just before my A Levels, which was a mistake!

@volterra I'm glad ds is much improved; that must have been a worry. I know what you mean about distance from home. When I thought dd was going to be doing mental health nursing placements, I was really concerned that she should be near to home, if it all got too much and she needed a weekend with us. Now I'm not quite as worried about distance, but I'm still favouring Nottingham and Leicester for their proximity!

I hope you continue to improve @AnneOfCleavage and are able to take it easy for now.

Ds1 is at Bath & it is more expensive than many other places. Halls were more on a par but the private rentals after first year are around £200 a month more than Dd was paying in Leeds (and equally grotty!)

Ds was very young & shy going to uni so it was important he was somewhere he felt comfortable (Leeds was far too edgy for him!). Bath is like a slightly bigger version of his home town. So we were happy to suck up the extra cost but it is significant

That is quite significant but I understand the concern about a big city. Dd had been saying she’d have to have an en-suite and being a bit entitled - but that was when she was banking on getting a £6k bursary for mental health nursing. I’ve said that since we’re funding most of the cost now, she’ll have to have a shared bathroom and look at unis in cheaper cities!

I think she wants a big city really, so I’m not sure York or Lancaster quite fit the bill, but we’ll see.

Ds1 also wanted an en-suite when in halls. He is now happily sharing a bathroom with 5 others. They do come out of their shells eventually!

Good news about the interviews Anne and hope you feel better soon.

Monkey how awful. I’m surprised they are allowed to do that.

We were a bit taken aback as DD got an email from Plymouth demanding info re dyslexia and funding with a 7 day deadline with the treat of the offer being removed if she didn’t reply.

Going to remind her to check her junk folder to make sure there aren’t any other emails like that. I’m quite shocked and it doesn’t leave me with a warm feeling,

Treat??? Threat…

Wishing you speedy recovery Anne. Lots of juggling for your DD ahead, but hopefully once done, the sense of relief (and achievement!) will be enormous.

DD has a US alum interview today, just to mix things up a bit. Manchester interview went every well with end of interview/email follow up stating offer would be forthcoming. None yet…

She did say, whilst told by peers, admittedly for other course types, it was more marketing/pitch to you format, hers was quite robust; including detail on placement year etc. So my only advice is to expect the unexpected, no matter what you’re told or read!

Ooh, all sounds exciting @ealingwestmum

@AnneOfCleavage sorry to hear you have had such a bad dose of Covid, the impact varies so much! Well done to your DD for getting all those interviews, hope the head girl stuff sets her up well for that situation. Not surprised she is feeling overwhelmed!

@Delphigirl is there a driving test happening today or have I remembered incorrectly? If so, BEST OF LUCK!

This might seem like a strange question but does UCAS know that my DD has half filled in her form and applying for Biology? Lately she’s getting a lot of mail from unis she’s not even looked at. An email about a Wildlife Conservation course at Bath Spa and a Biological Science one from Cardiff Met. How do they know when she’s not submitted it yet? Is anyone else getting this?

@BlueMarigold there are buttons you have to press to avoid marketing - DD had lots through but that was probably my fault when ordering prospectuses for her earlier in the year. Pretty sure ucas do sell info to companies.

@AnneOfCleavage what great news about the interviews but equally stressful to fit it all in with mocks. Glad you are on the mend with the covid.

DD booked her offer day for York yesterday for late January after the 2nd lot of mocks. We might stay over so she can have a good look at the city as well as the uni. Has anyone stayed in York recently thinking AirBnB or independent hotel suggestions!

@crazycrofter

That would be such a good idea *@monkey2001*! Dd would definitely go for a course like that.

York seems to be a reasonably expensive place to live too?

Not in my experience! Really cheap! Not Sheffield/Leeds cheap but not expensive for students. Mainly because students in York aren't so much confined to a 'safe' area. Student housing costs in Leeds/Brum are pushed up by student housing being in nicer areas.

Hope you feel better soon AoC. It is a horrible thing!

What is your DD applying for again with all these interviews?

@Fruitygal - We stayed in York in August whilst we visiting the uni.

we stayed here, Elmbank Hotel and Lodge

We had a Superior Triple Room which was £170 for the 3 of us and included a lovely breakfast. It was a nice treat for us tbh. Walked into the city centre within 10 mins and a 10 min drive to the Campus. Loved it - really hope DD ends up (it's not her 1st choice but she likes it more than she did when she first visited - realised that she didn't actually like clubbing as much as she thought she would and therefore night life would be fine there.. Reallyl likes the course.