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

Sorry to hear you're stull suffering @AnneOfCleavage - are you well enough to netflix at least?

@Heifer thanks for this! We drove over and did York snd Durham on two separate days when holidaying near by in the summer. We ran of steam as it was really hot so after the campus we walked into York and had lunch and did a couple of streets near the minster and the HP shop then came home. She liked it but I want her to get a feel for the city too x

Oh, you may have meant Halls for York. Only expensive if you choose the fancy stuff : it really isn't expensive compared to other places .

Bless you all. I'm doing okay and feel lucky it wasn't worse. My poor dad has just finished his 10 days but spiked a temp and is now on a 2 wk AntiBiotic course for a chest infection.
I found I can't concentrate for long and even watching TV wears me out Heifer but while DD and DH are at a Uni tour tomorrow I may well try and catch up one some.

Piggy DD has applied to do Primary Teaching hence all the interviews. No offers until she's had those but you only get to the offers if you have been selected for an interview so it's a bit nail biting. 4 out of 5 in one week isn't bad going but it's v daunting. DH insisted she come home as has an afternoon of "Frees" after her work experience at the local Primary School. He emailed and said he'd be picking her up. Normally you aren't allowed to do this and "Frees" are study periods to do work on but only in school but her school said absolutely fine amazingly 😲. She's done lots of head girl stuff recently and did an interview with some LA people this morning first thing, not sure what or who but this is normal for her and she takes it in her stride. Then her volunteering. She's at the dining room table surrounded by books studying - I expected her to chill and watch TV.

She tried out her 4 minute routine for her interview on her year 4 class today and it went down well plus the teacher was impressed too. She did quadrilaterals using a home made shape maker made out of modelling balloons and wooden dowel. She's going to make one for the teacher as a Christmas present 😁

Wow AoC, that sounds impressive! Hope she gets a nice crop of offers.

Fabulous Anne, she sounds like she’ll ace them all, best of luck to her!

@crazycrofter I have sent you a PM with my niece's answers re York. As you will see, she is happy to answer any more questions.

Thanks @Monkey2001 that’s brilliant !

Fruitygal, this place is about to open. Their hotel in Bath is stunning, so I’m sure the York one will be just as lovely.

www.guesthousehotels.co.uk/no-1-york/

@Fruitygal Heard a lot of good things but not stayed myself (live within easy drive). Can walk to everywhere.
www.bar-convent.org.uk/accommodation.htm

Delighted for those receiving offers. Interviews sound a lot of added stress.

@AnneOfCleavage Pleased you are on the mend.

DS better finish his first draft of PS soon!

@EwwSprouts and @Alsoplayspiccolo thanks sooo much ladies - showing DH this evening x

Just had a letter from school - PS has to be in on Monday and if it’s not they will be supervised every day next week in form time to finish it! Dd had better decide on her subject and re-start hers soon!

@crazycrofter good luck for the weekend - sounds like you’ll be busy

DS's PS has been approved by school, we need to do the rest of the UCAS stuff this weekend, but he's got mocks next week, BTEC coursework, a hockey match tomorrow and work Sunday morning, going to be a busy weekend.

@ExcessiveIyDisorganised sounds like a demanding weekend where a large glass of wine might be needed when you get to tonight

I forgot to mention I'm out with friends this evening too, we are going to a Christmas market late in the afternoon then a bite to eat, unfortunately I'm driving but there will be wine when I get home. DS is feeling a bit frazzled.

@ExcessiveIyDisorganised I feel your pain. My 'must have more faith' moment from last week seems to have been misplaced. That essay I saw wasn't what I thought it was. DS now has less than 3 weeks to:

• write a detailed plan for EPQ, inc analysis of the sources he's going to use, etc (and needs to talk to teachers about how to crunch the data properly before he can do much of this)
• decide what he wants to study at uni, and where
• write a PS from scratch and complete UCAS form
• write 1st draft of EPQ
• do several long shifts at work (he's thinking of handing in his notice today, but will still have to work for the next two weeks)
• work hard enough on A level subjects to persuade teachers to up a couple of his predictions, so he has some chance of getting offers to where he wants to go

Looks like a bit of a tall order at this point - sigh!

Question: if he writes a rubbish, rushed PS and gets rejected this year, that wouldn't have any bearing on his chances if he reapplied to the same place next year, would it? We're talking Edinburgh/Glasgow/Bristol/Manchester/Leeds/Exeter/Birmingham type of places, for maybe biotech or natsci.

@doggerelbank you’ve made me feel more relaxed, as dd just has the uni/UCAS stuff from your list to do! As far as I know, there’s no connection between this year’s applications and next., I’m also thinking DD’s PS might be a bit rubbish and lose her some offers, but she’s so indecisive that only having one or two offers would actually be ideal!

Does he really have to do EPQ? If it’s not going to be his best work I’d try to get him out of it.

Sounds like some exhausting weekends for a few of us! DS mock revising and working this pm. Am currently having quiet coffee in town with DH unwinding after all the appendix stress. Harrogate starting to look quite christmassy and a helter skelter seems to have materialised out of nowhere by Betty's.

@AnneOfCleavage - sorry you are still feeling unwell. Hope things start to pick up

@crazycrofter, sensible idea just to drop EPQ, but the thing is, despite many signs to the contrary, he's really interested in it and doesn't want to give it up. It's using knowledge from his 4th A level that he gave up in September and would have loved to have continued with if he wasn't too lazy. And frankly he's got precious little else to write about in a PS, so without EPQ either, god knows what will go in it. Think a blitz this weekend will prove either that the EPQ is possible or it isn't.

Maybe he will come good under the pressure?! I do remember taking a similar approach to my history coursework in year 13. When everyone else was researching at the central library I was on the music floor borrowing cds! I had a sudden panic right near the deadline, pulled it out of the bag and got an A. So it can be done! Fingers crossed!

After a morning dash to get DS to work after I went back to sleep after my alarm, he managed to be only 7 minutes late after waking up 40 minutes late - dressed and 11 minutes from wake up call so no time for the usual 5 eggs! I really going to tell him he has to be responsible for waking up in time.

@DoggerelBank no universities I have heard of have a system to identify reapplicants, so unless there was something particularly memorable and the same person happened to get it in their pile, another year is a fresh application. Bristol don't use PS at all, just an algorithm applied centrally. The Biomed Admissions Tutor at Newcastle told me at a 2018 open day that they don't look at PS but just give an offer of AAB to anyone predicted at least CCC. Given the speed at which Birmingham and York turn offers round, I assume lots of departments there don't use PS either.

How would you feel about DS dropping the EPQ? I think that is where we are heading, which is a great shame for the reasons discussed a couple of pages ago..

@DoggerelBank I see you answered the question about dropping it. I thought this video was helpful for explaining how to get a great mark. The kids think it should all be about the essay/presentation, but it really isn't.

Ds1 had mocks this week. He is really tired. They were a lot harder than he thought. I think it's been a nasty shock. But I'm pleased he's had that shock iykwim.