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

Thanks for explaining, Monkey.

Brilliant news, JustHere! He must be chuffed to bits 👏🏻

Somethings that's been bugging me for a while and I don't know if anyone else feels the same about the whole 'offers' process in the UK. I notice in the U.S they seem to apply to sometimes as many as 20 different unis and choose from them when they get their results. (Happy to be corrected as I do not know much about the U.S system, I'm just going on what I've seen on youtube). It seems to be very limiting in the U.K, to have 5 offers and then have to reject 3 leaving only 2 to choose from on results day. I appreciate it must be harder to manage if everyone is holding 5 offers but the U.S seem to manage it. (I also know that there's a push to applying to universities after results have been obtained but that's different process altogether). Any thoughts?

Work at the moment for me feels like 70 mph so I can only dip in and out.
This thread is moving like an impending speeding fine rate!
So, congratulations to all those with offers, interviews and other positive news
to those dealing with ‘other stuff’

Congrats @JustHereWithMyPopcorn’S Ds! Great news!

Both of my nieces only applied to one US university apiece. Not sure how much 'results' mattered but there was an awful lot of negotiation over various scholarships.

Fruitygal I read about the technical problems, the poor things . I hope tomorrow brings good news and how lovely of your DD to take chocolate for them.

Thank you all, he’s so happy, just need those grades now.

@Shimy I do t know anything about the American system despite many many years of watching American teen programmes (long past when I suspect I should be! 😂). I definitely think there should be a less stressful way to do this than the current system.

Good luck to the BMAT entries for tomorrow!

@Zebracat Hoping your results come swiftly and are the best news.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn Well done mini pop!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn
My understanding of the U.S system is purely from the youtube videos 'Results day' where they log in to see if they've got a place but there just seems to be so many for them to choose from. Not that I think having to choose from 20 different unis is a good idea! but sometimes wish we didn't have to reject all except 2. @Piggywaspushed Scholarships do seem to feature quite highly but then they don't have our 'Student finance' system so you can't blame them really. I remember DH's aunt in the U.S being shocked that Cambridge cost the same amount as any other uni AND that tuition fees didn't come directly from our bank account.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn fantastic Nottingham news. The 18 year old version of me is so jealous 🙃 I just checked DS’s UCAS account to see if they'd decided to give him an offer despite the disastrous LNAT but no such luck. DS needs to press send on the angry complaint email I've composed for him but he's at work

Shimy, my guilty pleasure is watching “college decision reaction” videos on YouTube, especially the Ivy Day ones, much to my DC’s amusement!
They do seem to apply for a lot more places, but they also seem to have to write a lot of essays as part of their applications, and pay for entry, I think.
I can’t begin to imagine the cost of visiting all the open days…

I always chuckle when they discount certain colleges on the strength of the weather in that particular state - USC and Cal Poly are popular for their climate!!

Also Those are the ones! I love watching them and how smug they are when they know they're going to get an offer from a lower ranked uni as they've just revealed they got into an ivy league. I get funny looks from DH & DS too but I don't care . I've watched all the videos by youtuber - Ibz Mo - Cambridge as well, they're gold!

Glad it’s not just me, Shimy! I love them, especially when they get an Ivy League college acceptance after being turned down by somewhere much lower tier and they explode!
I’ve watched some of Ibz Mo’s videos too, and Unjaded Jade is another favourite.

@crazycrofter and others - SEN exams etc; currently DDs school is going through the SEN A level candidates to ensure everything is in place for the Exams authority. They tried to say DD with a formal diagnosis needed additional assessments (they have a lady assessor coming into school) to continue with her extra time. Told her at school with no communication to us on Monday so DD was stressed. Spoke to SEN on the phone the following day - she is lovely - I explained that DD has been having support, resources and extra time since year 8 and is diagnosed formally - they have all the paperwork ( did gcse exams in year 9 and 10 so also exam board experience with this too). Apologies about needing to do it - I explained timing ten days before mocks and only about 6 weeks from the SEN exam submission deadline not helpful for anxiety. After being told things didn’t need to be rechecked by unis and school in September- I was concerned and confused but DD chased up today Re time of assessment tomorrow and Sen lady now says they’ve looked carefully at assessment and completed reports with staff Re normal way of working and their experience of DD and she is clearly is in need of her time and no need for additional assessment as clear diagnosis and normal way of working over many years. DD visibly calmer.

DD was diagnosed in year 8 by an educational psychologist who wrote Amazon bestsellers on dyslexia - we used her again as used her for DS1 and was excellent snd thorough even though eye wateringly pricey but we needed a report that was watertight at short notice ( 6 weeks before exam board cut off ) for DS1 as we were battling a senco at his school that said DS1 was just not bright and we needed to accept that?!? (He just found out yesterday he’s passed his MSc with a merit (and got a 2:1 in the BSc last year) - he’s so dyslexic it’s profound and he uses a computer in his exams with 25% extra time. Sooo proud I could burst. Never give up x

@Fruitygal. Lovely story about your ds1. Thanks

Do you like Ibz Mo, shimy? I think he is unbearable!

Brilliant news about your ds @Fruitygal - well done to him! And thanks for the extra time advice. I have the feeling DD’s school think they need either a formal diagnosis and a long history of working with extra time, or for her to be tested - which may be right, but they’ve done nothing about getting her tested. Dd does have a diagnosis but his SENCO said they were relying on the fact it’s his normal way of working (but only since Sept) and his history teacher helpfully marks where he got up to in normal time in tests, so they can use that as evidence. Dd hasn’t been asked to indicate that.

Ds has a diagnosis - not dd

Been busy for a couple of days and have come back to so much news! Many congratulations to those with offers and interviews, it's lovely to see. Hugs to those who need them and solidarity to those whose form hasn't gone in. I will post an updated list of DC progress today ready for a new thread.

(Maybe an Advent themed title in honour of DC awaiting or preparing for Oxbridge interviews - O Come O Come Emmanuel (and Selwyn and Magdalen and the rest)

Still waiting on predicted grades here - I emailed DS's personal tutor (also the year tutor) 3 weeks ago to say could she sort it soon as mocks were coming up and I was worried about the stress of it all clashing and what that would do to DS's MH and his attainment in what could turn out to be important exams. No acknowledgement or reply as usual and now he has been summoned to argue his case with the UCAS coordinator actually during mocks. He does not find this kind of thing easy at the best of times and hasn't seen her yet but I hope he will manage it today. If not, or if things don't go well, I am going to step in. Hopefully without losing my temper but that is not guaranteed. He has done 2 exams so far and thinks they went ok, 2 more to go on Mon / Tues. ugh the stress of it all. Then DD's GCSE mocks start the day after

Well done to your DS Fruitygal, that’s a lovely story.

Singingstones, your poor boy. It’s quite sad that his predicted grades are still in question.

Thinking of you this morning Sandy, fingers crossed for your DD’s BMAT result.

I think he would have given up by now ealing, but he is desperate to go to Nottingham in 2022 because a couple of friends also have it as their first choice. I think they have visions of non stop partying (and DS will like the thought of not moving away by himself).
I am itching to get the head of sixth form involved and chuck the useless tutor under the bus but I know it would do him a lot of good if he can sort it out himself. Fingers crossed he manages it today. If not, stand back and await detonation.

@crazycrofters None I’d the schools or colleges mine went to have fine testing for diagnosis. We had to this ourselves privately - for dyslexia we spoke to the dyslexia association to get advice and then used an educational psychologist in North London. A long drive but great lady with a good rep.

I’m sorry your DS hasn’t heard yet, It must be because they are still looking in to the test situation. Definitely send the email!!