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

DOWN in my post seems ridiculous! It was meant to say SOON!

DS has put in his other two choices today : Bath Social Policy with placement year and Sheffield : Quantitative Social Sciences.

That must be a relief for you both Piggy, your due diligence has been very thorough.

Happy birthday to your DS IcanbewhatIwanr

Wow, such a fast moving thread!
@OrangeCinnamonCocktail, my sincere condolences. Tough times and you are in my thoughts.
@Volterra, sorry to hear of your health issues. I often think this is the worst part, no diagnosis so no plan of action. We are going through something similar with DS. Let’s hope things are sorted quickly for you.
Congratulations to others on the successes of you DC.

Thanks, JustHere. I think so too. I appreciate indie schools are a business, ateotd, but a bit of sensitivity in their handling of what has been an already incredibly stressful time for us would have been appreciated.

Hope you’re doing ok, AnnofCleavage.

Volterra, I have a chronic, incurable illness that went undiagnosed for months, thanks to ignorant treatment from a GP. I cried when I was finally told what it was and how poorly I was, but from relief; just knowing I’d been heard and could be treated was such a relief, after months of anxiety.
I hope you get answers and a plan very soon.
Sorry to hear you’re going through a similar scenario with your DS, cariad.

This thread is so fast moving at the moment is difficult to keep up!

I wanted to say a huge thank you to @Monkey2001 for suggesting engineering at Lincoln a few threads ago.

We went to the open day yesterday and were really impressed. We all listened to the engineering talk and then DH (an engineer) and DS went on a tour of the engineering department. They were really impressed with the facilities and the staff there. I did ask why the entry requirements were so low considering the facilities (BBB for the MEng compared to A*AA at other top universities) which they explained as being because it was a post 1992 University and the engineering department is only 10 years old. DH certainly thought the facilities and the staff were comparable to the other universities we have visited.

It will definitely be going down as one of DS’s 5 choices. If it wasn’t for the effect of university reputation on future employment prospects then it would be in his top two.

It is such a relief to have finally found a decent insurance choice where he would be happy to go. So a massive thank you to you Monkey.

Thanks @Alsoplayspiccolo, we hope an MRI next week will help rule things in or out.
I do hope your school will adopt a more sensitive approach going forward.

@icanbewhatiwant that morph suit is definitely going on DS's Christmas list, love it!!

@20newnames delighted to help! I can get a report from my nephew who has now started Engineering at Lincoln, but last I heard he was loving it.

@20newnames what a great day you’ve had and such a positive review of engineering at Lincoln - @Monkey2001 got anymore top tips ?

DH and I were just reminiscing about applying to university. He did 4 A levels and applied for physics - firm was Imperial at CC and insurance was Manchester at EE. Both want 2 x A* and an A now. A different world!

Sorry, have been a bit quiet over the last few days: need to catch up on the thread, but sending my thoughts @OrangeCinnamonCocktail - so sorry to read the news about your mum. We are doing a rush of final visits before ds puts in his form today. Southampton today which he liked at a campus level, but has decided the course itself isn't quite right (& actually seeing how the buildings and departments were set up today really firmed that for him) - York plus either Sheffield or Nottingham next weekend and then he's decided he's just going to make decisions and stop procrastinating. Also spent hours today trying to help dd organise her GCSE revision (& realising just how little of her Chemistry and Physics went in over lockdown...) - I'd forgotten how annoying this is with all the bloody GCSE subjects and syllabuses. On my third glass of wine ;-)

@Isthisjustnormal they do far too many subjects for GCSE don’t they? Ds is doing 11 and just can’t manage them all.

Dd has finally finished her history coursework (or at least a first draft!) and immediately seems a bit less stressed!

Thanks for the birthday wishes for Ds. Sorry to hear from those with illness etc. Thought I'd just add a bit of fun with the morph suit pic. I've not really seen much of Ds today...I think he's catching up on sleep as was up early (for a Sunday)

@Monkey2021 an update when you next see him would be great. I’ll be asking back when it comes to decision time when we know what offers he has but that is ages away.

He says he is doing his final bits on the form tonight and clicking submit (with 4 unis on, a 5th to be added at a later date). He hasn’t yet asked me for money though!!

Hi, can I join? Y13 DC applying to uni so following with interest. Not submitted application but hopefully it will be done in the next few weeks.

@Budapestdreams hi ! What is your DD or DS hoping to study ?

@Fruitygal my dh has been to the Gp and had all the usual tests which show nothing wrong. He’s also got the awful fatigue plus generally feeling unwell - fluey/headaches.

@DoggerelBank @Monkey2001 Manchester is on the cards here too, assuming dd likes the vibe when we visit in a couple of weeks. Have you visited?

Hi @Budapestdreams and welcome!

Welcome @Budapestdreams!

@crazycrofter Haven't been to Manchester since DD was looking and DS, then 14, was dragged along too. But he remembers it fondly from then, and DH studied there so is bigging it up. We'll probably go there in the New Year, if he still seems interested by then.
BTW, is it just our family where we now have competitive parental involvement in uni selection? Universities that our previous uni-choosers visited:
with me: 8

with DH: 2
He has a 100% hit rate, I have a measly 12%. And it's looking like he'll probably 'win' with DS too. Me, bitter? Never!

Welcome @Budapestdreams

We haven't visited Manchester either. I don't think they have had proper open days and it is very much second to Newcastle for DS. A family friend went to the Royal Northern recently and loved it and stayed in Manchester and one of DS's orchestra friends who is in year above is there, so it feels connected. I wanted to go at half term, but could not persuade DS, might go over Christmas break as my St Andrews medic will also be going there a year after @DoggerelBank DD.

On the parental influence thing, DH didn't come to any open days with DS1 as I did all the research support. I delegated the Newcastle trip with DS2 as he loves Newcastle (engineer loves bridges), so all being well it will be 1 all!

Loving Spider-Man.
Ds1 has mocks this week.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59289008
JCVI recommending 2nd jab for 16/17 yos!!