Thread 28 - Corona Cohort Awaiting Offers, Advance Notice, Gap Years and New Jobs

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

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 27 Here

@crazycrofter

We got a free lunch at Southampton. The queues were very long as everyone was hiding from the rain but it was worth waiting for - a hot meal - I had crispy chicken, Asian slaw and fries, dd had BBQ pulled pork, melted cheese, fries and jalapenos. Very tasty! Dd isn’t 100% sure though. We revisited the city centre, by which time it was dry and she liked it - less manic than Birmingham on a Saturday. But I don’t feel she really came away with a conviction that she wants to go there, although it was ‘fine’

We don't live that far from Southampton, and visited the Uni on a couple of open days, I agree the place is a bit "ok", it lacks something?!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn it wasn't too windy, just very very wet. My calves were already suffering after a day tramping round London with DD followed by a gig. A campus tour across the Downs didn't help. I'm getting too old for this 😂

Haven’t had a full debrief from Ds yet but overall it’s a no from him for Southampton. I’m not surprised- I really liked it for ds1 but ds2 is after a bigger city. So I think it will Leeds for his firm & Sheffield for his insurance. He hasn’t been at any applicant days for those yet though.

I don’t think dd really knows what she’s after. Maybe the York offer holders day will clarify things. She mentioned earlier she wanted ethnic diversity - I guess because that’s what she’s used to. Looks like Southampton/Nottingham/Manchester would be better choices than Bath/York in that case. To be honest, I’m sure she’ll be fine wherever she goes.

@OrangeCinnamonCroissant the best way to check out hills is to put the start and end points in Google maps and look at the cycling route as that shows the route profile.

@icanbewhatiwant glad to hear your electricity is back, that must have been awful.

@Oblomov22 - wow, well done too your DS. It is great when they work out what they want and have the drive to focus on it, whether that happens when they are 10 or 25!

@crazycrofter Sounds like DD - looking for that ‘this is it’ moment

Glad you all had good days at Southampton and Nottingham. I am hacked off that we can't go to the Nottingham open days.

Thanks all for your comment re accommodation at Nottingham. I've did find that info on the website @JustHereWithMyPopcorn but it doesn't explain the process really. I had read somewhere (can't remember where) that said you pick type of accommodation rather than actual halls but I can't find it now and not much info on Nottingham website about the actual process (York you pick 7 I believe) Nottingham mentions minimum of 3 but not if it's halls or type.

Sorry Im waffling, Im feeling crappolo still, horrible cold. They seem much worse since getting covid during the summer. Feel like Im drowning, really chesty cough and nose full of you know what...

@icanbewhatiwant glad elec back on what a relief!

@Fruitygal - where did you end up going for dinner in the end? LOl at no smart clothes, was that a polite way of saying they preferred wagas? Yes please to asking your friend if she remembers the process for applying for accommodation that would be great.

@mummyinbeds DD & DH didn't actually get there in time to actually look at the accommodation... Interesting that your DS preferred the shared one though - DD thinks sharing with 1 other may be awkward rather than 5 but would prefer ensuite. That may change when she realises a lot of the ensuite are single beds. Shehas already mentioned that she's slept in a double bed since she was 9....

I'm a little scared to put ensuite in case she ends up in another Halls costing £9.6K!!

@OrangeCinnamonCroissant thanks for TSR suggestion I can't find anything on there unfortunately. Lots of very old posts.

It's very windy up here again, hoping DH doesn't lose yet another day of gardening work (had to cancel Fri/Sat/Sun due to weather which is fine in 1 way as he needed the break, finding it much harder going full time (not surprisingly).

Hope all the fences remain and roof tiles stay on for you all.

Good luck for next week for anyone waiting for offers or have mocks. DD has half term. She is swimming coaching (helping) for 1.5 hrs 3 days next week which is new. She has been out lots partying recently so will need to settle down and do some revision int he afternoons next week. Hoping I don't need to mention it as we all know how that works out...

DS has pushed the buttons. I am trying to remain serene!

@Piggywaspushed

DS has pushed the buttons. I am trying to remain serene!

LOVE IT - Do a little dance Piggy :-)

@Heifer Went to lovely traditional moderately swish italian bistro we’d booked and he found a nice top snd smart jeans with girlfriend in something smart yet relaxed but not trackies.

They’d mentioned I’d said it’s was for birthday so surprised us happy birthday sequins on the table and candle in the pud which was acceptable level of fuss for DS2.

Lovely food and drink - super traditional meat, pasta and fish dishes - circular table so perfect for a chat - he was knackered as he’d been on set for a week with 3am starts but that’s his industry.

@Heifer will ask friend tomorrow about accommodation

@Piggywaspushed sounds like you are there with the unis - lucky you!

@crazycrofter sounds like a good lunch but not a perfect match for the uni

@Decorhate Leeds and Sheffield are good choices and hopefully the offer days will help decide things

@Oblomov22 congrats on your DS's job offer - only just seen it while trying to catch up fully with the thread - uni and apprenticeships what a lot to think about

Poor DD very subdued this morning, after a bit of a meltdown yesterday. She's not done anywhere near as much revision as she wanted, she is still exhausted, missed the last couple of days of school so not really sure how teachers are using the Advanced Notice stuff in these mocks. How she will cope with 2x2hr exams today am really not sure - she is sooo tired still. At least I'm out of isolation today so can take her to school rather than having to fight buses/trains. I was still in bed until yesterday, so being up at this time is a bit of a shock!!!

@Seeline I’d pop into reception when you drop off or email the head of exams. DD was ill the weekend prior to her mock week and had 2 exams on the Monday. I emailed as she wanted to continue but wasn’t well and the head of exams took things in hand and she also filled out mitigation form

Poor dd @seeline. I agree with frutygal about letting school know - even if she wants to give the exams a try. It may be that she manages the first but not the second. I hope she feels better soon.

@Seeline totally agree with @crazycrofter DD managed morning exam and then got sicker at beginning of afternoon so they stopped her and gave her an alternate paper another day. She managed the other exams on the Wednesday to Friday snd luckily had none on the Tuesday. They prefer to know so they can mitigate - also they might have mentioned this to the other kids last week when she was off.

Oh that's sucks @seeline. Agree with the others that letting the school know is a good thing.

Can't get my head around Boris announcing a free for all on Thursday. I think a lot of kids are going to be off sick.

Arggh - I dropped her at 8 am. She would hate me contacting school 'behind her back' and if they started trying to change things for this afternoon's exam, she would go mad! I shall have to wait and see how things go, and if necessary contact them this evening before tomorrow's exam. At least they know she's had covid as that was registered before they broke up.

I think Boris is mad to stop things right now. Neither DH nor I had mild cold symptoms, and we're both triple jabbed. DH had the whole week off work - the first time I have ever known him take more than a couple of days in over 30 years! I'm still feeling incredibly rough. Letting this go loose seems very unwise!

List update, just in case there are updates / corrections ahead of the new thread..
Exciting to see decisions being made!
Solidarity to those still waiting for offers and those with mocks, especially if not well

@22Newnames / DS / Engineering / Lincoln (U/C), Nottingham (AAB), Bath, Durham, Warwick
@Alsoplayspiccolo / DD / English Lit + Film, Liberal Arts / Reading (BCC), Birmingham (AAB), RHUL (ABB), Southampton (ABB), KCL
@AnneofCleavage / DD / gap year + Primary Education / UWE (BBC), Winchester (120 pts), Sussex (BBB), Oxford Brookes (104 pts) Chichester
@Appuskidu / DD / Psychology / Nottingham, Birmingham
@BlueMarigold / DD / Biology / FIRM: Birmingham (AAA-AAB), INSURANCE: Lincoln (U/C)
@CaliforniaDrumming / DS / UCL, Warwick, Nottingham
@cariadambyth / DD / History / Southampton (AAB), Warwick (AAA), RHUL (BBB), Bath Spa (U/C)
@ChristopherTracy / DS / Mech Eng / Nottingham (ABB), Kingston (ABB), Sussex (ABB-BBB), QMUL (ABB), Warwick
@collywobble / DS / PPE, Economics / Lancaster (ABB), Loughborough (AAB), Leeds (AAA-AAB)
@crazycrofter / DD / Psychology / Nottingham (ABB), York (ABB), Southampton (ABB), Manchester (AAA), Bath
@Decorhate / DS / Economics + Politics / Leeds, Sheffield, Southampton, Bristol
@Delphigirl / DS / Oceanography / gap year + ACCEPTED: Dalhousie (CC), Southampton (ABB), Cardiff (BBB-BBC), Plymouth (112 pts)
@DoggerelBank / DS / Biotechnology / Bristol (ABB), Leeds, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow
@ealingwestmum / DD / Middle Eastern & European Studies / Bristol (ABBM2), Manchester (ABBM2), Leeds (ABM2), McGill, Durham
@esterfrewen / DS / History / FIRM: Cambridge, INSURANCE: Lancaster (BBC)
@EwwSprouts / DS / Biology / Sheffield (AAB), York (AAB), Nottingham (AAB), Durham (AAA), St Andrews
@ExtremelyDelighted / History, Environmental Management / RAU (56 pts), Winchester (104 pts), Chichester (104 pts), Bournemouth (96 pts), RHUL (DMC)
@Fferny1 / DS / Sports Science / Oxford Brookes, Bangor, Aberystwyth, Surrey x 2
@Fiddlersgreen / DS / Journalism / Bournemouth (104pts), Brighton (BCC), Cardiff (ABB), Sheffield (ABB)
@Fonty / DS / History / Birmingham (AAB), Exeter (AAA) Edinburgh, Durham, St Andrews
@Fruitygal / DD / Biology / Lancaster, Sheffield (AAB-ABB), Exeter (AAB-ABB), York (AAB-ABB), Durham
@GoldenRuby / DD / Social Anthropology + Geography / Sussex (ABB-BBB), St Andrews, Edinburgh, Durham, Exeter
@Hattifatteners / DD / Vet Med / Nottingham (AAB), Bristol
@Heifer / DD / Biology / Nottingham (AAB), Sheffield (AAB-ABB), Sheffield Hallam (96pts), York (BBB), Loughborough (AAB)
@HibiscusIsland / DD / Biology / Nottingham, Southampton, Surrey, Bristol, Warwick
@Horace123 / DS / Classics / Oxford (39/666), Edinburgh (34/665), Exeter (36), UCL (36), Durham
@icanbewhatiwant / DS / History + Philosophy / FIRM: Sussex (DBC), INSURANCE: Gloucestershire (112 pts)
@Isthisjustnormal / DS / Comp Sci / York (AAA), Exeter, Warwick, Bath
@JustHereWithMyPopcorn / DS / Law / Nottingham (AAA), Birmingham (AAA), Warwick, York
@KingscoteStaff / DD / Medicine / Bristol, Nottingham (biochem/med sci), Birmingham, Newcastle, Barts
@kiwiandcherries / DD / Primary Education / Winchester, Gloucestershire, Oxford Brookes, Chester, Kingston
@Knickerthief1 / DD / Child Nursing / York
@Monkey2001 / DS / Medicine / Manchester, Newcastle
@mummabear74 / DD / Environmental Science / York (AAB), Southampton (ABB), Cardiff (BBB-BBC), Nottingham (ABB)
@mummyinbeds / DS / Law + French Law / Birmingham (AAA), Kent (AAB), Warwick (AAB), Nottingham (AAA)
@Nard75 / DS / Maths / Aston (BBC), Birmingham (AAA), Nottingham, Manchester, Warwick
@NCTDN / DD / Liberal Arts / Bristol (ABB), Warwick (AAA), Loughborough (ABB), Manchester (AstarAA), Durham
@Oblomov21 / DS / Accountancy / BDO, Southampton (ABB), Durham (ABB-AAC), QMUL, Reading, Nottingham, PwC, EY
@OrangeCinnamonCroissant / DD / Music / Sussex (ABB-BBB), Surrey (BCC), RHUL (BBB-BBC), Southampton, Cardiff
@PaddingtonPaddington / DD / Music / FIRM: RWCMD (EE)
@Piggywaspushed / DS / Social Sciences / FIRM: Birmingham (AAB-ABB), INSURANCE: York (AAB-ABB)
@ProggyMat / DD / Classics / FIRM: Oxford (AAA), INSURANCE: UCL (AAB)
@SandyBayley / DD / Medicine / Oxford (39/766), Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol
@sazzy5 / DS / Medicine
@scabby1 / DS / Economics + Politics / York, Nottingham (AAA), Bristol, Leeds
@Seeline / DD / Liberal Arts / Exeter (AAA), Kent (BBB), UEA (AAB), Nottingham (AAA), Birmingham
@Shadedog / DS / History / UCL, LSE, Edinburgh, Newcastle
@Shimy / DS / Management, Business + Management / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), Loughborough, Warwick
@singingstones / DS / Neuroscience / Exeter (ABB), Aston (BBB), Sussex (ABB-BBB), QMUL (ABB), Nottingham (AAB)
@sofakingcool / DS / Business, Economics / Bournemouth, Reading, Portsmouth, Cardiff
@Volterra / DS / Maths / Exeter (AstarAA), Bath (AstarAA), Southampton, Cardiff
@Wheresthebeach / DD / gap year + Marine Biology / Swansea, Portsmouth (U/C), Southampton, Plymouth, Liverpool
@whoamitojudge / DD / Cabin crew training completed and flying high!
@Zebracat / DD / Liberal Arts, History+ / Warwick (ABB), Birmingham (ABB-BBB), RHUL with foundation (CCC), Cambridge Arts Foundation, Exeter
@ZittiEBuoni / DD / applying 2023 tbc

Thanks @singingstones

Hope your Dd gets match fit soon @seeline.
My Dd (lower sixth) tested positive on Thursday- she had a headache for a few days, and is still hack coughing.
@Decorhate- will your DS firm Leeds & Sheffield before he hears from Bristol? We are still waiting for Leeds & Bristol. If they are to be no, I hope we don’t hear till after the mocks are over (next Wednesday).

@singingstones Thanks for updating the list DD hot get Durham offer of AAA last week so that can be added

Talking to her grandparents last night, dd said there were no bad points about Southampton so maybe she will go for it after all. One of her best friends has firmed it, plus she should get £1k as an access student - both positive factors! I also really like the free uni bus. Dd loves shopping in town, so I can see her wanting to pop to the city centre a lot.

Have you heard anything from dd @Seeline?