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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Thread 29 - Covid Cohort - Whirlwinds and Waiting

999 replies

OrangeCinnamonCroissant · 23/02/2022 22:29

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 28

OP posts:
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 27/02/2022 13:28

I am adding one thing a week to my weekly shop - cotton buds, deodorant, toothpaste etc so it won't be a huge cost come September.

Delphigirl · 27/02/2022 13:28

@sofakingcool

Thanks for the new shiny thread!

So news in our camp... DS has firmed ShockShockShockShock

Uni of Reading - Firm
Bournemouth- Insurance

Yay! Well done him!
Piggywaspushed · 27/02/2022 13:29

Exciting news sofa!

Cantonet · 27/02/2022 13:30

Sorry for my terrible English.
DH currently has the BBC on repeat & Putin's latest is terrifying 😮

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 27/02/2022 13:30

@Piggywaspushed Yes I had read that too although for some reason I have it in my head Parliament / House of Commons placements unpaid but maybe she won't go down that route anyway. Money worries me mainly because I don't have any 😭😂

Piggywaspushed · 27/02/2022 13:39

If those are unpaid then Bath supports. It would be typical of parliament to be different of course!!

Shimy · 27/02/2022 14:01

Just asking again - Please has anyone had a dc who has dropped the EPQ and what is the process to do that at their school?

crazycrofter · 27/02/2022 14:01

I read that Psychology placements are often unpaid too @Piggywaspushed but I hadn’t heard about support from Bath (not that she has an offer yet anyhow!). I’m hoping dd will get summer work. She’s not going to have time this summer with all the camps/festivals/holidays she has planned, but I did say to her yesterday that this is her last free summer!

Piggywaspushed · 27/02/2022 14:30

@Shimy

Just asking again - Please has anyone had a dc who has dropped the EPQ and what is the process to do that at their school?
Surely, you just don't do it?
Fferny2 · 27/02/2022 15:05

@Shimy there's no need to continue if the offers are not dependent on the Epq. The Unis won't care whether it's completed or not. School is giving you the wrong advice.

sofakingcool · 27/02/2022 15:09

@Piggywaspushed

Exciting news sofa!
Thank you! And to you Delph!

Such a relief, hopefully will now inspire him to work hard at this exams!

Shimy · 27/02/2022 15:13

DS has been told that he needs to inform all his universities that he is pulling out of the EPQ because even though the EPQ is not part of his offer, it is part of his overall profile. DS is convinced school is right and nothing I say about how nuts this all is has made any difference. He is in the process of calling up p/ emailing Warwick et al to inform them and ask if he will lose his offers.

PaddingtonPaddington · 27/02/2022 15:14

@Shimy

Just asking again - Please has anyone had a dc who has dropped the EPQ and what is the process to do that at their school?
DD not doing the EPQ but assume it was added to DC UCAS qualifications with pending result? I’d contact UCAS and confirm, I’ve found them really helpful and quick to reply.
PaddingtonPaddington · 27/02/2022 15:15

@sofakingcool

Thanks for the new shiny thread!

So news in our camp... DS has firmed ShockShockShockShock

Uni of Reading - Firm
Bournemouth- Insurance

Congrats 🎉
Wheresthebeach · 27/02/2022 15:16

Oh nice to be firmed Sofaking.

@shimy - I don't know. I think you should email admissions of one of the offer uni's and ask them. DD dropped her EPQ because the school were crap at it so it wasn't part of her UCAS.

I'd presume the uni's would get the grades as normal and assess the offer in the usual way. So if there was a reduced offer with EPQ it would switch to a 'standard' offer automatically. It may be that you don't have to do anything at all.

Wheresthebeach · 27/02/2022 15:17

Actually @shimy I think Paddingtons suggestion of contacting UCAS is better than contacting the Uni's.

ProggyMat · 27/02/2022 15:23

@Shimy there are a few threads on this on TSR. The general consensus suggests that DS should ask each Uni that he is holding an offer from - in writing- if their offer will remain the same if he drops the EPQ

ProggyMat · 27/02/2022 15:26

By ‘in writing’ I mean email and ask for the Uni to confirm the iffe

ProggyMat · 27/02/2022 15:27

Jeez Grin the Uni needs to confirm in an email that his offer stands without the EPQ.

Monkey2001 · 27/02/2022 15:33

@Seeline I think the school is right, if the information on which offers was based changes you are obliged to tell the universities, but it is unlikely that there will be a problem. I had completely forgotten that DS will have to do that too (if he gets any offers)

Congratulations on decision made @sofakingcool!

Shimy · 27/02/2022 15:37

Thanks all. The confusion I think lies in whether your offer came with a condition tied directly to the EPQ or whether your standard offer is indirectly tied to the EPQ of that makes sense?
None of his offers so far come with a condition of EPQ, the only one that might be tied to the EPQ will be the lower offer from Bath, so not the standard offer. So does he still need to contact all the other universities?

Shimy · 27/02/2022 16:05

DS has decided on what you’ve all said he will let the other Unis know and get it in writing. I think this will put all our minds at rest.

NCTDN · 27/02/2022 16:18

I've just been looking at student finance and really hoping, but doubting, that I've got it wrong!
So DD wants catered at uni. If she goes to her first choice it's £8820 for 42 weeks accommodation. She will get a loan of £4524. That means a shortfall of £4296. Does that mean that we need to find £102 per week just to pay for accommodation? That leaves DD with no money at all to live off? Have I got this correct? Confused

crazycrofter · 27/02/2022 16:29

@NCTDN that’s right - but that’s very expensive accommodation. And catered probably works out more than self-catered.

singingstones · 27/02/2022 16:30

I think that's right NCTDN.
Lots of people seem to pay for the accommodation and the DC lives off the loan but obvs that means finding £200+ per week. (Or actually I think it's paid in three chunks, one in advance of each term, so maybe £3k, £3k, £2k or something like that.)

Would she be persuaded to go for something cheaper?