Thread 30 Covid Cohort, Mad March Hareing Towards Exams

[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 29

I've made this one a little bit earlier as things are so busy, at home and on thread, so please feel free to use up previous thread first

Great to hear about buttons being pressed. I do think it’s a shame that kids can be put off applying to certain unis because of obsession with league tables etc. I have said many times that England in particular is fairly unique in the way that kids move far away for uni. In so many other countries it’s the norm to go to your local one which makes the transition much easier.

And I often quote Obama “ Just because it’s not some name-brand, famous, fancy school doesn’t mean that you’re not going to get a great education there”

Our local uni has proved perfect for many kids I know but does not top any league tables.

I'm glad Exeter don't do the course dd wants as it's miles away! Anywhere with a nearby beach is a huge appeal to her though.

Happy mothers day to us, those with us and those who gave us lovely memories. x

Yes it is a relief, Also. Something decided at last and a few months ago I didn't think we'd ever get here. How is your DD doing, is she close to making her choices or still some open days to go?

DS has just booked the applicant day at Surrey. The course is much better at Surrey as it's 25 hours contact a week.
Aber. was 12. DS with ADHD needs supervision not hours of self motivated study by himself. Offer is distinction, merit, and a B in Psychology. He tells me he's heading for 2 distinctions but I'm not sure about the B in Psychology.

[quote NCTDN]@HarrietDVane that's an amazing contextual offer for Bristol- what's the course?[/quote]
It's for MFL - we were surprised that it was so low too!

Happy Mother’s Day everyone! Hope you’re all having a lovely day.

Congrats to those who have pushed the buttons - exciting times. Must be lovely to be settled and not debating anymore.

We’ve one more offer day and hopefully dd will settle.

DDs friends are all waiting to hear from Durham.

Which course is that for @Cantonet? I’m really surprised there’s such a difference in contact hours for the same subject.

Hope everyone’s having a good Mother’s Day!

DD has Birmingham offer holders day on Saturday, singing, and Southampton in May, but I’m hoping she’ll have firmed by then; she went to Southampton’s open day, so she has a good idea of what the department is like.
This weekend, she’s talked seriously about deferring. In theory, it’s a good idea for her maturity to catch up and for her to gain some life skills, but there is a risk she’ll fall out of education altogether, so it might be preferable for her to do a foundation year.

So, much uncertainty here still.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful mums here, and for those missing theirs today.

Another button pushed! DS has firmed Durham and put Sheffield as insurance.

@Fruitygal Snap!!

Ahhh: congrats to all the button pushers. Still waiting on Warwick and Bath. It’s so frustrating!! But in social news, Ds went to a mates spontaneous bbq and has an invite to another mates gig next week; and is organising to meet another mate for climbing. So thanks for all the advice as it feels like he’s in a much better space now there are a few plans.
Dsa appointment next Monday - has anyone done one/got any insights into what to expect??

@EwwSprouts 🤣😂 snap! Think I saw you say your son is tall - DD is less than 5ft 2! So not a quite snap! (Thanks for the tips on open day earlier this week - helpful)

@Isthisjustnormal done dsa with DS1 in past due to see them fir DD the week after next - generally straightforward for dyslexic they ask about what equipment and show examples

@Isthisjustnormal that’s great that he’s been proactive and organised things/accepted invites. He’ll be fine at uni!

Well done on more button pushing.

Great news @Isthisjustnormal I bet that makes you and him feel good.

Anything happening this week? Any more visits/mocks/interviews?

@Isthisjustnormal That's all we really want for them as parents isn't it, a couple of friends?

Glad things have perked up Isthis, its so worrying when they're down.

DD in bed, sore throat. We think we saw a very very faint line on the lft but aren't sure. Argh.

Really pleased to hear that normal. As you say, we just want them to be happy, have a couple of friends.

@Heifer we are hoping for more information from Newcastle this week. Apparently there is a meeting "at the end of March" where they will discuss what happens next for the poor waiting medics. We would love to know whether DS is in the top 50 of a waiting list of 200 or the bottom 50 of a waiting list of 600, or anything in between! If he knew he was taking a gap year it would be disappointing, but at least he could plan. He is more patient than I am, particularly as one of his best friends, who he regards as the perfect candidate, only has 1 offer (his top choice luckily) and is on hold for the other the 3.

Hope you get some clarity soon @Monkey2001, uncertainty is so hard.

Hope they give you some information soon Monkey having no idea how long the list is, or where you are on it is very hard. Sounds like a really tough year for medics.

DD def Covid.

Glad to hear of buttons being pressed, we think we may be in position for her to push a button next week. Huge sympathy for @monkey2001 Ds on the medical wait. We had this with our dd2, and an offer came just as she had properly resigned herself. This week it’s completing NEAs. Computer Science is hard! We are all ill here too, although testing negative on LFTs. I do have shingles though. Difficult to see how covid could get at me thru the Acyclovir.

DS got his Cambridge feedback today. He hasn't seen it all but is a bit deflated bordering on resentful. His GCSE results and A Level predictions put him in the 'bottom 1/3' (along with most of the state school student perhaps?) and most applicants have all 8s and 9s at GCSEs (good for them but that's not a reliable measure). Bit annoyed that the school wasn't clearer in their reference that his music teaching was an absolute shitshow culminating in the arrest and sacking of said teacher. DS just wonders why they bothered interviewing him if he already had to make up for preconceptions...

His interviews were 'patchy especially o unseen and more abstract concepts. There was a really positive bit about some 'genuinely impressive' knowledge but that was damning with faint praise a little I felt.

He also found out there were 10 applicants for every place. Certainly MN HSPSers haven't been very succesful.

He knew it was a long shot to be fair but it does feel like the deck was loaded and in HSPS the bullshitters perhaps prevail. And wishing to stoke no debate, we know where it is easier to find the bullshitters in the education system!

Oh well...

I'm sorry to hear that @Piggywaspushed, that's not exactly the confidence boost he needs. I'm also quite surprised as I was under the impression that Oxford focuses more on GCSE results (but they contextualise you against your school cohort) and that Cambridge historically hasn't and have put weight on the interview (hence why they interview more people). I suspect they just feel they have to say enough to justify why he wasn't offered a place.

At the end of the day it's a lottery really isn't it, as loads of students who go on to get all A* will have been rejected. And yes, in all areas of life the super confident blaggers have the advantage unfortunately. I've seen it loads in the work environment.

I hope he can brush it off and look forward to Birmingham instead. He'll definitely have a better work:life balance there!

Yes, I am sure he will. They got his A Level predictions wrong on their feedback as well, or the school changed them, which I m sure they didn't.

As I just said to DG some of the bullshitters now won't get the A Level grades they need to get the place!