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

Ooo! An offer! Glasgow! Don't know if it's one of his favourite two, but it might be. AAB. Just Edinburgh and Manchester to hear back from now.

Congrats on the offer!! @DoggerelBank

Congratulations @DoggerelBank!

It's another rejection for DS on the medicine treadmill, Manchester this time. He thought the interview went badly as the first interviewer was very cold and expected him to know lots more than he did about the training path to be a GP, and that threw him for the other stations. He is still on the waiting list for Newcastle, which is his top choice, so just hoping that turns into an offer, otherwise it will be a gap year, which will be disappointing, but he has things he would like to do.

ooh brilliant @DoggerelBank.

Congratulations @DoggerelBank.
@Monkey2001 it is such a long and tough process my DS got nowhere and isn’t prepared to risk another year. This year is tough, a gap year is a good thing, I wish my DS would consider it.
Finally my DS has an offer from Exeter, he was so happy and he’s now really focused. So 1 offer out of 5. AAA required.

@Monkey2001 So sorry to hear that. Would have been quite handy with DS1 there too. But I know Newcastle was favourite. Keeping everything crossed that that one comes good.

@sazzy5 great to hear your DS is happily focused on an alternative course, what is it?

DD didn’t get on with ADHD meds unfortunately. She got really behind with her coursework whilst taking them then had covid straight after. She was thinking at one point she may need to retake her final year, not sure of situation now. She does get extra time now though plus learning support mentor and help with study skills.

Congratulations @sazzy5 @DoggerelBank on the offers.
@Monkey2001 fingers crossed for Notts x

@OrangeCinnamonCroissant

Congratulations *@sazzy5* *@DoggerelBank* on the offers. *@Monkey2001* fingers crossed for Notts x

I mean Newcastle!

Congrats sazzy and Doggerel and commiserations to Monkey, everything crossed that he is shinning up to the top of that Newcastle wait list

Congratulations on the offers and @Monkey2001 so sorry about Manchester. I really hope Newcastle come through with an offer soon.

We’re heading to Nottingham shortly. Fingers crossed dd likes it on a second visit. The last few days I’ve seen her excited about the prospect of uni for the first time and she’s really engaged in discussions about accommodation etc. She also found out that one of her good friends at school is probably firming Nottingham so that’s another positive in its favour!

I am sorry to hear about Manchester rejection @Monkey2001. It is a tough journey. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Newcastle.
Congratulations @sazzy5 and @DoggerelBank for offers.
DD is still waiting for Bristol to respond

Congrats on Glasgow @DoggerelBank & Exeter @sazzy5

So sorry re Manchester @Monkey2001. Keeping everything crossed for Newcastle for your DS

@Monkey2001 sorry re Manchester - MN vibes sent re Newcastle.
@crazycrofter - I hope your DD likes it (just makes life easier if they don't keep changing their minds) :-) My DD found out that one of her old school friends/hockey player who is 4 yrs older is doing her MA at Nottingham and said it was much better than her previous uni and really likes it, so that helped.

So DD had her first mocks yesterday (2nd lot of mocks). Just what I didnt' want to happen re being able to takes breaks happened. The senco went and spoke to her just beforehand and explained she would just need to put her hand up and then leave the room and come back after a break etc. I really don't understand how someone who is possibly anxious can be expected to put their hand up and walk out in front of everyone.. Luckily DD was feeling ok and did take a break in her first exam (core maths) but said she was far too flustured to take one in Biology! She said she didn't do well as hadn't revised everything in the paper. We have had this so many times, she always believes what the teacher say will be on the papers and doesn't revise anything else - and there is always more, every time. At least in the A level she will know to revise everything.

Someone mentioned not taking full examin for mocks - DD has always had 2 sets of papers for every subject (2 hrs each) (3 papers at end of yr 12) and is often squeezed into 1 week despite them supposed to be lasting for 2. So often 2 per day. No wonder she is exhausted at the end of it.

At least in her A levels her schedule is pretty good. She is lucky and only has 1 day with 2 exams. Week1- 2 exams, wk 2 - 4, wk3 - 3 and wk4 -1. How is everyones elses looking?

Forgot to say well done on the offers - that is great news

@Monkey2001 I'm so sorry to hear about the rejection, it's really rubbish. Keeping my fingers crossed for Newcastle.

Well done on the new offers too!

DS has next set of mocks starting Monday, it doesn't feel to me that he is revising enough - he says he is but I don't see the evidence. I swear I feel more nervous about his exams than I ever did about my own!

@Heifer this round of mocks for DS is not full exam length, I think they are only an hour each unlike their earlier ones of 2.5 - 3 hours.

Monkey, you have and still are such a wonderful advocate for prospective medical students whilst being in the thick of it yourself, I hope your boy receives good news from Newcastle very soon.

And Sazzy, Doggerel, great news on your DC’s offers!

Monkey fingers crossed for good news from Newcastle very soon.

I asked for any interesting pics from the Uni visit today. I have received a photo of the free sandwiches...

Well done on the offers. Sorry to hear about rejection.

I too like Decorhate and Fiddler am a bit concerned re the lack of experience sitting 3 papers.

Would be the most important thing for me ChristopherTracy 🥪

@ChristopherTracy
Would be interested to hear about the engineering part of the offer holders day. We are booked in on 6 April. DH and DS have visited on an open day before but they couldn’t go inside so the subject specific stuff should be interesting.