Thread 36 - Covid Cohort from GCSE 2020 - The Final Countdown to Results Day for Some?

[CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee]

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. It's all relative!
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 continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will find a thread within the Further Ed board.
Possibly a move to Parent of Adult Children Board in future? Post Results?

Previous Thread

Oh god yes, the guy going on about his BA in maths from Oxford 🥱

Is anyone worried about the AQA Chemistry paper 2? It was my DDs stronger side of chemistry so she was gutted when it was leaked.

Haha, yup!

I'm worried that it will impact all grade boundaries (since leaked, kids do better, it impacts everyone). I tweeted AQA and they said talk to your school on the day and they will explain what we've done. I'm astounded that they are allowed to just not explain how they are dealing with this. I wonder if they think it's limited to a few schools, rather than broadly.

@horrificbiology neither did I! DD1 went and I’m still a bit clueless.
That website link was explained by the helpful @singingstones and it will show what grade total in UCAS points previous students were admitted with.

But I'd still like to know how the hell it happened! (AQA Leak)

Yes me too. I think they should have told us what is happening before the day as it just causes more stress.

Thanks for our updated listed -belting work as always @singingstones !
A quick skim read from me is:
DD had to ‘produce’ GCSE certificates before her UCAS application was submitted-She’d moved schools so that have been why?
She provided ‘scanned versions’ -I’m not so sure where the originals are though!
@Wheresthebeach the information from DDs school is that the print out of the A level results will show, the overall mark per subject, out of the total achievable, the grade and the individual marks per paper ( component).

We got back from Cornwall on Saturday night and I’ve been furiously trying to catch up with the posts over the last week but have had to admit defeat.

Happy new home, Volterra. Your underwear search made me chuckle - what a great distraction from results anxiety!

Hope those DHs that have had stents fitted make a quick recovery and feel much better for having them.

Delphi, your story about your DD fighting for her uni place is fantastic! She deserves all her success and I’m not surprised her work love her - she sounds like exactly the sort of colleague you want on your team.

While we were on holiday, we caught up with a friend whose DD has just graduated from Bangor with a degree in something like ocean sciences ( I can’t remember the exact course name she mentioned).
She is ASD and bombed her A levels - CEE - so took a gap year and applied grades in hand. Apparently, when questioned whether she’d get in with those grades, the course tutor told her he never looked at exam results; he was only interested in the individual and the reasons for applying.
She ended up getting a 2.1 and being invited to do a Master’s, so it goes to show that A level results aren’t indicative of how someone might perform during their degree.

Thanks Proggy.

Loving all the good news stories of fab uni results

@horrificbiology
List of points for each grade so you can work out what the offer equates to in points.MY DD’s offer is 128(ABB) but she might get the same points with a different grade presentation such as A* B C.

Ahhh thanks @Alsoplayspiccolo 💕

Really, university study is so different from cramming for A levels - which reward mostly a good memory and the ability to write really fast - that it isn’t surprising there isn’t much correlation between success at A level and success at uni. Save for obvious exceptions such as maths (where neither memory nor the ability to write fast are particularly relevant at a level)

Just be aware that if the offer is for specific grades, a points-equivalent might not be accepted. If the offer is points-based, then any combination is usually accepted to bless a specific grade for a certain subject is required.

@Seeline how do you know? The one we are worried about is the AQA chemistry.

@horrificbiology

If the offer is for certain grades eg ABB then technically Astar Astar C does not meet the offer, even though the points are higher. It's then up to the uni whether they accept you or not, but they are not obliged to do so.

If the offer is for points, then any combo of grades is fine as long as the points total is high enough (assuming there aren't any additional conditions like "with at least a B in maths" or whatever)

Hi all, Just back from work - busy day - glad the discover uni thing I mentioned helped some people and thanks for whoever added the link - and explained it think it was @singingstones ? Sorry was rushing earlier this am

@horrificbiology Was it you that mentioned Lancaster Biology? It’s in clearing or was a week or two ago so should be ok - I looked at DDs top 5 to see if there were any that were.

Asked DD if she could look at Sheffield accommodation options while I was at work so we are ready if needed to book accommodation if we are on plan B. She did it! Plus made cake 🧁

Who knows what will happen? Everything crossed for everyone xxx

Stents !?! Goodness a big get well soon for DHs with the new stents!

Hope the knickers are located soon ….

Read something about issues with Glasgow and accommodation last night - don’t think we have any Glasgow potentials

@Fruitygal who do you check if it is? realised I am such a novice with all this. Does it mean being I clearing a better chance of getting in ? Wish I had found out all this info before the week we get the results.

A(nother) question about clearing:

How late will unis show their hands - will those perhaps trying to fly under the radar appear on Wednesday night, for example?
And at what point will they publish their revised required grades?

DD has the opposite problem to other DCs on here, insofar as she has already got 2 different courses for firm and insurance, and would be quite happy with a third if she has to look at clearing; a quick glance this afternoon suggests there are lots of options she could choose from, but obviously there’s a huge range of grade requirements too.

I would ideally like her to narrow down her focus before Thursday, but so far she only has eyes for unis that are advertising similar grade requirements to her offers.

@horrificbiology if it has clearing places then more likely to take a student with a dip below their offer. They like a known quantity over unknown so if only slightly out this us good. Obviously can opt to take those in clearing from higher institutions…. But Lancaster is high up in the rankings already so I’d be feeling more settled knowing this of my child had chosen it as a firm choice.

@horrificbiology see link

www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/clearing/courses/

@Fruitygal Yes this was a firm choice, fingers crossed it all goes well Thursday. My son is already planning on staying in his room incase it goes wrong as he is autistic and can't deal with the drama lol.

Ha I am autistic too @horrificbiology, your DS has the right idea, wish I could stay in my room and avoid the drama 😂

Also I think it might be worth signing up to clearing alerts, the unis all seem to be offering that and some will give you a heads up before they publish revised grades or places. Some ask for your preferred subjects or even the UCAS number so I guess might send quite tailored suggestions of courses they would consider DC for. I have signed up to a few as DS but using my email address so that I can wade through the emails while he is making decisions or on the phone. (Have just received and emailed signed "Love from Liverpool" 😂)

@horrificbiology I hope you get good news we are biological science at Durham then Sheffield for biology for 2nd choice - everything crossed 🤞

Fingers and toes crossed for you as well.