Year 13 2023/2024 - General support thread

[Rollergirl11]

It’s now the time for our young adults to sit their final year at sixth form/college. Everyone is welcome!

Sorry to hear DD didn't get an offer @MirandaWest but glad to hear that she is doing okay.
How is your DS doing now as I think you mentioned that his gf had ended their relationship?
I am dreading this with DS as he is very sensitive.

Sorry to hear that @MirandaWest but I am sure any student is able enough to have reached this stage is very able with a bright future ahead. It's tough because rejection is never nice and this is often the first time such able young people really experience it, but I bet she will end up where she is meant to be and will thrive there.

@space99 DS is Ok although a chronic health condition he has means he’s been in hospital since last Wednesday…I did say to him that he definitely qualifies for most rubbish Christmas holiday from uni. He’s Ok but waiting for a different medication to try and help him. He’s not due back at uni until 29th January so hopefully will be doing well enough by then.

He has friends here who have been great and visiting him in hospital - they are good boys 😊

Congratulations to your DD @Silkierabbit. What a relief you don't have to talk about other options with her.
Sorry to hear you DD wasn't successful @MirandaWest. I was in your position 5 years ago with my eldest and it's such a disappointment but it sounds like your DD is very pragmatic and sensible. My DD ended up at Durham instead and we both feel that in the end it was a better place for her.

I’m feeling a bit surprised (pleasantly) about DD as from how she’s been recently I thought she’d be feeling a lot worse. I will tread carefully with her though when I see her later

My son is another Oxford reject but he feels fine about it. He felt certain it would be the case after his interview and always wanted to go to London to study.

He's just waiting on UCL but holds an offer for history from KCL which he is happy with.

Onwards and upwards.

We're in the same boat @MirandaWest. Ds was ok on the phone and seemed to brush it off. His Oxford first interview didn't go well so I'd been gently advising him that it wasn't likely to result in an offer but it's hard to judge how to word things so they do t lose confidence.

Commiserations to those who didn't get the nod from Oxford. It sounds like they're all handling it very maturely!

Echoing everyone else. It does sound like our YP are dealing with it very well though. Credit to them and you guys.

I joined the StA thread on here and now I am panicking I am tempting some sort of fate so have hidden it. Irrational I know.

Commiserations to all the other disappointed young people today. DD also got a rejection from Oxford, but seems to be dealing with it remarkably well and is now looking forward to going to either Bath (she has an offer) or St Andrews (still waiting 🤞🏻)

Thanks everyone and very sorry to those who didn't get an offer today, sending hugs.

We are hugely relieved and had a pizza, cinnamon sticks and champagne and had a lot of DD talking which was lovely. I didn't get much sleep last night. Have to find an insurance now, she's only applied to LSE Economics and Bristol Economics as well which have same offer as Oxford and are likely to be less flexible and on hold at both. Though 97% get in from now so hopefully won't need it. She did work so much first year on her jobs and got behind in her A levels but hopefully she can catch up. Mocks in Feb. I was quite worried by the London cost as well so relieved the accommodation is guaranteed for 3 years and much cheaper. Though London is good for getting well paid jobs.

It feels quite like a whirlwind at the moment, can't believe they are doing A levels this summer and will be at university in Sept / October time but its good. Though I will miss DD so much. DS still doesn't talk and DHs hearing is awful and he hearing aid refuses so I love my chats with DD and Floof.

DD trudged off to school for a day full of mocks. Think the Oxford rejection is hitting her more this morning

@Silkierabbit really pleased for your DD, I hope she won't need an insurance. I think for some courses it is difficult though because they are so competitive there are no lower grade options, would she consider a slightly different course in the event she doesn't get the grades? My DS put all 5 down when he made his original application. He obviously didn't get O which I actually think is a good thing for a number of reasons (I'm not sure he'd have coped with the intensity of the tutorial system in particular and I'm sure that showed in the interview), so he now has his firm if he doesn't get UCL offer, but he wishes he'd looked outside of London for his insurance as he's not sure he wants to pay London prices for a lower ranked course. He has therefore decided to put one of them down as insurance but if he doesn't get the grades for KCL or UCL he will go through clearing. I think that it is highly unlikely he won't get the grades as he would have to drop more than a grade in each of the 3 summer mocks not to get 3 As but I'm letting him mentally plan it all out.

@MirandaWest I hope your DD comes to terms with it quickly. With the additional knowledge that she had got the choral scholarship it must really be a double blow for her. It's such an arduous process to end up with a no. It's not so bad in our house because it was always such a long shot and my son is genuinely happy with his alternatives. Where the dream has always been Oxford and with a choral background it must be so much harder to take x

So sorry to all the DC’s that didn’t get the decision they wanted yesterday. Time is a great healer though and soon they will be able to look forward to the other great offers I’m sure they have!

DD feels a bit in limbo at the moment just waiting for the Cambridge decision. It would be absolutely amazing if she were to receive a Durham offer in the next few weeks as that would successfully remove the sting from a Cambridge rejection. But that is unlikely as I gather that Durham are slow with English and are one of the last subjects to hear.

DD seemed ok yesterday and I’m sure she will be but I think today with two exams and the knowledge there’s no Oxford is a bit hard. But that is life I suppose.

Sorry to hear this Miranda, it's so hard not being able to fix this for them. Ds struggled to get up this morning, I don't think he slept very well. Mock revision is a good distraction I guess and I'll broach booking some offer holder days with him later.

DD mentioned offer holder days for Bristol and Belfast so we’ll have a look at some point

So sorry to hear that Miranda that's very tough going. I hope visiting the other universities will help.

Thanks Life Yes I think she will need to consider other courses though personal statement is written for economics alone. Though 97% get in now so odds very much on her side now after 20 to 1 against at the start. But she did get behind on her A levels in first year due to working in her jobs 35 hours a week which she enjoyed, saved a lot and took her mind off her brother but grades went down. Predicted was still 3 A stars and offer is A star AA so not bad as an offer. She has mocks in Feb which should give more indication and also maths is 2 weeks after other two finish and maths is the one with the issue. It's largely she needs to do the A level work really and focus on it and not on earning but she did say last night she is doing that now. At least the one job income varies by season so she can earn a lot in summer.

Got not much sleep past 2 nights, got to sleep around 3am then woken by Floof around 7am with his big white paw on my nose wanting his tuna. This morning he tried from both sides of my head, very cute but very tired. Will go swimming and try to get my energy back. At least her unis are largely sorted now. I asked her about accepting and she said I am worried I will crash the whole UCAS application if I do that and I checked and do need all offers in first or to withdraw from some. Currently she just has this offer.

@Silkierabbit have I understood correctly from your post that the DC's cannot accept an offer until all their chosen unis have responded?

@MirandaWest sorry to hear about your DS, good his friends are being supportive. Hope your DD gets over her disappointment & is still proud of getting through interview.

@legosnowqueen you need to either have all your offers in or you need to withdraw from any you haven’t had offers from before you can accept firm (and insurance if you want one).

DDs exams today seem to have gone ok and then she has a day off tomorrow which is good. She’s gone off to her singing lesson now .

And DS is out of hospital with many different medicines. Think he’ll be glad to be in his own bed tonight (and no having his obs done at 6am!)

Yes @legosnowqueen they have to have had all offers/rejections from everywhere they applied to before firming and insuring. Hence why I’ve heard lots of applicants end up withdrawing from Durham because they take so blimming long to respond and DC’s want to get on and accept their offers.

@MirandaWest thanks for clarifying, we hadn't realised that.

DS got his first rejection today, for KCL. He is now waiting on Durham only, which I gather could be a while unless the Oxford results mean that DCs who were waiting now firm up Durham offers...I may be overthinking this!

@Rollergirl11 that's interesting about the Durham withdrawals, thanks.

DD has mentioned about withdrawing from Durham but not sure whether she actually will or not