Year 12 - 2024/25 - Support, Discussion and Looking After Each Other (Thread 2)

[BlackBean2023]

You’re a chatty lot… continue

Morning!

Congrats to your DS1 @JustHereWithMyPopcorn on his first job!

Up early to start the Manchester uni open day, then York tomorrow. Had a really long (and good) discussion with DD last night about where she might apply for med. Obvs with UCAT pending it is impossible to say just yet but she has v good GCSE results so we were identifying unis which would weight that in her favour to take the pressure off getting a v high UCAT.

She is now fully on board with strategic applications for med and despite ideally wanting to be nearer home she is being open minded. The one that seems to be a favourite now though is Queens Uni Belfast. Not one I had on my radar but looks fab. DD does UCAT on 1st Sept so will know where she can apply after that and QUB has an open day on 6th Sept... I feel a dash to Belfast might be in order then. I even checked the price of flights from our local airport there, and they are very affordable, so it could be a possibility.

This is all feeling a bit too real now! (I am posting on the med 26 thread too as I know this is a bit specific but I feel like I belong here now 😁).

Thanks @bluefineliner!
DS has literally just left to head up to Sheffield, looks like it’s going to be a scorcher so of course he’s put on his long trousers. 🤦‍♀️
have fun in Manchester, DS really liked it.

My understanding is that Queens is a very good Uni, I tried to make DS look at it but if York was too far for him then Belfast certainly is! 😂

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn I’m a bit envious of your DS taking himself off to open days by himself or with friends - DS here wants at least one of us with him, which I was surprised about as he’s quite happy taking himself off in the train generally. I suspect it’s because he really isn’t sure what he wants to study so wants other invested perspectives!

On our way to Warwick as I type. With lots of water…

@MiniMidiMaxi I did the first three open days with DD and intended to do more, but it was just getting too expensive, so did is doing the rest mostly alone (although a friend is going to Sheffield with her today). It feels like a natural progression, and it's easier now she's clearer about what she wants. Also, I signed DD up for an excessive number of open days due to sheer over-enthusiasm.

Like a few others, we are on our way to Warwick. Driving among hordes of bikers out for the Dave Day, with people waving from every bridge - quite an experience!

@MiniMidiMaxi DS has only done one without a parent with was Bath and Bristol. DH is taking him today as Yorkshire is his home ground and they’ll meet up with his parents for lunch. He’s really not that independent yet but little steps hey. I have noticed that now he’s driving he’s being more willing to just go out more which is nice too.

Have fun at Warwick today folks (and Sheffield too for those heading that way!) I shall be working today while I have quiet in the house.

I commented to DS on our journey up the M40 that there were an awful lot of people on the bridges over the motorway waving and watching the traffic. We didn't see any bikers (perhaps if I had the penny might have dropped) but thanks @ComingInByAnsible for explaining why they were there.

Well Warwick was humid and overcast but very pleasant. DS has decided he will be applying for History (or HistPol where it's offered). So that is one big decisions made. He enjoyed the history talk at Warwick and the new "FAB" (Faculty of Arts Building) is fantastic; a great space to learn and work in.

DS found Warwick rather reminiscent of a theme park - everything was clean and bright with wide boulevards in the main Piazza and campus area. We both liked the campus and the accommodation. DS was really happy with the sports park and the indoor tennis centre. So, for DS, Warwick is now tied with Exeter. Bristol has been discarded. Next up UCL on Friday and Birmingham on Saturday.

Thanks @JessyCarr. DS is, unless he loathes everything about it on Friday, fairly certain UCL will be one of his applications, so the information about TARA was helpful. It doesn't seem to be used on the courses he is looking at but we will check for certain on Friday.

Hope those at Manchester, Sheffield, York, Southampton, as well as Warwick, are having a good open day experience.

Please don't abandon us for the med thread @bluefineliner!

Dd went to Manchester today, i didnt as its about a 10 minute walk from us. She liked the head of law a lot, and mainly just explored because she wont be needing accom if she goes manchester.

Economics at York was great. I was very impressed by the lecturer and course. DS liked the vibes as well. It will definitely be a good insurance choice.
Net weekend DS is home alone, so he is going to Newcastle uni open day by himself.
If he gets his a star, he will visit Warwick with DH in the next few weeks just to get a feel. (We have family there.)
Thank you again for sharing all your experiences.

DS was positive about Warwick, but no clear favourites or ones to rule out are emerging yet. I really liked it, think they’ve got a good set up, the accommodation options with a range of prices and the ease of renting are extra positives. But I can imagine people being turned off by how much of a bubble it is, more so than Bath I think.

It’s been a busy week here! Leeds last weekend, Glasgow on Thursday, Sheffield today, Hull York tomorrow and then Newcastle next weekend. All for DD medicine.
We’ve really enjoyed have a nose about and learning about the courses. DD loved Sheffield. Bit freaked out by accommodation costs, I have 0 disposable income so I really worry about how on earth they will manage.
DS is taking himself to UCL on Friday and is planning to visit Bristol and Manchester in the autumn. He went to Warwick last weekend but feels the campus is too remote. He’s looking to do law.
DD has booked her UCAT, DS will be booking his LNAT once it’s opened
They are both pleased with their predicted (A star, A star A for DD and A star A A for DS)

Sheffield not the vibe, according to DD. Entirely superficial reasons, as far as I can tell. Oh well, you need to be excited at the prospect of spending 3 years in a place.

@Curlyshabtree I’m planning to fund dd entirely by the resultant cut in the food budget of her going to uni. (Accom in most places should be covered by the maintenance loan - at least for the first year )

@Curlyshabtreethose are great predictions. We are doing similar Glasgow, Sheffield and Newcastle. Birmingham next Friday too.

DS also liked Sheffield I didn’t think he’d like it as much as Glasgow but he said he could easily see himself at either so that’s good.

@bibliomaniaI suppose ruling somewhere out even if it’s not necessarily for concrete reasons isn’t a bad thing. Good that they know now if it’s not for them.

York won over Sheffield here. As suspected, it was madness to try to do both on the same day - do not recommend!

Re Belfast mentioned upthread - purely anecdotal but an English friend of a friend dropped out of Belfast as she found everybody already knew each other so it was hard to make friends plus they all went home at the weekends so there was nobody around. But might not be the case for everyone.

@MamOfTwo thanks that is an interesting perspective on QuB I'd not really considered. With medicine DD may not have much 'choice' anyway if she even gets any offers!

So Manchester was a good day, lovely uni and area and v well organised.... but the medicine bit was far far too busy, queueing for 30 mins to look around the facilities (students only). DD disappointed because the 3rd yr student that showed them around was negative about the course not allowing enough 'work life balance' and giving the impression she didn't want to be there. Luckily Manchester is not one of the favourites atm so we will do York today and compare. I think it came across that Manchester med is so oversubscribed (which every med school is) that no effort was made to make prospective students want to apply. Was our first open day though so nothing to compare to yet.

@Waspie no chance of me not being here 😂.

Morning all, DS really loved Sheffield, it wasn’t on his radar at all but I’d suggested it and he just went along. It’s now firmly on his list 2nd or 3rd with Bath at no1.

what time did you go? A few of my dds friends went and said that although they were realistic in the work life balance etc they were really encouraging. They went quite early though so that might be it.

Loving reading about how everyone is getting on at the various open days and the decisions our young people are developing. The ‘not for me’ conclusions can be just as helpful as ‘this is great’ at this stage when they are narrowing down their options.

We enjoyed Warwick, despite early start to the day and the heat. Both DH and I went there back in the ice age, so it was a trip down memory lane. We couldn’t believe how much the campus has grown and developed. The buildings and facilities that were new and ‘state of the art’ in our time now looked old and poky next to what has been built since. We managed to go round our old halls and could swear they have shrunk!

@Waspie we might have been in the history talk with you, history and politics is also an option that DS is considering. We thought it was good and agree the new FAB building is, well, fab!

DS is currently leaning towards PPE, although with 1,500 applications received last year for 200 places it’s intimidating! We were impressed with the effort made to make everyone welcome (including a free lunch!) and with the course.

We also went to the PPL talk, which was useful because DS has now ruled it out. It would be a brilliant course for the right student but he realised it’s just not for him.

Loving hearing how well open days and off the great predicted grades kids have received well done .
DS predicted grades are same as his exams so BCD. Geography said he could resit if he wanted not sure he is bothered now as still no part time job so back to considering apprenticeships ! Going to try and encourage him to at least try and get some more work experience in the summer.

@Tebheag Would they give him the opportunity to improve that D with better grades in autumn term tests? Might be worth a shot as apprenticeships are very competitive too these days. Can the school help at all with work experience opportunities?

Apparently a very positive day at Southampton today - heads turned by the engineering facilities and clearly a lot of effort put in by the departments and wider university.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn DS said he could resit Geography if he wanted to will send email to teacher if we don't get an appointment at parents evening currently on waiting list to see what she says.
He is looking at finance for an apprenticeship, most in our area seem to be starting from Gcse level.

@Tebheag ah OK so maybe the A level predicted don’t factor in. Has he got a particular one in mind?

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn congratulations your DS1s job, market seems to be very tough for beginners and this is amazingly well done 👏
@MiniMidiMaxi Same, very impressed with SoU Engg, I didn’t have any expectations and I guess rn this pushed Bristol down in preference, even though last week I thought Bristol was impressive with their industry connections. And DD was worried about the Engg stream she wanted to apply as her school ( some dept specifically) are really bad at predicted grades, so was considering another option) SoU seems to only need one A* and they say they give admissions if the entry req are met ( no idea how, wouldn’t be more ppl than seats?)
I have spent some time cough on Mumsnet last week and found out about a uni FB group which is very helpful as well.
We still only have three unis in the list. Anyone else? Warwick came into discussion, but didn’t go further than that!
I kept on thinking about Edinburgh, but not checked that yet. Also Loughborough.
I am very impressed by those who do two in a day, to be fair this is only my second, but by the time we walk around and see some demos ( getting through a door which was not in plan, but then they goes on about the machines) all adds up and before we know it’s 4pm