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

[BlackBean2023]

You’re a chatty lot… continue

We live near Newcastle @postitnot DS was having none if it but came back v impressed. It appears to be second choice from nowhere!

TBF I have spent the last 30 years in and around Newcastle and I can't imagine living anywhere else. It's a fabulous city to do your YA growing up in

DS also laid down the “2 hours away” rule but is now saying he may apply to Durham as lots of his class mates went to the open day last weekend and really enjoyed it.

@AuntyBulgaria DS is sporty and thought the sports offerings at both Exeter and Warwick were very good - both BUCS. Great facilities and a wide range of sports with options for every competition level from social to national.

@postitnot We've just got back from Newcastle and DD loved it. It was nowhere near as busy as I feared and she got to go to clinical skills sessions (taking my blood pressure and listening to my heart valves). We went to a talk on studying medicine by the head of the school which was very informative and gave the feeling they look after their students. The accommodation looked better than most we saw at other unis and students were keen and engaged. Even the librarian took us on a tour and spent ages chatting to us.

UCAT depending it will be one of DDs top choices.

We were also at Newcastle looking at medicine and loved it. We liked that 30% of places are for contextual offers so we felt it was more inclusive. Everyone was super helpful and friendly. I think it’s between Sheffield and Newcastle now.
I’ve never been to Newcastle before, I will be returning to explore more even if DD doesn’t end up there.

@bluefineliner @curlyshabtree we had lunch in the Dental Bites cafe and it seemed a very nice hospital DD is looking at economics and Newcastle is definitely one of the favourites now. Looking at Sheffield next week...

Newcastle was (very briefly) in clearing for medicine last August. From what I’ve heard it’s a great place to study.

Nice to read everyone’s updates. Our London trip was very useful in so far as KCL is now ruled out (had been a favourite on paper). We also did manage to get to UCL after all and that was much better and is a possible.

Next is Oxford next week, which is the last of the open days we’ve got lined up. Now trying to get our heads around which colleges we should be trying to see and the various timings. Feels like the first admissions hurdle as it’s all rather complicated!

Mine went to Newcastle on their own (I've been down with a cold all week) and came back raving about the place. It's one of the few unis where both my Y12 DC have a program that could interest them, and they suddenly both seem very enthuastic about it.

We'll have to make a return visit after the summer.

My DC is pretty sure she wants to see Regents Park, Mansfield and Harris Manchester. What helped for her was identifying which colleges admit students for her course and then seeing which of those ticked the most boxes on her list of desirable qualities.

Interesting about KCL @ComingInByAnsible DS has an open day booked there in early September. He is not as enthusiastic about it as LSE and UCL on paper so it will be interesting to see if he feels similar to your son on visiting.

We are at Oxford this Wednesday and Cambridge the following Friday. DS is leaning towards Cambridge at the moment, but we shall see. For colleges he is interested in Brasenose, Bailliol and Jesus at O and Christs, Selwyn and Homerton at C. He has chosen these based on numbers of state school offers for his subject and sports offerings. Obviously that will probably change!

Wonderful feedback about Newcastle. Such a great city in a beautiful part of the world.

We were also in Newcastle yesterday and DS also impressed. It’s definitely going on the list.

Dd is really quite worried about her predictions. They seem to be based off the mocks- which were in early feb ! She and i both think that she would have done loads better if they were in may/june like many others. The most likely prediction is A* A B although apparently they can change in the first half term. Apparently loads of her friends are having the same issue. There isnt a mock before the 2nd set of predictions either.

Newcastle is likely to be dd’s insurance choice. We are off to visit in the autumn. Notts is still her top choice, she loved the open day. Doesn’t seem to be very popular here though. She definitely would prefer a proper campus uni so we are also going to look at Birmingham

@GreatGranPamDS was supposed to go to Birmingham on Friday but he’s been with school for a taster day and although he really likes the campus he’s decided it’s too close to home so didn’t go in the end.

We have mock results but no definitive PGs yet. Apparently he will get maths and chemistry in the next couple of weeks but biology aren’t giving theirs till the last day of term as they don’t want any arguments/discussion over grades.

We went to Notts yesterday and nearly died in the heat. DS like the sound of the course so it’s definitely on his list.

So, Sheffield next weekend. Going from Stockport is it better to drive over the hills and park near the university (frowned upon from the open day page) or get the train and walk/bus in?

There will be 4 of us so a lot cheaper to drive!

Hello all, hopping onto the new thread and great to catch up. We've had a challenging time with the wider family recently so have only done two open days this year. DD2 will have a year out doing an art foundation so won't apply until then so thankfully we have time in hand. We looked at Bath which was disappointing and Warwick. She liked Warwick but is rejecting it on the grounds that I and BIL and his wife all studied there before her and she'd feel like she was round 2. I can see her point.... So in the autumn we're planning to look at Reading, Cardiff, Nottingham and York. So we need to get back on the websites and book.
We moved DD1 from student house to rental flat this weekend as she is on her industry year. Can't believe quite how much stuff she has accumulated in two years. I've told DD2 I'd prefer it if she was more of a minimalist...

@postitnot my DH drove but I’ve no idea where he parked, probably on campus as he doesn’t really know Sheffield that well.

DS got his predicted grades - three A stars. He’s absolutely made up 😊 The economics HoD has said he’s borderline but they think he is strong enough to be a safe A star if he keeps up the work level through year 13.

That’s great news @Waspie, well done to him! Should give him a lot of confidence going into shortlisting his next steps. DS finds out his tomorrow.

@Waspie amazing! Well done!

Brilliant news @Waspie!

That’s fantastic news @Waspie well done to your DS!

We’re doing this too - a day of colleges !