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

[BlackBean2023]

You’re a chatty lot… continue

Not at all, many people apply for different courses. I know someone who applied for music and midwifery and got in for both I also know someone who applied for Physics and history. Those combos are rare however subjects similar to each other are fine, so history, politics, Sociology or English. Those are combo that are common so many apply for dual degrees in that or even history for 2 unis, Sociology for another 2 and politics for 1. Along as you address all in the personal statement you'll be fine, even better if you address how they link and why you're interested in using multiple study routes for x problem. So I talked about how histograpgy and how history is told shaped public perception even if it's not accurate or completely true. Then I discussed how that can impact modern politics and dynamics so I talked about the racist and sexist history of gynaecology particularly towards enslaved Black women and also how that his impacted modern day health outcomes for such groups and the changes in identity politics and how demographics vote. Whilst I had some bits that were seperate, I also talked about why I like both history and politics together. If you craft it well and show your own links to why you like all the subjects. Also even with the new format of questions, all you have to do is make links and delve into 1 topics or max 2 for each subject. As in properly delve into deep questions of theory for the subject and your own research of it (not something you study in class ideally it's good if you shoe you do stuff outside of it, or if it is something in class make it personal/add some extra lecture or book you read on it). I'm happy to PM more specific advice, I mentor students on personal statements most years.

We would really appreciate advice. Her school is worse than useless!! Thank you .

Your advice seems so helpful but then when I look at what my son can fit into the character limit I just don't see how there is room for all of this type of in depth discussion :/

Yes it's hard, I remember it myself. My best advice is start and draft it forget about word count try and be around 4000 to 5000 characters, but sometimes the first draft is even 6000 character. Remember characters not words (I think it may be slightly different for 2026 but haven't properly checked yet). Then in the 2nd,3rd draft you can cut it down but don't focus on it at the start, work it down later on. You'll find places where you can be more concise and less verbose. Though I would extend the character count tbh, as I do think it is tok short but still doable.

In fact, her school can't even give advice on courses apparently " no-one does that! "

That's ridiculous, I've never hears something like that, my old 6th form was great with that, did a surgery in May-ish time of y12 about whether you want apprenticeships (if so degree?) or uni, or both, subjects you're interested in, careers you're thinking of etc. Then matched students with a mentor (aka a teacher in school who had experience in x sector or subject or had worked in that sector previously). As well as workshops and help with personal statements, many people in my year applies for multiple subjects in fact my friend initially applied for English Lit, then in January decided she wanted to do politics. Emailed the unis which gave her offers, told them her grades and also did a shorter new personal statement (upon request) and they changed it. Many people I know have and students I mentor apply for a few different subjects. With a well done and thoughtful personal statement it's no problem, address your interest in all the subjects and why (obviously if you're only applying to politics once then I'd not put loads but interlink it naturally to Sociology if you were applying for soc and history 4 times). If that makes sense.

Yes, this is what he's done
Waiting for feedback in September and then he will start trimming it, he's also doing Apply with Bath so hopefully they will also have great advice 🙂

There is lots of information about applying and how to write a good PS on the UCAS and complete university guide website. Also you tube videos from lots of university admissions staff and students themselves.

Lots of universities run webinars focused on different aspects of the application process.
My son has done several on things like “writing an effective PS” and “preparing for university”. I was on one last week aimed at parents supporting their child on results day- explaining everything from getting their results to clearing and next steps beyond this. Because it was live parents could, and did, ask loads of questions. This was by Exeter uni but I’m sure many others run similar sessions.

If your child feels they aren’t getting decent support from school or college I’d suggest they check out the online resources- there is so much good info and support out there.

DD has just finished her PS this morning and edited it to fit the word limit. That’s one thing off the list! She’s had no support with it and has just researched it all herself online. She’s applying for Oxford so has spent a lot of time on it. Reads well to me but she’s much cleverer than me!

Actually I say no support but she went to 3 of the Oxford state school taster days and they gave a lot of advice at those.

That's great, she'll likely redraft at least one more time though - even slight bits. I'd get a teacher in the subject to read through it in September and ask for their edits as well, also anyone she knows on a similar course. There's also a platform called Zero Gravity (for students from y12 upwards) and they often give free mentor (from people in university on that same course), it's similar to student room, but newer and I know lots of peers who found their mentor on there very helpful. Even if not for how personal statement, they can do interview practice and entrance exams and just tips on applications. A few years back I had a mentor from there and she was great. Very good of your daughter to get on it early, so well, done her.

My DS’s school strongly advised students pick the one course they wanted …or courses v closely related (except in case of Medicine where 5th choice has to be something else) as targeting the PS to widely different subjects is almost impossible.

That said, many unis don’t read the PS and most will offer to anyone with the relevant predicted grades, so the advice about only applying to 1 subject might only practically apply to those looking at top unis and the most competitive courses.

They do need to narrow down their choices though. Starting to think about this mid yr12 as part of UCAS early talks is good. Some spring uni visits can help, so that by September they are clear about their choice.

I know Durham allows a tailored PS for anyone applying for something different to their other options, but not sure if others allow this. V few I imagine.

@Countrylife2002 well done to your DD for getting her PS done already. We do feel quite behind with this at our house but DD is full on UCAT prep and can't focus on anything else atm! Neither can I tbh 😂.

DD will have to do some intense PS writing when she gets back to school and I am hoping her teachers will be on hand to support too. DD is also volunteering and did her wex only in July so hasn't had time to reflect properly on these yet to include on the PS.

It all seems so soon now and that we are so short on time. Then on the other hand I can't wait to get it over with and the UCAS application sent so DD can move on to other areas to focus on.

well done to your dd @Countrylife2002. She’s done really well to get that finished so soon.

We’re the same @bluefineliner . DS is throwing everything at TMUA and MAT preparation so hasn’t started on his personal statement yet. They’ve been quite clear on open days that they don’t pay much notice (if at all) to them for Maths.

I’m also hoping that school will be supportive with this so it doesn’t end up taking up an unnecessary amount of time.

I am slightly in awe of the work that your children are putting in over the summer.

No thought been given to PS as yet, there have been some half hearted attempts at TMUA questions but that's it. However he gets his maths A level result tomorrow and if it's not a high grade, then TMUA prep won't be needed as lower tiered Unis don't need it.

I am hoping that if he does well it will kick start something...

@TheLivelyViper she says it has to be in on the 12th Sept for Oxford admissions, and they’re not back til the 4th, so it seems unlikely, but it would be good if a teacher looked. I just changed one bit of grammar but I didn’t feel I could (or needed to) change any content as I really don’t know what’s needed. I think the form goes to the college first though so hopefully it will get a glance!

She has now lost any further motivation though - I think she was so worried about this that everything else has gone by the wayside - and she has exams the first week back! I think everything else will now be pushed to intense work next term which is how she works best anyway.

scary but exciting year ahead!

That's not correct Oxbridge and MDV deadline is always in October - this year its the 15th at 6pm on UCAS. She should definitely get multiple staff to read through and redraft it from there. If it's about college then that's not her Personal Statement and normally you select your college and that's it's (if she needs to send them a form that I'd seperate to her PS). Link below is Oxford's timeline. What course is she applying for?

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/admissions-timeline

We are just on our way home from holiday.
DS has a ton of course work to do. We honestly haven't thought about PS or open days or anything yet!

Just as an aside on PS, I interview for several dietetics courses in the north of England. PS are always read before we shortlist for interview, and absolutely only to the word count. Lots of them are over and that bit is totally ignored. Same for all AHP and nursing degrees.

Also from someone whose done Y13 more recently, I would say the jump from Y11 to Y13 is easier than the one from Y12 to Y13, so it's best to get on the front foot, make sure you have all your revision resources for Y12, you don't want to be making them in Y13 and also does she have mocks in September or just in class tests. They could also impact her UCAS predicted grades as I know many schools do that, and even if they don't it's a good way to study for 1 or 2 weeks beforehand and then you would have consolidated more Y12 content and can see your skills once again (it's not useful if you don't revise as much because you won't be able to learn as much from it). What A-levels does she do? And what subject is she applying for at Oxford?

Good to catch up with what everyone is doing. Like many here DS is also having a very busy summer. No work experience but much reading to strengthen his Oxford application. It’s been a late decision for him to apply so he has a lot of catching up to do with his peers who had started planning and working towards it much earlier. He knows it’s a super long shot and says he won’t be disappointed if he doesn’t get in but will be disappointed if he doesn’t do his best to get in. I am rather proud of the young man he’s becoming.

He hasn’t started his TSA prep yet as he also has two NEAs to do over the summer. One apparently has no word limit and has become a massive beast. He also has a theory test coming up in August and not much time to prepare.

Good luck to all the DCs working hard towards their future and strength and 🍷 to all parents supporting!

What NEAs is he doing? Doing the whole thing over the summer is slightly strange unless it's the 1st draft and they'll do the 2nd one in the autumn? I'm guessing geography is the one without a set word count, as I know people who've had to do that.

History (1st draft) and geography (final draft). Yes geography is the one without the word limit. As an academic I find not having a word limit very strange, especially as quantity not being equal to quality is an important but hard lesson to learn.

Yes there is a recommended one though so I'd use that as a gauge, it's often because of the variety in what they do, physical (showing data etc). Has he begun research for the topic of his history NEA yet? I'm guessing the summer work is more like that, research, planning out what you need to do, looking at the historians and the histograpgy you want to do, finding your 3 sources, reading the books you need to etc.

DS still hasn't decided whether to apply for Oxford or Cambridge. I have suggested he write a list of pros and cons for each. Failing that he needs to toss a coin! After that he needs to decide on a college.

He has done the first draft of his PS. He will do at least one more revision before giving it to his school sponsor (it goes through three different people at school apparently). Final draft to be completed by the end of September.

Interesting about Durham @WombatChocolate , thank you. Durham wasn't one of the open days DS did but he does really like the look of the History course there so may apply.

DS is half way through two weeks of work so has just been doing his regular revision in the evenings. He'll pick up the NEA and PS stuff again next week when he's got more time free. He's also half way through his LTA coaching course and has started practicing driving again (test in early October). I don't remember being anywhere near this busy in the summer between year 12 and 13!

I admire the commitment of our YP though.

Good luck to your son for tomorrow @AuntyBulgaria

Ah I’d misunderstood dd she’s working to her college’s deadline for them to have Oxford ucas forms in to check - so plenty of time for her teachers to read and improve. Perfect!

Reassured to hear she’s on track for history coursework - a friend said her son wrote it all over the summer but dd is following the college timetable for it which is, as pp mentions, gathering sources etc etc

I think schools and colleges often give their own internal deadlines for students to submit an Oxbridge PS - this allows them to look over, time for re/draft etc before the actual deadline.