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

[BlackBean2023]

You’re a chatty lot… continue

I wouldn't worry about seeing every university, offer holder days are great and sometimes better because there's less people, so you can spend more time 1-1 with faculty and students there.

Great news @JessyCarr well done to your DD!

@JessyCarrwell done to your DD.

DS has visited Warwick a couple of times with school as it’s probably our closest Uni and we are reasonably familiar with the campus due to various sporting and other events. It isn’t on DS list as he thinks it’s too close to home.

@JessyCarr well done to your DD!

Well done to your daughter @JessyCarr, great result.

That’s great news @JessyCarr. Economics is a topic under much discussion here too (have a separate thread in Higher Ed), as DS is considering dropping it and doing 3 a levels from here - maths, further maths and physics. For a while he was undecided between degree subjects - engineering or stats/economics, but he seems to have settled on engineering now. He’s not struggling with the subject, but is trying to be strategic about how he spends his time. School seem to be encouraging him. Seems a shame to me, and the nature of the system frustrates me!

I saw your thread @MiniMidiMaxi but I can’t offer advice. However DS says lots of boys at his school have dropped their fourth now. They must do it before UCAS application is submitted otherwise the UCAS application will say four a levels when three will be taken, which can be problematic.

Some universities don’t like FM as a third, depending on course, but I’m sure you and your son have checked this already.

DD has submitted her UCAS form to college. Tutor was bowled over by her ps and only made one tiny change so seems like she’s on the right track. One hurdle down…
She was a right mess in the lead up to going back but this happened with GCSEs (when she even stopped eating at this point), so both she and I knew she would feel better once in the thick of it and thankfully she’s had a good first few days back.

Good luck to everyone getting those forms over the line!

well done to your dd @JessyCarr that’s some determination and grit !

Well done to your daughter @Countrylife2002 - very organised! My son has not put pen to paper yet!

With regards to three a levels with one of them being further maths - this is what my son is doing and hasn't come across any degrees that he is interested in that raise this as a problem. In fact some drop the grade offer if one is FM. These are courses with a maths focus though.

That’s great for your dd @Countrylife2002! She’s done really well.

we’re a bit behind, first draft is ‘nearly done’ and DS has got an appointment to see his school mentor about it next week. A month to go so hopefully it all falls into place 🤞🏻

That’s good.@Countrylife2002- how organised your daughter is! DS has given his draft ps to his tutor and his sponsor. Fingers crossed for positive feedback. They have a deadline of next Friday to get the full UCAS application to the school so that the reference can be written. Although he wants to do early entry DS still hasn’t decided where to apply!

Fair point @AuntyBulgariaI was looking at courses like PPE, law and history for DS rather than engineering/maths.

Good work @Countrylife2002 's DD!

My DD is only really working on the PS now, she knows she doesn't have much time left but I know she now has a clear idea of what needs to go in it, so she can hopefully crack on with it.

We are off to Lancaster tomorrow, which is one of DDs 'safer' choices which she is very keen on. It will make a nice change to go to a uni she will actually apply to, makes it feel a bit more real. The uni's we went to in June/July were pre UCAT so not serious options at that time as we didn't know if she'd be able to apply. Much more real now!

Well done @Countrylife2002to your DD, exciting to get to this stage!

DS is working on hopefully final draft of PS this weekend, which also involves finalising his uni/course choices as he might go for potentially different courses in a couple of places which might need to be reflected in the PS…

@bluefinelinerenjoy Lancaster! I know it very well, it’s a great place to be a student 🙂

Economics officially being dropped. He seems to feel very relieved to finally have a degree subject settled on - the only issue is that he was unsure for so long, he hasn’t done much at all in terms of relevant super curriculars to build his personal statement. And I think engineering might be one of those subjects where they care about the personal statement and not just the predicted grades. He needs a super curricular crash course!

@MiniMidiMaxi although your DS needs a supercurricular boost, at least he is now focused on what he wants to do. It is a relief to move forward on this as I think a lot of YP sway from one decision to another at this time. It all feels like everything is such a big decision right now.

My DD is full on PS now and I have left her to it as she is quite single minded about what it should include and isn't too keen on my input. I am glad about this because she does listen to her teachers so it gives me a break 😂. I think she is about 75% there with it, has to be in by the end of Sept.

We went to Lancaster and DD loved it. Campus was a good fit for her and the medical school building was lovely bright and light with great facilities. It is one of her definite choices, so we are set on 3 so far (Newcastle, Leeds, Lancaster) and are going to Liverpool this Sat for their open day. Depending on how it goes she will determine her 4th soon. My only concern with Lpool is their low interview to offer rate, so although DD has a good chance at interview, it may be less likely to turn into an offer. Honestly medical school applications are so complex weighing up chances of each one! I'll be glad to get this application off soon.

DD seems to be quite enjoying writing her PS which surprised me, how are everyone else's coming along?

@MiniMidiMaxi a friend of DD did drop Eco and only doing P, M and FM too. Applying for Engg.
We are still keeping Chemistry as that was one of the Astars, and now decided to keep. But not much Supra curriculars other then few online courses and competitions- which is not directly connected to the subject she is applying for. I think she is being too picky, but what do I know! WE is just IT, nothing to do with Engg either.
Also if someone could help me figure out how to choose a college when applying for Cam that would be awesome. I know ai left it too late, I was under the impression that we are plying without naming college. But apparently not.
PS draft is ready and first meeting with tutor tmrw I think..
@Countrylife2002 well done for getting that over with! @JessyCarr well done for PGs too.
please can we all tag along to a new thread, thanks so much for trying @Waspie
I kept on bumping on the old year 13 one, thinking we have a new one :)

DS has met his school mentor and an external mentor about his ps this week and both are pleased with what he’s done so far. Just some tweaking left to do.

TMUA and MAT practice is still going strong with those dates and the UCAS deadline creeping ever closer…

@Newlease I have started a new thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/5412501-year-13-202526-support-discussion-and-looking-after-each-other-new-thread-from-y12?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share
here