Year 13 -2025/26 - Support, discussion and looking after each other (new thread from y12)

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Hello
I have started a new thread following on from this one
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/5340007-year-12-202425-support-discussion-and-looking-after-each-other-thread-2?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

DS is doing okay, thanks for asking @Ventress - still in limbo till 28th, but he's being pretty chill as knows the odds are against him and thankfully he's happy with his other options. It's more the unknown that is bothersome, but we've booked the offers holder day for Warwick as that'll probably be his insurance whether he gets a Cams offer or firms Mancs instead.

Durham and (hopefully) UCL are great choices for your DS and I think you're right about the reapplying going down in the mix as things progress. I know people do it but I think they have to be so into Oxbridge at all costs and want the year out anyway for other reasons. No way would my DS want to jump through all those hoops again when he could go to another good uni and get on with it. Lots of different paths though and hard to know until the possibilities are clear.

Thank you all for your very kind messages, finally herded the last of family to the airport last night. "Bullied" DD into school this morning - I said last night "the Christmas tree is still up, all the beds need changed, we've been eaten out of house & home & need to do a decent shop & you haven't been back in school - what would your Granny say?" and she let out such a big deep laugh my heart nearly burst.

Thank goodness for this thread, said to DD other people are booking offer holder days, have you heard anything? Oh yeah, did get an email, not sure if it’s worth going.. so anyway she’s now booked ‘applicant discovery day’ at Liverpool (who seem to like to go with their own names for everything), but Reading haven’t released dates for economics.

I feel the same @wonderstuff. I got an email from university saying the student had been told about offer holder day booking. Thank goodness otherwise I would have carried on in happy oblivion and we probably would have missed it.

I hope you get a chance to rest today @GirlsInGreen. There is always so much to do when family descends. Please take care of yourself and your nearest and dearest.

Fingers crossed for your son on 28th @pinkdelight. Good that he is chilled out. He sounds a lot like DS in that regard. The school always said either apply for Oxbridge or apply for the course. If you just want to get into Oxbridge go for an undersubscribed course. I completely agree with you regarding applications and I don’t want DS to waste a year applying again just to be refused again when he could go to another really excellent university.

Thank you @JustHereWithMyPopcornthat’s good to hear 😊 Certainly interesting that your son’s other choices have the same requirements. Must make it hard to choose . Is there a campus, or course, he particularly likes for the insurance choice?

i absolutely agree about fees @Muchtoomuchtodoand @JustHereWithMyPopcorn it does seem unfair that they have different prices for the same accommodation. Good luck to your son for the mocks results @Muchtoomuchtodo

Well done to all DC who have finished their mocks, hope they have been useful for giving them what they need the most ahead of the real thing. Whether it be a confidence boost and/or learning where to concentrate revision going forward. DS doesn’t have his mocks until after the Feb half term, which from this thread looks later than most.

Also great to read of more offers coming in and OHDs booked. Sorry to those with bad news about Oxford, I know it stings and feels like a future collapsing, even when a positive outcome was statistically unlikely in the first place. Hope they all recover and start to look forward to alternative paths soon.

@GirlsInGreenso sorry to hear about your DM, congratulations to your DD on her Oxford offer, and so lovely that thinking of what Granny would say got her to laugh! @Ventressthat’s great news about the Durham offer! Hope you all enjoy the trip and fingers crossed for UCL. @bluefinelinerI hope your MIL is recovering well and that DD hears back with some offers soon. @pinkdelightfingers crossed for the 28th! @JustHereWithMyPopcorn so glad the Bath offer came through for your DS, we have booked the end of Feb half term OHD too!

@Ventress you asked what other offers DS has and whether he knows what he wants to firm (sorry only replying now). It’s complicated! He has Exeter econ & politics, Bristol politics & IR, and Bath politics with econ and year in industry. Last one waiting for is Warwick PPE. Since applying, he decided that he definitely wants econ to be part of his degree so he has ruled out Bristol. He loved Exeter when we visited but on paper it looks not as strong academically or in terms of employability (despite being the highest offer so far - A star AA) as the other options. Bath is the only option with the year in industry, and their placement scheme is really strong, which is a major attraction. He wasn’t that keen on the campus though and there is potentially less econ in the degree than he would like. The flexibility of the offer though (either AAA or A star AB) might make it a great insurance. Warwick PPE on paper is by far the strongest option, it’s also very competitive and last year some people were waiting until May for offers. DS has been a bit put off by the fact that both DH and I went to Warwick and we also made the mistake of dragging him down our memory lane on the open day (may it be a cautionary tale to anyone in a similar position in the future 🤦‍♀️). Since the Oxford rejection he has slowly warmed up to it though, and would probably firm it if offered.

@ComingInByAnsible sounds like you know lots about Warwick having been there yourself. How funny that your DC was put off by this, but it's such a teenage reaction wanting to do things differently to your parents! We have the offer holder day booked so will see what DC thinks. Having read a few nightmare accommodation scenarios about Bristol recently I'm less sure it's such a good choice after all as it sounds a bit stressful and thinking maybe we should look more seriously at Warwick after all. Although last year apparently a lot of students didn't get accommodation at the campus in Warwick either (nor Exeter) so not sure it's any better. What makes you think employability is worse at Exeter? It does seem to be a slight step below Warwick/Bristol/London courses (but still a good University and one which DC may put as insurance)

@Fabfabfab yes, very typical teen reaction (we have friends with similar stories too)! Re Warwick/Exeter it might be subject and career specific, and you are right they are both good options anyway! DS doesn’t yet know what he wants to do after uni so is trying to keep as many doors open as possible. Warwick I believe is an employer ‘target’ for things like finance and consultancy at least whereas Exeter and Bath are ‘semi-targets’. Not sure how much difference it makes in practice! (We did all end up with good careers after our Warwick degrees but obviously that was back in the Stone Age so may not be that relevant now.) I hear you regarding accommodation, it seems like there are problems in lots of places, including Warwick and Exeter. Although having lived in Coventry in my second year, it wasn’t bad to be honest, it was safe and the commute was quick and convenient with an easy bus ride. DH lived in Leamington which was of course much nicer but a longer commute.

@ComingInByAnsible do you think the employers target all students at Warwick for finance/consultancy jobs e.g. who don't do maths/business/econ? My DC wants to do a law conversation after Uni but good to keep an open mind given how challenging it can be getting into law. Best of luck to your DC on getting a Warwick offer! May sounds like an awful long time to wait so let's hope you hear soon. We are also still waiting for one more offer. Would be nice to know either way.

I agree @ComingInByAnsible😂 ds wouldn’t even go to visit York (where I went) although we nearly got him to Birmingham (where dh went).

I am sure that if the Warwick PPE is the best option for him, your son will take it. He is clearly very bright and wouldn’t cut off his nose to spite his face (as my mother would say). Actually all of those choices seem very strong. Exeter might make a very strong insurance choice, although the grade requirement is high. I’m guessing it wasn’t in clearing last summer. The Bath politics and economic with a year in industry sounds very good too. Bath is certainly very strong in this segment at the moment. Will your son go to the offer holder days at those he has offers for so far? That may help him consolidate his thoughts and ideas.

I hope that Warwick offer comes through soon 🤞

H @Ventress what a shame about Oxford. My DS didn’t bother to apply even though he wanted to - because (and I’m quoting him here) “I’m only on track for 4 A’s”. DH and I were like son, you are on track for 4 A’s there should be no “only” in that sentence. But he goes to a super selective grammar so it’s pushed down their throats a bit.

Im not sure if I’ve mentioned here, but DS is also applying for several degree apprenticeships too. He’s had a few positive emails, 4 rejections and some that have gone scarily quiet. So on top of all the exam prep and mocks which aren’t until the end of Feb here (seems really late to me), he may also have to battle with assessment centres for apprenticeships too. It’s not for the feint hearted this lot!

@KellySeveride my DS also tried a couple of degree apprenticeships but soon got bored of all the extra work/prep. He is in theory still in the running for KPMG having passed some tests but they have just gone quiet now.

Also his mocks aren't until after Feb half term. He did some in November so I think it's great that the next set is later as he can hopefully use it as a launch pad to properly get into a studying groove. He certainly isn't in one now!

My DS is also at an ss grammar @KellySeverideand, you’re correct, I think Oxbridge is something that they are encouraged to apply for whether it’s right for them or not.

DS got his mock results back Saturday evening (weird school!) and got 2 A stars and an A/B borderline in economics. He is very happy with this but wants to get the economics up to a solid A, possibly even an A Star.

Mocks after February half term make sense to me. My DS hasn’t really got back into the studying groove either. He is back at his part time job and everything has normalised after Christmas and mocks so hopefully he will get back into it soon.

Good luck with the application for apprenticeships @KellySeverideand @AuntyBulgaria. I know getting those is like jumping through fiery hoops backwards on a unicycle whilst playing the violin so I don’t envy your sons doing these!

Those are great mock results @Ventress - well done to your DS!

Hope all our Y13s are hanging in there. DD had her French uni interview today and felt it was on the tough side, with one interviewer in particular giving her a bit of a grilling. We all know that you just can’t tell, so we shall see (outcomes due in early Feb). Otherwise it will be time to book offer-holder days and focus on a decision between Manchester and Edinburgh. Whilst not forgetting February mocks, of course!

Thank you @JessyCarr

I’m glad your daughter’s interview has taken place. Sounds challenging but I’m sure she was more than capable 😊

Hopefully the wait won’t be too long, plus mock revision in the mix too. Offer holder days sound good fun. I have seen that there is a thread about Manchester accommodation for 2026 already!

Morning all!

@ventress those are great mock grades, I'm sure your DS will get that Economics up to an A. DS has had his Physics back, he got an A after all that fuss!! To be fair, he was genuinely surprised about that result. 😄 Still waiting on Maths, I think because 3/4 of the year pretty much take maths it just takes them forever to mark them. I'm hoping he gets them today.

He hasn't had any work shifts since new year but there should be some coming out soon that he can sign up for - he needs to get saving!

@JessyCarr fingers crossed your DDs interview went better than she thinks, I'm sure it will.

We have booked three offer holder days now. Bath first in a months time.

UWE have come back with an offer so that’s three now. DD is deep in mocks week. She is being very reluctant re offer holder days. She did go to the open days and she is looking forward to uni so maybe it isn’t a big deal but very frustrating as a parent. It’s her journey though so we have to step back and let her make the decisions.

She would go up and see Edinburgh if they make her an offer but I don’t know when she will hear (could easily be after some of the other offer holder days) and if it’s a no I would like her to have met some other people who may be on her course and get excited about the other options. She may not even like Edinburgh even if they do offer - she didn’t get to an open day there.

Once she lifts her head from mocks and January deadlines she may see things differently. It’s such a tough time.

Really glad I found this thread. Sounds like lots of offers have come through but dd is still waiting on her top 3 - Bristol, Reading and Exeter. She’s had offers from Cardiff and Royal Holloway with an offers visit in March for her subject - biological sciences. It’s stressful waiting (she’s totally chilled) and Reading is where she’s really hoping to go. I’m such a planner I hate the unknown.

She did mocks in December and they were on track but she will need to get her head down to get the As she’s capable of.

Thanks @JustHereWithMyPopcorn😊 Great physics result from your son - very impressive! Having 75% of the year group doing maths sounds familiar. Hopefully they will get those results out soon!

I hope those offer holder days go well! They should be really interesting. How is your DS’s girlfriend doing?

I would definitely want to visit Edinburgh @ArchitectureMumfrom what I’ve read it’s a different student experience from the English universities. Great to have that UWE offer too!

Two offers already sounds good @TeenLifeMum . Hopefully your daughter will get those other offers through soon. I really like Reading. It’s a great campus and in a lovely part of town. DS’s chess team play the uni team as part of their league and his English teacher is an honorary professor at the uni so his class get used as guinea pigs quite a bit 😂

DD’s biology teacher did his PhD there and only has good things to say about it. I liked it a lot when we visited. Dh took her to Bristol - dd loved the city but dh was unimpressed by the presentation that mainly said “we used to do these amazing trips but the cuts mean we don’t anymore”

DD has booked offer holder day with Reading for next month, good to hear positives, we haven’t visited before, so will be interesting. DH is trying to go with her, but I want to! Heading up to Liverpool too, £300 on train and hotel! It’s not cheap this finding a uni is it.

Turns out she has had mocks, I thought just unit tests, but is waiting on results. She did get an A in her last maths unit test, which is up from an E in her last test, so she’s very pleased. She’s bought a guitar this week, good to have some distraction I guess.

My son hated Bristol- said it was like “Reading's big brother” . He didn’t apply for Bristol, or Reading, at all which is a shame but he does have to go past Reading uni on the bus each day to school so I guess it’s just too close by.

i hope your daughter enjoys the OHD @wonderstuffCan you both go? 😊

No, it’s really not cheap! We’re going to Durham for one OHD and hotel plus petrol is well over £500 already. We may be eating sandwiches! I’m glad we’re only going to two.

Hi all,

Great to see everything moving for everyone, offer holder days coming round so soon!

@Ventress great mock results for your DS, sounds like he has it all in hand! We looked at Durham in summer last year but only because we stopped there on a journey and had a nosey (they don't do med). My niece went and loved it.

@wonderstuff I'd guess Reading and Liverpool could be quite different. DD has an interview at Liverpool soon and we loved the uni and city when we went to the open day in Sept. It isn't that far from us though (less than 2 hrs) so feels quite familiar and friendly.

@TeenLifeMum 2 offers already is a great start for your DD, I so understand you being a planner, I am too and am finding waiting unbearable. DD will not hear from her interviews until late March (one possibly sooner) and it feels like forever away. No plans can be made at all just yet!

@JessyCarr I am sure your DD's interview did not go as badly as she thinks. I keep trying to tell my DD that interviews are so hard to read so try not to over analyse it. I am guessing your DD is probably sensible enough not to do this, unfortunately mine isn't 😂.

That’s really helpful to know @bluefineliner, thanks. Has your daughter heard from Newcastle yet? I’m glad your niece loved Durham. It just seems so very far away when DS had his 2.5hour travel limit previously. DS loves the look of the course though, which is the important part.

I hope your daughter’s Liverpool interview goes well! I think your daughter (and the others on this thread) sound amazing 🤩

There is some news about the economics mock - apparently some boys are suspected of cheating. They are all in the other economics group (not DS’s) and have been given warnings. They are not going to re-run the mock.

@Ventress yes Durham is further for you, DD has kept within 2 hrs for al her choices so I hear you on the distance question.

DD won't hear from Newcastle until the end of March most likely so a long wait still. She did really like Liverpool but their interview to offer rate is quite low so who knows!

I can kind of see the point (!) of cheating in a Y12 exam where they will use it to predict your UCAS grades but what's the point in cheating now in Y13? They literally mean nothing apart from the work you do to get ready helps you be more ready for the real thing! And identifying what you need to work on.