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Higher education

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Original poster

A Level Anxiety

895 replies

Toffee22 · 14/08/2011 22:42

Only 4 more "sleeps" until the A level results come out - not that I will be doing much sleeping...

Eldest son wants to study medicine. 3 "A's" required no slip ups allowed. Have just checked and most medical schools don't accept re-sits. How can I face looking at the cold hard facts at some point on Thursday. I'm sure it will be difficult for my son too! When I tried to talk to him about it today instead of a response he said he would do an "impression of a tree". It wasn't even a very good impression. What does this mean?

OP posts:
Yellowstone · 21/08/2011 15:09

I know you were talking about dress tone funny.

Yes I do but it's very common. DD1's room mate was one of three sisters too and two of DD2's housemates for next year are one of two.

roentgenium · 21/08/2011 15:15

funnyperson, my db used to work in the factory making those kettles as a holiday job. He used to cut the bits of metal for the handles, thousands of them, every day!

gingeroots · 21/08/2011 15:26

How is OP -toffee22 ?

Abra1d · 21/08/2011 17:28

'The clothing is called subfusc and involves a gown and black/dark formal clothes and white shirts. Men have to wear a white bow tie (DH made one from paper, once). Must be somewhat hot if you do exams in a heat wave.'

You just remove the gown. And the jacket, if you're a boy. Not too bad. The marble examination halls are quite cool.

Just don't wear no underwear under your sheer white shirt, as one girl famously did, losing the men round her lots of marks.

funnyperson · 21/08/2011 18:58

Bookshelves ginger- Ponders is right- I have contributed to books but not (yet) one on DD reading list!

Yellowstone I have now read the college handbook sent in DD 3cm thick freshers pack and note we have to have written permission for the kettle! roentgenium they are great kettles!

There is a medical form which is sensible as DD has to register with an Oxford GP and get her vaccines up to date before she starts- booster DTpolio, Meningitis C vaccine and a catch up MMR!

Original poster
Toffee22 · 21/08/2011 23:00

Forgot all about this...

Son got 3 A's and a B. Missed A in biology by less than 1% (3 marks out of 600!). 1 unit was given a much lower mark than others. We are going for a remark then if not successful he will resit that unit.

Long story but he didn't apply for this year. Those 3 marks could rule out medicine though... Who said I was wrong to be anxious?

Life goes on.

OP posts:
Ponders · 21/08/2011 23:15

oh Toffee Sad

good luck with the re-mark - 3 is so close - I hope you'll be back soon to tell us he's in!

peteneras · 22/08/2011 00:43

3 A?s will generally meet the medicine requirement so long they are science/maths subjects. Strictly speaking , therefore, Biology is not even needed though medical schools will say students without Biology will struggle. The offer for medicine for students taking 4 A-levels is usually AAAC. In the real world, successful candidates usually have much better grades than that. There are also cases such as this one when whatever fantastic grades you have still don?t get you to medical school.

Point about resits ? medical schools don?t usually consider them outside the 2-year AS-A2 period. Good luck to the remarks.

rosar · 22/08/2011 07:11

Toffee it's not over yet.

Many moons ago I went to a lowly FE college to repeat one D grade. An unconditional offer after interview at Guy's made my planned resit year into a gap year. This was in the mid 70s when there was a huge shortage of places at Medical School. I eventually went on to do something completely different when I realized I could not spend my life on medicine. So I do smile when posters say they always get it right when picking prospective medics.

Original poster
Toffee22 · 22/08/2011 07:47

peteneras

If you'd read my original post then you would know I'm well aware of the situation regarding re-sits. That was the cause of the anxiety!

OP posts:
gingeroots · 22/08/2011 08:47

oh Toffee - really sorry to hear that 3 marks is going to affect your DS's future .
Hope you're both ( all ) doing ok .
As you say - life goes on .
Hope it was possible to celebrate what was nonetheless fantastic grades .

mumofsoontobelawstudent · 22/08/2011 08:48

toffee sorry, am confused. In your OP you said he needed AAA. Well he has AAAB or did they specify that he had to achieve A in biology?

gingeroots · 22/08/2011 08:52

Poor toffee ,sure she doesn't want to go into all the ins and outs ,sure she's on top of it all and knows what's what .

MigratingCoconuts · 22/08/2011 08:59

I haven't read the whole thread so sorry if i go over old stuff but..

If he has an A in Chemistry and two other A grades, he should be ok for medicine...Biology is not needed (but I have a feeling that you probably know what requirements are needed where)

Also, I once taught a student who just missed out on medicine so he worked out that several of the courses at a particular university shared the same foundation year. He applied to get onto the lesser course, did the foundation year and then internally transferred over to the medicall course after one year.

Anyway, good luck in wha ever he decides to do.

Majorca · 22/08/2011 09:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MidnightHag · 22/08/2011 18:22

My DS got 3 A grades last summer; he took a year out and worked as a health care assistant. Re-applied for Medicine and got an unconditional offer from Sheffield. Your son can still do medicine. I'm assuming one of his A Levels is Chemistry?

AnnaBegins · 23/08/2011 10:11

funny person in answer to what to wear to formal dinners (formal hall), although each college is different the general rule seems to be that any dress will do, from cotton summer dresses to silk cocktail dresses. Definitely not full length ball gown, but something nice. I had a great time dressing up for formal hall when I was at uni (Cambridge not Oxford, but same difference) and I just bought a couple of pretty dresses in the sales so it wasn't expensive :) well done and good luck to your DD, and to everyone else's DC

jgbmum · 24/08/2011 20:40

Update-

DS has had his Physics paper re-marked

and has gone up 6 UMS points, changing his B into a magic A

Woo-hoo Grin and Wine and thanks for all the support and hand holding ladies. You are all fab

gingeroots · 24/08/2011 20:42

Faaantaaaastic!!!!!
Well done to him - and you .

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 24/08/2011 20:43

Oh fab Smile Does he get his first choice place?

mumofsoontobelawstudent · 24/08/2011 20:50

jgb that is FANTASTIC NEWS! Well done you (and of course your DS in the first instance) but mainly you for getting it-remarked! Think I'll join you for a Wine

MABS · 24/08/2011 20:57

bloody marvellous news!!!!

mumofsoontobelawstudent · 24/08/2011 21:02

indeed it is. Fingers crossed for you tomorrow MABS text me x

Ponders · 24/08/2011 22:17

brilliant news, jgb Grin

I do hope Toffee's DS can get his 3 marks too

thekidsmom · 25/08/2011 09:00

Fantastic jgb - and so quick! Good luck to all others awaiting a remark (including our DD - group remark for the whole school on one subject but luckily she's within her offer range anyway...)