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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Fresh new 'mum of a medicine applicant' thread.

559 replies

Mindgone · 11/11/2014 11:58

I thought I would start a new one, as the last one went a bit 'off topic'! How's everyone getting on? Am so excited, and a bit nervous, as DS has two interviews coming up! How is everyone else's DCs preparing? Also, any tips from anyone who's been there?

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hellsbells99 · 27/03/2015 12:21

Commiserations Mindgone but at least he has an offer!
DD1 has 4 friends that have applied for medicine this year - 2 of them have offers but unfortunately the other 2 have all rejections. We may be going through this with DD2 next year.

Original poster
Mindgone · 27/03/2015 12:41

Thanks all Flowers
DS says he feels 'surprisingly ok' this morning! I think the waiting might well be the worst bit!
Carrie, he still hasn't heard from Nottingham, his offer is from Leicester, which he really liked Smile.
Hellsbells, gosh, that's tough on your DD's friends! It is a long tough process, but at least we knew that! It must be so much harder for the ones who haven't been stalking here for years, and therefore have a much less realistic idea of what to expect!

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angethomp190 · 27/03/2015 13:10

Hi All
Sorry to hear about Durham but at least he has an offer and he may well get another from Nottingham. Nottingham was my DD's favourite but she didn't apply there as her UK cat score wasn't good. She has received rejections from all 3 of her other medicine choices but has one offer which is all you need.
Her 2 friends who have also applied for medicine have not yet got any offers. It certainly is a very long and tense time.

Carriemac · 31/03/2015 19:43

Could hardly believe they were still interviewing in Nottingham this morning, it feels so late!

Original poster
Mindgone · 31/03/2015 22:49

It is so late!! Apparently they'll finish interviewing tomorrow, and then we just wait, again!

Anyone else still waiting?

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Decorhate · 01/04/2015 05:53

My dd heard from Cardiff yesterday. Her last one & a rejection. She didn't mind as she has felt very lucky to have offers from elsewhere. Has now firmed & insured

Carriemac · 01/04/2015 11:50

DEcorate its nice to be firmed and insured, though in DS s case his firm is AAA and insurance A*AA so seems pointless. are her offers AAA?

Original poster
Mindgone · 01/04/2015 19:26

Rejections are never nice, but it sounds like your dd has it in perspective Decorhate, and knows how fortunate she is! And well done to her for firming, that must be great to be decided and out of the way :) where's her firm?

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Decorhate · 01/04/2015 20:54

Firmed Oxford (A*AA) and insured Leeds (AAA)

Decorhate · 02/04/2015 22:27

Heard today that the v bright girl I know who hadn't had any offers has had one from Cardiff this week! So pleased for her

Original poster
Mindgone · 03/04/2015 01:11

That must be such a relief for her! And great for your DD that now she knows where she's up to, and what she needs to do! Heads down now!

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Decorhate · 03/04/2015 07:57

Yes that girl is also waiting to hear from Nottingham.

Original poster
Mindgone · 09/04/2015 14:46

Finally a rejection from Nottingham! I'm actually (rather stupidly!) a bit surprised, as I very naively thought that any interviewer who met my lovely son would snap him up!!Wink
Anyway, he is fine, and relieved that this part is finally over! He has firmed Leicester, and insured chemistry at Sheffield, and feels great about that Grin.
Just a small matter of grades now! A friend of a friend's DD was fortunate enough to get two offers last year, and then didn't get the grades! They really do need to work their lovely backsides off now! Good luck to all, and especially anyone still waiting!

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PisforPeter · 09/04/2015 14:50

I'm sure you're all very proud of your children but it's fairly grim working as an NHS doctor at the moment....

Original poster
Mindgone · 09/04/2015 20:14

PisforPeter, I know! But what can you do when they've done the work experience and volunteering, and looked into other careers and courses too, and medicine is still what they really want to do?!

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PisforPeter · 10/04/2015 08:33

I would actively encourage my DC to consider alternatives. Most of my colleagues are burnt out in their 30's/40's. A huge proportion in newly qualified docs are emigrating to Oz in particular for this reason which of course exacerbates the working conditions for us UK docs but I don't blame them. If I was 10 years younger I would be long gone too.
I worked very hard as a teenager to achieve something I thought was a rewarding & hugely desirable career but for the most part it has been a huge source of unhappiness in my life. In particular trying to combine 12 hour days with no breaks with having a young family....
It might seem like the most prestigious course in the prospectus but the reality is that the British media, politicians etc have no respect for us & many of the public sadly believe we earn ludicrous sums for doing f*ck all which contributes to very low morale in the profession.
Sorry to seem so negative but I sometimes look at the ladies on the tills at Waitrose & think I would probably be much happier doing that.

fairywoods · 10/04/2015 10:50

Peter that's so sad. My DD is a first year. She is loving the course, has made great friends and is totally committed. I am under no illusion that Med School is probably the 'easy' bit and that working life as a doctor will be a huge shock. I tried very hard to put her off.... for all the reasons you have stated. I only hope things improve within the NHS. All these bright, hard working young people striving to make a difference and do something worthwhile. I am trying to be hopeful that their enthusiasm, optimism and energy will make things change. It would be good to hear from any doctors who have optimism for the future (no criticism to Peter, just hoping there are some positive stories!).

PisforPeter · 10/04/2015 20:12

The positive ending to my story is that I now work 2 mornings per week and I enjoy that but I suppose it is a waste of a very expensive education but I'm a happy Mummy & a happy GP. I'm lucky that my financial situation allows this though, I could not cope with any more x

angethomp190 · 13/04/2015 08:03

That is really sad PisforPeter but hopefully things will improve and to some extent it is up to the younger generations to try to change things. I could certainly say very similar things about the state of the teaching profession today but at the end of the day our children and other young people have to follow their chosen career path.

aunttoniece · 13/04/2015 19:40

PisforPeter, I so recognise your words. I believe things are really getting worse, and so does dh think. We were both talking about reducing hours/ retire only yesterday, as dh is getting health problems which are not helped by long working hours.

HMW9793 · 01/06/2015 11:33

Where have you lovely ladies gone? I took much comfort from your thread from the start as I am in the same boat. I have a DS sitting Cambridge PreU at present. Does anyone else have a DC trying to meet a Med school offer with these exams?

Original poster
Mindgone · 01/06/2015 15:30

Hi HMW! I've missed us all too! DS has his first exam on Wed. He has been ill with tonsillitis since last week, but finally the antibiotics seem to be kicking in, and he feels more like himself today. Luckily, only the one exam this week, and the one he is most confident with. Then 3 next week and 3 the following week, then freedom!!
Where is your DS hoping to go HMW? DS hoping for Leicester.

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Original poster
Mindgone · 01/06/2015 15:36

How's everyone else getting on?

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HMW9793 · 01/06/2015 17:56

Thank you for replying Mindgone. Sorry to hear about the tonsillitis and hope your DS will be on form for his exams. Our DS has an offer from HYMS and is wait-listed for Southampton, but have no idea if a wait-list place ever comes up. We are a non-medic family (DH faints having his blood pressure taken and I am not much better) and have been on the back foot from the start. DSs school not good at getting pupils into Medical Schools. He sat some IGCSEs early which prevented him applying to some universities (not all the A*s in one sitting) and does not have a 4th post GCSE qualification as most do when studying for AS and A levels which ruled out half of the 32 UK schools. We were thrilled he got an offer when his peers did not. It is just the exams now, 4 papers this week, 3 next and 3 the week after (1 chemistry was before half term). It is far from a given though, these Pre U papers are tough.

Original poster
Mindgone · 01/06/2015 19:56

HMW, it sounds like your DS has done incredibly well with the odds stacked against him! We have heard of someone locally who got no offers, and then a last minute one on results day from Southampton! Maybe they have introduced the waiting list system so that it's not completely out of the blue, and such a last minute shock, albeit a fab one. I know nothing about Southampton though. Which one does your DS prefer?
Let's hope they can all do enough now to get the precious grades! I hope your DS makes it through his heavy week, and you too, it's hard supporting them!

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