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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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mrsmosquito · 10/06/2015 17:37

DD said half the class was in tears after her Chemistry paper today - she couldn't get to grips with it at all, and she is usually very strong in Chemistry. I've tried to encourage her to put it behind her - she needs to be ready for physics tomorrow....

Decorhate · 10/06/2015 17:50

It was AQA here so seems like it was bad all over

Original poster
Mindgone · 10/06/2015 19:50

Yep, AQA chemistry was 'weird' here too Confused! Getting a bit more worried now!

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alreadytaken · 11/06/2015 15:06

try to stay calm - if the exam is bad grade boundaries will be lower. Also although they dont advertise it med schools do sometimes take people who dont make their grades, even the medical schools that ask for high grades.

Carriemac · 11/06/2015 21:32

DS thought chemistry was hard but doable, biology however really upset him on Monday. Strange paper. Still, if they have strong AS results there is a bit if wiggle room on the A2mark for those who need 3Aa.

mrsmosquito · 11/06/2015 22:18

DD just sent me these links, concerning two of her exams this week......

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33102032

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33094306

angethomp190 · 12/06/2015 07:46

Thanks for sending those links. I'm not sure whether DD has seen the one about the chemistry exam so have forwarded it to her. She doesn't do physics. It seems that the board have recognised that it was a particularly difficult exam.

Oyster2 · 12/06/2015 08:39

Just looked at the links as dd did the chemistry and found it very hard. The link focused on the last question which was difficult but for her the main issue was the lack of time. Because there were so many apply questions these inevitably required more thinking through and the general view was that too much was packed into the paper. She thought she could have worked more of it out but simply didn't have time. I wonder if the 2nd biology and chemistry next week will be similar.

HMW9793 · 12/06/2015 09:56

I feel for you ladies. It is likely that it will be Game Over for my DS. He found one of his chemistry papers very tough. Since he is sitting Cambridge Pre-U he is really only competing against his year group in his school who are the majority sitting these exams and many of whom are heading to study chemistry/chemical engineering at Oxbridge/Imperial thus the grade boundaries are unlikely to shift.

Decorhate · 12/06/2015 17:54

Did any of yours have C3 Maths today? Dd thought it went ok but I see lots of angst on another threadSad

QueenQueenie · 12/06/2015 19:26

DS1 thought C3 maths was good today... and that his year group agreed. Phew. Hope anyone else doing Maths today felt the same.

That sounds tough HMW. What is he hoping to do next year? What ofer does he have to meet?

Decorhate · 14/06/2015 10:20

Can I ask you all if your dcs have back up plans in case they don't make the grades for their firm or insurance?

My initial thoughts are to encourage dd to try to get some sort of science degree through clearing.

I am assuming that most medical schools would not look favourably on someone who was retaking A levels so not much point in reapplying for next year?

Obviously I hope it doesn't come to that but I am conscious that if it all goes pear-shaped on results day there is not a lot of time to decide what to do...

Original poster
Mindgone · 14/06/2015 10:57

Worried about pear shaped here too! I think a gap year and a rethink, rather than a hasty decision would be what DS would go for. Maybe some research into which unis may take resits would be worthwhile. I think any that I've noticed in the past mention exceptional circumstances. Does anyone know which unis might consider resits?

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Decorhate · 14/06/2015 11:18

One of my issues is that I don't feel that dd really worked flat out this year. So no guarantee she would work any harder next year!
I think she would find having a gap year hard if it meant staying at home when all her friends are off at uni. But we will see.

peteneras · 14/06/2015 12:23

Hey! You guys are just too pessimistic. You never know what results day in August might bring and I'd advise to be prepared for some pleasant surprises. Also, this is not ideal example to be showing your budding medic DC - first sign of trouble and you're talking of giving up. Remember, this is just the "easy bit", getting into medical school. The hard bits are yet to follow when well and truly thrown in at the deep end of medical school!

Anyway, the very best of luck to you all and cheer up! Smile

Original poster
Mindgone · 14/06/2015 16:09

Hi Pateneras, thanks for that Smile. I'm not generally pessimistic, just trying to be prepared for a fairly realistic possibility! And I'm being outwardly optimistic with DS and DH. I do feel that it will help though if one of us has a plan B tucked away! I feel that DS should get the grades he needs, but that doesn't mean that he will get them! A friend of a friend's DD didn't get her grades last year, it happens. I think it's harder these days to predict outcomes, without January exams.
Decorhate, the hardest part of DS1's gap year, was the beginning, with all his friends posting freshers photos on facebook! But it soon passed, and now he looks back on it as a very positive experience. And there was no glamour, a job in Aldi, and a few small holidays!

Best of luck to all, on the home stretch now!SmileWineCakeBrew

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Decorhate · 14/06/2015 16:19

Yes this is very much me having a back up plan in my head rather than being pessimistic in front of dd.

She/we had assumed all along that her insurance was very achievable but the chemistry & biology papers last week have made us less certain

angethomp190 · 14/06/2015 16:26

Yes, I think it is wise for us mums to have a back up plan, just in case. I am pretty sure all our children could achieve what they need but as you say it doesn't mean they will. My dd is particularly worried about chemistry now. I think she would probably take a gap year and consider her options, and maybe resit any just in case any unis take re-sits. I am also remaining optimistic and positive in front of her though.

peteneras · 14/06/2015 17:11

Good to hear you mums are staying positive (at least) in front of your DC. It's quite amazing how your offspring can have an uncanny knack of picking up the vibes from their parents and their confidence can be boosted or shattered according to the vibes that they pick up. So please stay positive!

HMW9793 · 14/06/2015 18:51

QueenQueenie, my DS has a 3xD3 offer from HYMS. With Pre-U being linear these 11 papers are everything. It is supposed to be equal to 3 As but the syllabus is much bigger and there were pupils who failed to meet their offers last year. As for re-sits, there are a few med schools which allow them, mostly due to extenuating circumstances, if you have narrowly missed a grade and Keele will accept AAB. Liverpool, Exeter, BSMS and UEA accept but some require A in the re-sit. I don't think you can re-sit Pre-Us though. Depending on the outcome I have looked into the possibility of him doing a couple of different (Further Maths & Physics) A levels in year thus avoiding re-sit status. This will prevent him from applying to medicine until graduate entry but he has always loved physics and would be happy spending three years studying maths or physics. He genuinely loves learning, thank God, so think he would rather do that than travel. There is a chance that it will not come to this but I do like to plan ahead. As for this being the easy bit, after having spoken to past pupils who made it through the system with Pre-Us I am assured they are very well prepared and can relax a bit while the rest of their intake are doing the maths and chemistry they have already done at school, well at least at first.

Original poster
Mindgone · 16/06/2015 22:54

How's everyone doing? Last exam in the morning, biology. Maths C4 was hard today.
It's so hard isn't it, trying to guess whether they may achieve their grades, based on how happy, or otherwise, they seem after each exam?! I think it's extra hard for medicine, because if they don't make it, it's such a big rethink. For most of them, it's all they've ever wanted to do!

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Decorhate · 17/06/2015 06:19

Dd seems to have found the last few exams ok but who knows? And with moveable grade boundaries it's impossible to predict.

Biology today is her last one

QueenQueenie · 17/06/2015 08:47

Last (Biology) one here too this morning... Phew. Fingers crossed for everyone and especially the teenagers!

Original poster
Mindgone · 17/06/2015 10:32

Best of luck to all, let's hope they come out smiling!
Lots of WineBrewCake for us all tonight! Wink

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Decorhate · 17/06/2015 17:34

Dd found Biology ok today. At least in comparison to last week's paper.
All done now. Leavers assembly on Friday & that's it forever more (I hope)