EPQ

[WitchOfAlba]

DD has got the option of doing this, she thinks she should do it because universities like it but she doesn't want to do it. Her college offer a teacher training option where she gets experience of teaching, I think it'd be more useful to do that but it's hard to tell.

Any thoughts from anybody in the know? I think it's more useful to do something else rather than stress about the EPQ when she's not keen to do it and is already worrying.

If she doesn't want to do it, she shouldn't do it. My DD signed up for the EPQ and then didn't complete it and withdrew, very close to the end of y13. Fortunately she hadn't mentioned it anywhere in her personal statement and it wasn't referred to in her offer, but as the weeks rolled by and she still hadn't finished it, it just created an extra layer of stress. I had to refund the entry fee to the school. Can't remember how much that was.

There are lots of other ways of enhancing her ps. She should stick to things she is genuinely inspired by, as she will have enough stress etc in y12 and 13, without adding to it.

DD was going to do an EPQ and asked a few unis about their thoughts. They said that they were good to show interest in your subject if you didn't have much to write about on your personal statement. She dropped hers (before handing in her UCAS) to focus on getting good grades. If she's not keen it doesn't seem worthwhile, if she may want to teach the experience could also look good on the PS.

thanks, that's pretty much what I've said to her. She's going to talk to her tutor today and get his opinion and then decide.

Is she interested in teaching as a career? If so, then relevant work experience might be useful for a teaching training degree. Otherwise, not really useful. University is all about independent study and research which is why the EPQ is, IMO, a valuable thing to undertake. It gives a student UCAS points too, whereas teaching experience probably doesn't.

DS spent ages last year on his EPQ. To be fair he really enjoyed it but none of his offers were based on the result.
It's too much work if she really doesn't want to do it.

At my DD's school, they start the EPQ in January of LVI, take a break for the AS exams, and then work on it in earnest when they return to school and over the summer holidays. It is handed in in September of UVI, so does not interfere with A2s.

It 120 hours of work, much of which takes place in the school holidays.

If she's not keen on it then obviously she shouldn't do it, because she won't do it well.

Mine decided not to do it because they are bone idle and they have found a teacher (out of many supporters of it) who says they will do fine without it. I suspect it doesn't matter whether they do it or not.

Let her decide.

My dd regretted not doing it at the time when she got her A level results, as she missed her first choice uni by a whisker and thinks that a very good grade at EPQ might have changed things especially when it's a very "near missed grade" situation. But who knows?.. may have may have not. If your dd is thinking of going to a competitive uni & its a competitive course and she really wants to get in there, then I would say do it.

Bagpuss I doubt it. When something - like the EPQ - is only available to some students and not others, I suspect that admissions tutors will try their best not to allow it to sway their opinion, certainly not overtly, as in, where there is a "just missed grade". Much better (IMHO) to focus on activities that emphasise your ability to work outside what is laid on by the school. But who knows!?!

My DD did it. It didn't feature in any of her offers, but she enjoyed doing it and we both feel it gave her more valuable experience of how to conduct an independent piece of research than any of her A-level coursework did which should stand her in good stead at university. It was hard work, but something that was genuinely her own.

Figment I think DS2's A* in his EPQ very definitely contributed when he just missed his grades for Oxford. That, and a very strong pre-test score. But I just don't think it's worth doing if you don't want to because for it to make a difference you have to do well, which you probably won't if you're reluctant.

DD is doing one on a topic she finds fascinating and it links to what she wants to do later.
Therefore its largely completed already and has been absolutely no stress at all.

The DD of a friend is dropping hers because its just stress and causing hassle.

Its a very self driven thing so you have to go with gut feeling IME

She's opted to do something else and has also arranged some voluntary work linked to the degree subject that she wants, I think that's the right choice for her. Thanks, it helped us make our minds up.

And I suspect mine have opted for the more time in bed alternative (which is not of course recommended by any parent or university!)

Hi,

My daughter is doing an EPQ at the moment. Please fill in her questionnaire on people of public authority.

www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7NLBSFR

Thank you in advance.

Um acheung I'd happily help, but the survey doesn't say what it's for, who's rinning it, how the data will be used, etc.

Back to original question, assuming it's still current: DS did it, was a ton of work, and quite a struggle to finish alonside Autumn term studies, but provided him with some great research skills plus loads to write about in his PS. He also just got an offer based on it from a good university: AAA or AAB with A on EPQ.

I've done the survey, it looks like an interesting EPQ - what is your DD doing?