University offers for 2017 start (Part 2)

[EnormousTiger]

Continuation of the original thread which is now on to 40 page maximum.
Original thread (part 1) here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/2759621-Uni-offers-for-2017-start?

Most offers now received. My twins have had offers from their 4 and are currently deciding which will be firm and which insurance. One twin
( possibly two of them) is going to an offer holders' day coming up at Bristol next month with his friends from school.

Oh Holly. I am so glad I only have one child.

Good luck to everyone practicing their motivational speaking techniques.

I feel a bit in limbo. Visits, applications, etc done, waiting for exams in June, then nothing until August. After all the flurry, I feel like I should be doing something

DD is doing her S3 paper at the moment. She was going through her flashcards of statistics terminology, pros and cons of different sampling methods etc ... bleugh. Statistics is an extremely important subject which just about everyone ought to have some understanding of but I'm glad my maths A levels back in the day were just Pure and Applied. (she'd have preferred to do all the 5 mechanics options instead of stats but sounds like her school may be wise to never do FP3, just seen Holly's post, sorry to hear that was tough)

Errol my dd is the same, would have done only mechanics options if they let her.

My 2 seem to have established their revision routines well this week (first week of study leave) so I think it's all okay. One runs every day or goes to the gym too. The other chats to me - he thinks it's taking until the sixth form to really realise how he can best revise in a way that suits him. He says there are a lot of facts to learn for history (their year is the first 3 separate exams with all the years on history exams in upper sixth and the course project thing they had to do, although that is exactly what I did in upper sixth in 1979 so he cannot really complain. His pretty good AS result does not count unfortunately. Anyway hopefully it will all be okay. They didn't do any AS resists so have not had any exams yet in their particular subjects.

Bristol has emailed them about accommodation - applications open on 1 June. One who chats to me most says they definitely want to be in separate halls. I am happy either way as they have never been twins who are always in each other's pocket. So I hope they can get on with that just after 1 June so we don't have last minute firming choices like with the offers although already he has told me that Bristol have said it is not first come first served so there is no rush apparently.

Daughter is at a campus where she doesn't have to use bus to get there, you have no idea how much she has save over others who have to pay bus fare, also can walk to the shops in high street, please don't overlook just how much it helps moneywise. as after rent she had 70 a week spends, and it's not as much as you think.

Dd is repeating her As module today .Im sure I will get a phone call soon requesting a lift home .She was very calm about it, but complained bitterly about breakfast - healthy chia pots with blueberries ( she said it was like eating frogspawn) ! I had to do a boiled egg as well .
We had a emotional leavers ceremony last week and a last ever school orchestral ensemble.But then there are still revision sessions on - even in half term.So they haven't really left yet.
Hsmm Dd still needs to do her accommodation and finish off the finance claim this week.So we still have a bit to do but I do feel a bit directionless and down at the moment .The tragic news from Manchester is also contributing to that as is my Vertigo .Which is still here.

DD also had that email Janet. We had a long chat last night about accommodation options. She wants to be in the halls have the highest proportion of people from state schools, thinks she will be more comfortable in that environment. A friend of a friend advised her on it.

DS is very relaxed about his last day tomorrow, has spent the day plotting pranks with friends.

DD studied with his computer science class this year and is feeling a bit lost about them leaving, she cooked them all muffins for their last class together. She's seeing them start this big adventure while she has another year to go. I think it's just striking her now that big bruv is leaving in a few months.
I know what you mean HSM just waiting for more exams and time to pass for DS, here we are treading water until August.

aging, I am not sure of my sons' criteria yet except they don't want to share a room. I think they probably want catered halls and probably an en suite room if possible. Their sister was at Bristol 13 years before them and has given some advice on where to stay.

It is a pity if places like Bristol get split by halls based on type of school or may be that just works best for some students. Anyway I don't think mine have started looking at university accommodatio yet and are just busy revising.

You all sound very chilled if you think there's nothing much to do but wait until August!

I know there's only so much you can do for them really - keep them fed and watered and hope the sun shines on them
But I think I could easily keep myself busy just worrying until we are through these last seven exams (yes, counting down!)

My 2 haven't started exams yet so it's all to come. In fact one has them all concentrated together after half term which he was saying today he quite likes at least they are all over and done with. It helps I have 3 older children already who have graduated so it doesn't feel particularly stressful but I expect results day will be!

I have one daughter sitting ASs - two exams done, one to go - and the other dd taking A levels is yet to begin. They are both VERY stress and snappy so will be mightily relieved when all is finished! Dd has an Oxford offer so is putting herself under enormous pressure to achieve the required grades :(

Ah yes, We had a year with one daughter doing A levels and the other GCSEs, then the next year daughter doing AS, then daughter and son doing A levels/GCSEs.... We are nearly at the end now with children 4/5 doing A2 (unless they have to do resits).

Good luck to the daughter with the Oxford offer. I think it's A* which are a bit unpredictable and hard to get. Only one of my twins needs one for Bristol.

DS finished school two weeks ago now so already well into study leave. Been working really hard, I'm always so impressed with his work ethic. First exam two weeks away then all concentrated into a three week period. I hope he'll be fine once he gets started but he's anxious especially after reports from his friends about the recent FP maths papers. He's worrying about what that means for the maths papers he's taking let alone the reformed exams in physics, Chem and history.
This long run up is helpful for revision of course but how they deal with the anticipation and attendant nerves is beyond me.
He needs A*AA but wants better (of course!). They all work so hard it seems and I really hope they can do themselves justice with the new style exams.
I have another doing GCSEs two years down the line so who knows what the system will be like by then! Good luck everybody, keep well!

In May/ June2014 I had DD2 doing her Master's exams, DD3 doing Law finals, DS1 doing his second year Medical exams, DS2 doing A Levels, DS3 doing ASs and DS4 doing GCSEs so I think 'I'm' getting off very lightly this year with just one Oxford finalist (currently in the middle of his papers) and one doing A Levels (in two weeks). I'm currently feeling really sorry for the DS (and his friends) sitting finals with the weather as it's been. The A Level DS is doing lots of going out as well as lots of work so I hope he's getting the balance right - but they need plenty of breaks and it's completely up to him.

Anyhow, good luck all :)

Behind - 'he's anxious especially after reports from his friends about the recent FP maths papers. He's worrying about what that means for the maths papers '

FWIW my DD didn't do FP3 (which I assume is the one he means?), she's done S3 which she said was fine, and M3 which she reckoned was not hard enough as it means the grade boundaries will be high and silly mistakes become overly critical for A/A* discrimination (she needs the star for FM for Cambridge offer). Anyway, it doesn't sound from that as though there's an overall policy of making the maths papers tougher this year.

Thanks Errol. It was the FP3 paper and he was worried that would set the bar for the other maths papers this year. I'll mention your DD's experience so far, although he may have heard about those papers from friends too.

My DD's school never do the FP3 as one of the fm options because it's always been prone to the sort of tricky questions which can wrongfoot good students under time constraint. (They support students to sit extra modules if they have the ability and motivation to self-teach, so the girl with an offer to do maths at Cambridge did the FP3)

Dd is visiting Sheffield Hallam uni today. Better late than never! It's her insurance choice.

As soon as they got there, dh lost her and her friend in the town.

Still waiting here for sfe to confirm how much ds will get - he sent it all off ages ago and I'm sure it was all done and sorted much more quickly with ds1

I think finance is supposed to take up to 6 weeks. We heard back within 2 weeks, but if it's been a couple of months, then give them a call.

DD loved Sheffield hallam uni and now wants to go there instead of bath spa! I couldn't stop myself saying I told you so about the open days 2 years ago.

Hope you'll hear back soon eatyourveg.
DD had her finance confirmed just the other day and found it very encouraging and reassuring.
Hope everyone will hear soon.

We've done ds's accommodation application, all done. The exams start on Monday so it's a case of supporting him through that and waiting to hear from student finance now.

Good luck with exams everybody.

Mine have their first exam this afternoon. Good luck to everyone else.

Mine have decided to apply for accommodation after the exams are over... sigh... They have been told by their first choice that it makes no difference if you apply now or in July so hopefully that is correct and I can understand them just wanting to concentrate on the exams.