Year 13 dd struggling with work and unsure about university

[twosoups1972]

I am worried about my dd. She's finding Year 13 very tough after a very good Year 12. About a year ago, she said she wasn't sure about going to university and might look at apprenticeships instead. However she's not sure what she wants to do career-wise and a few months later she decided that university application was very much on the cards again.

Her A Levels are English Lit, Sociology and Spanish and she wants do to a Joint Honours degree in English + either Philosophy or Linguistics (or some combination of the three).

Since starting Year 13 she's been under an enormous amount of pressure. She says the work isn't happening for her, she sits down to do a piece of work and can't do it (or thinks she can't do it). She's finding writing the Personal Statement difficult, apparently her first draft wasn't very good and she has to re-write it (very common I'm sure).

She's away at boarding school so there is only so much support I can give her. We had a tearful call home last night, she's very down, can't write the Personal Statement, can't do her work, unsure if she wants to go to Uni. She is well supported at school both with academic staff and boarding staff. However she does tend to bottle things up, she's very much a closed book.

I have advised her, and I don't know if this is the right advice or not, to proceed with uni application for now. If she decides next year not to go, she can defer or pull out all together. I think once she's got the application in, it will take some weight off her mind.

I'm not the sort of parent who would encourage university whether it's right or not, I actually think alternatives to university can be extremely beneficial. We did discuss briefly if she didn't go, what would she do? Take a year off? But do what?

I hate seeing her so upset and just want what's best for her. Any advice please?

Thanks for giving us an update. She must have appreciated seeing you.
Great that your DD refused the offer of a PS service shows integrity and very good sense.

Don’t forget that schools will also provide support for UCAS applications made the autumn after year 13. Your DD will not be the only one considering a year off or change of direction after A levels, necessitating a new application and references.

"Do not use a professional PS writing service. They will be cut and paste jobs. PS is fed through a plagiarism tool and these will be found out."

Definitely do not do this. Universities are very strict about personal statements. Although some (Newcastle) don't always read them.

DD is taking a gap year, but her school are still supporting her UCAS application. They checked her personal statement and made some constructive suggestions.

How do you know that about Newcastle lonicera?

If you contact the admissions tutor for the particular university/course you are interested in they will tell you how they make the decisions. Some courses/universities look at the PS, others don’t even read it. They are usually willing to tell you which they are.

The admissions tutor told us. Maybe it is just for biomedical science, but we were told at the subject talk in 2017, and when we did a campus tour 2 months ago. He said that they only read it for borderline grade students.

He said that they only read it for borderline grade students.

Granted, it was four years ago and their policy may have changed, but when DS1 was applying for Biochemistry, he was told the same thing at Southampton. Possibly with the sciences, how interesting you are is less important than how academicslly able?

Possibly. We missed the open day and went for a campus tour. The admissions tutor happened to be free and he gave us an hour and a half of his time so he could answer loads of questions. As DD has the required grades for the course he told her that she would get an offer straight away.

DD is just waiting for school to provide references and answer a couple of questions on her UCAS application before she sends it off.

My DD is also at a private school and has had fantastic support with her application compared to what I've read on here, and I've no doubt from what she's said, they are looking to provide the best possible reference taking into account what every tutor has said and also what the pupil wants included. From this point of view, I feel it's best to apply now as she'll have a fantastic reference. Her subject is niche so we are limited, but I half wonder if there is the pressure to apply to top tanked unis at her school. Maybe your DD is feeling a lot of pressure with the uni application as well as workload in general. If she can get to the point where she makes an application, that keeps her options open, and it's done - one major pressure dealt with.She can then look at apprenticeships and if all else fails and it's not feeling right on results day, get a job. My niece took what you'd think was a mundane job and at 23 is the manager of a new store coming to town.

My DD already has her uni application in and we have some aspirational options.She had her first offer this week, when she phoned I could hear the relief in her voice, so I know it's right for her. Doesn't mean it's the best way to go for everyone.