Applying for Uni 2019 Part 5: UCAS, offers and exam season looming

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

New thread started. Here's the previous one

There was a sigh of relief in our house when that button was pushed I must admit. Still loads to do but that one felt like the hardest.

Oh what a shame! or maybe not. So you have a DS2 😁DS2 here is shaping up to be the total opposite of ds1. In yr 10 and already done his CV, is looking over his possible A’level subject contents. Looked at a few RG websites, wants an RG uni..,did I say RG? 😂
and sorted out some work experience starting tomorrow. I had to drag ds1 kicking and screaming to his 1 week work experience.
I might be one of those parents preening (not a dig at anyone here at all, Its all in good humour) about their predicted 3 A*s and how YORK uni is their insurance 😂😂.

Ha ha Shimy I'm hoping dd2 is my RG uni ticket. Dithering between Durham and St Andrews etc etc 🤣🤣

zanda all that swanky en suite stuff has gone,sadly. Still some decent stuff left hopefully

Not sure DS2 is actually more able than DS1, just more likely to do the hard work and make actual decisions!

You know what? That is what makes all the difference. DS1 here, is the more academically gifted. But is lazy. DS2 has SEN and has struggled a lot, but he has drive! Very ambitious for himself and has pulled himself up from the bootstraps and is now flying. He hasADHD and other underlying problems. But he has self discipline and works hard on his weaknesses. His SEN makes me cautious and a bit anxious about his ambitions, but ds1 who is robust doesn’t want to do much. It’s such a hard balance to strike. 🙁

Dd1 is either not ambitious or she's afraid to fail, I'm not sure which.

We were talking about her revision tonight. She refuses to say she is trying for an A (which she'll need for Bath - She already has a B at A level and a distinction at btec). She says she's trying for a B. Dd2 was aghast. "But you must aim for an A! Then if you.get a B you know you did your best!" "No I'm a realist, I'm happy with a B"

Dd2 and I find it very frustrating

Similar convos going on here. There’s not a lot you can do, they are all individuals with different things that drive them. We can only provide the tools, they have to pick them up and explore with them. If they fail, it’s all part of the learning process. DS1 isn’t shaping up to meeting his predictions (predicted?) so we are gearing up for either Clearing or retakes. Hopefully he will take something from the whole experience.

Piggy re Lincoln accommodation: my friend was amazed their child got those halls in clearing. Obviously lots of chopping and changing goes on on results day.

I guess it must do! I suppose the rooms of those who have it as an insurance they don't take up become available. Harsh on those who missed out on nice accommodation earlier I suppose! It's all very complicated!

Fingers crossed for your Ds. My Dd has firmed her university and listed the accommodation she wants on the first day of it being offered. However, it’s all done by computer generated lottery number so no jumping any queues. Everyone has a fair and equal chance of getting the worst accommodation!

How’s revision going for all these Dcs? Seems to have slowed a bit here.

Seventh circle of revision hell here.

Dd is now ill. Looks white as a sheet and has a sore throat. I've banned revision for the day.

Oh no Fazackerley that’s not good, poor DD, hope she improves after some rest.

DS is on his second week of revision course, he’s in Cambridge this week, it seems to be going ok.

We are going to visit Bath next week, DH is going to come as he’s taking holiday, he has booked us into a hotel for the night before so we should have a nice trip.

Need to make the final decision straight after so he can get accommodation sorted.

Hope your DD is soon feeling better Fazackerley.

Itscoldoutthere - Bath is our local uni, if you haven’t visited before, it’s out of the city and if you can drive a route that takes you round rather than through the city centre you’ll make much better time.

Revision seems to be going well here, slightly concerned that DD is not planning to start any practice papers till she’s back at school but it’s all essay subjects so the facts, quotes and opinions are what she’s currently focussed on.

Faz. keep an eye on her, tonsillitis has been rampant here, from small children to adults.

DS is abroad surfing, luckily he has two weeks of study when he comes home, also school are opening up for certain days so that he can go in to do art and physics.

Dd: I feel so unmotivated
Me: Make a revision timetable
Dd: That will freak me out
Me: Think about a revision timetable
Dd:

She’s been working solidly since 9am!

DS is working hard at the moment. Working to a school timetable and then having a break for dinner before doing a couple more hours in the evening.
He had last night off to visit a friend for the evening and get a pizza which was a nice break.
He's been trying to get to the gym when he can. I am trying to encourage this as exercise definitely helps his mood and motivation levels!
He is, however, eating me out of house and home! Tesco may as well just send their delivery van round every day! I've hidden the Easter eggs or I feel sure he'll start on those too.

Hope your DD is better soon Faz. It is very easy to get run down with all the pressures they are under. During GCSEs DS was on daily Berocca (no idea if it works, but definitely helped from a psychosomatic perspective!) and some weird stuff called Metatone.

Zanda this is a tip an old wise maths teacher gave us. Set a timer for 45 minutes, your DC revises in that time, then 15 minute break, repeat three times. Then an hour break to eat, chill out whatever. Then repeat again if needed.

We used a cooking timer and it worked.... You get two subjects a day done that way. Say, chem. physics. day 1, art, chem. day 2. physics, art day 3, etc....

DS has really picked up the pace on his revision, although the school has opened up the 6th form study room during half term for year 11's studying their GCSE's and he is complaining that they are just messing about and being really loud and disruptive. I think he has forgotten that this was him 2 years ago. I remember the then 6th form complaining about his year. Funny how one forgets past sins

Accommodation now selected . Phew. DS still v grumpy about it all. This is exacerbated by his misery over failing his driving theory by one mark this morning. Poor sod. Nothing ever really goes his way.

When DS gets grumpy we tend to hide at the moment. He has now failed his theory exam twice, he insisted on re-booking immediately after first fail. So we said to leave it until after exams, then hit lessons and theory test hard. It really is a balancing act at the moment in this house.

Can I ask a really stupid question - how do the DC's get their results? Is it the same as GCSE's when they go to the school and collect their results or can them sent by email. Thanks

In our school you have to go and get them, but remembering last year lots had already had emails confirming their university place, so they knew they had got in, just didn’t know their actual grades.