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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Applying for Uni 2020

999 replies

daydreamornot · 04/08/2019 11:29

Thought it may be nice to have a 2020 support thread, everyone welcome! (maybe Oxbridge posts could be kept to the Oxbridge thread).

OP posts:
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7
Hoghgyni · 07/09/2019 07:49

What would (say) UEA make of an avid discussion of Murderous Maths The Perfect Sausage in a PS? Do you think I should get DD to reference her entire junior school collection of Horrible Histories for Edinburgh?

AChickenCalledDaal · 07/09/2019 07:53

The strange thing is, horrible histories probably really has been responsible for lots of prospective historians finding their "passion". Still not sure it would be wise to cite it as an academic influence though.

I also now have Robbie Coltrane's voice in my head. "Sausage? Sausage??!!"

Hoghgyni · 07/09/2019 21:12

Now I'm racking my brain to remember which word they forgot to include in the first dictionary in Blackadder III.

Hoghgyni · 07/09/2019 21:14

It was sausage not aardvark wasn't it? I can picture him saying it now.

AChickenCalledDaal · 07/09/2019 21:48
oneteen · 07/09/2019 21:49

Hi - Just thought I would post a note to say there is a Facebook page WIWIKAU (What I Wish I Knew About University).

Quite a few of the mums/Dc are posting pictures of their accommodation as they move in this month which may be helpful to members of this board.

Hoghgyni · 07/09/2019 22:21

Chicken Grin

MillicentMartha · 08/09/2019 01:21

Oops, I think DS may have mentioned Murderous Maths in his PS, and meeting Kjartan Poskitt! Blush

LooseAtTheSeams · 08/09/2019 08:13

I don't think DS has actually written anything yet! However he had better come up with something by Wednesday as I think the double free period he thinks he's got is being dedicated to university applications!

AChickenCalledDaal · 08/09/2019 08:29

Thanks OneTeen I've been reading the thread about starting uni, but that sounds even more useful. We've been staying in halls when travelling to open days and you really can't tell what the rooms are like from the outside. The twin room in Bath was in a nice looking, modern building but the room was way to small for two independent people. Whereas the very old fashioned looking halls in St Andrews was really lovely inside.

Ironoaks · 08/09/2019 09:24

Don't forget that the rooms you view (or even stay overnight in) at an open day might bear no resemblance to the room they are allocated if they attend that university.

Each university has a range of room types at different prices. Some rooms will be newly built/refurbished; others will be older and tired-looking. If they choose that university as their firm choice then they will be able to express a preference. Then in September they get what they are given, which might be a room that wasn't even on their preference list (although would hopefully be a similar level of facilities/price).

I can understand checking out the accommodation at open day, for example to see how far away it is from campus and whether there are good transport links. However, I have heard parents say that their son/daughter is choosing a university based on loving the accommodation when they looked round at the open day.

snozzlemaid · 08/09/2019 10:21

Thanks oneteen for that Facebook page.
I've joined but now I've scared myself. I fear this year is going to go so fast. Don't know how I will feel packing dd off next year.
She suffers with anxiety and we've already had a wobbly few days now college has restarted. I really don't know how she'll cope moving away.
But then saying that she surprises me sometimes. She stayed at Bath uni for 4 night in the summer and coped fine and enjoyed it.
I'm wondering if she needs CBT, as she just focuses so much on the negative stuff Sad
On the positive, she was 18 yesterday and she had a great night with friends. Particularly enjoying ordering cocktails.

oneteen · 08/09/2019 11:01

@snozzlemaid - When I have read the posts on FB I felt the same, it brings it home that next year it's our DC who will be leaving the nest.

Your DD sounds a little like my DD (although my DD likes to party), she tended to focus on the negative although she seems to be walking a lot taller these days. Glad your DD had a nice birthday - DD celebrated a friends 18th last weekend and I think they partied all night and most of the next day...they hit a slight stumbling block when the only girl who could drink in the pub was the Birthday girl - who had ordered two large Cocktail bowls!

snozzlemaid · 08/09/2019 11:15

Yes dd is the only one in her friendship group who is now 18. As they were out last night it was just her drinking.
But they all got together earlier in the week and stayed at a friends house so they all had a drink then.
She's waiting for them all to catch up so they can go clubbing!
Ds did offer that she could go with him and friends but she wasn't keen on that for some reasonGrin

oneteen · 08/09/2019 12:13

Dd and a group of her friends went into London for a nice meal in the summer holidays and used some initiative before entering the restaurant. One of the girls (who looked the youngest), wore an 18 today badge (when she had just turned 17) and stated she was the last of the group to be 18 when they walked in....so they managed to order Cocktails (at least the ones that wanted a Cocktail). I would not have even thought to do this...the restaurant didn't consider checking ID.

MarchingFrogs · 08/09/2019 14:08

www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/alcohol-and-the-law/the-law-on-alcohol-and-under-18s/

It is not illegal
:For someone over 18 to buy a child over 16 beer, wine or cider if they are eating a table meal together in licensed premises.
For a child aged five to 17 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises.

So as long as the person paying was 18 or over, it was okay for the 17 year old to be bought it.

Not sensible for the staff not to ID at least one of the group, though.

oneteen · 08/09/2019 14:59

@marchingfrogs. On the 18th Birthday lunch - it was Cocktails not beers, wines, and ciders and the pub did the right thing by asking to see ID and then refusing to let the under 18's drink.

On the meal in London - none of the girls were 18...no ID checked and most of them drank a Cocktail. It was a small exclusive Thai restaurant where they saw the 18 badge on the younger looking girl,

You will also find that whilst there are drink guidelines for under 18's in restaurants it's down to the individual restaurant whether they accept under 18's drinking on premises even when eating a meal. I have been to a few chains and tried to order DD a glass of wine with her meal and been refused due to the premises own licencing law...

Kbear · 09/09/2019 12:01

I don't know whether to start a new thread but I found this one so here I go...

My DS is year 13 - currently stressing because he is doing IB maths and all the unis he has looked at want A level maths - at the beginning his school told him IB maths would be ok for uni - seems it isn't - this is for engineering btw - he is doing A level Physics and BTEC Engineering (Distinction in first year) .... so that's where I'm at.

I no nothing about uni and I feel like how the hell can I guide him when I have no clue - it's like another world I know nothing about

Kbear · 09/09/2019 12:02

I know nothing - not "I no nothing" - aaaaaaagh

MarchingFrogs · 09/09/2019 12:45

all the unis he has looked at want A level maths

The universities will also state their IB (and various other qualifications) requirements - this is from Cambrisge:

IB:40-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level (with 7 in HL Mathematics) + 1,1 in STEP 2 and 3
Offers are also routinely made based onother qualifications

www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/admissions/what-qualifications-do-i-need

Which university has your DS looked at which specifically exclude IB Maths?

'Maths Studies', or whatever it's called, is often stated not to be acceptable, but then no-one taking that would be likely to be looking to do Maths or Engineering at university?

LIZS · 09/09/2019 13:24

Hi, hope you don't mind me dropping over from the 2019/20 threads. DD has decided to take a year out and reapply for next year.

Oratory1 · 09/09/2019 13:33

I’m confused. IB is usually taken as six subjects. Is he just doing one subject in the IB

oneteen · 09/09/2019 14:06

Kbear - How many A level's does his Btec Engineering count for? Is he just doing Maths IB Studies to keep up his Maths?

hobbema · 09/09/2019 14:14

@Kbear, a close friend’s DS is about to start an Engineering degree at Cambridge with the IB ... is it something to do with whether his Maths is at Higher level?

ExCwmbranDweller · 09/09/2019 15:30

Back from Exeter, why do all these universities seem so big! I think my favourite part was people watching in the food court whilst eating some very delicious food stalls they had up Grin. I think DS2 liked it but he's hit year 13 running and has had his head stuffed in a book or some homework permanently. This may be a ruse to get out of talking to me.

No sign of a PS yet and again the admissions tutor said that it's unlikely to have any bearing on the application which wasn't very helpful.

Sorry I can't be of any help at all with the IB.