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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
WickedGoodDoge · 06/08/2019 15:44

I had warned him that it was unlikely that any would be willing to do it as it’s a bit of a pain for a company and no benefit for them! However, he wrote to three. One said they were no longer recruiting for that role as the company had just decided to merge departments so the role was going down South. One said that they didn’t have any data scientists yet, but he was welcome to come work shadow a software developer (he flipping turned it down, the fool child!) and the last said, yes, it would be great to have him in and they really went out of their way to look after him that day- small company and I think he got to have a chat with just about everyone there.

So I would highly recommend the cold call approach!

MissConductUS · 06/08/2019 20:46

DD is starting her last year of secondary school next month and has already started working on her applications for fall of 2020. We've driven hundreds of miles this summer visiting her top choices.

We went through this with DS two years ago so we have it down to a process. From what I gather here on MN the process is quite a bit different here in the US than it is in the UK.

ExCwmbranDweller · 06/08/2019 20:55

Those are great results Wicked so what does he do now? I am sorry to be rather ignorant of the Scottish system, it really is very different to ours. I like how they can pursue more subjects for longer. So jealous of all the opportunities you have near by, we aren't even within 30 minutes of a train station Grin

Alittewornout · 06/08/2019 21:16

Can I join too as about to start on this treadmill? Hi wicked! Well done to your lad I have just caught with the results on the sqa thread. My Dd has just received her Scottish higher results too and achieved 5As. She is hoping to study maths at university( personally can’t think of any thing worse but clearly had DH genes!!)

ExCwmbranDweller · 06/08/2019 22:15

Ooh a fellow maths parent, I too can't see why you would want to do maths and I like maths! Have you any idea about which unis? I'm imagining as you are Scotland and I'm Wales there won't be many cross overs!

WickedGoodDoge · 06/08/2019 22:29

We Maths parents need to stick together.

DS goes back for 6th year this year, but the Scottish unis really look at the Higher results for entry and he’ll hopefully get some unconditional offers from his Highers. He’s going to do Advanced Highers in Maths, Statistics and Computing Science plus a Higher in Accounting, though I suspect the Accounting will get dropped at some point! I think Highers are a bit below A levels and AH’s are a bit above.

WickedGoodDoge · 06/08/2019 22:33

Us parents, not we parents. I think? Neither sounds right now! Gah, how’d I ever manage to get to Uni? Grin

ExCwmbranDweller · 06/08/2019 23:22

So (and now I'm just being nosey because it's interesting) do they have any equivalent to GCSEs in Scotland or do they start the study for highers earlier than we do here for A/S? Have they spent 2 years studying for the exams they have aced in the results today?

ExCwmbranDweller · 06/08/2019 23:24

I think 'We parents' sounds just fine in the context by the way.

prettybird · 07/08/2019 00:04

National 5s are the equivalent of GCSEs and are (normally) sat in S4, while Highers are sat in S5.

In S6, young people can either choose to sit Advanced Highers and/or more Highers (including "crashing" a new subjext) and/or re-sit Highers and/or sit/re-sit some Nat 5s (eg Maths or English which they might need in order to teach).

There are no 6th forms per se - almost every single school goes up to S6. There are a few "hubs" (at least, there is one in Glasgow) where more AHs are offered to pupils from those schools that don't have the numbers to offer sufficient AHs (ds' old - state - secondary wasn't eligible as it was big enough to offer AHs in pretty much every subject)

Original poster
daydreamornot · 07/08/2019 08:39

@Alittewornout - Good that you have joined the thread. There seem to be a few Scottish posts and also quite a few looking to study Maths.

Thank you for explaining the Scottish Edu system @prettybird.

OP posts:
ExCwmbranDweller · 07/08/2019 10:04

Thank you prettybird WinkBike

SirTobyBelch · 07/08/2019 10:45

Us parents, not we parents.

"We parents" is correct. Subject of sentence, therefore nominative case.

Think "We three kings of Orient are..." (Apologies for Christmas reference in August.)

ClerkMaxwell · 07/08/2019 11:44

Good to see so many maths applicants. Despite my best efforts none of my 3 have shown much interest in my degree subject (maths). Closest I got was my DS2 picking maths as an outside subject in first year but not even lasting a week before switching to something else.

My experience isn't up to date although I still work in an applied maths area. However I would caution that since many of my course mates hit their ceiling in maths and ended up with 3rd class degrees (despite great results in 1st and 2nd year of a four year degree) I'd advise you to look at the options available in later years of the degree just in case (probably doesn't apply to those who ace STEP).
I

PiggyPokkyFool · 07/08/2019 11:55

Ooh can I join in? DD1 off to do her UCAT on Saturday at 10am. Applying to Southampton, Exeter, UEA, St.Georges & Barts and the London.
Nervous for Saturday(me that is..) - a lot riding on the score.
She is studying Chemistry, Biology and Geography - no AS's at their school.

SirTobyBelch · 07/08/2019 13:04

Applying to Southampton, Exeter, UEA, St.Georges & Barts and the London.

Can't apply to five for medicine. Is she using one of those for a non-medicine choice?

goodbyestranger · 07/08/2019 14:26

My youngest is applying for 2020. She is applying to the uni beginning with O but also to Durham, St Andrews, Glasgow and Bristol as far as I know.

There are always loads of maths and physics and computer science applicants on MN! Far more maths orientated DC than any others - except possibly medicine?

errorofjudgement · 07/08/2019 15:20

Oh dear, was hoping I could join, but DD is not only a humanities girl, she’s looking at drama schools. Grin
We have A level results next week, then a gap year to focus on auditions and hopefully an acting degree.
Back up will be either History or possibly Law ( a late contender )

Hoghgyni · 07/08/2019 15:32

Error if she needs to send in a form, I'm sure you're more than welcome. There are a couple of long term posters who have been there, done that in the audition world who may be able to give advice if we nudge them.

errorofjudgement · 07/08/2019 15:38

@hoghgyni thank you- yep definitely forms to complete including ucas!

LooseAtTheSeams · 07/08/2019 15:40

No maths here - English, philosophy and psychology! Looking at philosophy for uni. (The Warwick course is philosophy, politics and law but philosophy underpins the whole thing.)

oneteen · 07/08/2019 15:46

Would welcome views on St Andrews, Glasgow, and Edinburgh Universities. DD and I were both due to go up to Scotland during the summer but as it happens the only dates for DD's work experience happen to coincide with the dates we had planned. I've visited all three cities (often) but quite a few years ago now (I used to cover Scotland with work). I was a little apprehensive when DD mentioned Glasgow only because I didn't feel that it would be the right city for her ( not sure why just gut feeling).

She's looking to study Biochemistry. My feelings are that a year would be wasted because its a 4 yr degree course (although DD looks at this as a plus point in terms of maybe a first-year where the work will not be intense and more time to party). I'm sure we will get up to the Edinburgh open day in September.

In stating the above I'm almost sure that Warwick will be DD's first choice because she likes the feel of the campus although she maybe woed by Edinburgh or St Andrews's.

LooseAtTheSeams · 07/08/2019 15:59

I'd be interested in hearing about Glasgow and Edinburgh, too. Probably too far away for DS to consider but do English students tend to start in Y2 of the 4 year degrees or do most do the full 4 years?

WickedGoodDoge · 07/08/2019 16:13

We went to both the Glasgow and Edinburgh Open Days at the beginning of summer. DS had to be dragged along to Glasgow, but he absolutely loved it! Everyone was very friendly, the campus is beautiful and the Maths/Statistics lectures were well done. The people they had in the Maths department area were very approachable and keen to talk about the various courses and options for year abroad etc.

In contrast, we found Edinburgh to be overcrowded and quite chaotic, although the talks were quite good. We live in West Lothian but DS goes to school in Edinburgh and his father works there, though so it’s pretty familiar to him. It is his #1 preference, but I think he would have preferred his #1 preference to be a bit further from home!

oneteen · 07/08/2019 16:21

@Looseattheseams - There is an option to start at year two, but I'm pretty sure my DD would take advantage of the 4 years! She was very keen on Edinburgh but I think she is now swayed by a 4 yr integrated masters at Warwick (with a year in Industry). It's not easy explaining the pro's and con's (and funding), she seems keen to do a Masters and maybe even a Ph.D.

Personally, I'd love her to consider a degree apprenticeship because we live so near to Cambridge and the science corridor but I don't think she will.

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