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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
HesMyLobster · 10/08/2019 10:53

DD is back to school on 27th - our whole county is. We did break up on 15th July, and went on holiday straight away, but it still feels too early. Particularly as I'm a teacher and have to go in for inset on the Thursday before Bank Holiday Confused
So the summer really is nearly over for us. DD has work experience next week, and then is going to Leeds festival the following week and then will be straight back to school when she gets home, so is trying to get as much done as possible before that. Hence the PS being written this week, and she's also frantically trying to finish her EPQ so she can make the end of September hand in. (She does have the option of March instead but wants to get it over with) Also revision for September mocks so it really has felt back to grind for her this week.

HesMyLobster · 10/08/2019 10:55

Well Done on the theory test!
And also well done all for the Scottish Highers - some brilliant results!

errorofjudgement · 10/08/2019 11:04

PrettyBird - congrats to your DS on passing his theory test.
DD is hoping to book hers when we get home, and then she needs to be driving pretty quickly as we live in a village with really poor public transport.

Slight thread hijack, but have any DC taken the intensive driving courses that are around? I’ve previously been a bit sniffy about them but am seriously considering whether a course over 3-4 weeks might be the best solution to get DD driving quickly.

HesMyLobster · 10/08/2019 11:15

Error we are considering the same.
DD took her theory (and passed) the day after her 17th birthday back in April, she was so super keen to get driving ASAP. I think partly because we live rurally and partly because most of her friends are Autumn norms so she was feeling left behind.
She straight away booked her practical test for the end of August, and planned to have at least 2 lessons a week so that she'd be ready.
Unfortunately it hasn't gone quite to plan, mainly as her instructor hasn't been as available or reliable as promised and she's ended up with just 1 hour most weeks. She's feeling frustrated that she's not going to be quite ready so will probably have to cancel the test. Looking on line there's at least an 8 week wait so won't be able to reschedule until nearly October Shock
DH says she should take a chance and take the test she has booked. He's been out with her more than me (I'm another "annoyingly nervous" passenger!) so if he thinks she's ready maybe she should but I don't want it to dent her confidence if she doesn't pass.

HesMyLobster · 10/08/2019 11:19

Sorry - that got a bit rambley! Blush
To answer your question - one of DD's friends who turned 17 in June did a 3 week semi intensive at the start of the holiday and passed, so that's frustrated DD even more!
She had a look but all the local ones were fully booked for the summer.
There's one that offers similar but 4 weeks and around school times so we're considering booking that for September (if she cancels/fails the test)

errorofjudgement · 10/08/2019 11:21

Lobster oh that must be so frustrating for your DD!
If the test is all booked then maybe it is worth a shot, what does her instructor think?

errorofjudgement · 10/08/2019 11:25

X-posted Grin

A 3 or 4 week course sounds exactly what DD needs, and as she’ll be on a gap year it won’t even need to fit around school times (though would need to fit around her new part time job)

Great to hear a positive result from the intensive course
My friends DS did this but just over 1 week and although he passed his test, he really dislikes driving now as he felt he was forced to drive for so many hours each day.

HesMyLobster · 10/08/2019 11:26

She's going to talk it all through with her instructor at her next lesson, but the impression I got from her after yesterday's lesson was that her instructor doesn't think she'll be ready Confused

errorofjudgement · 10/08/2019 11:38

Can she cancel or postpone without losing the fee?

Aragog · 10/08/2019 11:58

Did will be applying for 2020 too.

She's applying to do Primary Ed with a focus on 5-11y rather than early years. Her A levels are a varied and quite unusual mix - Drama, Computing and Spanish, plus an EPQ. She's already got a lot of relevant work experience and will continue doing more next year too.

We've been to some Open Days - Nottingham, Edge Hill and Northumbria so far with more planned next term.

Her favourite so far is Northumbria which we aren't surprised with. My sister lives in Newcastle so she knows the city a little and really likes it.

She knows she definitely doesn't want to stay at home, despite us having two good universities here. I can understand that and it would be really beneficial for her to go and get some independence. Not sure I want a student living at home full time either tbh!

She's also just back from a taster week at Edge Hill University where she stayed in halls and had 4 days of taster sessions for her course. She loved it and made some friends there. Have her a brief insight to what it will be like. She came home knowing she definitely needs to do more cooking practise as the offerings from the campus were not great!!

She's made a brief start in her Personal Statement but that's it.

prettybird · 10/08/2019 12:02

Ds has had, I think, 12 lessons so far (2 a week except for last week when the instructor was on holiday) and has been out with me 4 or 5 times (half an hour a time). His instructor thinks he'll be ready in about another 4 lessons - so is encouraging him to get lessons up in Aberdeen (as he goes back up next week) and to take his test up there.

Fortunately my dad is paying for the lessons Grin

errorofjudgement · 10/08/2019 12:47

Wow PrettyBird that sounds really good, I think my DS had around 30 hours of lessons before their test, 3 over 2 weeks, hence I was looking at more intensive lessons.
Sounds like your DS has been racing through it (excuse the pun!) 😂

LooseAtTheSeams · 10/08/2019 12:58

prettybird that sounds great!
DS hasn't even got his provisional licence yet! I suppose living in London there's less incentive but I think it's quicker to learn when you're younger. Also our offer to pay for lessons isn't an indefinite one!

prettybird · 10/08/2019 13:00

I think it helps that he has been cycling on roads, by himself, since he was 10/11 (to school from 10 but was accompanied home because of 1 awkward junction, until just before he turned 11, when I took the view that he had to learn to judge it for himself did go and hide and watch him the first few times Wink) so is very road aware - and also got lots of "road safety" lessons from his cycling club.

Plus we live in the middle of "driving school central" so he got a full hour of lessons right from the very start! Grin

I think he must drive better with his instructor than me though Confused - but to be fair, our car is bigger and has a very stiff bad gear box not improved by him grinding it Hmm

unitednations · 10/08/2019 14:15

Hello , joining up here.

I have a DS1 who will be getting A level results this week and then DS2 will be applying for 2020.

DS2 - we did quite a few open days in the summer so he virtually has his 5 choice made and knows where he wants to go.

Need to get this week out the way for DS1 then can really concentrate on the younger one.

Hoghgyni · 10/08/2019 14:28

Good luck United. At least you're getting it all over and done with in a 4 year stint.

unitednations · 10/08/2019 14:30

True ! @Hoghgyni Grin

LooseAtTheSeams · 10/08/2019 14:57

Good luck on Thursday United!

AChickenCalledDaal · 10/08/2019 17:31

Good to join you. DD1 is another mathematician. We are off to St Andrews tomorrow for a "Talk and Tour". We are in the south of England so keeping everything crossed that the trains are running and that DD doesn't decide it's too far before we get past York! I grew up in Scotland, so personally I'm looking forward to having a poke around and a walk on the beach, weather permitting.

Bath & Nottingham also on the list, with aspirations to have a go at Cambridge. She didn't like Durham and is categorically opposed to anything in London.

oneteen · 10/08/2019 18:20

@Aragog, I tried to persuade my DD to do the Edge Hill Biology summer school but she wasn't keen. Glad your DD enjoyed the experience.

@AChickenCalledDaal, Let us know how you get on at St Andrew's. I'm hoping we can get up there one weekend soon.

LooseAtTheSeams · 10/08/2019 20:32

AChicken keeping my fingers crossed for a smooth journey!
DS hasn't written a PS yet but clearly has given it quite a bit of thought because he was able to rattle off a very coherent account of why he wants to study philosophy over dinner this evening. And I have bought him 4 books this week so no excuses for not getting his mini-research project done. I have done my share, the rest is up to him!

AChickenCalledDaal · 10/08/2019 21:14

Will do @oneteen We couldn't figure out the logistics of doing one of their open days as they are all on Wednesdays in term time and DD is oddly reluctant to take days off school.

Judging by the forecast, we will definitely be getting an insight into typical Scottish weather conditions!

AChickenCalledDaal · 10/08/2019 21:17

I was interested to see this article about the high number of places available in Clearing this year, and also low numbers applying for Maths. As far as I know, 2002 was another low birth year, so it seems to be a good time to be applying for Maths.

prettybird · 10/08/2019 21:44

Weather forecast is crap for Scotland tomorrow Sad

But St Andrews is often dry when the rest of the country is suffering, so you might be lucky Wink

LooseAtTheSeams · 11/08/2019 07:50

If any consolation our drive home from holiday on Friday was supposed to be through driving rain and gale-force winds. We had sunshine and it was a bit breezy! So always good to be optimistic.