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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 :3: Decisions and revision.

990 replies

MillicentMartha · 21/12/2019 11:19

New thread ready for us.

Old thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3721248-Applying-for-Uni-2020-2-Offers-arriving?pg=40

OP posts:
Original poster
MillicentMartha · 02/02/2020 15:15

Hugo, most boards will have coordinated their subjects. Ie OCR A level history should be at the same time as AQA etc. It does get a bit more complicated when there are multiple option papers taken at different times, though, (like FM.)

Uncommon subject combinations like history and maths may clash, obviously. But boards do try to co-ordinate to make sure there are a few clashes as possible.

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oneteen · 02/02/2020 15:27

@MillicentMartha - I noticed that the dates AQA and OCR exams are virtually identical for all DD's subjects.

I can remember when the results day is - 13th August?

Hoghgyni · 02/02/2020 15:30

13 Aug. Annual leave booked for doomsday a long time ago!

HugoSpritz · 02/02/2020 15:48

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HugoSpritz · 02/02/2020 15:50

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Hoghgyni · 02/02/2020 16:08

Oxford like the maths & history combo. DD's school are still stunned that she managed to get a PPE offer without philosophy, politics or economics in the mix to show any proficiency in the subjects.

Original poster
MillicentMartha · 02/02/2020 16:14

Mine, too Hugo. The boards co-ordinate to make eg history Tues am whether OCR, Edexcel or AQA. History and maths A level combination is much less common than history and English lit, or maths and physics, so the boards arrange these first.

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Original poster
MillicentMartha · 02/02/2020 16:20

Just looking up History A level, OCR, AQA and Edexcel all have a History paper Tues 19th May, pm, for instance.

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Original poster
MillicentMartha · 02/02/2020 16:21

I’m not saying history and maths are a ‘bad’ combination, just a less common one.

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Original poster
MillicentMartha · 02/02/2020 16:26

You won’t find many clashes across the STEM subjects, and not many across humanities. Even if taking a mixture shows some breadth, most students don’t mix them up that much and timetabling is done a carefully as possible to reduce clashes to a minimum.

I wonder if the Pre-U qualifications are similarly co-ordinated?

OP posts:
Original poster
MillicentMartha · 02/02/2020 16:29

Just checked. There’s a history pre-u paper on Tuesday 19th May in the afternoon as well.

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HugoSpritz · 02/02/2020 18:33

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Original poster
MillicentMartha · 02/02/2020 20:23

Maybe the exam boards are a bit behind the times, then. Grin

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Ginfordinner · 02/02/2020 23:05

Why the decision to take Pre-Us instead of A levels KingscoteStaff? What is the difference between pre-Us and A levels? I have had a look at their website and am none the wiser.

SisterAgathaVanHelsing · 02/02/2020 23:11

DS's school does them for a lot of subjects, but not Maths. Apparently they are harder. Makes absolutely no sense to me (or DS).

MarchingFrogs · 02/02/2020 23:22

Apparently they are harder.

But not so much harder that Pearson feels
it's worth carrying on with them.
www.cambridgeinternational.org/news/news-details/view/cambridge-international-announces-withdrawal-of-cambridge-pre-u-20191108/

SisterAgathaVanHelsing · 02/02/2020 23:36

I don't think the difficulty had anything to do with that decision.

SirTobyBelch · 03/02/2020 00:08

I thought they were being withdrawn because Ofqual is no longer accrediting them and the uptake in private schools and abroad isn't sufficient for Cambridge International Examinations (nothing to do with Pearson) to keep them going. CIE will presumably be focusing its efforts on keeping IGCSEs (also no longer accredited and not able to be delivered in state schools) and International A-levels going, as these have very healthy non-UK markets. The International Baccalaureate might also be removed from state schools soon, so providers of non-standard qualifications will be facing a difficult time in the UK.

HugoSpritz · 03/02/2020 08:26

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goodbyestranger · 03/02/2020 08:30

Maths and History are absolutely bog standard for PPE at our school.

goodbyestranger · 03/02/2020 08:33

Even though Politics, Economics and Philosophy are all on offer.

Original poster
MillicentMartha · 03/02/2020 09:49

My selective school does pre-U for geography, history and English. I think they are stopping after this year. Their reasoning was that they stretched brighter students and that marking seemed more consistent. They'd had a bit of a disaster with apparently inconsistent marking in the history A level the year the new syllabus came in.

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oneteen · 03/02/2020 10:52

DD's school is opting out of IB, the uptake has been incredibly low in the last few years (I think there are 6 maybe 7 girls taking IB in DD's year and there is a lot of 121 lessons in subjects like languages which works outs quite costly. The ethos of the school will no doubt change (currently Holistic and certainly NOT an exam factory) when the new HT takes over (coming from a school that achieved 51% grade 9's at GCSE last year).

KingscoteStaff · 04/02/2020 19:51

DS has an AAA offer from Durham - much delight and loud thumpy playing of the piano (our poor neighbours...)

Now awaiting news of college allocation.

oneteen · 04/02/2020 20:11

I am so chuffed for your DS @kingscotestaff - well done...

Last parents evening tonight and I could not have been a prouder parent...so different from the first parents evening when DD had so many tears (took a fair while for her to adjust) ...this time I could see her welling up with tears of joy.