Another path to greatness - part III

[chopc]

Here is the new thread

For any younger DC's planning in applying to Oxbridge - I wonder if they should submit the Oxbridge application and hold off on the rest until after the deadline? Then no confusion for Uni's wrt Oxbridge acceptances?

To be honest I think it makes F'all difference for they year as some shocking decisions have been given out but just a thought

@LoonvanBoon

bend, people will be allowed to stay overnight in self-catering accommodation from April 12th (pretty much the end of the Easter holiday for us).

The 'stay at home' rule ends on Monday, though, and is replaced with guidance to 'stay local' and 'minimize travel'. As far as I can understand this is guidance, not law, and day trips are possible, within reason.

Thank you @LoonvanBoon I've also now looked up the rules.

Annoying 12th April is dd's first day back at school after Easter and the start of her A Level assessments.

Ideally I'd like to take her in the next two weeks. She's also been talking about visiting Bristol too (where she has emailed to ask if there is any chance of a late application or UCAS extra place). She's going to follow it up on Monday to see if there is any chance at all.

I thought we would stay overnight but I don't think that's allowed currently. Premier Inn say on their website you are only allowed to travel for work or education purposes. Does visiting a uni count as education??

If we're just going to Exeter we could probably go by train and do it in a day.

@SeasonFinale

Edinburgh announced today that they were waiting from an announcement from Scottish Funding which came out on 24/3 and their offers will be through by ... end of April!

OMG that's a long wait. Feel so sorry for anyone waiting for Edinburgh.

@chopc

For any younger DC's planning in applying to Oxbridge - I wonder if they should submit the Oxbridge application and hold off on the rest until after the deadline? Then no confusion for Uni's wrt Oxbridge acceptances?

To be honest I think it makes F'all difference for they year as some shocking decisions have been given out but just a thought

If you mean submit for Oxbridge before 15 October and then add your other choices after 15 October it will make no difference as the application date will still show as the original submission date even for choices added later.

That's in the same category as thinking changing from the independent sector to the state for sixth form will help an application.

Hi all, how's everyone doing today?

We saw (briefly on a walk) a friend today we've not seen for a while and I'd forgotten we hadn't told them about the Cambridge redirection. Their surprise at the news brought it all back a bit.

When you mentioned the Oxbridge 2022 thread I wondered - what would we say to ourselves had we known a year ago what we know now? Mine would be - it really does matter, not having further maths, regardless that the prospectus says it's not necessary- get your DS to add it on a catch up basis and take five a-levels. Not sure what else we could have done differently tbh.

Still not had the Cambridge feedback yet. They said by Easter so shouldn't be too much longer you'd think.

Dc has been told they will get feedback from C when the school gets it. Dd was surprised and says she will tell them she doesn’t want it . I said that think it would be useful -just like in a normal job interview- for future reference . Perhaps she came over oddly under pressure- it would be good to know . I suspect it will just be just like generic job interview feedback stuff .. “thank you , you were great and so were lots of others so you weren’t successful” . Anyway, I guess the important thing is.. she’s moved on

And meant to say (partly to @Pumpkintopf ) I also think the feedback / discussing it again would rehash feelings of disappointment. Which would be natural . I hope you are ok about it today

@Longtimenewsee that's true. My DS thought it was useless as there was nothing constructive but for me it brought some peace of mind that there was nothing more he could have done

@Pumpkintopf

Hi all, how's everyone doing today?

We saw (briefly on a walk) a friend today we've not seen for a while and I'd forgotten we hadn't told them about the Cambridge redirection. Their surprise at the news brought it all back a bit.

When you mentioned the Oxbridge 2022 thread I wondered - what would we say to ourselves had we known a year ago what we know now? Mine would be - it really does matter, not having further maths, regardless that the prospectus says it's not necessary- get your DS to add it on a catch up basis and take five a-levels. Not sure what else we could have done differently tbh.

Still not had the Cambridge feedback yet. They said by Easter so shouldn't be too much longer you'd think.

@Pumpkintopf I know exactly what you mean about your friend's reaction. We've had similar with our dd. We all know that our dc are Oxbridge material and quite rightly, but at the end of the day they have cut back on the number of offers this year. It's still painful though.

I hope the C feedback comes quickly for those who are waiting and it gives a bit of closure.

Can I ask your opinions on Manchester university? Dd has an offer from there which I thought she had put to bed. In the last few days she's worrying that Exeter hasn't got enough going on in the city. I don't know how true this is but from a bit of online research it looks like a vibrant city with theatres, culture, museums, nightlife etc plus the beach and countryside on the doorstep.

She is now considering Manchester after all. In my head it seems less prestigious as Exeter but I could be wrong about that. Dd says it is similar league table wise as Exeter and that it has a good employment rate after graduating.

Any thoughts?

Others will know more Bend, but my Manc friend tells me that it is a real city university, not campus, and probably more suitable for a more mature undergrad who doesn't need quite as much handholding as some (ds - I am thinking of you...). Sorry I don't know anything about its perceived reputation - I'm foreign .

@bendmeoverbackwards it doesn't make sense that your DD is worried that Exeter may not have enough going on when she really wanted Durham. From what I have heard about Durham, not much goes on outside the university. Which would suit my DS fine but I know some DC's were worried about it's small town vibe.

Have heard good things about Manchester from friends who have either gone there or their kids have. Good employability rate and plenty going on in the city. It's top choice for DS's best friend at school.

I have heard that Exeter is like an extension of boarding school. As your DD is a little worried about leaving home, won't that suit her better?

Manchester is ranked only a couple of places below Exeter for History . Not sure about Ancient and Modern but she was thinking of changing courses anyway?

@Vargas your DS needs handholding or no? Wasn't sure which one you meant

it doesn't make sense that your DD is worried that Exeter may not have enough going on when she really wanted Durham

@chopc this is exactly what I pointed out to her! I know Durham has the bright lights of Newcastle which is only a 15 min train ride away but it's not the same as everything being in walking distance.

She's still mulling it all over and can't come to any sort of happy conclusion. I don't know if she should take a gap year or not. She thinks she's settling and that none of them really tick all the boxes. I have pointed out to her that there is no perfect university and that some compromises need to be made.

She's emailed Bristol to see if there any chance at all of a late application but I'm not holding out too much hope.

@chopc - sorry my post wasn't very clear, definite handholding needed for my ds, I think a few years at a campus Uni with self catering will help ease him into the adult world gently. My much younger dd on the other hand could probably live on her own now!

@bendmeoverbackwards, my DD has the same dilemma between Manchester and LSE. She is worried about imposter syndrome at LSE and feels Manchester may be a better fit. We live an hour from London but 4 hours from Manchester. Her siblings went to London universities but both went to super selective grammar schools. She did not get a high enough mark on the 11 plus so went to our local comprehensive. Although her predicted A level grades are on a par with the older siblings, she has never seen herself as worthy of a top university place.

@Vargas I think in terms of campus life it will be a gentler transition but have you looked at what contact time they have? DS doing History can expect 8.5hrs contact time for his course. This means the rest of the time can be spent sleeping or they can add in some study. There is a LOT of independent study irrespective of the university. I don't know if he would have received more contact time at Oxbridge?

You mention you are not from UK. My brother who did a year abroad in America said in the US it is more like school where you are taught with homework and in the UK you are expected to more or less do it on your own with the help of the lecturers and tutors etc

@Fairyfield LSE offers are like gold dust. She absolutely is up there with the best of them!

@bendmeoverbackwards I don't know how realistic it is, but if possible perhaps your DD can take a break from thinking about Uni? It has been an emotional rollercoaster for a lot of them and perhaps the time has come to simply focus on getting the best grades possible. She has too 10th June to make a decision about university

Thanks all for the kind words. I do worry that the feedback will bring all those feelings back up (for me rather than DS I think, I really do get the feeling he has moved on and is really excited about London, whether Imperial or UCL). I know I'm being rather pathetic. I do feel grateful he has other offers he's very happy with.

Bend DS had applied to Manchester and had an offer from them for physics, for which I think they are very well regarded (having Prof Brian Cox there probably doesn't hurt and it's apparently the largest undergraduate physics department in the UK) - I think the university is generally well regarded, not sure on many specifics for history though. Again, could you do a weekend visit maybe when we're allowed? My BIL and SIL used to live outskirts of Manchester and it's a pretty vibrant city.

@chopc I haven't looked at contact hours but schoolwork is one area where he's very independent and so I'm not too worried about that. I guess I was thinking more about independent living, things like dealing with losing things, finding his way around, meeting new people, eating enough, getting ill etc... I think these things may be easier if he's on a campus... For example, this week he missed the bus, panicked, took his bike to school, forgot it was at school so came home without it, went back for it the next day but forgot the key for the lock...etc...

@Vargas 🤣

Deffo campus for him so all is close by if he is so "scatty"

Mine is not so much but after I reminded him to take his guitar and everything he needs for his mock music recital and his dad wishing him luck before dropping him off at the station - he realised he had forgotten his guitar! Luckily school is only a 20 min drive away

@Pumpkintopf you do know Imperial is right up there for the sciences? I wonder if it wasn't for the historic prestige if they will rank above Oxbridge . Your DS has done VERY well!