Another Path - part IV

[321zyx]

Apologies if I've done this wrong! I seemed to have filled up the last thread, hopefully the abbreviated title is ok!

@fairisledog I get the impression that many schools - state and independent - don't have much idea about advising students on successful med school applications. It is a complex process and they would do much better to tell DC that they can't help them and direct them elsewhere for guidance rather than misleading.

Stormer, I don't disagree. However part of the reason for this board is to share experience.

Not sure why your post is ostensibly addressed to me, need? I didn’t suggest this board wasn’t to share experience nor debate private v state school.

Something I was implicitly saying was that DC at state school with knowledgable and engaged parents (that doesn’t just mean middle class!) may have an “advantage” because they’re aware of options and strategies. That doesn’t mean though they can actually utilise those options and strategies - there may be practical or wellbeing reasons why they can’t or don’t think it would be in their overall best interests to.

@fairisledog one word response - understood. You and your DC have my sympathy

@SeasonFinale isn't law recruitment changing with an emphasis on widening participation? I guess you will still need your minimum academic standards though

@chopc ah well medicine is one of my great successes. Every student that applied this year now has an offer. 27 of them (I am v proud).
When my own DD was researching things years ago she told me all about applying strategically. In a normal year this works - this year has not been normal but our lot have been canny and managed to get on foundation courses if not 5 year directly. I'm quite good at vet med too. And STEM stuff. My colleagues cover humanities and languages etc. However not all schools have staff who can devote the time, which is unfair and needs to change. But I do it in my own time, unpaid, and can do this as my own kids are at Uni. But I love seeing kids achieve stuff.

@fairisledog v happy to help for next year if you feel I can. Some on here will not like my advice but if he wants to study medicine, and not have any strong affiliation to any Uni, then I'm here. At the end they all become doctors (awaits the usual 'only London and Oxbridge produce good doctors'). It's been a horrible year for them.

@mumsneedwine - not on this thread! (only London/ Oxbridge produce good docs). Being in the field - I KNOW this not to be true.

Shame they can't clone you! Good on you for all you do!

@chopc 😊 I love my job. Teaching is fun (exhausting, frustrating and currently not v safe). And seeing students achieve is the best, especially the ones who have had a rough start. Doesn't always work out, but we are winning more than losing at the moment.

Mumneedswine- did any of “your” kids apply to dentistry? DD wants to next year and I am a bit😱about how it works!

@mumsneedwine would you mind if I pm’d you with a q re medicine application? We have no family or friends who are in any way equipped to help and I don’t want my dd to suffer just because we aren’t as privileged as some others.

@mumsneedwine that's such impressive stats for Med this year, especially knowing how it has panned out overall. I hope your HT realises just how significant a role you play in all this success. @ClarasZoo my DS is an aspiring medic but a very good friend's DC has been applying for dentistry in parallel this year. Very similar process with work experience/volunteering, UCAT, strategic application as different dentistry schools put different weighting on different aspects of the application and then panel/MMI interviews. There is a good TSR thread too apparently.

We only have 22 Oxbridge places this year (few now decided to go that were going to reject thanks to the outreach lady who did session last week to reassure them it's not full of pretentious snobby types), 27 Durham (outreach success again - they like the castle), and a load at all the other Russell Group ones. Have 2 going to Royal Academy of Music and 1 of to RADA
medicine is one of my great successes. Every student that applied this year now has an offer. 27 of them (I am v proud)

Blimey mumsneedwine - Those stats must put your school at the top of university entrance stats. How big is your sixth form?

Dd has officially finished school as of last Friday! I'm so glad all the assessments are finished.

She's worrying a bit about the grades now. Does anyone know - if an offer is for AAA and a student gets say A*AB would that still be ok?

@BigWoollyJumpers massive ! Part of Academy trust but we run the 6th form for all of them.

@Thethingswedoforlove V happy to help.

@ClarasZoo we have 4 dentists (I include them in medics). PM me if need any advice.

I do hope that unis are lenient with near misses this year, despite the media continually ramping up the grade inflation talk, and that alternative grades as @bendmeoverbackwards suggests are good enough. I guess to a certain extent it will depend upon the uni and course. Wouldn’t it be nice if all unis would just let their offers holders in regardless of the TAG!
My daughter had a stinker of an assessment this morning, just what was not needed at the start of assessment week. Trying to calm her and refocus her at the mo.

'@mumsneedwine

That's a very kind offer, thankyou.

He's in a reflection phase at present with one final assessment to sit this week but he really can't afford to wait around for A Level results before taking some form of action to support next year's application. There's the aptitude tests to re-sit, more substantial work experience to line up etc etc.

I'll probably PM you sometime down the road on his repeat "journey" if that's ok ?

@fairisledog I'll be here. Look at the Kings on line work experience. And BSMS are running one too. And any job is good. Mine worked in Waitrose for 2 years. They love a bit of shelf stacking on the CV (& the discount card is fab). 😊

It's DS's last week of teaching and after another week of assessments they have their leaving service and drinks next Friday. I am feeling rather tearful 😢

Aww Chopc! Has he been there since aged 11?.
Dd also has leaving assembly next Friday but she has only been there for 6th form so not so much of an attachment ( although she’ll miss 2 of her teachers in particular who have been so so amazing )
We felt a little like you when Dd left her gcse secondary which was a small struggling comp but had a lovely family feel. Her current school is absolutely huge in comparison and it was a big adjustment. I’m hoping the Collegiate set up of Durham ( if she gets there!) will suit her.

You know what @Longtimenewsee no he hasn't . We moved back to UK from the Middle East when DS was starting sixth form, to give him the opportunity to go to school in UK. It has been such a lovely school. DS has embraced all opportunities and it is like he was always there. He would love to have had more physical time there and perhaps part of my sadness is that - that he missed out

Aww that’s so lovely though. It was obviously a perfect match for him.

@chopc

You know what *@Longtimenewsee* no he hasn't . We moved back to UK from the Middle East when DS was starting sixth form, to give him the opportunity to go to school in UK. It has been such a lovely school. DS has embraced all opportunities and it is like he was always there. He would love to have had more physical time there and perhaps part of my sadness is that - that he missed out

I completely understand *@chopc* my dd also moved school for Sixth Form. It was a really good move for her but she's probably been out of school more than in!

I have other dc still in the school that dd will be leaving so not losing the connection myself.

As DD won't be moving on to Uni this year, she's ambivalent about the leavers do which is being organised as she's kind of feeling she hasn't much to celebrate at this point in time but they all have to go in to school for a short leavers assembly in June.

@farisledog Looks like we are in the same boat, there is a thread for medicine 2022 applicants if you might find that helpful.