Personal statements and extracurricular activities....

[toffeebutterpopcorn]

I’m not really sure what he should be thinking about - the schools advice was ‘put relevant things and work experience’ but with covid and a lazy-ass child (he is my wonderful child but he takes after his mum)...

Any ideas - he is looking at chemistry or physics (doesn’t take after me here)? I’m so old I just applied to the course I wanted, had an interview and was offered a place (none of this messing about...).

Someone posted a link to this list of Year 12 opportunities for demonstrating an interest in a subject - may be a bit out of date, but some useful leads?

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=89093554&highlight=

That's a brilliant thread, @Wonderwine!

Ooh yes thank you. DS says thanks too.

It’s highly possible high tariff universities do look at PS to differentiate between students but their info pages will say if this is the case or not. Read the details carefully and don’t necessarily believe it’s just Oxbridge that read the PS!

Lastly, DofE has a volunteering element. Lots of dc successfully use this to start volunteering which can support their subject application to university, eg a school physics club. It’s perfectly possible to use a few words to mention that DofE was the catalyst to something of use!

OP, the only slight concern I would have is that not doing Further Maths could possibly prevent your DS from receiving offers if a course were oversubscribed. In this scenario, it will be important that your DS keeps doing maths and physics challenges and these will convey his ability and interest in maths on his PS.

Extracurriculars such as DoE are largely irrelevant in this situation.

I suspect it’s late in the day to make changes - but we were advised not to do a full maths/science range of courses, so English was put into the mix (which he really enjoys - he has started a poetry society at school).

What a shame that dc are advised to be so narrow! Do extra and enjoy it. Grow as a person. Even as a scientist it’s a good idea to broaden learning and personality even if a university doesn’t care. All dc should be encouraged to do more than study. Even if you are going to Oxbridge!

That’s why I think 3 A levels is quite tough (in Scotland the usual was 5 highers)

OP AFAIK further maths is only needed for a maths degree (and not even then - if it is not offered at your school). Only four people are doing FM in DS2's year (he has just finished yr 13) and plenty of people have great offers to study chemistry or physics or other sciences despite not doign FM.

Most of the FM students are looking to maths at uni. It's great that your ds is doing Eng lit and sciences! yay him!

Quick google shows Warwick, for example, a well-respected destination for maths, asking for physics and maths to study physics. Yes they want FM for physics and maths, but that fits in with my previous post.

OP: in the Complete University Guide, Birmingham is ranked above Warwick for Physics and doesn’t require FM. So, as always, check the detail! Top 10 university is certainly available without FM. Lower down the rankings there won’t be much competition either.

He’s looking at a London based uni.

Why discount all the others?

However neither UCL or Imperial require FM. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t make the application more competitive. These are also highly desirable universities. I would do your research on FM if he’s only looking at a very narrow range of universities.

He’s an odd child.

I think the advice on not doing all STEM subjects was odd too. Few candidates for Stem courses have bothered with English. I think it has value but it’s unusual. So as a likely high achieving DS, you need to look at the criteria for the few universities he wants and weigh up his chances. I would persuade him to look more widely too! He’s only 16 so has time to mature! Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield, Birmingham are all big cities!

I am ashamedly place marking as DS is applying for Uni for 2022 as well. Doesn't feel like that long ago that I was haunting the Preschool Board.

I know! My wee curly-haired, chubby-cheeked little cherub can now pick me up and needs a bloody good shave.