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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Oxbridge Aspirants - Part 6

504 replies

HoneyMobster · 26/01/2022 14:58

The offers are in but there is still a long way to go...

@CurlyhairedAssassin
@Panicmode1
@PermanentTemporary

OP posts:
Original poster
HoneyMobster · 20/05/2022 21:00

DD has finished today. A long summer of holidays and some paid work beckons. At least IB results come early.

OP posts:
Panicmode1 · 20/05/2022 21:17

Good luck to them all...DS starts on Weds too..think he just wants to get underway now!

Genegenieee · 20/05/2022 21:31

DD also has first exam next week and finishes A levels and STEP by 24th June. A lot of her school friends do the IB and they finished today, she's out with them tonight but back to grindstone tomorrow and a bit Hmm I think

Good luck to all! Roll on summer

nolongerpetitebleu · 21/05/2022 10:28

The best of luck to everyone. Here's hoping they all keep their cool and do their very best.
We have another week until DS leaves, by which time he'll have 2 of 9 exams out of the way. I anticipate tears next week when he leaves. He's not great with change.

Letsgoforaskip · 21/05/2022 10:47

Good luck to all the exam takers and their families!
My DS starts on Wednesday too and had his last teaching day yesterday, which involved a lot of cake!
I have found each stage of education seems to fly by quicker. It only seems like five minutes since he started at Sixth Form and now he’s nearly finished. My oldest is also just about to leave uni and that has flown by. I must be getting old!

Juja · 23/05/2022 15:08

Major stress today as DD forgot she was wearing a watch during her pre U exam (apparently all watches are forbidden as of this year). Invigilator noticed it half way through and confiscated it. A stressful hour after the exam while the Exams Officer consulted Cambridge exam board to see whether she would be disqualified. Thank goodness all okay as Cambridge pre U are more lenient than AQA it wasn't a smart watch connected to the internet - just one that records runs/swims etc. And as importantly somehow she managed to keep her cool and keep writing. Not sure I would have done.

So do remind your DC! I didn't even know this rule existed... Invigilator claimed she had told them but DD can't remember them saying anything and thinks they didn't mention watches explicitly. Watch is now not going to be work until 24th June.

Horace123 · 23/05/2022 15:17

I was just coming on to wish everyone luck and saw your message @Juja . Thank heavens she had the presence of mind to just plough on with the exam. I know someone at work whose DC was disqualified for watch wearing in 2019 (can't remember if it was GCSE or A levels) so it does happen. I frisk the kids on exam mornings just to make sure ...

Juja · 23/05/2022 15:43

@Horace123 frisking sounds like a good plan. My heart is still racing - as you say she could have been disqualified from all papers.

Having had both DC have GCSEs and A Levels cancelled in 2020 the last public exams I was involved with were 2018. I am clearly not up to speed on the new rules and don't remember anything from the school.

I've now found the Exam Board posters that the schools have to put up outside the school. The Pre U poster is different to A Level poster and and just refers to Smart Watches not all watches which saved her....

Letsgoforaskip · 23/05/2022 18:23

@Juja your poor DD! That must have been very unsettling. Glad it was quickly sorted out and she managed to keep going.

Original poster
HoneyMobster · 23/05/2022 18:25

Phew @Juja - that was a close shave.

DD is now on holiday in the sun. One of the benefits of IB - early finish and early results.

OP posts:
ProggyMat · 06/06/2022 20:40

How are ‘our’ aspirants doing?
Bit of a mixed bag, so to speak, from DD so far but she’s completed 5/10 papers and the end is in sight!

nolongerpetitebleu · 06/06/2022 22:11

Two down, seven to go here. One has been very positive, the other not so much so. Two more tomorrow. It's worse than doing them myself!

Panicmode1 · 07/06/2022 06:19

Two down - "not too bad", and three this week, three next week and then two more the following week. Think he just wants them to be finished now.....as do I!

ProggyMat · 07/06/2022 07:39

Good luck to them both! 🍀
DD has one on Friday then it’s two per week until 23rd June.
counting down the days!

ladygrinningsoul · 07/06/2022 08:00

DS has done 2 so far which he says went well. 4 papers this week including the first of the STEP papers. Good luck all!

Decafcoffee · 07/06/2022 13:10

Last 2 exams next week and it’s DONE!

Mixed feelings here. DD’s hardest paper was today. She’d been dreading this one for a while and doesn’t feel positive about it.
We’ll be keeping fingers crossed.
I’ll be needing some gin on when it’s all over on Wednesday😬

nolongerpetitebleu · 07/06/2022 18:59

2 more done today, one 'reasonably good' one 'quite good' - we err on the side of caution in this house 🙄

Panicmode1 · 07/06/2022 19:03

Today was maths for DS and he says it was fine...but he's dreading the next FM paper as he said the first one was fairly straightforward so he's sure the second one will be bad. I thought he only had five more to go - he has another 8!

Genegenieee · 07/06/2022 21:45

3 done, 13 to go - including two STEP papers. Exams daily now til she finishes - end feels like a long way away still

Decafcoffee · 15/06/2022 20:08

And we are all done here!! No more 11pm pickups from the library! No more 5am study alarms! Last paper taken today.
Now it’s just fun rehearsals for her final music concerts at school.
Keeping everything crossed for dd. No matter what happens she’s put in the work and I’m super proud of her. Good luck to all our Dcs!
I’ll be having that gin now 😬

Juja · 16/06/2022 16:03

Two more to go here, each worth just 20% so feels like it is coming to an end though of course that 20% can make a big difference. It's been a long haul since the first one on 24th April...

ladygrinningsoul · 16/06/2022 17:03

Ah, must be so nice to have finished! 3 more A level papers and STEP 3 left for us.

Panicmode1 · 16/06/2022 18:49

How lovely to have finished.

DS finished Physics today - has three more papers next week - maths, FM and a DT paper (tho not sure in what order!). Roll on Wednesday....!

Hope you are all bearing up and that your DCs feel they have been fair exams....let's see what the marking brings 🙏

petitebleu · 20/06/2022 19:42

Last one tomorrow. Can't wait.

Genegenieee · 20/06/2022 20:07

Second STEP done today. Much relief. Has two more - both on strike days, but on homeward stretch now, roll on Thursday. She's exhausted but much relieved that STeP is over !