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Higher education

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

University 2019/20 intake: Gearing up to graduation (for some but not all)

995 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 16/02/2022 14:18

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ZandathePanda · 16/07/2022 23:24

@RampantIvy thank you - we are lucky to know it well too. Lived up here for several years - didn’t really want to leave to be honest. Dd is now saying the same!

Benjispruce4 · 16/07/2022 23:45

@bigTillyMint no she didn’t.

Benjispruce4 · 16/07/2022 23:46

Some of her friends did. DD was working.

LouisCatorze · 17/07/2022 09:30

@RampantIvy, snap! We were up there at a big family do only a few weeks ago.

DD may consider Newcastle for university. She loved the look of Durham when we passed by on the train but I think that might be a bit too aspirational for her, unless she has a character transplant over the summer holidays.

Lovely to hear all the good news and enjoyment of graduation ceremonies.

DS's is coming up but it will feel positively chilly by then. Imagine having to graduate tomorrow or on Tuesday? Having to rethink graduation outfits. Hoping there's not going to be monsoon type downpours as the hot weather breaks.

ZandathePanda · 17/07/2022 10:50

@LouisCatorze there was originally only a grade difference for Cambridge/Durham and Newcastle (for the nearest equivalent course) that Dd wanted to do. But she wanted Newcastle. She noticed that most of her friends at Uni got As. I think the difference is in 2019 Newcastle did go into clearing and also it dropped a grade for A or above in an EPQ. Not sure about Durham. Newcastle was a lifestyle thing too - we don’t live near a city nor coast and she’d had a few rough years - so she wanted the course first but the bright lights and fun to wind down too. Bar problems with the pandemic, it was a perfect fit. Spookily she had exactly the same buzz I did when I stepped off the train for the open day (and I was playing devil’s advocate with her too)!

We were lucky enough to go (traipse!) round 5 universities where she scrutinised what she wanted. Because of the pandemic, the schools year groups below, and at all times those who can’t afford it, missed out so much to get a feel for where they would enjoy studying the most. So although the pandemic hit at the wrong time for the whole Uni experience, at least she had that.

As for weather in Newcastle - I have a photo of Dd in glorious sunshine at the bars just before the Tyne Bridge and a photo of it teaming down so much you cannot see her 3 minutes later! Only place worse I lived worse for that is Edinburgh - got sunburnt then snowed on the 20 min walk down to Uni (post grad) one day.

Even down in Newcastle it is 34 on Tuesday so the metro will be packed to the coast. And a memorable day to graduate too - hope all ok for all that day.

From my long post, can you tell I am the only one up (still) on holiday?!

RampantIvy · 17/07/2022 11:16

Newcastle was a lifestyle thing too - we don’t live near a city nor coast and she’d had a few rough years - so she wanted the course first but the bright lights and fun to wind down too. Bar problems with the pandemic, it was a perfect fit. Spookily she had exactly the same buzz I did when I stepped off the train for the open day

Those are our exact circumstances as well. DD didn't like the bigger cities - Manchester and Bristol, and hated the campus universities we looked at because they felt too isolated. We are rural and it is a 40 minute train journey to the nearest city, so she wanted to be somewhere with everything on the doorstep. Being only a metro ride to Tynemouth was also a big plus.

pointythings · 17/07/2022 16:20

DD1 picked Reading because it was exactly the course she wanted to do, but the vibe was definitely part of it. We live in a not very nice very Tory, very Brexity and frankly very racist little town in Suffolk. This is why DD1 isn't coming back here after Uni. I don't expect DD2 back either - she's in Plymouth and also loving it. Once they've decided where they're going to settle, I'm also getting the hell out. We only chose to live here because it was close to my husband's work, but he isn't around any more.

ZandathePanda · 17/07/2022 17:27

@pointythings its great when that happens.

I asked Dd2 what vibe she’d like at a university if she were to go. She said ‘CenterParcs’ 😱

LouisCatorze · 18/07/2022 08:00

I'm trying to get DD2 to think about apprenticeships too. However she's taking that as an indication that we have little faith in her academic abilities!

bigTillyMint · 18/07/2022 11:14

Lol @LouisCatorze, that reminds me of when DS was younger I kept reminding him that BTechs were a good qualification (and I still believe they are) - he also took this as an indication that I didn’t believe in his academic ability. Not surprising as he had never made any effort in school at all 😃

Apprenticeships are great - my friends DS is doing a Masters level one!

RampantIvy · 18/07/2022 12:18

I am getting increasingly wound up on another thread where the OP says that degrees are easy and getting a first didn't involve much effort. DD said that everyone on her course found it difficult, and had to put a lot of work in.

I'm sure that some subjects at universities with lower entry requirements are less rigorous, but the OP's comments really dismissed the efforts that DD and the DC on this thread have made.

Rant over.

it's in AIBU if anyone wants to read it.

thing47 · 18/07/2022 12:38

bigTillyMint · 18/07/2022 11:14

Lol @LouisCatorze, that reminds me of when DS was younger I kept reminding him that BTechs were a good qualification (and I still believe they are) - he also took this as an indication that I didn’t believe in his academic ability. Not surprising as he had never made any effort in school at all 😃

Apprenticeships are great - my friends DS is doing a Masters level one!

The DC of a great friend of mine went to Durham on a BTech, got a first there and is now doing a post-grad. It was just that the BTech style of assessment suited them much better than A level style exams.

LouisCatorze · 18/07/2022 13:01

Yes, DD makes little apparent effort with her studies (expecting a spiky set of GCSE results from her, depending on how little/much natural aptitude she has for a subject!), but gets really peeved if I have the temerity to suggest apprenticeships or even doing BTechs instead of A Levels. I think she's well aware of what's required to get to a good university, so it will be interesting to see if she pulls her socks up with her studies, in sixth form!

@thing47 that's very encouraging to hear. And good for the DC in question.

@ZandathePanda hope you're enjoying your holiday?

@RampantIvy do you even know if the OP on the AIBU thread is genuine? It seems a very goady thread for someone who themselves got a first? All the people I've known who've got firsts (across a span of about forty years!) have worked very, very hard for their results.

bigTillyMint · 18/07/2022 13:11

Yes I saw that thread and thought the same as you @LouisCatorze

MargaretThursday · 18/07/2022 19:57

ZandathePanda · 17/07/2022 17:27

@pointythings its great when that happens.

I asked Dd2 what vibe she’d like at a university if she were to go. She said ‘CenterParcs’ 😱

That made me laugh. Reminds me when dd2 was asked (on TV) age 5yo what she wanted to be when she grew up. All the others had gone first and wanted to be explorers and astronauts etc. Dd2 "play lots of games". 🤣

@RampantIvy I saw that thread and what said to me was that her degree was probably not worth as much as she thinks it is. If she says she isn't academic and it was as easy as she says, then the obvious answer is that it isn't rigorous. I thought I wouldn't be boasting about that really, because it more shows that she doesn't have a clue about how much harder it could be.
It reminds me of when someone came down to the tennis courts and asked (having never played before) to join in with the top men's team. They said she could join in while they knocked up and at the end she said cheerfully "I'm really good aren't I, I bet you would like me to play in your match?" She was so lacking in the knowledge of the game that she really didn't realise how bad she was.

I know there are some people, especially with subjects like maths, who find it relatively easy, but even those I know who are fantastic at their subject woulnd't say it was easy. I know someone who, in 2 years, did a full maths degree at Oxford and by marks gained a first in just their first 2-3 papers (out of 9 papers). He was truly brilliant, but he still wouldn't have said it was easy.

Thing is it does depend on the uni and the degree, anyone who claims otherwise is clearly going to be wrong. I do wonder about the idea of "interviewing blind" over university names, because although I understand why, I do also think that interviewers will then look at other things-like A-level results (or the fact they've put down they were in the A. N. Town university first team) to basically work out where they were.

LouisCatorze · 19/07/2022 14:46

@MargaretThursday and @ZandathePanda isn't that thinking outside the box? I recall DS at a similar age saying he wanted to be a lion but he's not made much progress towards that particular aspiration Wink!

Nephew's graduation today, in this heat? And with a man-made fabric gown on too! Doesn't bear thinking about.

ZandathePanda · 19/07/2022 15:03

@LouisCatorze your poor nephew. Hopefully the graduation hall has air-con.
Dd2 does have a way with words! Her English teachers used to recount some of her classic one-liners at parents evening.
The holiday has been relaxing though Dd1 doesn’t do relaxing so she’s in a castle somewhere. It’s 26 degrees here so not worried about her. She’s got her Dads dark colouring unlike my translucent skin that glows in the dark and goes beetroot in the sun. I also have form for sunstroke. Hope everyone doing ok in the heat.

Xenia · 19/07/2022 17:19

I am from the NE so regard Northumberland from Druridge Bay to Kielder and beyond as my spiritual home so I am certainly envious of anyone there today (in London working we are currently on 38C (no air con) with 40C predicted at 6pm and my feet are in a bowl of cold water under my desk at the moment).

Benjispruce4 · 19/07/2022 17:25

@Xenia it really does the job doesn’t it? Chn at my primary school today couldn’t believe they were allowed to but there were lots of ‘Ooh’ and ‘Aaah’ when they did dipped their feet in.

MargaretThursday · 19/07/2022 19:37

@LouisCatorze Ds wanted to be a dog...

I do feel for those graduating today. It's nice to be sunny, but this is too much for anything other than sitting still!

RedHelenB · 19/07/2022 19:43

Glad it's supposed to be cooler tomorrow for dd2s. And it looks as though we'll avoid rain too fingers crossed.

RampantIvy · 19/07/2022 21:07

Xenia · 19/07/2022 17:19

I am from the NE so regard Northumberland from Druridge Bay to Kielder and beyond as my spiritual home so I am certainly envious of anyone there today (in London working we are currently on 38C (no air con) with 40C predicted at 6pm and my feet are in a bowl of cold water under my desk at the moment).

DH is from Northumberland, and I know Druridge Bay very well. We spent a couple of days in Morpeth last week, and I couldn't believe how low the Wansbeck was. The water isn't even going over the weir.

I would have loved to be in Alnmouth today though.

LouisCatorze · 20/07/2022 08:28

PIL had their honeymoon in Alnmouth!

@RedHelenB have a great day for your DD's graduation today. It's a lot cooler isn't it?

Nephew managed to look cool, calm and collected in the graduation photos I saw yesterday. You'd never have guessed it was so hot.

RedHelenB · 20/07/2022 08:40

LouisCatorze · 20/07/2022 08:28

PIL had their honeymoon in Alnmouth!

@RedHelenB have a great day for your DD's graduation today. It's a lot cooler isn't it?

Nephew managed to look cool, calm and collected in the graduation photos I saw yesterday. You'd never have guessed it was so hot.

Thanks. I'm sat at Leeds train station now, must be the coldest place on England usually but I'm still warm, had no sleep last night so I'll look great on the photos. Train delayed and no buses running in Liverpool, just want to get there now.