This board can be a bit intimidating but ...

[ButtonintheBox]

what the hell - I'll give it a go 🙂

DD17 isn't naturally academic but she's a grafter and passionate about studying.

She wants to do French and History at University (neither DH nor I went to uni but are very supportive).

Her predicted grades at end of Year 12 were A (psychology) B (history) and B (French). French teacher says they will give her extra support to get A.

Most of the posters on this board have A* kids and I'm just wondering if DD is setting herself up for disappointment 😞

@mumsneedwine
The ones with parents who are MFL teachers! My DD at a private school had no coaching at all. Frankly no one really needs it as you discuss what you have been asked to read or translate. It’s not all about confidence. It’s about actually having skills to read and understand something and discuss it.

Why do you always take a swipe at Dc who are privately educated? There really are many DC at decent comps and grammars with highly educated parents who can do just as well. Private schools cannot teach personality and confidence. Some dc really just don’t have it! The bigger issue is state schools only allowing one mfl. That’s the big disadvantage.

@TizerorFizz I may not have been clear: UL actually offer a French degree programme based entirely in Paris. This isn’t just a year abroad, and it isn’t devolved to one of their Colleges.

Although I personally adore Paris, I would never attempt to rank Study Abroad opportunities for students. The considerations are too personal. Best wishes

@poetryandwine
Apologies. I did misunderstand. Like everything else, students should weigh up what suits them best!

@poetryandwine I have no idea what most of your post is about. And I don't have any issue with students at private school - I help many of them get into medicine and vet schools.
But I do have an issue with a system that is unfair - not the kids fault at all. A lot of my local, v v v posh school come and help with my v v v disadvantaged students. Because they understand their privilege and want to help.

@mumsneedwine did you mean to tag me? I am baffled but do understand that much is flying about and no harm done.

I was predicted A and 2 Bs but ended up with 3 Cs. I went through clearing and got into Sussex Uni, doing History with French including a year in France. Had a brilliant time. Disclaimer, this was 25 years ago, but I don't think you necessarily need A* unless you're aiming for one of the top unis. (Sussex is very well respected by the way, I gather history is one of its strengths, it's just not up there with UCL, Oxbridge, etc).

With even AAA you can sim pretty high. A* opens up more on the history front.

@poetryandwine sorry !!!! Had had a glass of the old vino - school holidays for me. 😊🍷

@TizerorFizz and @mumsneedwine, All good, thanks and sorry for the confusion. Many topics have been swirling around the HE Board, but I think this has been one of the nicest in a while.

We also kicked back with wine last night 😊

Just coming on to say that I did a joint honours French/History degree at Glasgow Uni 30 years ago! It's a great combination. I did my year abroad as a teaching assistant midway through and loved it. Glasgow is a fantastic uni and city. At the time my course was more literature than language focused but that might have changed. A degree like that gives a lot of flexibility. I did German in my first year and politics in my 2nd before settling on French and History.

The French bit of DD's International Relations with French at Birmingham is described as 'business Ftench', so definitely an emphasis on 'language' I don't know whether this is the same for other combinations (but hers is 'with', not 'and' French, so not a completely even split).

I haven't read the whole thread, but iTalki is a good way to practise spoken languages. You basically sign up to a half an hour Skype session with any of the hundreds of different native speakers and teachers on there. It is often quite cheap particularly if you just choose someone who is not a qualified teacher, but they will just chat to you for 30min and give you the chance to build confidence in speaking.

@MarchingFrogs
No it’s not the same everywhere. Joint honours is 50/50 at lots of places snd students will read the French literature, do the language lessons, and study culture to find a much broader degree. The analysis of texts, for example, builds up great transferable skills.

I'm the OP from the German and History thread <waves>
I am also completely confused with the UCAS predicted grades. DD doesn't know what hers are and assumed they were based on her end of year mocs (she didn't do as well as she hoped but not a complete disaster). Hence also looking at uni options AAA - ABB. However, her ALPS(?) target grades were 3 A stars which she was always a bit about.
Sorry I didn't mean to derail the thread but feel we are kindred spirits!

Not sure about French, but I've realised that there's no obvious back ups ('lesser' unis don't seem to offer MFL at all, I'm assuming due to lack of numbers?)

Good luck to your DD, I think being a hard worker will pay off at Uni and she'll surprise herself.

Hello InDIYHell - I've been reading the word salad accompanying DD's 3 reports from Yr 12 and am now so confused I'm going to wait til she's back at school and then make some enquiries 🙂

Best of luck to your DD too!

@InDIYHell
The reason only around 30 Universities offer MFL is a chronic lack of students qualified to do the courses. I feel loads have made MFL easier by cutting out the more difficult bits and doing more language, as opposed to iterative, to attract native speakers or others who don’t want a challenge. Frequently MFL potential students on MN don’t want literature. It’s surely unusual to do an English degree without literature, but somehow a MFL degree is academic without literature? It doesn’t make sense but it’s done to try and attract more students. Make it easier and it reduces jeopardy and challenge.

As there’s not a huge choice, choosing a university (or 5) is not that difficult. There’s still a pecking order of universities and entry requirements. The usual advice stands, one or two that aim high, two achievable, one a bit lower but that might be difficult to find. Few universities (if any?) ask for A* in MFL. Few get it! Oxford is AAA I believe. So if DC are predicted AAA that’s good enough to apply more or less everywhere.

There are differences in courses and joint honours is more challenging than with French “studies” or “with French”. The syllabus tells you a great deal and jobs students do afterwards.

Look at Discover Uni page - look at what grades got a student a place in previous years on courses she likes

if she likes the subject and those are predicted grades she can go to most places. My first two DSs had lower grades and have graduated and are working in their chosen fields. Go for it!

Go online find a course that she wants at a uni with an open day and book up for a look round. Really good luck

@InDIYHell ignore the ALPs they mean nothing. The grades that matter are what your child gets in mocks.

Her predicted grades at end of Year 12 were A (psychology) B (history) and B (French). French teacher says they will give her extra support to get A.

Those are good solid grade predictions & she's likely to have a good choice of places which offered Combined or Joint Honours in mOdern Languages & History. And that is an interesting degree to do - her proficiency in French will be useful for her History studies, for example.

@Fruitygal lots of schools use ALPS for UCAS predicted grades. They are surprisingly accurate.