University 2020 entrants - Parents chat - Third years, final frontiers, graduation cheers, (for some)

[sammyjoanne]

Here is the previous thread from when they were second years www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4366703-University-2020-2021-Part-12-Now-they-are-second-year-students-Hard-work-starts-and-getting-more-and-more-smart?page=4&reply=120485264

Ok title sounds a bit cheesy, but best I could come up with lol.
Feel free for placemarking :)

@sammyjoanne DD's graduation is first ceremony on Friday. I wonder if we'll bump into each other outside the great hall without realising it?

@specialted thank you hope your DS is ok 😀
@choirmumoftwo Its quite possible we could yes lol.
She lives on Penny street in private halls. So plan of action is to do a drop off at Bowland accommodation (shes got this until 3rd week september) and then go back to penny street for a drop off to the storage facility. I imagine we be back on campus mid to late morning. So if you see a little lady on the large side with dark hair mid 40's with a young petite lady with mousey brown hair thats me lol

If I dont see you, hope friday goes well for your DD :)

DS3’s graduation today. 😍🎓

@EllenJanesthickerknickers thats great , congrats to your DS. Great back ground where he is at, very picturesque :)

Uni of Manchester. It’s a mix of old and new rather like Manchester itself.

@EllenJanesthickerknickers .
Super photo, congratulations to your DS.

@choirmumoftwo Hope your DD graduation went well :)

Thursday arrived around 7pm and went to the Gallico Lounge to celebrate her getting into 4th year, and the bang bang chicken is superb, highly recommend. The mango and passionfruit daiquiri was also great, not a watered down cocktail like some places. Then we spent 3 hours getting things into boxes ready for the move. Friday, gets up and moves the car from Auction Mart as the ticket runs out at 8am, and we moved to Penny street outside the building and loaded everything up for Bowland. Gets to Bowland and unloads everything at the 20mins drop off area on Bowland avenue. Parks up properly and unpacks everything there, then its back to penny street to pick up everything for Armadillo storage. By the time we gets back to Bowland accommodation it was about 1pm. Had a nap and then 4.30 watched the Grizedale (her college) on TV in the learning zone and saw 4 of her flatmates from 1st year graduate. Then we went to Grizedale college where was had 2 for 1 cocktails and the swing band was playing. Then I stayed at hers on the airbed for friday night and came back Saturday morning on a dreary rainy M6. No more news for a bit, not until DD2 alevel results and August bank holiday visit to Lancaster with DD2 and DH where this time, Ill be staying at the Lodge where lots of parents say its nice.
It was quite emotional though seeing all the students in cap and gowns and the proud parents yesterday. Hope everyone keeps in touch on here, would love to hear how everyone is :)

@sammyjoanne we had a lovely day thank you, and the weather was kind for the most part.
Astonishingly, we were also in Galico Lounge on Thursday evening at around 7.45 so we almost certainly saw you!
Wishing your DD all the very best for her 4th year and your younger DD good wishes for her exam results.

@choirmumoftwo lol yes we was in Gallico around 8pm lol. We was sat next to a family that had 3 dogs, 2 were spaniels and we was on the left as you come in. We was not expecting to get a seat to be fair, it was really busy but glad we did, the food was lovely.

Thank you :) I wish all the very best for your DD too 😀

I hope all is OK, @Daisysway ?

@Daisysway Hi yes i see your reply has been withdrawn on mn. Hope you are ok x

@sammyjoanne @EllenJanesthickerknickers ...

Yes, all okay -Dd just a bit stressed (and me too)...because she expected to hear about Masters place last week ...she was told it would be Wednesday in interview (but email stated Friday)...

I suggested dd follow up on Monday given she had been told decision would definitely be made last week but she's not keen to send an email.

I think the decision could go either way...

Hopefully she will hear back Monday either way just wanted peoples thoughts on whether following up was a good or bad idea...

Very frustrating and a bit disappointing that their admin isn’t up to scratch. Usual recommendation to check junk/spam folder but I hope no news is good news. I’d definitely send a polite email on Monday, maybe afternoon just in case she hears before then. It should just show that she’s keen. Very best of luck. 🍀

@EllenJanesthickerknickers Thanks for reply...That was my thought too. I think the interview went quite well because it lasted longer than expected and this didn't seem to be because they were pushing her knowledge (she felt she answered all science aspects of the interview confidently). My worry is that this course is clearly stated as a gateway for PHD and whilst that was her orginal plan 3 yrs ago she's now undecided and the PHD question was asked in the interview ...so if there are other candidates being considered who are keen on using the course as intended they are likely to be offered the places (its fully funded for the 4yrs).

Personally, Im not entirely convinced its the right course for dd. She's struggled so much with anxiety and confidence and there seems to be a high level of presentation skills required (which is a weakness)...

A decision would be nice either way just so she can relax ...she's enjoying her lab work (which can be extended), taking a year out would in my mind be the best option and she can do some further study getting the NHS accreditation that will open up additional employment opportunities and really think about her future career ...

I wonder if they have some further interviews in that case, and they’re waiting to see if they get a candidate that meets their spec a bit more closely? My DS is taking a year out before applying for a PGCE, but hasn’t quite managed to find a job for this year yet. I’m not entirely sure he’s been trying very hard, so respect to your DD.

@EllenJanesthickerknickers I think dds interview was probably the last one because it was a late submission and they needed her CV which she couldn't submit until we returned from holiday hence why i think she was told she would hear back within 48hrs. Crossing fingers she hears back tomorrow ... Being in limbo is worst than a rejection at the moment because we can't plan either way and accomodation options are more limited as time goes on.

Maybe suggest to your DS that he enroles with an agency ...cuts out a lot of the initial searching and sending applications. DD was fortunate to have been invited back this summer to work in the lab, the company are only 5 mins drive from home...so its ideal. Its reasonable base pay but lots of overtime where they pay 1.5 times hourly rate.

@Daisysway Some people just like dragging their heels a bit when it comes to decisions. Our DD when applying for part time job was told she would hear end of the week and it was the following week they told her she got it. Following up is a good idea, but might be worth waiting until Tues. They could have made the decision Friday, but the receptionist/admin might have to type up a few letters/emails so probably wait until then. Fingers crossed for your DD.

Taking a year out is a good back up plan @Daisysway @EllenJanesthickerknickers If you cant get a masters right away then its good to have a year to get some more funds.

DD has been busy doing lots of overtime at Primark recently, and working on her literature review for her project for year 4. I said surely its only like a paragraph or even a page as to why she wants to work on said project, but no it has to be around 25 pages long. Its like an EPQ. Has to be done before term starts in October, so shes working on that now. She also wants a month gym membership as shes living on campus, and its pretty dead there so shes currently wants to keep busy with Gym, review, primark and seeing friends over the summer.

Thought I'd update Dd followed up late last night and received the news this morning that she'd been rejected - her stats were not good enough. Im glad she was able to send the email.

Sad for her but im actually relieved too...whilst i think the course was a very good one it really wasn't for her...I looked through the linkedin profiles of many of the 4yr current students and they were all high calibre with 1st's and some had integrated masters already...dds still building up her esteem.

Whilst she gained a 2:1 it was low - 63 percent. I dont think she could have done much better given she was completing 10 1500 word essays in just 4 weeks and her results were erractic...

She's going to apply to B'ham (course doesn't look so competitive) and maybe apply for the NHS graduate scheme that opens in January and includes provision for a Masters....at least she can chill now...there's no pressure to rush into anything..

@Daisysway sad to hear that your daughter was rejected from the course. I feel for her, hope that the right course comes through for her.

My DD still has not got a grade from UCL.

@aibutohavethisusername

That's incredibly sad and annoying ...i just feel for all the youngsters in this position - its just so unfair.

A twist to the tail of dds Masters application - she's been awarded a full scholarship...but doesnt have a course offer. Its helped a little to recognize the adversity she has been through (her counsellor supported the application)...the email from the CD was lovely and very constructive and basically stated they wanted to give her very opportunity but given the number of PHD students on the course they felt she may not thrive (using the statistics from her degree)...which is what my thoughts were.

She's been advised to submit an application for a different course.

@Daisysway

thats fantastic that they are supporting and encouraging her.

@Daisysway so some good news at least. Really hope dd manages to sort something she is happy with

I posted a while ago about Dd and her 70 page complaint against her course. She’s had an email back from the uni today and they say they have found every single complaint/point in her (lengthy) list upheld in whole and proven.

they are remarking an entire module for the whole cohort. So hopefully that helps the 75% of students who failed their final module and hopefully her degree might go from a 2:1 to a 1st.

I’ve no idea how they’ll manage it as the graduation date is first week in sept and part of the module mark was presentations which weren’t recorded so not sure if they’re expecting students to return and redo the presentation

@Daisysway thats sad she didnt get the masters. But in a way a relief as it does not feel like the right course for her. These things have a tendency of working themselves out. Definitely try for as many masters courses as she can. We was looking at a 1 year masters course as a back up plan if her grades did not pull up to a 2:1 and we found 5 which seemed pretty decent and accepted 2:2's. I will say though that Birmingham is a really good uni, we did look at that uni for DD undergrad and we really liked it.

@QuintanaRoo fingers crossed for your DD on this and she gets the results shes after.