Another path ....... and it goes on

[chopc]

New thread

I love coming back to this thread and seeing the updates. Congratulations to so many of you with children embarking on their masters or starting new jobs. And to @MidLifeCrisis007 it must have been terrifying not just for him but for you when such a serious event took place.

Ds is home for Easter for 5 weeks, absolutely lovely to have him home. They delayed Mother's Day for a week so he was here to celebrate with me. Sadly both Dh and I lost our Mothers a long time ago and we had a little sad moment where we talked about how much we miss them. I know we are not alone, half of my friends don't have their Mums around anymore and half still do, spritely, energetic Mums at that too.

Ds has announced that he will go back to Durham for the 2 teaching weeks next term but then wants to be home for exams as they are all online. We will move him out of his final year accommodation after his exams are over and at leisure. I honestly cannot believe it has been 3 years and he is almost finished. I hope this thread does keep going and that people come back and update as life unfolds.

I haven’t posted for ages but lovely to see everyone’s updates.

Dd is feeling the pressure of third and final year, she seems to be working hard on the dreaded diss and her final modules. She seems to have gone off the idea of law and wants to explore other career options. Feeling a bit unsettled as she says ‘all’ her friends have their next stage mapped out which I’m sure isn’t true. She will probably take a gap year and do some travelling.

What are everyone’s thoughts on Masters’? Dd thinks that they are expensive and don’t necessarily add anything to make you more employable, is she right?

Yep - 3 years has flown by @BenchOfCompany . Doesn’t seem 5 mins ago that we were dropping off!

I imagine most will be feeling the pressure about the next step .. it’s normal I guess @bendmeoverbackwards .
It’s a good point to take stock and decide next step. Travelling for a bit sounds wonderful

Dc has one more year as hers was a 4 yr integrated masters course. She has managed to get an internship over this coming summer. Applied to loads and finally gone one to stick . Hopefully it will fantastic experience and be great for cv. It also pays a bit more than her normal summer job . Really pleased for her.

@bendmeoverbackwards Ds is the only one of all his mates who has a graduate job lined up so it certainly isn't everyone in his uni circle. Ds was super proactive getting a summer internship last year which led to this job offer. Some of his mates are staying on in their uni city/town and just seeing what job they can get and reassessing in a year.

My friend did her masters whilst working and it was paid for by her employer and benefitted her in terms of qualifications and moving up the pay scale. For Ds it doesn't matter right now and working last summer just cemented wanting to work rather than study; he loved it and can't wait to get this academic year over with. He will also be relishing the freedom that comes from post exam free time before his job dictates his holiday entitlement. I think travelling sounds wonderful if that is what your DD wants to do.

@Longtimenewsee brilliant news on the internship. Well done your DD.

DD is going back to Exeter for her exams, and will stay on until the end of term. All her friends are going to hang around to enjoy some sunny beach time (hopefully). We are taking an early holiday in mid June, and then she will go back afterwards, and her graduation is 15th July. She has her flat until end of July, so will move out properly then.

We booked an overnight for the graduation, but my goodness, I wished I had done it immediately, literally waited a couple of days from when the date was confirmed, and all the rooms were booked out, and the prices doubled. I later heard people had booked flexible rooms months ago for the whole week, and then cancelled, didn't even know that was a thing. Couldn't book a table for dinner either! It's an expensive thing this graduation.

So lovely to hear everyone's news! DS hasn't been successful at getting even a summer placement let alone a training contract. But he will start his law conversion in September and reapply.
No sign of hard work for the dissertation so not sure what he is up to!
This is a very stressful period for us as parents DS2 sitting IB and DD3 her GCSE.
Lots to look forward to as well with DS1's 21st and long summer holidays as husband is taking his sabbatical

Congratulations to all who have secured masters, placements and jobs 👏🏽👏🏽

chopc, I expect once he starts his law conversion it will be easier to get a law vacation scheme or training contract - as I have 4 lawyer children and they have several cousins going down the same path at present I seem to have spent the last few years more involved with law applications than I expected. I cannot remember when the TC and vac scheme application "season" re opens again but probably during the summer - end of 2024. It can be worth doing a law conversion with SQE1 masters course to combine that for those who use the post grad student loan for law post grad courses.

Hi @KnittedCardi I thought I was fairly organised but not much choice of accommodation or restaurants during graduation week, my DD told me some parents had block booked. We did manage to get something although not my first choice. I had a quick trip to Exeter this week and managed to get a table at Harry's and we toasted DD's dissertation being submitted! Several all nighters this week were needed and she looked absolutely shattered when I saw her.

No rest though as she is now on a field trip in Iceland and is super excited to have seen the Northern Lights.

Lovely to see everyone's updates and @bendmeoverbackwards I think lots don't have definite plans with regards to work. Out of DD's housemates only two have jobs/MA offers. My DD has a few ideas in the pipeline but I'm happy for her to work, travel and look to secure something for 2025.

Lost track of everyone here as DD took a year out. She is back now in second year at Lse, after a lot of struggle to get them to readmit her.
Not sure how much she is enjoying it. I think she enjoys the topics but not the coursework and exams....
Late in submitting, late in applying for internships etc.
Dc1, few years older, took a year out after completing his uni course and went to the far east to teach English in a primary school. Absolutely loved it. However now back in a job that has nothing to do with his course, isn't really enjoying it. Not sure what path he will eventually take. But also the reason I felt doing a master's for the heck of it was a bit pointless till he (and also did when she finishes) knew better what he wanted in life.

@Stillnotagardener Sorry to hear that your DD is not enjoying her course. It's is so difficult for our YP at times. Hopefully if she pushes through her exams she can re-group over the summer and steel herself for the next two terms.

I asked my DD what advice she would give herself as this term has been brutal in terms of work load it was 'start your dissertation earlier than you think'. Wishing your DD all the best.

@Stillnotagardener i remember you are a fellow medic? I think if you are doing a non vocational degree and have no idea what you want to do in life, it is challenging to keep motivated. All the best to your DC and you as you have to " watch it"

@Xenia - useful advice, thank you. I think applications do have to be strategic and I think DS was overconfident and was a little blase. I think the trick is also to get them in early as I think places gets filled on a rolling basis

Chops yes you are right and yes you are right 😁.
I suppose I'm biased having come from a family of "vocational uni courses"

Well the last exam is done, all work has been handed in before that so now it is just waiting for results toward the end of June. Dh and Ds are moving all of Ds's things out of his accommodation this Saturday. It all feels strange that it is now over. He isn't going to attend his graduation as the vast majority of his mates are not on his course so they wouldn't all be graduating with him anyway. What a rollercoaster ride this has been starting with applying to Cambridge which is where this all started.

He starts his grad job mid July so has some time to just relax and do whatever he wants before then. And then we go round 2 with Ds2 hopefully going to uni in September.

@BenchOfCompany won't your DS regret not attending his graduation? Isn't this something you want to witness?

In any case congratulations to him and all the very best for his future endeavours!

(Name changed as was identified IRL. Previously chopc)

@Truetoself so sorry you had to change your name.

No he honestly doesn't care about the graduation. Dh didn't want to attend his and his parents forced him, he had no one he was friends was there as his course graduated on a different day to all his mates. We are are still in contact with his mates but they were from his halls of res and were all on different courses. Photos of my graduation are with my final year hall mates. I did it for the parents really as my sister and I were the first to go to uni in the family.

I would have liked to see him graduate but I knew over a year ago he didn't want to do it and we didn't want to force him like we were forced. To be honest he falls into the uni was just okay experience, he didn't love it, didn't hate it. He is far more excited about starting work having completed the summer internship with the company last year.

Lovely to hear your DS's news @BenchOfCompany and good luck with his job.

I haven't been on the whole journey, as my DD didn't apply to Oxbridge, but just wanted to say how supportive everyone has been for the last three years. The Exeter crowd were very 'on it' in the early days so I could happily nudge my DD when something needed to be done.

So DD has finished her exams, the penultimate one was a shocker, which caused a bit of stress but it is what it is. Fingers crossed it doesn't impact her final grade.

I can honestly say that my DD has had the best three years in Exeter. From her time in halls and @Jng1 DS looking after her when she over did it first week in, I read her the riot act, to her wonderful housemates in year 2/3. Life long friendships made, thoroughly enjoyed her course, a few blips along the away (mainly living with an ex in year 3) but she has learnt so much.

For now she is having so much fun in Exeter, has a lovely boyfriend who she met at uni but lives locally. What is next, time out to travel a bit and try and secure a job for 2025. Sadly she was rejected from a job abroad this week but I know she is resilient enough to find a new plan. Good luck to everyone's YP and to those who are attending graduation enjoy.

Aww.. lovely to hear about those finishing this year. Exciting times for all.. it’s flown hasn’t it !
Mine is starting a summer internship in a few weeks and then will be returning for 4th year . Exams were completed last week so is now having a lovely last few weeks with friends who are graduating soon

Dc1 also didn't bother with graduation, apparently none of his friends went either.
Dc2 just finished her second year and has been trying to find an internship for the summer but no luck, keen to go abroad. She may just do some random job abroad and at least learn another language.

@Truetoself If DS hasn’t got work this summer, might I suggest volunteering. My DD is a barrister and volunteered for the CAB. Also see if a local solicitor might offer a week or two. It’s a shame he won’t get his GDL paid for by his employer. It’s now a bigger gamble but he could lower his sights!

Aww @Dobbyismyabsolutefav - I just saw this! I had no idea my DS had been helpful in first year - that's good to know!

We're just back from seeing him in his final weeks in his uni town, after we were on holiday nearby. He really has had the most amazing time and says it was absolutely the best decision he ever made to do his course.

It's all full on with end-of-term and social activities, and then he's up at the Edinburgh Fringe for two weeks in August. Beyond that is a bit uncertain currently. I'm a bit concerned he will be back home and will 'crash' a bit in September!

@TizerorFizz DS has enough work experience and he did explore CAB but due to the training required , he couldn't committ to it at the time. However, it may be a good idea to try again. Thanks.
He has got a job in a bar this summer which I think will be more useful than further work experience. I think even training contract applications need to be strategic and I think getting past the psychometric testing is tricky. Let's see how he goes. If determined enough, he will make it one way or another

@Truetoself Yes. It’s all strategic! No easy way in.

@Truetoself I meant to add, DD did CAB whilst doing GDL. I think attendance was 3 days a week so she spent time volunteering. It wasn’t just over the summer.

The law conversion/SQE providers like BPP have schemes students can use (one of my sons did one) for part time volunteering. The main initial issue though for someone who might use a masters student loan for law post grad who wants to be a solicitor is to get a course that covers law conversion/masters/SQE1 as that loan will cover most of the course fees to the point of taking SQE1 exam. If no post grad masters loan is needed then I would do the law conversion/PGDL which is about 2 terms toi April with BPP and then the following Sept SQE1 and 2 course. The City Consortium firms use BPP but university of law is equally as good.