Thread 42 Corona GCSE Cohort - 👻Creeping it Real for Oct22

[CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee]

This is a support thread for our young adults post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting, and their results ( or life updates for those who went into work or have had results earlier). It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, uni vs employment please don't within this thread.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue. We were previously on the secondary board and then further education, now we shall be here in 'Parents of Adult Children' gulp

Our DS/DD may continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed). Be warned there might be lots of 'Uni Freshers' chat this time of year. My experience is that everyone is welcomed wherever, whatever their child is doing we have some in work, gap years , apprenticeships etc too. Lots of contributors with different experiences and always sympathy and advice to be had.

previous thread

I started off doing joint hons music and drama and swooped after my first year to single honours. There were lots of clashes.

I just realised I posted twice as I forgot I’d posted here and not on the music thread.

Sorry to hear about the various wobbles and issues 😬 I’m afraid I did a similar course - it was called combined arts and you did 3 subjects - and a definite downside was the lack of coursemates @Seeline . In the end I changed to straight history after year 1 which I enjoyed, and I did make a few History friends after that.

He has already heard back from history wo have said it's too late- apparently you have to swap within two week which totally goes against any 'give it some time' type advice :(

Is there another more niche history coursework @Piggywaspushed ? Like ancient history?

It's the whole faculty unfortunately.

Apparently, he can change to history next year, which literally makes no sense. You can't change after two weeks because it's too late - but you can change after a year???

@Piggywaspushed That's... rubbish. Reminds me of my old place, where you could change courses in second year, but only if you got a First in your first year exams??🤔

Yes, I seem to remember the new department having specific requirements based on first year marks. Can he put up with it for a year?

@Piggywaspushed could your DS change to joint honours: Politics and Social Policy - timetable clashes aside of course!

@Comefromaway i read both your posts 😂 and wondered whether there was some extra detail in the second one! Sorry to hear about the new piano teacher 😬

Possibly. I think he has his heart set on history now. But dropping the economics might be another option.

Piggy that is the faculty (ie admin) response. He needs to go and speak to a professor and see if he can get a prof to support the move. Head of department or prof in charge of undergrad admissions. Visit in office hours asap and ask for their support in moving across. He can do it! Never take the first refusal!

He needs to be the squeaky wheel “no, it is past 2 weeks” “Can you explain what difference there is between two weeks and three weeks given there are only 4 lectures a week?” “Well it is too much to catch up” “but I have already watched the lectures online/read my friends notes” etc etc

Good points. I have told him to be the squeaky wheel! His PPE timetable only got sorted last week!

@Piggywaspushed I think , for now, I’d seek clarification that DS could change to History next year as a ‘second year’ Historian - if that makes sense?
The first year of most degrees/ courses only ask for a pass which is usually 40% - and carry credits- so if DS feels he could ‘hack it out’ for the rest of his first year ‘doing what he is doing now’ then that’s one option?

Yes, I thought so - although it makes no sense to me! How can they not possibly catch up after three weeks, but can miss a whole year?! Someone on parents' Facebook just implied they transfer into first year...

I ave also mentioned to him that with a history degree he is far more likely to end up as a teacher!! The horror!

@Piggywaspushed - My thoughts were that your DS could possibly transfer as a ‘first year Historian’ next year hence my nod to seek clarification ? !

Yes, on it.

DS2 is not meant to cause me stress!!

@Piggywaspushed The course people presenting at the Keele open day were saying not to worry if you choose the wrong course. Loads of people swap about and they're happy to accommodate it. I guess they have a long history of joint honours and complicated timetables (DH and I both did joint honours at Keele as did almost everyone) They did say they had cut down drastically on combinations of subjects because as student numbers have grown, timetables have become impossible. Birmingham is huge so I guess that's a problem for them. No excuse to not let your DS switch to single honours history though. Go and stamp your teacher feet for him 😊

As someone who dropped out 30 years ago after a term & a week I’m horrified at all the barriers in the way to our children’s generation! It was the right thing for me. I didn’t have to pay back my grant (!) from term 1 & I was able to reapply & start again in a different Uni on a different course as if it never happened. And I certainly had no idea after 2 weeks that it was going to happen. I would say I was starting to realise in November, agonised over it during the Christmas holidays & ‘knew’ after the first few days back in January. I’m worried in case DD or DS experience similar to me.

Yes, and yet unis are judged on drop outs and continuation so you'd think they'd facilitate changes.

Being cynical I have often wondered whether my course was over subscribed & if that explained the lack of interest my tutor showed when I went to him. 😡

@Piggywaspushed I hope your DS gets somewhere quickly. It makes far more sense to switch now than a year in.

I've finally had the 'how to use the washing machine ' call. He's an adult at last 🤣

@Piggywaspushed sorry to hear that. He needs to dial to his personal tutor. Surely it's in the interests of the uni to encourage him to stay rather than be disillusioned?
@Seeline sorry to hear about your dd too. My dd is enjoying the fact that she sees lots of different people on her course but there are a few doing the same as her which helps.

Speak not dial