Thread 46 - GCSE Covid Cohort , Searching for Summer Solstice

[OrangeCinnamonLatte]

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 know, but a teacher that she thinks highly of recommended whichever one it was and her friend is going too for the same course so 🤷‍♀️

Have you looked at Nottingham ? Again very campusy. And surely, surely, Nottingham, of all places, does archery??!

I'm struggling to get her to look at anywhere till her y12 exams are over she is working really hard, but unfortunately they are spread over the next three weeks as are most of the open days. It is infuriating.

We didn't do any open days, apart from going to Cambridge for my fated intra Covid day out until September.

God, I have just remembered how ill I was. Had to cancel Bath.

Nottingham don't do BMS, NTU is on the list though. I may be getting too hung up on the open days, we did lots with DS and found them really helpful (from my POV speaking to the learning support people in person was really helpful and DS found the visit generally and taster lecture etc really useful).

Oh we did loads on September/ October!

We may well end up doing them then too. But college work is going to ramp up again then and if they involve long journeys it gets tricky. DS deciding on a max radius of 100 miles was very helpful!

Yes, that's what I call the elastic band principle. It makes sense.

DS really would have loved a course at Glasgow but it's just too far .

DD had a "4-hour travel" max. (One of the best unis in the country for illustration is Falmouth, but...!)

I applied to Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt (I am half Scottish and do go there quite a lot). But too far in the end (my parents also live in Hampshire).

Did she consider UCA Farnham @PhotoDad ? It is my nearest uni. More than 4 hours from you though.

No, the four-hour rule held firm!

I grew up in the Channel Islands, so every uni was flight (or ferry) + train for me.

Right, just added ARU to my spreadsheet . She says she has been looking at Bath and will look at Kent so maybe I have been overly impatient.

@ExtremelyDetermined dd was still look at Occupational therapy in the summer of year 12. That turned to mental health nursing in about Oct and then psychology in Dec so some of our visits ended up being a waste of time!

She told me the other day that if Notts did OT, she’d consider switching courses 😩 but they don’t and there’s no way she’s moving now. She’ll just have to do the masters.

Yikes @crazycrofter ! These are such massive decisions, and for vocational courses or subjects they haven't studied before it is quite a leap into the unknown, its a wonder more don't change their minds really.

@ExtremelyDetermined They also offer a BSc Genetics at Swansea uni but offer MSC in Biomedical science with specialisms/pathways in Clinical Microbiology or Clinical Biochemistry. Is that any use and is it within the 100mile radius?

Just to add, Swansea also offer a Bsc in Applied Medical science. Soundslike a great course. AAB-ABB.

And surely, surely, Nottingham, of all places, does archery??!
LOVE that!!

ED - I am sure you are conscious that the further north she goes within her range, the more affordable the rents are! Bath is very expensive, not saying that should rule anywhere out, but that post first year rent is "a thing" which can be problematic. Many of us look at Nottingham and Sheffield with green eyes!

Yes, we did think about that a bit, DH did his post-doc at Bath and loved it there and is very keen on it but as I'm the one who has always done all
our finances he probably doesn't think so much about these things. It was part of my keenness on Lincoln!

Yes, we really shouldn't need to check whether Nottingham has an archery club!

Swansea is three hours by car from here so it is within the allowable limits so I will have a look there, thank you.

Just bought some L plates for my car . DS couldn't continue with his uni driving instructor over the summer, he is still struggling with gears (I explained a few weeks ago that he is determined to do manual so he can drive vans) and the instructor has suggested he drive my auto for the summer and try and nail everything else about driving, boost his confidence maybe even take an auto test and then have some intense gear practice to try the manual test (failing it doesn't disqualify you from auto driving if you have passed that test). So that's the plan. I am also looking for an auto instructor locally but no luck yet.

Yes talking of change of mind...

Dd has had her last assessment for Music at Cardiff and will be coming home next week.

After applying a few weeks back for Education and also Sociology at Southampton, Education at Wincgester and Sociology at Sussex and Portsmouth she got a rejection for Education at Southampton and an offer for Portsmouth.

She was upset but it concentrated her mind that she really wanted to do Education. As she was within the two weeks she added Educatio studies at Reading at my suggestion and Primary QTS interview at Portsmouth. She is still unsure about doing an ITT based degree but wants to go through the interview process and explore options.
She has now had an offer from Winchester for Education Studies too (with accomm deadline of mid June).

We won't mention the BF as I'm too angry , he's being controlling at the moment.

..and @Piggywaspushed thank you so so much for the Reading course link. Fingers crossed she gets offered a place as it looks bloody brill for her.

I've only been to Reading once, last Christmas to meet someone for lunch. I do love a bit of civic architecture so I liked it ! I had no idea the Uni was so nice though. It has everything Dd looking for (mainly campus based, lots of societies ect).

I'm trying to concentrate on being positive and excited for her, the BF business is driving me nuts though.

Things are looking positive orange , BF aside.

Hopefully, she'll see the light on him.

I really like the Reading campus @OrangeCinnamonLatte , I went to an Open Day with DS and I did some courses there myself a few years ago. It is pretty easy to get to from the southern direction too, although I don't like driving in the town centre (too many bus lanes and one way systems) you don't need to go through it to get to the campus from the M4. People I know who have been there speak highly of it and everyone impressed us at Open Day.

It’s good that she’s got some clarity now about what subject she wants to do @OrangeCinnamonLatte . Fingers crossed for Reading - and for her to see bf’s true colours.

Several of my dd's friends have done education at Winchester and they have all been really happy there - and all found jobs straight away if that helps!