Thread 54 - Summer 25 - Graduations after Uni Year 3

[Oblomov25]

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). 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 53:
Thread53

Yes I did with dd1 who tanked her a levels, got rejected from Sheffield her insurance, but talked her way back in on clearing. Did brilliantly.

No point at all talking to college I think. You know what she will have to do. Hit the phones fast trying to talk herself back into her firm and insurance while also applying to other places. She should get a draft email together in advance explaining why she thinks she dropped grades and giving any mitigation and bullet-pointing why she is a good bet for a place - maybe highlighting pqe or work experience, or new evidence of interest in the subject since the personal statement. She can always tweak on the day. She may need to send that in as part of the process, particularly for firm and insurance if she is trying to change their minds.

college will be little help and waste precious time imo

Thank you @Delphigirl . She doesn't want her insurance so it's firm or clearing. After asking her again when I got home from work "I'm sure they'll
tell us over the summer" I googled
her college and sure enough it's all there about how to access the portal and that they should have had instructions in May. So she had a look at that and there appears to be a problem because she is in her third year, her account is locked out (she didn't use it last year but just went in as no uni place hanging on it) but it won't let her start a new one because there is already an account in that name. Also she thought that clearing doesn't start till 1pm so going into college would be fine 🤦‍♀️. So I have instructed her to ring college tomorrow and get the login sorted. What is she like.

Such a sweet story @Zebracat, sending you all love

@Zebracat that is sad and beautiful at the same time. Sorry for your loss.

@ExtensivelyDecorating it's not just the grades you need, but the breakdown of marks. It might be worth getting a paper reviewed if she is very close to the next grade up. I know what you mean about stubborn kids though....

DD didn’t need any additional travel insurance on top of what her uk university provided. She did need to pay for Austria health insurance though - it’s mandatory- irrelevant as to the travel insurance she had.

DS will go into college to get results because I know they have a very effective team to support if results don’t go the right way. I think he’ll prob log on to ucas before going in though.

@Zebracat I missed your request for info on insurance. DD got International student insurance via April Insurance, used for both Egypt and Spain. She made a claim for medical appt and meds when she got e-strain from Morocco and couldn’t shake it off. They paid out without hassle.

DD does want to go in but says she will ring up tomorrow and sort the portal too. I suspect the college would be very helpful, the two UCAS tutors have been two of her subject tutors and have been excellent in both respects so far, it's a small place. They are opening at 8. I will be ready with phone, car, coffee, whatever it takes.

So yesterday the head of DS’s department (H), to whom he complained about his manager (M), sent to the whole department WhatsApp selfies of H and M together, from Wimbledon centre court - broad smiles, matching Panama hats.

So that’s a pretty clear message

@Delphigirl That's absolutely disgusting! he probably discussed the complaint with M as well and they had a good old giggle over beers. I don't know the background of this job (sorry I'm not always up to scratch with the news here), but is it your ds's 1st graduate job? id say he should start looking elsewhere, this is a very toxic environment. Gas lighting, intimidation, bullying, just not on.

Ugh @Delphigirl that's so passive aggressive. Your ds is so brave to stand up to them!

Yes first grad job, but he is heading off to a masters in Sept, thank goodness. Totally toxic.

The timing of his masters couldn’t have come at a better time @Delphigirl. What a toxic culture he’s had to endure, yet he’s kept his integrity throughout.

Cross post

Great minds @ealingwestmum 😍

What a vile pair they are. So glad your DS is out of there @Delphigirl

Wow! I’m lost for words, Delphi and depressed too.
Well done to your DS for having the courage of his convictions, regardless - so important to call people out, whatever the outcome.

Congratulations to your DS, Aslockton - fantastic all round!

Zebra, what a beautiful story. The power of animals to heal and be healed never ceases to amaze me. I’m so sorry you had to say goodbye but what a wonderful ending to his life with you.

@Zebracat Oh my what a touching story. Loss of a beloved dog leaves a huge hole.

@Delphigirl Eugh. No polite words.

DS's graduation ceremony was yesterday. Started with a car crash. No injuries but hugely annoying as white van man just straight reversed into us when we were stationary in a queue. Then raining so heavily I had to walk up in my cagoule not looking smart at all! However, the cathedral setting was beautiful and it was very moving at the end clapping them all as they exited down the centre aisle. Lovely to meet some of the young people we'd heard tales of and luckily the sun eventually put in an appearance as we had dinner booked on a terrace.

Oh I am glad it turned out well in the end @EwwSprouts, I think in my opinion, your weather would be preferable to the sweltering craziness. That said, I appreciate this was Durham, I forget as Belfast last weekend highlighted, at least 15 degrees cooler than London :)

I hope he's got lots of good stuff lined up for the summer, if I remember correctly, he has a grad job lined up in the autumn?

I think we need to remind ourselves of who everyone is and where our DCs are at, life journey and place wise. For example, I have forgotten what course little Aslockton did!

Yes, back in the day every new thread started with a list of the young people and where they were/what they were studying! Which reminds me, have we heard from @Orangecinnamon or whatever her most up to date user name is, recently?

I'm glad you all had a lovely day @EwwSprouts - despite white van an!

Yes - the threads starting with a reminder of what all our youngsters were doing and where was really helpful.

Sorry to hear about the crash @EwwSprouts but glad the rest of the day went well.

DS failed his driving test. He is absolutely gutted. We have been practising virtually every day for the last month and he's been doing so well, one mistake and that's that. So got to get re-booking.

Oh that's bad luck @ExtensivelyDecorating , especially with the lack of new test slots 🙁 Hope he can get another one soon.

@EwwSprouts I'm sorry to hear about the crash, I hope that and the weather didn't spoil your celebrations too much.

@ExtensivelyDecorating poor DS, it's so horrible for them especially knowing it's another 6 month wait for a test (around here anyway). My DS2 did his at the beginning of April and failed then got a new test for end of September! We gave in to the extortionate test cancellation people and managed to get one in the May half term which he passed thankfully. Happy to share the details of the site that we used if you would like it.

An up to date list of everyone's DCs progress would be fab.