S5/S6 support thread.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I know I need it this year with Dd.
Everyone welcome to join in.

Now that would be funny!!😉

Dd is still waiting to hear from Edinburgh. Another mum got me a bit freaked out yesterday telling me her daughter was already booking Uni accommodation. There’s no chance this is possible for dd - she’s still not sure if she’s getting the grades for Glasgow or if she’d rather stay in this country and study.
Should she be looking for some and then cancel it if she doesn’t go?

Did had to pay a £300 deposit for her accommodation on her conditional offer which would be lost if she didn't get in. Some of her flat mates were allocated after results day as they were later in getting accommodation sorted. That was Dundee. You would need to check the terms and conditions.

Last year Glasgow guaranteed first year accommodation right up end of August so I'd be inclined to wait. It's a big uni and there's lots of private accommodation so she would find something even after end of August.

Thanks for the replies. On their website Glasgow are still guaranteeing accommodation for first years who are coming from further than a commutable distance which is def dd .
She’ll have her results by the end of May so plenty of time to decide

Anyone got an S5 who is stresssing? My ds is getting really overwhelmed at the moment, lots of folios/assignments seem to be due right now and he's feeling the pressure after not doing as well in his prelims as he hoped.

Trying to help him calm down is proving challenging. He did park run today which I think has calmed him down, then he went to the barber and had all his hair cut off! Spent most of the day in school doing art.

Have persuaded him to have the rest of the evening off and bought a curry for tea, he's currently playing counterstrike on the PS4.

Anyone else dealing with exam pressure?

That's a real shame weegie It's a fine balance between encouraging and supporting and also motivating them. I hope he enjoys his down time.

We still don't have all the prelim stuff marked. He seems to think he's got Cs in everything and needs Bs - he did no studying for the prelims and teacher says he is capable of As in the 2 highers he needs to meet his uni conditions.

I'm not sure if he's stressed so much as just down and in a low mood generally. He's 6th year though. I think his assignments etc are due shortly too - he's shouted down for me to put the printer on a couple of times over the last few days so i think something is getting done but I really daren't ask...

We are now waiting for a referral for his possible dyspraxia (or whatever they call it now) diagnosis. Occ Therapy say he has difficulties with both gross and fine motor skills, a lot of that contributed to by his hyper-mobile joints but it's the mental issues we are mostly concerned with. I think we will be too late to get him the extra funding for Uni that a diagnosis would give him but at least he should get the support he needs which is more to the point.

Ds is too horizontal at times! He rarely stresses.

He's had me sign his choices for next year. He has had his English prelim raised from a C to a B when for some reason he got it remarked.

I think you are doing great having managed to get him to have some downtime and I hope that has helped to calm him. I suppose different strategies work for different people but it’s that feeling of not being in control that can be the issue. Not sure if it helps but my dd uses a time table( realistic!!) but this also includes any activities and relaxation. I try like you to try and have a nice something at the weekend ( takeaway curry and a movie is up there!!) sometimes it’s an evening with friends just whatever helps to get her through. For her she says the little treats help also making sure the fridge and cupboards are full of study snacks!! Wax hope your son gets a diagnosis soon.xx

Now that prelims are over and assignment dates are looming it really does feel like exams are around the corner. I am almost afraid to count how many weeks remain now but there’s definitely a feeling of the clock ticking.

It doesn’t surprise me that signs of stress are beginning to appear. It’s certainly the case here. Prelims went well but immediately afterwards efforts switched to AH ‘dissertations’ and English folio. So far, I’d say 6th year with 3 AH’s is almost more pressurised than 5th year with 5 H’s. It’s definitely not the relaxed enjoyable last year that my DD was hoping for!

Offers wise she’ll have a decision to make but I don’t think that is getting any head space right now. She has unconditionals from St A’s, Aberdeen and Glasgow and still has to hear from Edinburgh.

I’m hoping that dissertations will be out of the way in the next 2 or 3 weeks and a lot of the pressure will subside. It’s tough to watch from the sidelines!

Hi all my Dd has been lucky enough to have been given a place at the annual Scottish space school held at Strathclyde uni. Just wondered if any other Dc are going too??

Well done to her @Alittewornout

Thank you Groovee! She is excited but a bit nervous was just hoping to perhaps link her up with another student prior to June to ease the nerves.x

Well done to her allwornout

Sorry - Alittlewornout

Prettybird allwornout is about right!!🤣

Anyone else still waiting to hear back from Unis?

DS2 is still waiting on Stirling and Dundee - had the offer from Aberdeen in mid December and rejection from Strathclyde not too long after but then nothing for months. :(

DD2 still waiting for Stirling but expecting rejection as she applied to 2nd year which is not her recommended progression.

Anecdotally and historically when I went to Stirling I was very late in getting my offer. When DD1 was rejected (5th choice not in line with her personal statement was just for the sake of having 5) she was rejected in February .

And DD1 got her unconditional to Dundee in the Easter hols, she had accepted her offer in time for the offer holders' day in late April.

Thanks Lidl. I think the expectation is that (if he gets what he needs) he'll go to Aberdeen and we are up at the offer holders day next week but the control freak in me just wants to know for sure. We are due to renew the boys car insurance in the next couple of weeks and I'd like to know whose name to put it in....

Some of his year have had offers or rejections through from Stirling but none for his course/faculty.

Can I ask, do parents go to Open Days as well or are they really just for students? DS is planning to go to Edinburgh and Glasgow’s Open Days in June- he could easily make his way to Edinburgh but it might be easier for me to drive him to Glasgow.

It's a real mix tbh. I reckon that there are more there with parents than without. You don't have to go to the same sessions when you are there and there are some sessions put on particularly for parents too.

On some of the Edinburgh sessions they only allow DC in just from a numbers perspective but plenty to see and do at the day on your own too.

Oh that’s great. I might just let him do Edinburgh on his own. He could get the train to Glasgow and make his way to the Uni but a peak fare is ridiculously expensive (and the full journey woul take twice as long!) so probably better if I drive him.

I went to uni in the States and my parents didn’t come to any of my interviews (we didn’t have general Open Days) with me, so was’t sure what the norm is here!

We didn't go to open days as DDs very much wanted to experience that with their friends. Fortunately we are in the central belt so they were accustomed to jumping on Glasgow and Edinburgh trains.

We went to offer holder' day so we could see accommodation and support DD in her choices (see where the cash haemorrhage was going) and get campus tours.