S5/S6 support thread.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

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

Brilliant

I know ds relaxed a lot once he got his Unconditional from Strathclyde (which he hadn't expected) - even though he didn't really want to go there as it was his "home" Uni. Iirc, that's similar to your ds in that Aberdeen is his local Uni.

Ds was then delighted when he got his Unconditional from Aberdeen. It was a bit later that he got the rejections from Dundee (which he hadn't even visited so had just been a "filler" application) and eventually Edinburgh - but at least that kept him working for so long that he decided he may has well continue studying so as to get a return for his effort!

Thanks prettybird.

Yeah 🎉 fab news indeed @aurea

Good news @Aurea

That’s great news!

Well done Aurea’s son!
Think my DD is currently working on draft 3 of her personal statement with the plan to submit her application by the end of the month. I know some of her friends have received offers so hopefully it will motivate her to get it finalised.

Great news! :) DS finished draft 2 and seems pretty happy with it. Now he has to decide what to actually apply for...

Has he come to any decisions yet as to courses. Wax ?

I'm pretty impressed that he's got to a version he's happy with after two drafts - I think it took ds 4 drafts (although to be fair, there were only minor changes between 3 and 4) But there again your ds has been doing "Word heavy" subjects, so should be good at formulating cases (in this case, his own case )

I'l admit to posting on here to to get a bit of positive stuff about young people, after being consumed with the news on TV all day

Not yet pb thank you for asking. He can't get onto UCAS at the moment either as he doesn't know what email he used or what his password is .

He now needs to phone them and is in a bit of a panic...

Aberdeen is still his first choice and Dundee and Stirling for two others and no idea for the remaining choices. He may be happy with draft 2 but we've not seen it. He has a meeting with his mentor tomorrow to discuss draft 2 so I suspect we might be onto draft 3 shortly :o He saw the Dr last week re the Dyspraxia stuff but wanted to go in himself and (according to him) he's to formulate what the actual impact is on his learning and then go back so strategies can be discussed to help manage those issues. No idea if there was any talk of moving on towards an assessment or anything so no idea what (if anything) he should note (or where) on his UCAS application. I've said he should mention that he is first generation to Uni too but again no idea if he has.

On a positive note, DS2 and his teacher are quite excited about all the political news today as a vote of no confidence would be a good topic for their exams...

I should be grateful that ds' pastoral care teacher refused to look at ds' statement until one of us had looked at each of the drafts

Although having said that, he could just have told her that we'd looked at it but he's pretty honest

I agree that your ds should mention dyspraxia and the fact that he will be the first generation to go to Uni. Even if the institutions that your dh and you later became Unis, at the time they were just colleges and classified as FE, not HE and iirc, it was day release, not "going to Uni" in the sense that they are wanting to encourage in new generations.

It will actually help the Unis statistics if he mentions it (especially Aberdeen as one of the "Ancients" as they are particularly sensitive to this).

I'm hoping to be able to get a look at it pb and i've said, i'm not trying to pry, but it's very helpful to have someone sit with you when you fill in the UCAS application and in particular your selected topics/unis as it's easy to get confused and add the wrong thing - especially as that's the sort of thing he struggles with. He could argue black was white and quote data to back himself up but can't check an app to work out when a train is due...

If it makes you feel better, the PS drafts were the only things I saw/could comment on.

I never saw any of the UCAS process - except when he got me to come and fill in my credit card details to pay for it

ha ha, I've paid the school already so no more involvement required on that score.

So HAPPY 😀

My DS has just been offered an interview at Trinity College, Oxford.

It's his dream and he now stands a 1 in 3 chance of an offer.

All this from a unremarkable state school in Aberdeenshire.

That's brilliant @Aurea. Well done to that boy! I'm liking those odds so I hope it all works out well for him.

That's fantastic news

When is the interview?

Wow what an achievement! Wishing him every success!🤞

@Aurea brilliant news - congratulations to your DS - and to you too 🎉. Hope all goes well for the interview. The school may be unremarkable but your boy obviously is 😀

Aaaw....thanks guys!

Has anyone been getting any results through? No application submitted here yet. DS is being referred to CAHMs for assessment for Dyspraxia but Dr thinks he might be a while as he falls between two stools. He would be kept in the service until 18 if he'd started before 16 but should really be 18 to start in adult services. It's not great. Currently trying to see if there is anywhere he could get a private assessment and also what to actually say on his PS.

Last ever school parents night for me this week - end of an era and I'm now feeling thoroughly ancient!

DS2 going to his first christmas party that isn't in school hours as he's chosen not to go before. He's wanting to wear a kilt and this will be a bit of a trial run for the leavers dance too.

I am really enjoying this age of parenting but I do have a wistful feeling about holding those sticky little hands and cuddling sleepy warm "bath fresh" little boys.

Ho hum.

I have dd1's S5 parents evening this week, but as ds is 10 I still get the cuddles. When he's in S5 I'll need to get a teddy or something!

Mine are also preparing for their Christmas dance. Dresses and shoes sorted and then it dawns on you they have no matching bras which won't show.

We still have one Parents' night to go in case anyone needs a post-prelim panic in February.

I started late and have a P3 as well as the S5 and 6. I actually love being the really laid back oldest Mum in the Primary playground after all the angst of juggling and not knowing the ropes with the other 2. You have to be quick to catch DD3 for a cuddle though.

Thankfully I don't have to worry about bras for DS though he is still refusing the haircut so a dress might be more appropriate.