Starting Y13 (y12 support thread contd)

[AtiaoftheJulii]

Well, I filled up the other one, so here's a nice new one to get us through dropping subjects, Uni open days, personal statement writing, and UCAS applications

Plenty of and and (nicely-intentioned) s available!

Don't think I can cope with any more PS anguish. Please let her finish it & submit to the school tomorrow!

They should be called Painful Statements.

DD2 has a meeting next week. She is happy with it / sick of it, so hopefully the final approval will be given.

I think they are a waste of time. Many universities don't give more than cursory glance I think. Just wish there was more consistency in how they assess applicants. So much variation esp for medicine.

YY to Painful Statements Littleham I think when it gets to the happy/sick phase it's time to pay and send!
Dd was relaxed, thinking hers was floating around the school office having references and stuff added and was shocked/sick/scared witless to get e-mails confirming her application from a few unis this am.
This means it is definitely too late to change anything.
I feel bad looking at all the accommodation talk as she hasn't even considered that really.
Hellsbells have you looked at music scholarships for people not studying music, gets them in with all the ensembles and some handy cash too...I'm sure I've seen some around, at Durham I think, may be worth a thought?

Not a jot towards PS done here...

Yikes cathy can imagine that was a bit of a shock! Dd1 paid and submitted hers to school yesterday, but she's convinced she'll get it back - will warn her that she might not.

My piece of advice to dd1 and anyone else - make sure you read any emails all the way down to the bottom. I was applying through UCAS last year, and nearly missed out on one interview because I hadn't read an email properly - had assumed it was just a standard "we got your application" confirmation, but it had some instructions at the bottom about something I needed to do!

Thanks, great advice, I'll definitely pass that on to dd :)

Thanks for the ino re: music scholarship - didn't know about this so will have to have a google. She has not got a diploma or anything though. Will probably have passed grade 7 in 2 instruments by the time she goes. Does anyone know if you can add music exams to your ucas application after it has been processed but before your A2 results? Just thinking that come results day any extra points she gets this year may help in the event of her dropping a grade or 2!

Horsemad - still the same here though he has promised to do it this weekend when I pointed out school wanted first draft today and final version by half term (in two weeks and he is away from Friday to Monday next weekend ....)

I think DD said you can put a music exam on with result pending, I'm not sure whether you can add the actual result later though.
Disclaimer: I haven't actually seen the UCAS site, so am just going through the small scraps of info DD passes on!

Thanks Cathy!

Hellabells99lWould you need to give the expected date of taking the music exams to be able to enter on the UCAS application?

Any Unis we asked about Music Scholarships said the standard was beyond grade 8. Not sure how it works for choral scholarships, most of the large Unis have a few on offer.

Unless already way above the standard for the grade, don't underestimate the workload along with A2s. DD just did 2 grades straight after AS, didn't have much choice, but sure it contributed towards pulling her grades down.

Also, if is for points, a grade 6 distinction is worth more than a grade 7 pass.

Circular - thanks for the reply. She is not rushing anything re: grades. We have never really noticed any extra workload so far as she just plods along quite happily. She plays in 2 different bands so never really practises sight reading for a grade as she plays different stuff all the time. Music is a pleasure for her and not a chore unlike biology

Hi All....reading your posts with interest! Have a DS predicted straight As at AS levels who didn't do nearly that well.....trying to be supportive, help him make right decisions re Uni, courses etc (aren't we all?!). Struggling a bit to get the pitch right! What sort of work should our DCs be doing at this stage in the year??? DS is studying Eng., Hist., and Economics and seems to be doing little except a bit of reading as he says he gets homework done at school in study periods. I feel that he should be using this time for something more constructive than pottering at his studies but don't want to turn into a monster or push him too hard at this stage.....at the same time thinking he needs to be a bit more worried as that would make him more motivated?? Will be re-sitting a History paper alongside everything else in June but he says nothing he can do for that as it'll be covered in revision sessions at school (doesn't sound quite right to me!). Had an Eng paper remarked and went up to a B from a D....examiner missed a page and mis-marked others...DS had to drop his fav subject of all time as got a D (as did most others in his class - but too late to do any catching up on that at this stage sadly - have had to go "tactical" !). He's being very chilled (tho says he's not like that under the surface) but at the same time probably feeling as tho the ground has shifted under his feet as his options have narrowed/changed so much now and results being "messy", remarks dragging out while process didn't help even tho marks went up thankfully. Would be grateful for any input!

Hellsbells thought your DD wanted to study biology?

True about the ensembles helping the sight reading.
DD just finds keeping pieces going to exam standard a bit of a chore, when she would rather play them her way.

Hi poppy. Long time lurker- my dd had a shock with as levels which she is still struggling with- she described her self as having an existential crisis about what she wants to do and where etc...... I think at the moment it's about letting them get over it and move on- whilst watching for deadlines. Really tough but we can only do so much....

Should they write things music grades and diplomas in ucas then? Ds has grade 8 plus the diploma in main instrument and grade 7 in 2nd instrument - but is not choosing music as a degree- the courses he is applying for ask for grades not ucas points so would it be worth putting them down?

Waitingaround my DD listed all her music exams etc on the qualifications section of the UCAS form, even though none of her courses count the points. It saves wasting characters in the personal statement and shows other skills/commitment and more than that after all the money, time, sweat and tears invested she wanted to at least put it somewhere, even if they ignore it

Yes, should definitely go in. Would even be tempted to put a line in the PS about music activities as to get to that level needs a good deal of self discipline. And ensemble/orchestra work shows team work. Transferable skills.

Ok thanks everyone- I will make sure he does

Thanks twenty ten and mumslife....great to get other opinions and think you both make good points. Reassuring that my instincts about work levels are in the right direction as I can nudge him to do more with confidence (whilst making sure that, as you say twentyten, I allow him some space too). He's right at the youngest age range of his cohort and Dyslexic so struggles anyway with organising himself tho we and he thought he'd cracked it...guess we've hit another of those times when he needs some more support to get back on track again. Remember when they were all little and we thought it would be easier and a doddle when they were older?!