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!

Hi poppy- yes I agree that if he is dyslexic a bit of nudging might be required- are the school good/ helpful? Dds school have been excellent in supporting her angst so she will get geared up again but got majorly stressed last year so we are playing it gently. Can you get info from the school?

20poppy - that's awful that he had to drop his favourite subject because of a mistake in marking. Did you plead with the school? A year or two ago there was a student at ds's school who dropped English (can't remember if it was Lit or Lang) because he got a low grade in AS but it went up about 3 grades on remark and he was allowed to transfer into the A2 class.

With regard to resitting the history, I second that resits normally have to be done under a student's own steam. Our school would possibly offer some revision classes but that's all. Resitting exams can sometimes be done at the expense of other exams so need to be approached with caution!

My year 13 ds is a steady worker but has never knocked himself out with school work. But I have really noticed a difference this term - he's doing 2 or 3 hours most nights and does have quite a few study periods at school when he's also working.

My dd1 seems to have been doing fuck all at home. She says that teachers haven't been giving them much work because of all the UCAS stress going on. She's very lazy though!

DD1 does study for at least 2 to 3 hours most evenings and more at weekends - although she is away for a few days at the moment so no work. She did do more in year 12.
DD2 is in year 12 and hasn't really got going yet although I do keep trying to give her a nudge.

DD1 seems to average an hour or two most evenings, doesn't always get to do much on Saturdays. Possibly 4 hours on a Sunday. about the same as last year, but doing more in school now as more free periods. Also last year did more music practise in school in frees.
School have already started weekly lunchtime sessions for those resitting physics modules, and will possibly be a second session starting soon.
Not expecting any extra maths sessions, but it seems a bit different with maths as it is more accumulative, and earlier models become much easier a year later. That's the theory anyway.

Well done mumslife, very envious with DD still having 2 to get done.

She has read so many things on the do's and don'ts, but keeps changing her opening sentence.
Undecided on whether to begin with how/when interest in the subject began or straight into why you want to do the course, with how it began a little later.
I preferred the 'why' start, I think at the moment she has the 'how' in first.

DS had to drop favourite subject because he did badly, like rest of class so teacher rather than examiner at fault possibly Stonecircle.....though could have been kids of course! Not worth trying to carry on with it as would have impacted on possible A2 results. Off to look at Manchester today.....Birmingham a couple of weeks ago which we both thought fab. DD went to Cardiff - just finished, did well and had fun....

Poppy - sorry, I misread your earlier post. I thought the subject that went up 2 grades was his favourite and the one he'd had to drop.

It's terrifying how much is dependent on getting good teachers. My ds had a brilliant teacher in his strongest subject last year but the one he has this year is causing me sleepless nights!

Thanks mumslife. Will get DD to check and email if website not clear.

Thanks Mumslife
The Cardiff course DD1 is looking at says AAB/BBB, but in the finer detail says will reject beliw BBB prediction. Guess that will change to ABB typical offer, but may offer to BBB predicted applicants.

But effectively requirements may have gone up.
Whereas before, they may have offered ABB as in the range, now they may only be considering it, so perhaps an AAB offer for an ABB prediction?

Stand by your beds!! DS has chosen his 5:

ICL (doubt he'll get an offer tbh)
Southampton
York
M'cr
Nottingham

Bearing in mind they all want at least A at A level, this could be interesting

Oh, and he's 'starting' his PS this week!

Hurrah. DD's school has told her UCAS form must be done by Monday. We are still waiting for the English remark to come back and she is panicking it won't be back in time. I am sure the school won't send the forms off before the remarks are back - they have till the 15th in any case. She thinks her choices are now:
Nottingham
Oxford
Warwick
Kent
Sheffield
Lowest offer from those is likely to be Kent at ABB so here's hoping she doesn't end up in clearing.
She is really swamped by work now and was getting a bit panicky yesterday trying to balance the competing demands of all teachers (two per subject plus EPQ and another research project) so I really need to help her focus on time management skills now.

Yes, still waiting for Chem remark result here.
He also wants to go to Leeds, Sheffield & Warwick open days - 'just in case'.
I blame DH, who keeps suggesting he needs to look at more in case there's one he likes better

Lol mumslife - I might write 'A Mother's Guide to Uni' lol!!!

I hope your DD is better soon, it's all getting a bit frantic now...

We could all give you some input to that Horsemad!
DD has been through her PS with her allocated tutor at school and been told it is 85% there. So planning to try and finish this week. She still needs to get her choices down from 6 to 5. She has been away with school for 4 days over the weekend camping and walking and is exhausted.
She is going to Manchester Uni open day for the 2nd time this weekend on the train with her friend.
Hope your DD is feeling better mumslife.

I'm incinerating the Personal Statement soon. No one remembered to allow spaces for the paragraphs!