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!

Mindgone - that's right, you have a good memory! Is your DS excited about uni? I hope it all goes well for him.
What courses are you looking at this year?

Mindgone - is it medicine your DS is looking at? Have you found out anything more about the Durham Stockton campus? We have also attended a few medicine talks as DD2 is looking at this - I don't want to have to repeat all the uni visits next year so have been trying to combine DD1's open days with DD2's!

Hi Hellsbells, not generally such a good memory, but your situation was so similar to ours!
Yes, DS is highly excited now about heading off, especially after his 'gap yah' in Aldi! Very exotic! Thanks for your good wishes.
Yes, DS2 is looking at medicine, and planning on applying shortly. I saw a short video on the medicine page of the Durham website, and it looked really appealing. He prefers Newcastle so far, but I think the Durham course might really suit him.
I would definitely take them both to the open days! We did that last year when DS1 was looking again post results, after having already done the rounds once. He would go to the chem eng talks with his dad, and DS2 and I went to the medicine talks. I think you learn quite a lot when you've been to a few, and they get to know which aspects they like more and which less.

DS2 is planning on going to the open day at Stockton on the 13th with DH, so I can let you know what they think of it.
Which unis are appealing most to your DD so far? If she gets AAB predictions, which it sounds like she will, she will be in a great position for any of them.

DS has something similar mumslife. He has two afternoons that he can come home but he has to stay in school for the other "frees".

DS's free periods have always been referred to as 'study periods' by the school. His Form Tutor even corrected me once when I called it a 'free'.

DS doesn't start until tomorrow but had a meeting with his form teacher today and he seems much happier after this.

He's agreed to let me look at the draft of his personal statement, though this hasn't happened yet.

He wants to do History but isn't any more specific than that.

DD went back to school today - we were going to ask for a remark on her English as she was only one UMS point off an A - but she found school have already sent it in which is great. She needs a remark on one of her history papers as well as it was way out of line with everything else, so fingers crossed on those.
We have visits at Cardiff, Nottingham, Warwick and York lined up - we should have MN get togethers at the Open Days!
Personal statement is almost done and EPQ is underway - she has done a fair bit of work since the results came out.

Anyone going to Southampton this Sat?

We have already done Southampton, Horsemad, and ds really liked it. Actually I haven't met anyone yet who didn't like it, strangely enough.

Ds is on the third draft of his personal statement. His tutor looked at it today and made some suggestions so he has completed those changes already as his tutor wants to see it again tomorrow!!

I have finally twisted ds's arm into considering UCL, I think - let's see if it actually ends up on the UCAS form.

Anyone going to Bristol on the 13th?

Hi mumslife DS is looking at Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.

Good to hear Southampton is popular, Raidne.

The other good thing about Southampton is that all the courses went into clearing this year and reduced the offers to BBB, so if that is your dc's favourite, it leaves a nice amount of wriggle room (providing a similar thing happens).

Sauvignon - we have looked at Manchester and Liverpool for different courses. DD1 loved Manchester after getting over the initial scary bit. It was very busy and not a self-contained campus. DD said it was 1 of the only ones that didn't feel like you would be living in a bubble! DH doesn't want her to go there, as he would like her to be in a safe bubble
DD2 loved Liverpool and says that is her top choice - although she has only just started year 12.
Mindgone - so far DD1 likes Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, UEA - we are going to look at Bath on 13th. Nottingham she wasn't too sure about. We haven't got an insurance choice yet though. Where is your DS2 thinking of applying to?

mumslife - no in that instance "adjustment" would be an option. So if your DC had their firm as BBB and then achieved, say, AAA, the DC could hold onto that firm - eg that's a guaranteed place - but at the same time would have a window to explore trading up through the adjustment process. The UCAS website can probably explain it far better than me, and, with luck a MNer whose DC has direct experience of adjustment will come along and explain it from their DC's specific experience.

Littleham, that's good for applying, but makes me wonder why so many available? Have people been put off going for some reason?

Mumslife. If you get the grades for either your firm or insurance choice, then you cannot automatically go into clearing (as you won't be allocated a clearing number).

The only way to go into clearing for those who have made it into firm or insurance choice is to ring them up and ask to be released by that university.

Horsemad. I think it is partly to do with the fact that universities are allowed to recruit more students now and partly because grades were hammered by harsher marking (so universities had to respond by lowering grades).

Southampton were just more honest and pragmatic (as many universities did the same, but on the quiet).

Thanks Littleham, that's reassuring.