Starting Year 13 (number 4!)

[Mindgone]

I just thought I'd get us started up again!

Littleham. Sorry to hear about Oxford. Your dd has done amazing to get as far as a interview a dream come true for many, an achievement in itself. Everything after would have been a bonus. Her journey has been a inspiration. Ps :- Also wanted to say my dd has yesterday done the deed applied to bristol which you recomended earlier she's decided to fill her last spot rather late?? But better then never. She's still sitting on only 1 offer think it's worried her to go and apply to another uni that has a lower offer than the others she's waiting for. Sees sense at last.

Thanks waiting and polka.

Glad to hear your dd put in more applications polka - bet you were relieved! Who is she waiting to hear from?

Littleham- Bath and UCL, adding in Bristol to the mix. Actually she has applied for 4 doh brain me thought only get 4 choices get 5. So still has one?? Pushing my luck to get her to pick another. Negged her loads to put extra choice. Although if she's in a good mood when she comes home might push for Warwick no pain no gain???

Sorry to hear that Littleham. Does your DD have all her other offers, so just decision time now?

DD has another offer, but not achievable. Just waiting on one now, which she believes is the least likely to offer her.
Applicant day booked for first choice. Still wondering whether to go ahead with audition for her furthest away choice, which is proving difficult to fit round other commitments.

Polka You still have a week to work on her

Really liked Warwick polka - go for it if she is in a receptive mood! They usually reply really quickly as well, so perhaps you can persuade her that way...

Yes circular, luckily dd2 has offers from the other four (York, Exeter, Bristol and Royal Holloway). Apparently Oxford takes ages to update on track so no deadline to firm / insure as yet. Just got to go on offer days, but at the moment York seems to be the firm favourite (even though Exeter has asked for higher grades). I don't care, as they all seem lovely.

Where is your dd's 'far away' choice Circular?

Littleham it's Cardiff. Not that far away, just the furthest and the only one that auditions of her five. York was on her shortlist, which would have been further, but never made the five.

Littleham, sorry to hear about Oxford Your DD has some cracking unis on her list and will do well wherever she goes.

DS's school have told him he has to attend some Life Skills lessons in his Study Periods. He is not impressed as he feels studying for his A levels would be more useful!

Sorry to hear about your dd Littleham - is she ok about it? We're waiting to hear from Cambridge at the weekend and dd is already very down and despondent as she expects it to be a rejection.

I did history at York and loved it. It is a great place to study and to live. I have very many happy memories of my time there.

Thanks MrsB. She has bounced back quickly and is looking forward to a couple of treats this weekend. Tbh the odds were always against her.... History is a popular subject.

Best of luck for your dd this weekend. Fingers crossed xx If it helps at all, I now feel strangely relieved that all the fuss is over.

Glad she has bounced back quickly. I, too will be glad when all the fuss is over!

Are any of you concerned about 'faraway' choices?

I was very homesick for the first few months and knowing that I could go home, even if I didn't actually make it, made it easier.

DS's choice are all within a 3 hour train ride but I hope I haven't influenced him too much.

I'm not too bothered about faraway places, although when the time comes, I may feel differently!

Eastwick Very much so, DD such a home bird, but s-l-o-w-l-y warming to going away. Only one commutable choice that is the least suitable course.
Furthest just over 2 hours on train from London, but over 3 door to door.

Train journeys for the nearer ones tend to be more expensive, as less popular routes.

Wondering if actually making the journey home too often at weekends would make homesickness worse?

Shows how wrong you can be. DD has the final offer she never expected. So four offers, one interview.

I'm sure 6 months down the line they'll be refusing to come home Circular but I do remember that awful feeling.
But of course my DS isn't me. He doesn't seem at all fazed about leaving but I'm not sure the laundry/cooking/taxi fairy will be in his Halls!

cicularlittleham I've hatched a little plan to get dd to put Warwick as her last choice with some persuading from my nephew who went there. He's going to take her this weekend to Maccy D's treat her and do his best to persuade my stubborn mule of a child, im cutting it fine on time but its worth it have to do these things sometimes??.horsemad wish dd school had those practical life skill classes the ones we use to have in the olden days home economics, wood work and metal classes. Mrs B fingers crossed

Eastwick- yes I'm one of those worried dd going far away as she's not as independent as I think she should be. Cook, clean, catch trains etc. So me and dh is in a way will be very happy if she goes to the local uni near us. But I know its rather a selfish way to think as dd will have to learn how to handle life on her own sooner or later and going to uni is one of the best ways to learn. Shes the baby of the family too silly us not want to let her go.

Brilliant circular! Where is the offer from?

My dd doesn't seem to mind being a long way from home (4 hours - gulp) to the extent that she is chatting about the year abroad in the USA or Asia (double gulp). Can't imagine it at the moment. I think I may have over done the 'you can try anything' talks.

Yes we are worried about the far away choices. Dd is a real home bird who is reluctant to leave the nest. Unfortunately for us Cambridge is the nearest but also the most difficult to get into. The next closest is a 2 1/2 hour drive away but the other 3 are all 4-6 hours away.

I do remember being at York and wanting to come home for a weekend but not being able to afford the train fare It was £50 even 20+ years ago!

DD1 wasn't hugely far away (90 miles) but then went on to do a year in San Francisco

If DS goes to Durham the train fare is very expensive. He'll have to get the mega bus if he wants to come home during term time!

Hi all....long post warning - sorry!! I haven't checked in for a while so it's lovely to see how DCs are getting on now. Such a roller coaster for everyone! So far DS's favourite uni (Birmingham) is lowest offer, the only one which matches his school predicted and hopefully realistic (though as his AS predicted results were way off the mark, it's anyone's guess!). Bit of a spat with him last night when chatting through options....he wants to put Birmingham as insurance and choose one of the others (Edinburgh, Cardiff , Newcastle, UEA) as first choice because he says that pyschologically he'll feel happier knowing he has a fall back. After the shock of the AS results we've both had our confidence knocked tbh. Wondered what you all think?! My feelings would be to put Birmingham first as its A) where he really wants to go B) if he misses by a grade he'd be more likely to negotiate a place if it's been his first choice whereas that might not be easy to do if it's the insurance place and he misses it C)accommodation is firmed only for first choices. I think that if he doesn't achieve the low offer he's been given for Birmingham then it'd be better for him to take a year out to resit at a college....he's right at the youngest end of the year group too. He hates the idea. He has mocks next week and it'd be good to do some applicant visits so I've told him we /he don't doesn't need to think about it seriously for a while yet Any thoughts very gratefully received!

You are right to worry about the accommodation issue as it can be a real hassle.

My feeling is that if he has no hope of meeting the other university offers, then put Birmingham as firm choice. Especially if it is favourite.

However, if there is a possibility of meeting one of the other higher offers (& he likes it better than Birmingham) then put that as firm and Birmingham as reserve (then worry about the accommodation if he misses the higher offer).

20poppy, I think you're right to leave him to think about it for a while. He may well end up agreeing with your opinions (possibly as if they were his all along!). In my experience, it's best to give them time to mull it over, he still has plenty of time, no need to rush such an important decision. His mocks may shed new light on the matter. Of course, if he does firm Birmingham, and then do much better, he can always use adjustment to 'trade up'.