Starting Year 13 (number 4!)

[Mindgone]

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

Oh, dd1 applied for student finance yesterday. If we are in the "unlikely to get additional sf"/"probably not worth telling us" bracket, is there any need to do it? Don't suppose there are any special deductions we might be eligible for that I haven't thought of ...

Yes, think dd1's prom is early July too. She's already bought and returned one dress, and is waiting for a second to arrive!

Leaver's Ball early July here. He says he's going, but says he hasn't had any info on venue/cost etc It's probably passed him by, as per usual!

ffs. DH is off working at home today so we thought we would do the student finance thing as taking off pension contributions/dependent children/the fact that I'm currently a student might make us borderline for addition finance for dd1. Well, not sure that was a good move. I've managed my bit ok (was self-employed in 2013/14 and earnt a very small amount), but dh got a message saying he must already have an account for himself/supporting another student and couldn't log in at all. He phoned up and the person on the end of the phone couldn't work out what was going on either, or find him in the system, and suggested it was from when he was a student 25 years ago! So now he has to submit his stuff on a printed form and send it in, which he is highly unimpressed with. And although I'm not working at all now, we haven't dropped 15% of our household income so I'm not sure whether we can do a "current year" submission. And I can't find anywhere to say that I am now a student, even though that apparently gives you a deduction on the assessed household income! Argh! Should have just said "no" and be done with it.

My dd is also doing her student finance application. She says she needs to give them her bank details now - anyone know if is it ok to give her current bank details and can she update them later when she opens a student account?

Seems to be a very early finish here - 6 or 7 May. Hope DD1 got her facts right.
Syllabus finished on 2 of 3 subjects.
Last exam 18 June, prom late June.
Adulthood dangerously close.
DD2 kindly pointed out that she becomes a teen shortly after DD1 becomes an adult lol.

Anyone know how to update UCAS pending Music Grades or do they need to go direct to Unis? According to UCAS website, They seem to get some, but not all direct from examining bodies.

Hi Circular - I wondered about music exams too. I assume you either don't bother or you have to email or phone Ucas? The universities would want the grades adding I would have thought, as average entry points for a student are one of the criteria shown for a course.
Back to school here on Monday - DD2 announced last night that she had better start her homework then! She has done lots of revision though. DD1 said she wasn't doing all her chemistry homework as it didn't fit in to her revision schedule.
DD2 has her first driving lesson this weekend so will have a welcome distraction from the revision.

Hellsbells - DD will probably email admissions at the individual Unis and ask.

Had similar thing here with revision, loads of maths C2 (for retake) and C3 done. Completely slipped her mind they were having a C4 test first week back.

Circular - DD1 also has a C4 test! She has 2 Empas next week though so has been doing work for these. She is retaking a biology and chemistry AS paper and I am not sure if she has done any work for these yet.

That is good mumslife!
DD says she has gone over some of the AS work as some of it is relevant to her EMPAs. She is looking forward to going back to school tomorrow as she finds revising on her own at home boring. She likes being with people!

Hellsbells - presume Empas are the science practicals? Not sure if DD still has a physics one left or not. Music performance and one of the two tech studies done. Think the other is next week.
DD also finds home study difficult. Intends to go into school most days during study leave, did last year. Some of the teachers have an open door policy.

Yes, Empas are the science exams - they do 2 practical tasks and then a written paper (on a different day) on the practical.
DD is planning to go in during study leave.
Both DDs have found out today that they passed their music grade exams which was great news. DD2 also had her first driving lesson which she loved.

Well done to your DDs hellsbells
DS has been busy all day finishing off all the things he should have been doing over the Easter holidays

Well done to your DDs Hellsbells.
DD toying with doing further grades next term, but think that would really be pushing her luck.

Oh no major bedtime stress out here. I think getting back to school will help but DS is insisting he feels too ill to go back.

Well done to your DDs Hellsbells!
DS looking forward to getting back to school tomorrow! I can hardly believe it's his last term. Ever!!

He's really quite sad to be leaving school, he's always loved it. DS1 was completely unemotional when he left! They're so different!

Thanks all.
Hope your DS is ok this morning Nicecardigan.
Circular - DD1 was supposed to do a grade in 2 instruments but decided to only do the 1 as she does get stressed about it. I don't think she will do anymore grades ever now. I just hope she carries on playing at university.

hellsbells and circular, when you mention UCAS points for music grades, are these only relevant if you're applying for a music course?

Hi Muffin - no, you can ucas points from various things like music and dance. Although DD needs certain A level grades for her course, I am hoping any extra points may help if when she misses her grades on results day! On the university ranking tables by subject, it displays the average entry points e.g. For her subject at Nottingham, the average is 487 points which is way above the offer they give based purely on A level grades - so you would hope/think that if part of their ranking is based on points, then any extra points on results day may help clutching at straws here

The points are also worth having for some of the kids with top grades, as some unis give scholarships to those with the highest points!