Finishing (not starting) Year 13 support thread (number 5!)

[Littleham]

Exam season starts....

MrsB DS wrote to Durham after attending the post offer days in March and the History Dept said that its policy was to not consider any near misses who had merely insured. That was extremely helpful actually, because he could see it would have been an utter waste to put it down. The admissions secretary said they put forward around 30 firm choice near misses last year to the central admissions team of whom only around five were ultimately admitted in any event. I would expect the English Dept to have an identical policy since they're so similar in terms of competitiveness. So beware! DS isn't holding out much hope for his reserve either, though I think he did prefer their open day and would be happy there, and their position on near miss insurances didn't absolutely and completely rule him out. That said, his heart is clearly set on his firm.

Bizee and others pondering gap year.

Our DS achieved good grades and always wanted a gap but for top courses grades were not enough. So a job, lots of travelling and sitting in on lessons at school - school allowed a casual relationship for retakes - he is resitting two A' levels ( some papers of) for very top grades. so far he feels good about his exams.

He achieved 5 offers. As we can't take a gap, we have an aspirational offer and a solid offer which he only needs to rise slightly in. We we are very clear he really likes both unis. So hopefully, he'll go to either.

Through Clearing - one freind's son got on a great course in Glasgow after just missing Leeds, another friend took a gap as those offering in clearing did not inspire her.

Our experience is very top course did offer a slightly lower offer because he already had good grades and they liked his application according to interview. Insurance, great uni, good ratings for course offered a high but reasonable offer because he seemed a safe bet, he already had good scores. They all want them to improve in gap year unless of course they don't do re-takes.

Hi all. At least Durham are clear I suppose. They were very clear on the open day when I asked them - (English). Nothing other than AAA will do - and they don't actually care whether the A is in your degree subject - but you will miss your offer if you get eg AAB, even if the B is in something completely unrelated, and your English performance is brilliant. Computer says no, basically.

In my DD's school, Durham's star is starting to go out in fact. The girls are fed up with the very long waits for decisions on offers, and the inflexibility.

They feel that if they want to be that competitive, they should front load the testing, as Oxbridge does, and look at candidates as individuals instead of numbers. I am really so glad we don't have them as a firm - I couldn't stand the high stakes stress!

Geography for dd tomorrow.

What other exams are happening on Monday?

Help!
If at this late stage there's a whole chunk of the syllabus that DD is not 'getting', is it pointless trying to learn it now?
It will always comes up, and usually in more than one question.
Would the best advice be to just really concentrate on doing as well as possible in the rest of the paper?

What subject circular?

Maths C4. rather not say what topic. Think she expected C3 to go better than it did, so in more of a panic.

Could she ask for help on this thread? It has some tips for online resources.

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3071943&page=62&highlight=Maths+C4

or do you have a friend / family member who is good at maths?

Sorry if that isn't much help - not sure what to suggest. Hope it goes well for your dd.

Circular, would any of the online/YouTube type sites help, eg Hegarty Maths? Or do you know anyone with an older DC who has already done maths that would be willing to help? Or her teacher tomorrow?

Circular - DD is in exactly the same position today re: biology. The exam isn't until Wednesday but she has chemistry tomorrow and maths on Tuesday. She is most definitely panicking over biology and not remembering chunks of the syllabus with 1 question being an essay one that is worth 25 marks. I think her brain is giving up.

Circular - pm me if you like, was tutoring maths (including A level) up till last summer, and have been doing C4 with dd1 the last couple of days! Otherwise, yes, would second youtube maths teachers - Mr Barton, Mr Hegarty, etc. I'm around and at the computer all day today (am doing my own studying, and would welcome the distraction!).

Think my advice would be to make sure everything else is pretty solid, but to persevere again with the tricky topic, without spending hours and hours on it. If that isn't too contradictory!

And it depends what the topic is. If it's e.g. vectors, well, there'll be one vectors question and you have to decide whether you are prepared to sacrifice the marks - was a 15 mark Q last year. If it's integration, then that's going to crop up all the way through. Which board is she?

I'm going out in a mo for about an hour - do pm me if you want, please don't think it would be an imposition, I love maths! (And my girls don't let me help them very much ;) )

Thanks - suggested the teacher tomorrow, but DD too embarrassed, as left it so long. DDs brain works quite strangely, she gets some much harder stuff, so thinks teachers don't really understand when some of the supposedly easier topics are not sinking in.
She had some FM friends that took it C4 last year, but still not understanding when they try and explain.
I've tried to help, but there's so much to cover, and not my best topic either. And very old and rusty.

Thanks for the link Littleham - I will have a peruse.

You are certainly right bizeemum about dd being picky and selective and disinclined to be flexible! She is very focused on what she wants but to the detriment of being able to see the good in other places.

Thanks NiceCardigan , Molio and Figment for the info on Durham. That really does help as we know it would have been a waste as an insurance place. I will tell dd as this will stop her feeling like she has made a mistake. If she misses her Cambridge offer then a gap year will probably be best but hopefully dd is just being panicky about her exams and we will not get to that!

Hellsbells Hope the Biology starts to stick for your DD.
And good luck for Chemistry & Maths.
Only consolation here is that nothing else before Tuedsays maths, so at least still has tomorrow.

DS is now well and truly fed up of revising. He was sat at the kitchen table with a cross face this afternoon!

I am wondering what it is all for. If that makes sense.

circular if its OCR my DD has C4 on Tuesday. She's on the OCR C4 TSR thread they all helping each other out posting questions from past papers, you never know she might answer your DD??? My DD doesn't know I'm still a bit over her gap year. I thought we had agreed only a gap year if miss insurance offer. I think I'm the one banging my head on the table! It's been a few days since she's mentioned it and I'm still can't get over it we've gone through a lot this year with rejections and stuff, she dealt with it really well, you would have thought she would feel lucky to have the offers despite it all, Urghh.....
Thanks for the tips violet we will make sure if DD does have gap year she will need to use this time wisely and constructively.

Bizeemum Yes, is OCR. DD may well also be on TSR, I know she goes on there after the exams to torment herself .
Must be very stressful needing such high grades without much movement.
Always said to DD to only take a gap year if there was something specific she wanted to do and had a deferred place. I couldn't really see it working (for her) to retake with self study. If she doesn't get her firm choice and decides not to take her other options, may be best for her to try and work for a few years and go back as a mature student.

Last chemistry tutor session tonight, before final chem exam tomorrow.
I really really hope this has paid off. Fingers crossed.

Good luck to your DS tomorrow Horsemad

Good luck to all for chemistry tomorrow!

Thanks!