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Original poster

Finishing Year 13 / Exam Results support thread (number 6!)

916 replies

Littleham · 17/06/2015 18:00

Thread continued for results day! Fingers crossed everyone.

OP posts:
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7
sassymuffin · 05/08/2015 12:03

Busy day for you AtiaoftheJulii Cautiously had the serious "what if" plan B conversation with DD last night. It went really well, she is going to have another look at her insurance to refresh her memory. This is a massive improvement on her announcement that she didn't want to go to her insurance a few weeks ago as she couldn't contemplate being anywhere other than her firm.
We have even made a list of Unis she would like to check for clearing courses if necessary. As upset as she was she said she felt better this morning knowing she had a bit of a back up plan.

MarianneSolong · 05/08/2015 12:25

My own daughter has just gone off on her first trip abroad, that hasn't been either a school visit or a family holiday. She's travelling with a friend the same age.

As she is a bit scatty, I have been left somewhat in shreds. (Unlike those parents whose large families of highly independent children have all done annual solo trips exploring the Amazon rainforests from the age of 12 onwards.)

I imagine results day will be a piece of cake, by contrast! Whatever the actual results. (Mind you, I could be imagining wrong.)

Original poster
Littleham · 05/08/2015 13:19

This might be useful.

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3467547

OP posts:
HocusUcas · 05/08/2015 13:40

Molio
Would the coach be a back up plan?

(Or we he have to set off tomorrow to make it viable? Grin )

Horsemad · 05/08/2015 15:59

Oh God, that Clearing link is sending cold shivers down my spine! Shock

Just want it to be over with now...

muffinmonster · 05/08/2015 17:25

I have been feeling irrationally hopeful about R-Day for the past couple of weeks. I think it's because thinking realistically is so unpleasant. I did try it for a few minutes but I came over all trembly.

DD has no job so is just swanning around at the moment. Her 18th was the weekend before last so she's had quite a nice time of it. Gifts still to be 'cashed in' include tea for two at the Waldorf (surely I'm first in line to accompany her to that?) and tickets to Swan Lake. Well, one ticket; her friend has very sensibly kept the other.

We have had the plan B conversation many times over the past few months. I know DD really really wants her firm, but I think (and I'm sure she agrees, or will when she's dried her tears) that her insurance is a very decent option. The trouble starts if it comes to Clearing; she has been adamant all along that she won't do it and would rather try again next year to improve her grades. I agree with her reasoning, but we haven't worked out the nitty gritty of HOW and WHERE she will improve her grades.

So it's heads in the sand here, and strictly no uni preparations until after the 13th. Then I can immerse myself in the relative merits of different mattress toppers or sixth-form colleges as appropriate.

We've been told by the school that results will be sent electronically to students at 6.30am. Senior staff will be available in school from 7am for advice or help (presumably for those students who haven't made their offer, or aren't sure because Track hasn't updated). Students are to come in between 10am and 10.30am to collect hard copies of their results.

9 days...

Horsemad · 05/08/2015 17:45

Our school doesn't open for results until 8am. Most Clearing hotlines open at 7 or 7.30 so DS will have to be heading off to school early to collect his grades if he hasn't made his offer.

Happy36 · 05/08/2015 21:10

sassymuffin As a teacher, I truly applaud your (and your daughter´s) approach to Results Day. Whatever happens now, your daughter could not be better prepared. I wish her, and all of the other children, every success.

muffinmonster I don´t know which grades your daughter needs for her firm and insurance offers, but let´s say, for example, she misses the insurance by one grade, e.g. needs AAB but achieves ABB. Would she really want to do Year 13 all over again? (I have no doubt this is a question you have asked her already). In the event that she doesn´t achieve her firm or insurance offers, she will see many of her friends and peers using clearing, and her teachers are bound to point her in that direction, as will website such as UCAS, The Student Room, etc. and media outlets so I expect she will at least have a look. To be anti-clearing before Results Day is fairly common. I would not worry too much yet. Good luck to your daughter, and all of the others too.

MrsBartlet · 06/08/2015 07:39

Oh how I wish it was this time next week!

circular · 06/08/2015 08:10

Same here Mrs B.
Wish I could get some enthusiasm from DD for somewhere other than her firm. Still convinced shes unlikely to have hit her offer yet not entertaining the thought of going anywhere else. And no idea whether she would get same or any offer from them for next year, nor how or if she could achieve it through retakes. Her PS wont be as good either, as many of the extra CA stuff she did this year won't be able to continue in a gap year.
Short of making sure she has the correct contact details in her phone for next week (to beg) and gathering details for various private sixth form colleges, really at a loss of how I can help her be prepared and able to move forward.

circular · 06/08/2015 08:12

Horsemad Seems those at school giving results out super early are at an advantage if they need to go through clearing. Results not till 9am here.

MrsBartlet · 06/08/2015 08:18

Exactly the same problem here circular. I sat down with dd at the weekend and asked her to think about what she will do if she doesn't make her firm and she is still adamant that she doesn't want to go to her insurance place. I thought as we were closer to results day she may have changed her mind. She would rather take a gap year (doing who knows what) and reapply but I don't know either what that will involve in terms of resits. I am still hoping she will make her firm but like you, I don't know how best to prepare to help her if she doesn't. Let's hope neither of has to cross this bridge!

circular · 06/08/2015 08:30

Good luck MrsB - does your DD have a realistic chance of hitting her firm?
Hoping its just jitters, but DD now saying she has spectacularly messed up in her weakest subject.

eatyourveg · 06/08/2015 08:33

If its useful for any of you to know the clearing history of any specific courses just pm with the course code and I'm happy to have a look as I have kept the lists going back to 2009 - there are some gems out there that surprisingly pop up year after year.

circular · 06/08/2015 08:40

eatyourveg Is it a bad sign if a course constantly pops up in clearing? Ie. The admissions would rather seek out those with higher grades than take offer holders with dropped grades?

HocusUcas · 06/08/2015 08:43

Mrs B
I am with you on that Smile

MrsBartlet · 06/08/2015 08:43

She should have a realistic chance circular but she had a lot of time off school and it became apparent when she was revising quite how much impact that had had. We are most concerned about her RS as one of the papers (which was 50% of her A2) was on a philosopher that had been taught whilst she was off, so she had largely taught herself about him.

How about your dd - what do you think her chances are of getting her firm?

Original poster
Littleham · 06/08/2015 08:50

The waiting is the worst bit. At least on results day they can start processing any failures and start to take action.

OP posts:
circular · 06/08/2015 09:37

MrsB Hopefully your DDs circumstances will get taken into consideration if she does miss her RS grade.
I think DD hitting the grade, especially in her 3rd subject, quite slim. Although she retook a failed AS unit, not confident in the A2 papers. We know the course does take dropped grades, but being an RG Uni, not sure whether a C/D in an unrelated subject would cut it. Especially as not much chance in exceeding in the other 2.

MrsBartlet · 06/08/2015 09:39

We just need to know now, really, don't we? Fingers-crossed for your dd circular.

eatyourveg · 06/08/2015 09:56

MrsB you can look at it two ways. It can be a bad sign that a course appears in clearing year upon year as it can be an indicator that the course is more likely to be pulled. If a course isn't there, then either the uni has filled their places with candidates who have met the grade or they are filling spaces with offer holders who have dropped a grade rather than opening it up to unknowns. With the quota going there are many more chances to get into a higher ranking unis especially for arts courses where you don't have to compete for lab space.

I had an interesting conversation with an admissions tutor at a recent open day. ds was looking at a couple of courses one of which (quite a specific option) asked for a lower grade requirement and had appeared in clearing a few times whereas the more generic course never appeared and wanted higher grades. When we had the talk about the courses, it became apparent that the specific option ds was interested in involved doing the generic course plus extra modules I asked why if it was more demanding, it had a lower grade requirement and appeared in clearing. The admissions tutor said it was simply a matter of supply and demand - nothing more. So the lesson is that just because it crops up in the lists fairly regularly, doesn't mean its always something to be avoided.

Original poster
Littleham · 06/08/2015 10:05

Which courses have your dc's applied for circular and MrsB? You can probably work out whether a dropped grade has any chance of success.

OP posts:
circular · 06/08/2015 10:15

Littleham When you say 'chance of success' do you mean of acceptance, or actually surviving the course?. Beginning to think there is that 2nd aspect too, as not managing 3 decent A level grades could be an indication of their ability to manage their studies.
Gosh, I am really overthinkng this.

It's Music BTW, but rather not say where publicly.

MrsBartlet · 06/08/2015 10:44

Dd's firm is English at Cambridge. I had the same thought as well last night, Littleham, that if she didn't get the grades then would she really be able to cope with the course, anyway.

GypsyFloss · 06/08/2015 10:59

The waiting is killing me. We're on holidays and I can think about is next Thursday and then the following one too!