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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Starting Year 13 - September 2015

999 replies

hellsbells99 · 05/09/2015 08:01

Welcome to Year 13!
Their final year of school;
Applying for university/college/work/apprenticeships;
A year of 18th birthday parties;
Going to their first nightclub (unless they already have fake ID!);
The year they turn into adults!

DD2 has been back at school for 3 days and has lots of work already.

OP posts:
Needmoresleep · 14/10/2015 09:23

Bethan, this is more or less what my son did. He managed to forget about the deadline and then stick something minimal in on the final day, yet got an inverview. He was applying to five similar courses so did not have much to say beyond what was in the PS.

Money paid and PS submitted. A relief I don't have to go through that again. It would be so nice for DD to then get an immediate offer instead of waiting till after Christmas to hear anything. Perhaps she should have tested their approach and used her fifth choice to apply to something random at Warwick.

Brioche201 · 14/10/2015 13:09

I think the interviews will supercede anything put on the PS anyway

SecretSquirrels · 14/10/2015 15:17

Those applying for Maths. DS1 had an interview at Cambridge. There were no preliminaries, there was no discussion about the PS, extra curricular or anything else. It was entirely an oral Maths exam where they sat around a table with some questions and pushed harder and harder to explore how far he could go with the material.
Which suited him perfectly as a Maths enthusiast.
This would obviously not be the case in other subjects.

Needmoresleep · 14/10/2015 15:35

I think economics was a bit like that. Two interviews in maths and economics with pre-set questions. The maths one was tough.

Brioche201 · 14/10/2015 16:08

secretsquirrel - Good DD is applying for maths and that sounds perfect for her.But I kinow other colleges do it differently because in the brochure they gave us it said some colleges have a 'general' interview as well as maths ones.

disquisitiones · 14/10/2015 16:28

DS1 had an interview at Cambridge. There were no preliminaries, there was no discussion about the PS, extra curricular or anything else. It was entirely an oral Maths exam where they sat around a table with some questions and pushed harder and harder to explore how far he could go with the material.

While it is true that all interviews for maths will include an oral maths exam, interview procedure varies by college and in some colleges there will be preliminaries, discussions about other topics. Some colleges also give written tests before the interview.

BethanKate · 14/10/2015 17:28

Ds says St John's do a maths test, pure maths interview, applied maths interview & a general interview where they ask what you can contribute to the college apart from your mathematical ability - probably would be easier to answer if you're very sporty but DS isn't.

Brioche201 · 14/10/2015 20:52

Just passed DD rushing out as I rushed in.She said she has had an offer from Bath , at least I think it was that not an offer of a bath!!

GloriaHotcakes · 15/10/2015 06:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MyVisionsComeFromSoup · 15/10/2015 08:29

DD1 graduated from Bath this summer, she really loved the city, but there are very few graduate level jobs and rent is pretty high Sad. I can give you good directions for getting to campus by car, avoiding the city centre if you're travelling from the south/south east, traffic queues can be bad.

MyVisionsComeFromSoup · 15/10/2015 08:30

and they graduate in the Abbey which is amazing.

MyVisionsComeFromSoup · 15/10/2015 08:32

back to DD2 though - we're really struggling with uploading a photo to the SAQ - anyone else had issues? It's within the dimensions and file size, but the whizzy round thing whizzed a bit, then the page stays at "upload your photo". Everything else is done, I just want the bloody application to be submitted then I can forget about it all till November's stressing about "has there been an email?"

Brioche201 · 15/10/2015 08:51

bath is a beautiful city, but I am kind of hoping (selfishly) she doesn't go there as it is the furthest away university - about 260 miles from where we live.

re SAQ photo- Yes lots of trouble uploading it! Have you got the size down to what it says ? And you just have to be patient I think their server must be very busy .We just kept trying and it seemed to be doing nothing and then it suddenly appeared.

UhtredOfBebbanburg · 15/10/2015 08:56

We haven't even GOT a photo yet. Can you just use one you took yourself on an iPhone? dd1 might know of course (although frankly I doubt it) but she's at school and now I'm worried about that too. We can obviously go to timpsons and get one but it's yet another thing, you know? Currently getting grief from dd1 about just collecting her mark sheet from school - we were away when the AS results came out so she never picked it up but anyway it's wrong because she had a guesstimated mark in one paper which was lost but subsequently found and marked and the true mark was awarded the next day. So it's all v confusing but not THAT confusing however dd1 is not keen to go and 'bother them' in the school office. (We need a my daughter is so infuriating smiley here).

MyVisionsComeFromSoup · 15/10/2015 09:39

I took DDs photo on my phone then emailed to myself so we could upload it. If it doesn't work over the next two days, she's using her (horrible) passport photo stuck to the form, I don't care Grin.

SecretSquirrels · 15/10/2015 10:23

disquisitiones Yes there was also a written test, this formed the basis of the interview. I was making the point that for many Maths applicants this is a much less daunting prospect than having to shine at a general interview.

Anyway since this has turned into primarily an Oxbridge thread and DS2 is not such a candidate I will leave it for now. Wishing all your DC interviews and offers!

Needmoresleep · 15/10/2015 14:42

Squirrels...don't go.

I think what has happened is that those with the early UCAS deadline have been posting. There is a huge sense of relief in our house. I think the PS went through about 17 drafts. I hope others stay on board as they go through the same. For us its watch and wait. Its unlikely that DD will hear anything before Christmas and possible as late as May, so company will be welcome.

UhtredOfBebbanburg · 15/10/2015 15:03

My DD has applied to Oxbridge yes, but her main focus is the music colleges. And I think I'm the only person here who has a DC doing that! But I still think a thread like this is useful/comforting (although hearing about 17 drafts puts the willies up me. DD1 did 2 drafts. The first one and the one she sent. School did't require or suggest any changes, they told her to send it as it was and not to fiddle with it any more). I just wish she'd finish the CAQ so we can forget about it all too. I think it's nearly done, she knows I'd like to know it's been sent before I fly off tomorrow.

TalkinPeece · 15/10/2015 15:09

I've got a joyous weekend ahead : 3 Universities in two days .... but once that is done then the form goes in
probably!

She's got 4 of the places decided but the 5th one is adding 200 miles to our loop on Saturday!

Thank goodness for airbnb though as getting hotel rooms is a nightmare at this time of year

squirrels no Oxbridge in this house either. Stay around for when the real fun starts later in the year Smile

UhtredOfBebbanburg · 15/10/2015 15:11

Talkin' - where has she decided on?

Needmoresleep · 15/10/2015 15:32

Uhtred...17 drafts does not mean a perfect product by any means. Simply that dyslexic DD communicates far better orally than in writing. She found the process of writing about herself very difficult, made worse obviously by the fact it would be read (many won't) and that it is so very important. I think one Medical School she is applying to has 18 applicants for every place.

I assume the next step for you is auditions.

Good luck for those still choosing and applying. Getting the final list was a great relief. DD is content she would be delighted to get a place at any.

TalkinPeece · 15/10/2015 15:36

Uhtred
decided Hmm : I wish I knew! Bath/Exeter/York/Birmingham/notsure
probably

I'm so glad the college handle and check all the stuff to do with the form : I stay well clear of it!

SecretSquirrels · 15/10/2015 16:00

Ah ok I guess the none Oxbridge DC are not in so much of a hurry.

DS certainly isn't. He tells me he has now registered on UCAS. His PS is nearly there. He has four unis he wants to put down, may add a fifth later. The big issue is narrowing down the precise course.
He is going with his best subject and unsure whether to apply for courses with a year in industry or abroad.

Will wave to TalkinPeace as she passes on the way Up North to York.

RhodaBull · 15/10/2015 17:45

Hmmm, TalkinPeace look at my earlier posts regarding PS!!

GloriaHotcakes · 15/10/2015 17:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.