Starting Year 13 - September 2015

[hellsbells99]

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.

Needmoresleep - psychology, so no expectations as to business wear I wouldn't have thought. She might end up in a dress/cardi combo (again something she would wear to school) although I'm not sure green DMs would be the best footwear to go with that, so there might also be shoe shopping to do

Brioche - all the advice online says it doesn't matter, so long as it's clean, although I think prospective medics are expected to be smarter (may have got that wrong, I don't lurk on those threads as none of mine are interested in medicine).

ooh, suddenly had flashback to my own uni interview outfit 35 years ago... was height of fashion, but I would never wear such a grannyish outfit now
Tried to suggest to DS that he bought something vaguely stylish - eg skinnier jeans, but he is intent on wearing his normal scarecrow clothes. Will ensure they are clean

When DS1 had his Cambridge interview a couple of years ago he wore black trousers with shirt and tie. Of the other candidates some were more casual others were suited. Frankly I doubt the maths interviewers notice what the candidate wears, it's all about the maths.
I agree that a more polished look is a good idea for medicine and for more arty subjects I am sure anything goes.

DS wore has worn chinos and a shirt for his interviews, both successful. He said it felt about right when there.

DS has decided on black jeans, white T shirt and a smart v-necked jumper for his interview at Surrey today. However, his best mate went to an interview elsewhere in a lumberjack shirt and combats and still got an offer!

MyVisions I rather like the sound of the green DMs!

DS has got an offer from Exeter which is cheering.

Outfit sounds perfect, hope the interview goes well

Well done to your ds for the Exeter offer Morvah and good luck to him for today. When did he send in his UCAS form? Ds still waiting for Exeter -sent it 3 weeks ago. He had email from Bristol yesterday saying it is taking longer than they expected, or something. Think that is pretty standard? Has offers from his 2 insurances now - Warwick and Royal Holloway. And still waiting Birmingham - didn't know they took so long.

People whose dcs do classical music stuff - can you help? Ds needs a waistcoat for a clarinet solo in upcoming school concert. He's long and skinny but just beginning to broaden out - any thoughts/recommendations? I started out by looking for jazzy waistcoats but only found tacky ones, then looked for velvet - nothing (affordable anyway). Now I'm down to Burtons men's black suit waistcoat but i don't like the trousers so really want something that he can wear with/matches any trousers when performing. He does alot of dancing so ideally would let him dance in it - especially tap. Anyone recommend where/what to try next? Thanks for thoughts. He usually just wears white shirt black trousers and bow tie but this is his last concert star piece, IYSWIM.

Dunlurking Try MyTuxedo.com. Some velvet ones there.
DS has just the thing a bright red very fitted waistcoat from his prom, when he was even skinnier than he is now. It was from TKMaxx I recall so no help really.

dunurking
THis sort of thing ?
www.mossbroshire.co.uk/occasion/black-tie/valencia-green-floral-patterned-evening-waistcoat-1799
DH wears waistcoats for work which probably outs him but hey
and uses places like Moss Bros and Savoy Tailors to get their ex rental ones

Never thought of ex rental talkinnpeace. Thanks. Yes probably that look. Will check with ds.

Squirrels I've spotted a velvet effect one on the TKMaxx website so will show it to ds as well. That looks like a useful website - the tuxedo one. Even if we don't get wasit coat from there he might fancy a new bowtie. Thank you.

posh charity shops often have good ones at this time of year too - and bridal shop, those sort of places ....
we buy a couple every year so are pretty practised at it !

We got bow tie from MyTux, mainly because DS wanted a proper
tie-it-yourself one. Then had to spend ages on YouTube learning how to tie it. A useful life skill perhaps.

M&S can be a good bet for cheaper 'only wear once' formal wear.

Really wanted to trawl the charity shops talkinn but we're not in a posh area and I've recently broken my foot so can't walk round the town visiting them all! Once did the rounds of Richmond, and Gerrards Cross/Beaconsfield charity shops. They're amazing!

Squirrels that was brave, getting tie-it-yourself. Don't think ds will want the faff. But will remember youtube if he does. Needmore have checked the M&S site but nothing struck us.

Thanks all

Dunlurking DS's form was sent off on 13th November and he got the offer from Exeter yesterday so hopefully yours won't be long. DS has been asked to an applicant day and interview at Bristol - I think that came last week. His Bath offer came within 24 hours! I expect that different departments have different timings. Also, they're probably inundated now as everyone rushes to get their forms in before the end of term! It is stressy for the DCs waiting - I hope you hear soon.

Good luck with the waistcoat hunt!

Thanks Morvah. Fingers crossed my ds hears from Exeter soon then. Hope your ds hears back from Surrey quickly after today's interview. And good luck to him for the Bristol one. And well done on Bath.

Just popped over from the higher education thread, for those with Cambridge interviews last year when DD had her interview a majority of applicants went with smart casual wear only a few wore suits most opted for comfort. Good luck to all

Will jeans and hoodie be ok for a girl? she wants to be comfortable but I don't want her to look disrespectful

I'd have thought not, unless its a specific hoodie (like school sports team that she captained )
and jeans - unless with a jacket and smart shoes, are just that bit ......

I agree with talkinpeace - I think a hoodie is probably a bit too casual. Smart jeans with good boots and a jacket or good top would be OK. But then as I mentioned upthread DS's mate wore a lumberjack shirt and combats and still got an offer.

My feeling would be that if she's the sort of candidate that everywhere is going to be falling over themselves to make an offer to then it probably wouldn't matter what she wore, but if there's any doubt, why take the risk?

DS enjoyed the applicants day at Surrey and got an offer two days later.

I agree that jeans and a hoodie looks a bit disrespectful, and unless a student is the sort brimming with confidence it would be fairly gutting to find that everyone else was dressed more formally. I also think trying to stand out by wearing something wacky is a dodgy idea, too. I'm sure interviewers have seen this ploy so many times that they just raise an eyebrow rather than fall back in amazement at the originality of a candidate wearing evening dress/shell suit/velvet cape etc.

Does it depend a bit on subject? I am assuming that there wil be subconsious expectations for students applying for quasi vocational courses such as law or medicine. Especially the latter if the course offers early patient contact.

I would expect future engineers to be allowed more leeway. And obviously green DMs for would be psychologists.

Lol needmoresleep - shopping trip today netted a new cardigan, and black shoes from M&S (a teenager willingly shopping in M&S ),s o the green DMs are demoted back to school only it seems.

I'm sure there was someone being reassured that her son could wear jeans and a sweatshirt earlier in this thread. Is jeans and a hoodie much different? Is a hood disrespectful? (As long as you don't skulk in with it pulled over your eyes!)