Year 12-13 AS levels and beyond

[HSMMaCM]

Following on from the preparing for AS levels thread.

Hopefully everyone is finishing off AS exams.

Does anyone have thoughts on Coventry for engineering? We went yesterday and it was much better than I thought it would be, plus apparently has been awarded Times university of the year!

T&T, I have no idea. DD hasn't decided which subject she is going to drop - waiting to see results, so I think she will be avoiding doing any incase that is the subject that she drops! And she hasn't mentioned doing an EPQ

Hellsbells, thank you for your comments. I think I should look into the funding in more detail (am slightly in denial about the cost of Uni).

But finance wise, it is better to apply for the Masters as you will then have secured funding for the full 4 years I you need it - it is easier then to adjust it to 3 years for the Bsc.

No, this isn't true. It's very common for our MMath students to switch to Bachelors and graduate after 3 years, and for Bachelors students to switch to MMath because they want to stay for an extra year. Provided that you stay at the same university, it is completely trivial to get student finance to provide the extra MMath year - student finance do not have to grant permission case by case, they do so automatically. (What does get complicated is if you want to do the fourth year at another university, because then it is counted as graduate study, not funded by undergraduate finance.)

In practice, MMath and Bachelors students rarely get any different education for the first 3 years, so it doesn't really matter which course you are enrolled on until the final year. Even at the most selective universities, there isn't usually much preference for prospective MMath over Bachelors students as we know that many students will change their minds during the course.

BTW you might like to look into students do MMath - experience of research and scientific writing, plus more in depth subject knowledge are important when applying for jobs which use maths (in finance etc). Nowadays most international applicants for such jobs will have at least Masters qualifications so having only a Bachelors makes you less competitive.

Thanks for the information esornep - it was on open/post applicant days we were told it was easier to do this.
BigTilly - what did your fiend's DS think of the course at Liverpool? - thanks.

Coventry is one of my dd's potential choices for engineering, wohmum. She will be doing a Humanitarian Engineering summer school there in July. She is interested in politics, so looking at social and ethical issues in relation to engineering is right up her street.

There is something to be said for a new university with innovative programmes. They also get high ratings for employability in the leagues tables. I didn't know about the university of the year award, will tell dd.

What did your dc think about it?

Had a great memorable and helpful day at Royal Holloway on Saturday with DM and DD. DM was there '53 - '56, so graduated 60 yrs ago this summer, when there were only around 300 students all living in Founder's hall. DM showed us where her old room was on West corridor, we think it's the chaplain's office now. It was rather a busy day as we went to 4 talks and visited the biology labs, but both the geography and zoology talks were very encouraging and talk on Uni finance was very helpful and quite reassuring I found.
We managed to find a spot for lunch in cafe looking out on the south quad so that made for some memorable moments together.
And of course we found plenty of people through the day to share that DM had been there in the 50's.
DD suggested we could do the Bristol Open Day next year just for fun as that's where I went. And it's always possible she could apply there post results, theoretically anyway.
Couple of weekends time we go to Uni of South Wales with friends to check out their International Wildlife Biology course which sounds rather exciting!
I'm still hoping she will consider Sheffield but she says she needs some time to do her own research of the 60+ Uni's offering zoology courses in a methodical way. She did acknowledge with me though that there's bound to be something of a random element in the mix of choosing your 5 to apply for. You can't visit everywhere unfortunately!

Oh one other question that came up for me after listening to Open Day talks - applicant days sound helpful, does anyone know do they happen before or after offers are made?

Applicant or offer holder days are after they have received an offer. Much less crowded. It isn't usually compulsory for them to go but they are very useful.

Two more exams to go.

Ah thanks LittleHo, I think Applicant days might be really nice to go to. Less busy and with options beginning to be narrowed down in a more manageable way sounds good.
I think there can be a slight element of Uni selling itself to you on the Open Days, and just generally a rather busy feel to the day, which can be a bit tiring. I think next time I'd sign up for less talks and leave more time for just being there, and hopefully include an accommodation tour as we didn't manage to fit that in this time.

Hells, he is really enjoying it. I don't know exactly what they are studying, but I know they do knot theory because I was interested to know what that is!

Thanks BigTilly! Much appreciated

Anyone else going to Liverpool on Saturday?

DS is ill again...grrr...another fruitless visit to the GP again this morning. the problem is that every time he sees someone different and they just don't have a clue.

Me Ono (and DS2 )

What subjects is your DS looking at, and are you going?

We were just looking at DD going to Newcastle open day - eek at cost of train -v-time on coach I think it's one to leave till she gets an offer!

Ono and horse, you can have a MU!

Yes we are too.But I reckon DD might be open-dayed out after doing Surrey on Friday and Bristol this weekend ( plus internal exams this week).

Yes that sounds pretty full on teta!

DD has an Eco trip to a London Uni tomorrow - absolutely no intention of staying in London though!

Sorry to hear your DS has been unwell ono. I know it can be annoying when you keep seeing different GP's and they all have a different idea of what it might be. But on the other hand maybe there's something to be said for different opinions and lines of enquiry?
My DBro went to Liverpool and I enjoyed visiting him there. Seemed like a great student city. Lots of reasonable cafes doing all day breakfasts, and very friendly people. Plus a nice trip across the Mersey and some interesting museums and galleries? Affordable accommodation. Could be one to consider!

Been awol again. Life just taken a down turn. My mums really ill and we've been told she's got days or hours left to live.

Have no idea what DS has sorted or thought about re uni days can't even get my head around his work experience next week. Fortunately it's with my sister, or not if things go pear shaped here

Thinking of you and all your family AuntP

I am so sorry AuntP Will be thinking of you all. There's a big thread over in Elderly Parents if it would help to post there at any point.

Oh AuntP, I am sorry to hear your news Thinking of you and your mum

Sorry to hear about your mum AuntP

AuntP unis and work experience can wait. Take care of yourself.

Oh no AuntP. So sorry to hear that Thinking of you.

I am sorry to hear your news AuntP. It's a tough time when we are juggling the needs of our parents and our children.