Year 12 / 6th form support thread

[minesawine]

The term is about to start and I though it would be good to have a support group to help us on our 6th form journey.

May the year be drama-free and our DC's study hard and without complaint

No email from Lancaster here, since the ticket. DH has already booked a hotel. Off to Southampton tomorrow.

We’d already booked one too but it was 30+mins away and cheap as chips so decided to take them up on offer. At least that way we’re there and parked! Maybe DD just got lucky!
Southampton too far for us!

dd's off to Southampton tomorrow as well (they have loads of freebies!)

Sports day today so no lessons & I've kept her at home, sitting the sun all day pretty much guarantees a migraine. The last exam went really well which was nice - hopefully results will be back next week as she's off on her Headstart course the week after.

I've managed to get a physics tutor lined up for an hour or two a week through the summer holiday. It's pretty quiet at school, loads are away on trips & open days & with exams she hasn't had any proper lessons for two weeks now.

eatinglesschocolate - Yes, that is an excellent freebie. Cambridge give a free 2 day residential with workshops on how to make a strong application to students on their HE+ programme, but that is only open to state school pupils in the programme. They also have their free masterclass programme, which is pretty good and open to all.

I'm sure most employers will be impressed with a first and won't really consider where it is from,

I think it's more the other way round. They'll look more at where it's from than the class. Certainly that's what people I know who are recruiter say.

When I was applying it was just after the UCCA and PCAS became UCAS and one new university local to us had the advertising point that they were going to give 80% firsts. On the basis their entry requirement was EE (and that was what a lot had-one I knew had EEN with the N in the subject they were doing) then there was no way that first was going to be worth the same as a place that was asking for three As at A-level. I think they did drop that idea when they found that it wasn't popular though.

I haven't seen any unis that ask for EE? Where on earth is that?

I think there's an undercurrent of snobbery about this aspect of this thread so I'm going to disengage!

Jorah,

From my point of view it is not snobbery. It is more about value for money. I feel that some universities charge 9k a year because their degrees ARE easy. That is the selling point. "Come here and you will get a good degree"

I'm talking about over 20 years ago when EE was minimum requirement for getting a grant.
I had 3 EE offers out of 8, which was lovely.

How did you get 8 offers, there were only 5 spaces on a UCAS firm back then!

So BSc in Maths, Imperial ask for 2xA* plus A, UWE ask for 120 points inc B at A level, min 2 A levels,
Students at both may have to work equally hard to get a First, but which will be the better mathematician?

I think the Imperial graduate will be the stronger academic, and their First will be more highly regarded.

Why is that snobby?
I don’t have DC at either of those universities, so no axe to grind.

How did you get 8 offers, there were only 5 spaces on a UCAS firm back then!

Pre-1992 there were two admissions systems, UCCA and PCAS. Four spaces on each.

I know a boy who did not really wake up academically as he floated through school. He went to study History at Swansea and was totally inspired and is now an extremely able Historian. I expect he will get a First, and in his case it will be a genuine reflection of his ability and application.

In general, there must be a difference in standards between different universities, but given that very few of us use the academic content of our degrees, maybe a first anywhere shows an excellent work ethic.

In general, there must be a difference in standards between different universities, but given that very few of us use the academic content of our degrees, maybe a first anywhere shows an excellent work ethic

Yes. I agree with this. I think a first from anywhere shows a good work ethic. And I also agree that that may not mean that they are as academic as another uni.

But as they are leaving uni and going into the workplace, work ethic starts to replace academics as the most attractive trait to an employer anyway

That is the selling point. "Come here and you will get a good degree"

OK, I can only give my own experience, but I have recently been to 5 open days at non-Russell Group unis. Not one has discussed degree results and none have tried to lure dd with the promise of a first. Looking on unistats they seem to have the same chance of a first as anywhwere else!

Looking on unistats they seem to have the same chance of a first as anywhwere else!

Exactly!

Same chance of first with CDD as with AAA*

meant to be A, A, A*

You are assuming though that youngsters with lower A Level grades aren't capable of more. I truly believe that not everyone hits their academic stride at the same time. Sure I've read before that some peak at GCSEs, some at A Level, so why not some beyond? Many of those who get lower results may not have 'sussed' great revision technique or (yet) knuckled down to study in the same way as the A* brigade.

Mind you, having said that, I have two DNs who both got firsts (at post 92 unis). I helped proof read their dissertations. One was definitely of a much higher standard than the other. Neither one wrote in a very fluent, easy to read English style though. Make of that what you will.

So are you saying that students at, say, Sheffield hallam, who got CCC, shouldn't get firsts?

I would also add that unis assess in very different ways form A levels which have really now gone back to very traditional rote learning and essay style assessments and long exams at the end of the course. Students who thrive on continuous assessment, and who need time to formulate their thoughts , or who benefit form styles of presenting ideas such as the research posters now so fashionable may well show themselves at their best at university.

Yes piggy

Dd was delighted and excited to discover that coursework made up 70% of her uni course

I think it extremely unlikely that someone who went to Sheffield Hallam to study maths with CCC would be able to complete a maths degree at UCL/Imperial/Warwick/Cambridge, let alone do it so well that they were awarded a first.

Yet the proportion of firsts awarded by the different institutions appears to be the similar.

Oh well. Hopefully all students will enjoy their experience and grow as people!

Anyone go to Cambridge this week? Ds went (with older sister) under slight duress, and actually enjoyed himself and liked it more than he thought he would!

We did Cambridge on Thursday. Dd found it very helpful to meet a couple of fellows and get a sense of relative distances. I appreciated the free refreshments!

Southampton today. Positive vibes all round. Plus gleaned a very useful piece of info at the subject talk - they have one of the highest entry requirements for ds's subject but often will make offers to those with lower predicted grades, presumably assuming it will encourage them to outperform their targets. That's not something I've ever seen written in their prospectus or website. So well worth the visit!