GCSEs 2018 (15) The Reckoning

[mmzz]

thread 14
The next step of the all new GCSE journey.

For DS2, I will be much more nervous about A-level results than I am about GCSE results.

With GCSE results, he is fairly likely to get what he needs to study the A-levels he wants to do.

With A-level results, it'll be more stressful. He has a shortlist of university courses and most of them give A*AA or AAA offers.

I'd feel the same, TheSecond. It's the position I'll be in in two years time. Poor DS2 always gets the solution I worked out for DS1 two years previously (with corrections for my earlier mistakes). My GCSE mistake was not making sure DS1 had his notes in order and underestimating RS

After GCSE results, there's not a whole lot of extra stuff to do.
This is what DS2 needs to do:

• Confirm place at sixth form / college

After A-level results, if they want to go to university, there's a whole load of stuff to do. DS1 really struggles with phone calls and dealing with officialdom. There will be support at uni, but until he goes there, I have to support him.
This is what he will have to do:

• Contact student finance to inform them he's going to insurance choice.
• Apply for accommodation at insurance choice (can't be done until firm choice rejects him).
• Contact disability services at insurance choice.
• Open student bank account (may need to be done in person).
• Register with GP near university.

I totally agree mmzz
By the time it gets to the younger ones, I have the benefit of experience, but with DS1 I feel at sea half the time.

What is a firm/ insurance choice? Are there other types?

mmzz
DS1 applied to five universities through UCAS.

He got 5 offers (which was great for his confidence): 4 were conditional upon certain A-level grades and 1 was unconditional.

He had to choose 1 firm offer and 1 insurance (back-up) offer, and let go of the other 3.

So the firm is the unconditional or one of the ones with A levels that he's highly likely to get, and the other one is the one he would most like to take up?

Actually i meant the other way around. Is that right?

The firm offer is a student’s first choice. The one they will definately go to as long as they get the grades.

The insurance offer should be one that is asking for lower grades or is unconditional. A back up in case they don’t do as well as expected.

Teen it varys so much by Uni/Type of course. For a huge number (including many russell group) it will be automatic selection depending on whether you hit the predicted grade. For some top uni's who do rigorous selection based on tests/interviews, all that matters to them will be wider interest and intellectual curiosity and ability in the chosen subject. So GCSE s and extra curricular outside chosen subject become less important too. DD2 took all gold D of E, prefect, sports etc stuff off her Cambridge application to make more room for discussion around the chosen subject.

There may be some courses where they will be relevant, including some medicine and US course. I think DC need to either pick uni courses to apply to that match their strengths or do some research and try and get what they need. For the majority though GCSes and extra curricular don't mean a lot.

I also think extra curricular, work experience and things you can talk about at interview will be important for those like DS who may be going into work after A levels and not uni. As I allways say too they are more important for what the DC actually learn and gain from them than the benefit they actually gain on a CV/application

Brainmelt - I'm quite impressed with her inventiveness too, she doesn't get it from either of her parents!
Sticker - your dd wont be able to pick out my dd from the group of art/ photography/graphics students busy expressing themselves through the medium of dress

Yes we will inevitably remember GCSEs as relatively straight forward once the next challenge is underway, but I am going to try and remind myself how strung out and exhausted our dcs were during the lead up to exams and avoid being that person who tells her friends with younger dc "You think GCSEs are hard? - pah, wait until he/she is doing A levels"

mmzz I am surprised at what you said about GCSE listers. Its a looong time since I updated my CV and applied for a job (probably nearly 20 years) but I was at that point still listing my O levels despite having a degree and MBA - because I thought that was expected. Is it not deemed sensible to do that now? At what point to you stop listing GCSEs grades - after a degree? Do you just document the number and subjects but not the grade, or not bother at all and start with A levels? I am very out of the loop in terms of what is expected in job applications now

HMC I'd either omit them altogether or indicate that you understand their triviality by summing it into one line:
"19XX: School name; 9 O'Levels (8As, 1B)"

Its different when you've got the job and you are filling in the form that HR give you before sending the written offer. Then you put them all down and provide certificates as evidence.

Thanks mmzz - good to know

It looks like we will need a new thread before the sixth form one. It will be the last one in Secondary Education. Has anyone got a suggestion for an ending to GCSEs 2018 (16):xxxx? It should/will be the one that takes us through the 23rd.

Ha! I bet it fills up before the 23rd when rising panic sets in from (I estimate) the Monday of that week.

How about GCSEs 2018 (17): Results looming (argghhhhh!)

Hopefully someone will be along with a better suggestion

hmc I was wondering if the 22nd would be a bit like the first day of the GCSEs in May. I think we had about 1000 posts that day.

good suggestion, though!

Oratory - Yes, I think your correct in that work experience is probably more important when it comes to employment and DC's perhaps not looking to go to Uni.

My next door neighbour's DD has a degree from Cambridge in History of Art but she is currently working in a hotel (albeit a listed building that offers a little more than just hotel rooms). She applied for numerous jobs but was turned down because of lack of work experience and it seems to be a revolving circle ...

I dont think I have ever supplied by O level certificates to any employer...I think once you have some employment behind you (or a higher level of education) then it comes irrelevant and I worked for a major bank (and still do indirectly).

I was wondering if having a record of employment (in shops, waitressing etc) indicated to a university (and a future employer), that someone rated you enough to pay you for your work which must mean that you would organise yourself to regularly get to work on time, be friendly and polite to customers and colleagues and were willing to get stuck in and actually do some work.

I’ve worked for investment banks and their HR always wanted my O’ grade certificates as well as other qualifications. Sometimes, I’d have started the job and they’d still be hounding me for them. (I wasn’t always good at knowing where things are – which should have been a warning to them about the state my desk was going to be in! I hate hunting for things though, so I’ve finally learned to file!).

Just back from US and can confirm that GCSE results do matter to them (mainly Ivy) - in fact they want a transcript from school showing results throughout high school. They are looking for progression and an upward track.
They then want to see lots of extra curricular activity- hobbies, work experience etc to a high standard and commitment
There are several essays (some want 3) and they kept emphasising that they want to 'hear your voice".
SATs for Maths and English are required and some want 2 x subject SATs too. References are required from school councillors/head plus 1 or 2 teachers and they also accept any other additional information which could include videos, portfolios, papers written.

They don't seem to interview as part of the selection process so they use this information to build a picture of applicants and are far more holistic than the UK. Several of the admissions staff said that this information could be reviewed by 3 people.

Sorty to bring things off topic. Am sitting in the hospital whilst dh is having his MRI scan. We will get the results later today so may have some answers one way or another.

Quite frankly I’m terrified but trying to stay positive.

AH I am so sorry. I can't imagine what you and your DH must be going through today.

Would just chatting about anything help take your mind off things?

We will have some time to kill between the scan itself & seeing the consultant - that will be hardest but I’ll be with him so won’t be posting during that time.

Has his symptoms worsened in the last couple of weeks? Or does he seem to be on an even keel at the moment?

AH Did you manage to sort out a host family?