Corona Cohort’s Year 12 adventures

[FoolsAssassin]

We’ve made it into year 12 and rapidly approaching the end of the first half term .

Lots of challenges we could never imagined as we started the year but we’re all keeping on keeping on and this thread is for anyone who would like to jump on board to share the rather unusual journey this is turning out to be.

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DS is just starting to look at unis: he's keen on some sort of gap year work experience too, which I do think is a really sensible idea. He was initially very set on the idea of an apprenticeship/degree thing (he hates the idea of too much student debt) and with comp sci had heard that was 'a thing' but having looked, the options we can find at the mo don't look very promising and are very focused on cyber security. Which I'm sure is important and lucrative, but ds isn't currently captured by ;-)

@AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore you sound very much like us and our choices though DS is mildly interested in cyber security. He showed a passing interest in military cyber roles as well.

@Piggywaspushed ds is doing film studies but not English. I don't know if that helps. He's set on Sussex university at the moment. DH's daughter went to university there and lives not far from there. We often visit. Ds likes the area. Or he's thought of UEA which is our nearest university. Ds1 goes there and regrets staying so close to home, though he does live there. I'm not sure how important these Russell group universities are. DH and myself didn't go to university so it's all new to us. I think UEA is a good university. Not sure about Sussex. But I will discourage ds2 staying close to home.

I will tell him about the English lit. in America studies, thanks. He wasn't a fan of English and will probably drop film studies unless he needs it. He will need to decide before dropping an A level. English gcse he had 7's. So ok but not good enough for A level English.

DD is actually getting loads of useful experience selling on Depop. She is a member of a 'small craft business' facebook group and does a lot of Social Media campaigning. I watched a little Tik tok video she'd made for her Christmas earrings this morning. It was so professionally done. I can see her combining her love of Music with entrepreneurship (aren't they all)business, promo, marketing etc. She loves doing it !

@ChristopherTracy: we must keep comparing notes! It's so far away from my degree I'm not sure I'm going to be much help. Gutted to hear this weekend that ds' amazing comp sci teacher is leaving :-( Luckily not until Oct next year, but I'm nervous knowing how hard it is to get decent teachers for the subject, and what a difference he has made to ds' experience, even though his degree isn't actually in comp sci! He's going to work with a charity doing an amazing project, so i can't even be cross with him ;-)

ican, 7 is perfectly good enough for A level English! At my place, some of them have 4s...

How funny Fools I have bought that same book for my DH for his stocking

Still no mention of giving out of GCSE certs or if they even have them in school as yet. Also no mention of any parents evening as yet.

DD is starting to look at uni choices and is 80% sure she wants to do a gap year and earn money and gain experience (learn to drive if not already). Nothing has been said about gap years at her school as it seems they assume you go straight to uni after A levels.

Sussex and UEA both very good and both with good reputations for history/English/film/American Studies type degrees. Nice campuses, too.

I think the film might help with American Studies ; lots of film modules.

If he just likes American history and politics , he might just want to selectively look at history degrees?

What are his other A Levels again?

I wonder whether just having 2 or 3 places that you focus on might be quite a good thing, especially if open days aren't on as normal next spring/summer? Dd has always said she wanted to go to Cardiff and more recently suggested she also really liked Bath (having been to both places recently). They're good unis, within 2-3 hours of home, and they're both decent for Psychology, so perhaps we shouldn't cast the net much wider! Also, Cardiff has a related course, also accredited by BPS, which involves some social science, so it would be a lower offer - more along the lines of BBB. So that would be a good insurance...

@Piggywaspushed ds is doing history, film studies, applied business (A level equivalent) and religious studies/philosophy/ethics. He enjoys maths but they were told not do it unless predicted 8 or 9 at gcse (he got 7 though insists it would be 8 had he actually taken the exam) PE and economics were also subjects he really wanted to do. But we live in a small village and most of the children go to the local primary then on to the secondary. Most wanting to do A levels all stay on at the same school. We do have 6th form colleges further afield, but ds wanted to stay local with his friends. So had to choose a subject in each column, his top 4 choices were in the first 2 columns. So business and film weren't really his plan. He will drop one after AS. Probably film studies. But maybe if he really wants to do American studies he should keep up the film. I'm not sure he's thinking that clearly. He's just suddenly decided he wants to go to America for a year. I've told him enjoying a subject is more important than going abroad. But it's not easy telling that to a head strong 17 year old.

It is going to be difficult if the open days aren’t running properly next year and I really feel for current year 13.

Benefit of Bath is they are good on them doing a year out I think Crazycrofter* which given the popularity of psychology at the moment might be a good idea ? Does Cardiff do that, not sure? DD lives with a 3rd year and recent graduate and both seem happy with it. Was great when I went but guess it has changed rather a lot now.

That sounds liek a very inflexible options system ican! DS had similar problems choosing his as Spanish clashed with business.

In all honesty, American Studies doesn't sound quite right, if he doesn't do Lit or politics which is basically what it is. Unless he loves history. I had a look a while back and some unis allow a bit more selective picking of modules so it can be predominantly history and politics. Maybe give him Of Mice and Men, Mockingbird and Gatsby to read and see how he fares?

I think quite a few business management degrees do years abroad now? Could he look into that?

That's a good point @foolsassassin . Cardiff say they do placement options, but it looks like a limited opportunity which they need to apply for in the second year. We'll have to do some proper investigation in the summer.

@Piggywaspushed thanks. No I don't think it's his sort of thing. He doesn't read books at all, he's not really read much since primary school. Funny ds1 has asked got of mice and men on his Christmas list. He's the reader out of my 3 boys. Ds3 (year 7) won't read either. I always had a book in my hands at that age. Sadly technology has taken over.

@Piggywaspushed what happened in the end with DS1's house share? I dropped off the 2nd year at uni thread, but I wonder now and then whether you managed to get an extra person in. I thought at the beginning of the halls stress time that the mum who wanted her son to go into halls might regret her decision!

Yes, true about technology for many . Very sad. I think he needs a rethink!

Thanks monkey. An extra person did appear! It was a friend of a friend so all worked out! He has already sorted his third year place! I haven't heard recently form the other mum but Lincoln seems very laissez faire about the whole journey home/testing thing!

Dd had the test and got a negative result within an hour. Yeay! Lucky I didn’t post her advent calendar up there!

Oh darn it this is Piggy’s fault!!! (Not really) There’s too many of us on the higher Ed thread for 2nd years as well as Year 12. I will now go and post on the uni thread.....
(Am excited to get Dd1 back)

Well, it's good news wherever you post it!

I posted something about Strictly on a very po faced thread...

@Piggywaspushed glad to hear Lincoln house worked out, there are a lot of first year parents editing about joint and several liability for next year, so good to hear it can turn out ok. Wish Mumsnet let you "like" posts.

Sadly following DS being sent home last week to self isolate I've tested positive. DH (who developed the same symptoms as me at the same time) tested negative which is a bit weird and is presumably wrong. We both started coughing on Saturday night - spent hours trying to decide if it was the right kind of cough to warrant a test. Decided to just follow the advice and get one. I don't feel too ill - a bit like a bad cold with a persistent headache and annoying cough. On the plus side I work from home so haven't been out to infect anyone else.

The outbreak at DS's school is quite bad - the whole senior school has been closed this week and unfortunately it sounds like a few teachers have it too (I think teachers were able to choose to work from home so hopefully those that were in weren't especially vulnerable).

Thanks monkey.

I hope you stay well horace. that sounds like a bit of a situation.

A private girls school in town has had to close two year groups so that's them off til after Xmas now.

I was off today with nasty stomach and achy legs. Off to test sense of smell in a bit....