The Current Year 13 Thread 2016-2017

Those of you doing A-Level Maths/Further Maths: did you buy the textbooks (for Y12 or Y13)? Did they help/were they worth it? I'm debating whether to order the S3 and S4 textbooks, but they're quite expensive.

Reply 604

Steliata

14

Original post by trythis

Those of you doing A-Level Maths/Further Maths: did you buy the textbooks (for Y12 or Y13)? Did they help/were they worth it? I'm debating whether to order the S3 and S4 textbooks, but they're quite expensive.

I ordered the M1 textbook last year because my school didn't lend it out (they lent out C1 and C2) and gave out photocopies instead. It was a good decision because it was a lot more compact and easier to get an overview of everything towards the end of the course when we were revising and things. It also meant I could look ahead at the next topics and familiarise myself with them (basically make them less scary when they're introduced in lessons and I have no idea what my teacher is talking about!)

So yeah, I'd recommend getting the textbooks, maybe try and find them second hand if they're expensive. I got mine with some Amazon vouchers I had but it was about a tenner second hand.

Hope this helps! :smile:

Reply 605

Original post by eruditeprincess

So I had a big ol' cry to my History teacher last week and currently I am absolutely terrified of not going to university. I have one of the heads of sixth form as my reference and I've been stupid so far and not spoken to him, plus I'm worried about grades and I know I have a good predicted grade for History but my Drama predicted will be awful and that is likely to break my application and mean I end up at my local university.

Any tips for less worry? I'm literally working so hard and it is starting to pay off already in my Sociology class (I'm getting consistent Cs and Bs in tests in class) but I just need reassurance because I feel like my grades are going to completely bomb my application and mean I don't go to a good uni.

Few things about me: I have a job as a tutor, I'm taking Sociology, History and Drama (I am taking on extra work in History and Sociology to look better in my personal statement and because I am genuinely interested in the stuff I want to study), and I'm giving up a lot of extra curricular stuff to make sure I get the best grades possible, having only Guides as my extra curricular activity now. I want to study Media, Communications and Culture with History at Keele as dream uni.

Any advice would be highly appreciated to take some strain off my poor little stressed brain!

You should definitely talk to your reference teacher. Definitely. Normally they want to help give you the best reference they can.

About the predicted grades: you might feel like you are struggling in your subjects (I feel that too!!) but as long as you have decent predicted grades down on your form, you will feel a little more confident in your application.

You should definitely approach your teachers and ask them for good predicted grades, tell them you are working HARD and maybe even suggest they give you a test or something to show that you can do it. (I did this, I asked to resit my biology test and wager an A* prediction with the teach if I got an A). You could ask for an A prediction if you get a B or a B prediction if you get a C etc. THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION ( especially if your teachers are being stubborn or confused)

Honestly, all you can do is your best. Stress is inevitable,I am so stressed it's unbelievable. But the best thing ( the thing I'm slowly starting to realise is that) it's best to spend more time working to achieve your dreams than to spend that time being insecure fretting about your future.

Good Luck love!

Reply 606

eruditeprincess

14

Original post by Bright_Gift

You should definitely talk to your reference teacher. Definitely. Normally they want to help give you the best reference they can.

About the predicted grades: you might feel like you are struggling in your subjects (I feel that too!!) but as long as you have decent predicted grades down on your form, you will feel a little more confident in your application.

You should definitely approach your teachers and ask them for good predicted grades, tell them you are working HARD and maybe even suggest they give you a test or something to show that you can do it. (I did this, I asked to resit my biology test and wager an A* prediction with the teach if I got an A). You could ask for an A prediction if you get a B or a B prediction if you get a C etc. THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION ( especially if your teachers are being stubborn or confused)

Honestly, all you can do is your best. Stress is inevitable,I am so stressed it's unbelievable. But the best thing ( the thing I'm slowly starting to realise is that) it's best to spend more time working to achieve your dreams than to spend that time being insecure fretting about your future.

Good Luck love!

Thank you for this! I still need to talk to him but have an idea of how to make myself look good to unis so that my personal statement can mean I get let in. Two of my teachers are supporting me and have said they are trying to make me have the best subject reference possible but it is just drama I am concerned about.

I'm taking things day by day atm but thank you for the advice! :smile:

Finally managed to send my application to my referee :smile:

hopefully if all goes well it will get sent off in the next week :crossedf:

Reply 608

SampleX

How long on average does it take for you to start hearing back from unis? :smile:

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Reply 609

Original post by SampleX

How long on average does it take for you to start hearing back from unis? :smile:

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Anywhere within 1.5 months to 5 months or so

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Reply 610

SampleX

Original post by Bright_Gift

Anywhere within 1.5 months to 5 months or so

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Okay, thanks! Ready for my five rejections

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Reply 611

GabbytheGreek_48

Original post by SampleX

How long on average does it take for you to start hearing back from unis? :smile:

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If you want to know how fast people are getting offers currently check out this thread

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4319440
[2017] Fastest and slowest offer senders!

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Reply 612

username1750959

8

St Andrews and Cambridge have officially acknowledged my application :ahhhhh:

Part of me thinks that I've filled in my COPA all wrong ... We shall see :s-smilie:

Reply 613

TH3-FL45H

19

FFS my final improvements to my personal statement have put it 30 characters too long

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

Reply 614

kirstybecs

8

In your PS are yous writing about what subjects you do now and what skills you've learnt from them? My law teacher keeps trying to force me to do it, but an article on here said there's no point (wasting space) and I genuinely don't have enough room anyway if I want to include relevant things I've done extra-curricular(ly) regarding law (like I can't even mention that fact I'm doing Student Investor and that I'm on the Student Council since I don't have room)

She's honestly stressing me out to the max

Reply 615

isabella1999

Original post by LeFeuilly

St Andrews and Cambridge have officially acknowledged my application :ahhhhh:

Part of me thinks that I've filled in my COPA all wrong ... We shall see :s-smilie:

How do you know If they have been acknowledged? I sent my application off yesterday, got emails from Edinburgh and Cambridge but not other two yet Ik it's still very early days ahaha

Reply 616

Original post by kirstybecs

In your PS are yous writing about what subjects you do now and what skills you've learnt from them? My law teacher keeps trying to force me to do it, but an article on here said there's no point (wasting space) and I genuinely don't have enough room anyway if I want to include relevant things I've done extra-curricular(ly) regarding law (like I can't even mention that fact I'm doing Student Investor and that I'm on the Student Council since I don't have room)

She's honestly stressing me out to the max

I didn't any of that subject stuff on my ps. I have way more relevant things to put in. Also I have two friends who are applying to Law one of them put in stuff about their subjects and one of them didn't so honestly I think it's your choice. Your teacher needs to back off

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Reply 617

kirstybecs

8

Original post by Bright_Gift

I didn't any of that subject stuff on my ps. I have way more relevant things to put in. Also I have two friends who are applying to Law one of them put in stuff about their subjects and one of them didn't so honestly I think it's your choice. Your teacher needs to back off

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I really don't want to but she's pressuring everyone into it, I'd understand if I didn't have enough to put in so I could bulk it up but there's no reason for me to include it. She really does need to back off! She goes on about how it's such a competitive course and then asks me to include irrelevant stuff like that - surely it's better to include extra-curricular things that show my interest in law instead of blathering on about psychology, trying to link it to law. Plus, at the end of the day, it's my personal statement, not hers.

Reply 618