Current Year 13 thread Mark I (2014-2015)

Oh, somehow didn't notice this thread until now.

Hello... I'm Nikola, and apparently I'm a Year 13. D:

(Applying for PPE at some places, Economics & Politics at others.)

Psychology I found it hard to get into last year as the board I'm with don't really leave you with much room to explore the subject at all. It says memorise this and this and then write it in the exact way specified. It's like they have a model answer of exactly how you have to phrase things and if you stray away from that at all you lose marks. Everyone's essays are exactly the same.

Hello! What universities are you looking into?

Oxford (PPE), York (Economics & Politics), Bath (Economics & Politics), Exeter (Economics & Politics), Lancaster (Economics & Politics) - maybe's for UCL (Arts & Sciences), Nottingham (Politics and Economics), KCL (Political Economy).

Very nice! You're lucky there isn't too much variation in your courses otherwise writing up your personal statement would be awful.

Actually, I kinda planned it that way.

The only major worry would probably be if I did want to go for UCL Arts and Sciences. No idea how I'd even go about trying to make my personal statement better for them. But since I'm looking at Oxford I think one majorly competitive university will probably be enough.

I was going to apply for the UCL course. One of their representatives said that they understand you'll be applying to other courses, and will read your statement regardless, but decisions won't be based on it as it'll probably have little relevance to the course! They also take you in for a workshop so they'll see what you're like there anyway

Oh really? That's interesting. I haven't done much in terms of the research for the course I have to say, just looked into the different major/minor paths, their requirements etc. Loved the modules on offer.

Did they say what the major thing is they base their decisions on? AS grades, GCSEs, the separate questionnaire, or that workshop thing?

What courses are you applying to?

I feel you. My physics class was never big (eight people, which to be fair was a x4 increase from what they had the previous year), and I only know one other person that's definitely doing it to A2. My school forces people to drop the subject with the lowest grade, so I'm unsure if others are staying. I can't get hold of some people to even know what their grades were yet

New in these parts, going into Year 13. Did better than I was expecting at AS and got AAAB. Only issue with that is that the B was in Politics which is what I want to do at Uni, but I was so close to an A that with enough hard work I can hopefully drag it up. Also getting it remarked as I was 1 mark off an A in each paper, so fingers crossed.

Only downside is that I have to either do 4 as well as my EPQ, or drop Physics or Further Maths that I did quite well in. Leaning towards dropping Further because I don't enjoy it but then I know I'd be mad to after doing so well. Either way, I'm a lot more confident heading into this year than I was heading into Year 12. Good luck to all my fellow Year 13s

Is dropping epq an option?

Yes im the same!! All my friends know exactly what they want to do, it stresses me out ugh

Me! Which is why I'll probably take a gap year to work and travel before I go off to uni. It will hopefully give me some thinking time before I spend £27,000 on a degree that I'm not sure on. D:

Hi I'm Jess and I'm in year 13! That's scary. I got 4 A at AS in maths, further maths, economics and biology. My school and parents are really pushing me to apply for oxbridge but I want to do maths and economics or morse and these are not available at oxbridge. What do I do? A course I won't enjoy as much at a top uni?

Same and I really need to start soon! I take geography, psychology, business and accounting. I really like psychology but can't see myself doing it at uni. What do you take?