The Duke Of Edinburgh Award

Gloomendoom

I volunteered to do a two week residential camp thing looking after underprivileged children from Liverpool.

I still wake up screaming in the night, even after all these years.

FBaby

For example my daughter got a reduced grade entry offer for pharmacy after attending an interview in which she discussed her weekend job in boots, her shadowing of a researcher, her pool lifeguarding qualification, her Extended project qualification research and her piano playing

No offense meant at all, but I don't think any of these individually are out of the norm any more than DoE. It is probably the width of her experience that made her stand out rather than any of these in particular. I think what they are looking for is evidence of enthuasiasm and initiative, so the more things you do, the more likely you score high on these skills.

gettingtheresometime

My son was a Sea Cadet and never did (through choice) any of the DoE awards.

However he was able to discuss at length the numerous training courses he'd been on and what being in the Sea Cadets taught him.

OP - it does sound as if you want him to do it more than he wants to. Give the child a break and encourage him in what he wants to do

LaineyR

I did my D of E Gold many moons ago and I don't think I've ever put it on an application form, I'm also the most unsporty person you could meet, but happy to trudge! I did it because my friends were and I wouldn't have finished it if they weren't doing it too.

susancs

FBaby wrote: »

No offense meant at all, but I don't think any of these individually are out of the norm any more than DoE. It is probably the width of her experience that made her stand out rather than any of these in particular. I think what they are looking for is evidence of enthuasiasm and initiative, so the more things you do, the more likely you score high on these skills.

No offence taken. I totally agree with you that having a range of experiences and different transferable skills will make any candidate stand out for the right reasons. The example I was giving was more relevant to my daughters particular Mpharm course than all courses. In her case she was fortunate, as one of the Uni interviewers admitted that she was the only applicant they had that had this year, who completed the Boots health care assistant program. However another year there might have been a lot more, so she would not stood out for that reason. Likewise she was particularly fortunate to have had an interesting bio-med research shadowing placement that she was very keen to share with anyone who would listen! For a number of career orientated uni courses, experiences directly related to the specific Uni course does often give an advantage e.g. for a friend's daughter it was doing a weekly placement over two years, in a specific special educational needs primary school, that admissions tutors wanted to discuss in detail at her interview.

silvercar

Jagraf wrote: »

Can I just ask ( as I don't know) does silver and gold help more than other forms of experience to get into uni?

Can always write "working towards DoE" on your UCAS form. Just be attending an initial meeting that statement would be true.

More likely the skills developed by doing the award will be what shines out at interview.

TBeckett100

As someone who looks through CV's, the DofE award I view as a silly school thing. What's important in the real world is not what mountain you climbed at the age of 17 but experience of work and educational levels.

Out of my class I probably did the best as I carved a career early and stuck to it.

neveranymoney

My daughter is about to do her silver DofE Monday week. She did her bronze and obviously working towards silver through her school which obviously makes it a bit easier friends wise.

Her school have told her that university's do like to see gold DofE on their applications, I can see why as it shows determination at sticking at something. Already, more than 50% have dropped out since doing the bronze.

My daughter does her volunteering as a leader for the local Boys Brigade and I think that will stand her in equally good stead really. However, camping and clambering up the mountain side isn't for everyone, there is usually a trial before they do the real thing and you can then judge how they are enjoying it and getting on. One of my friends sons despised it and refused point blank to go on!

We had to pay for quite a bit of equipment, although I know that not every scheme is like that, so there's that to take into consideration as well.

I second trying to get your son involved in either the scouts or the cadets and see what pans out from there.

Kids get a real experience doing these type of things and my daughter thoroughly enjoys it all, nothing to do with missing a few hours at school, eating packet rubbish and sometimes meeting baby lambs mid way at all....

Jagraf

TBeckett100 wrote: »

As someone who looks through CV's, the DofE award I view as a silly school thing. What's important in the real world is not what mountain you climbed at the age of 17 but experience of work and educational levels.

Out of my class I probably did the best as I carved a career early and stuck to it.

I agree with you here. 50 hours of waitressing / cleaning / working in a care home would top D of E any day of the week.

GlasweJen

I co-ordinate DofE for a youth organisation and it really is what the student makes of it. Someone who wants to be a doctor but volunteers at making tea won't get priority over someone who has volunteered or shadowed in a doctors surgery.

Also writing "duke of Edinburgh gold award" on a UCAS form is pointless, writing about what was done to achieve the award is what makes the personal statement pop.