Year 13 -2025/26 - Support, discussion and looking after each other (new thread from y12)

@wonderstuff Father Christmas stopped leaving a stocking when my child was about 13! Though Christmas is not a massive event in our house.

Very peaceful Christmas here - it's strange to think that this time next year DS will hopefully have left school and will have to travel back home for Christmas!

DS has a maths admissions test on 8 Jan and there is some practice going on but not as much as I would have thought necessary (nothing changes!). Also homework has not been done. So a couple of work heavy days before he's back to school on the 5th!

Been quite nice although dd is stressing about outstanding homework but not actually doing said work, she needs to do about 3 hours a day for the next week to catch up, which isn’t too bad if she actually cracks on.

Shes been humming and harring about going to Greece with mates this summer and has decided to go, which I’m glad about. Got an offer from Southampton last week, which was quite high and so she’s thinking Reading is going to be her insurance place (if she likes it, still not visited campus, but are near the town and it’s probably commuting distance) Liverpool is the only one not offered yet, and of course that’s her top choice.

I did wonder at what stage Santa stops leaving a stocking, I’m told he needs to keep coming until she leaves home. I can’t remember when my mum stopped doing one for me. Probably when I left for Uni..

I hope everyone has a peaceful and relaxing Christmas x

I understand, that’s a shame about the French scholarship option but another tick in the Manchester box. I am positive she will take the best from her studies wherever she goes @JessyCarr

If DS hears from Durham I will tag you @Fabfabfab. Hopefully our dc will hear soon. Bristol is a great option, it’s very well regarded. DS was quite anti-central London too, but the open day won him over.

Thank you @temperedolive😊

@Ventress Congratulations on completing your chemo! That's very much a milestone and I'm happy for you! You've got this!

@JessyCarr that is so helpful. The wise student in this case has an organised mother on Mumsnet! Did you get to the point where you decided which private accommodation you preferred or had your DC changed her mind by then? France sounds exciting (and does that mean lower Uni fees too??).
@Ventress My DC is also applying for History. Not seen any offers for Durham History yet either. UCL seems great but my DC doesn't want to live in London unfortunately, Bristol is as close as it gets!

@Ventress i think Erasmus is only applicable if you are an exchange student, rather than a permanent student at an EU institution. So it wouldn’t help DD if she got into her French option (which, as she is non-EU, would charge full international fees unless she got a merit scholarship). But it would be relevant if she did Arabic and French at Manchester, as her year abroad would be split half and half between the languages, so she’d qualify in principle for a grant for the period spent in a French-speaking country. Whether there’s enough for everyone who qualifies to actually receive a grant will remain to be seen!

Thank you @JessyCarr, DS had flu and, being immunocompromised, I had to stay well away from him which meant we were communicating via text message for three weeks. I think it was just too much like hard work to share news with me 😂

A friend’s daughter has just finished her UG degree at Exeter and they bought a flat down there to house their daughter and two other girls. In the summer they used it as a holiday let. Not quite an HMO of course, but it worked well for them.

Fingers crossed for the France option. Would waiting for 2027 and Erasmus be helpful in her situation? Although if Manchester is her favourite she could take her UG there wait do post grad in France?

DS loves UCL because his passion is Russia and Eastern European history and UCL have some exceptional professors with Eastern Europe as their specialism, not least Mark Galeotti. He realised it’s unlikely he would be taught by one of these professors but it is a draw. As is the chance to learn Russian (he’s been teaching himself for years but it’s not the same). I hope your daughter finds the path that is right for her. She sounds like such a lovely young woman.

Thank you @Fabfabfabis your dc applying for history or politics/IR? DS’s friend got a pol/ir offer the other day and I’ve seen on the Reddit thread that offers are coming for politics but I haven’t seen any offers for history yet.

@Fabfabfab Yes, when first years go into Exeter private accommodation it will overwhelmingly be into purpose-built halls, often very new, built to the same sort of spec as the modern on-campus halls. So far as I know, there is capacity for everyone who wants such accommodation in Exeter to secure it (some of the private halls are still advertising rooms available in the current year). Since the university is addressing its temporary on-campus shortage by partnering with these providers, there may be no difference in reality between what is offered by the university to a firmed student compared to what is secured privately by an insurance student.

The university’s on-campus building project is currently expected to deliver its Phase 1 accommodation in Sep 2027 and the final Phase 2 in Sep 2028. Therefore I think it is sensible for anyone choosing Exeter as their 2026 insurance to be fully prepared to go to the private market for first-year accommodation. The wise student will have familiarised themselves with the relevant part of the uni website: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/accommodation/private/options/ and also know the bus links between city, station and the university campuses: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/about/sustainability/travel/buscoach/. Route 4 serves a stop right in the middle of the Streatham campus so can make apparently distant halls very accessible if they are on the route (cycling in Exeter is a nice idea…if you like hills!). They can have a great experience - in current circumstances there will be lots of other freshers in these halls. But if results day rules out your first choice and you go to your insurance, it’s not ideal to have to get up to speed on accommodation options at the last minute.

@JessyCarr thanks for the information about Exeter. If they end up in private accommodation, does this mean they are still likely to be in a similar 'halls like' environment, or could it mean sharing a flat with someone? Keen that DC gets the usual Uni experience. Do you know if there is any information anywhere about private halls in Exeter?
@Ventress really glad you are doing well and finished chemo. And well done to your DC for his offers so far, fingers crossed you hear from UCL soon! I saw on another thread that someone had had a Durham offer last night so sounds like the Universities haven't fully closed down for Christmas yet

@Ventress So pleased that you have finished chemo - that’s a great milestone. I thought it was particularly touching that your DS didn’t want to trouble you with the wait for Oxford interview news while you were going through that.

DD was originally very set on Exeter, which is why I have looked into it is some depth (we were considering investing in an HMO student house there). However, although she still likes it and has an offer there, she has had her head turned by other options. The long-shot is in France - there will be more news on that, one way or the other, in January. But in the UK she loved Manchester most and was really inspired by the professor giving the Arabic talk. In the end we had to drag her away from their chat so that the next presentation could begin! She also liked Edinburgh, but was not quite as buzzing about the people she had met there (she went up without us for that open day).

So no bad options, though privately I think France wouldn’t offer the right balance on the course. But she is such a francophile that she hasn’t perhaps been quite as forensic in critiquing their course content as she has for her UK choices. (Course in each would be Arabic plus either French, Politics or IR).

DS goes to school in Reading @SilverBlue56and says he thinks Bristol is Reading’s big brother. He hasn’t applied to Reading either 😂

I’m oddly glad your daughter didn’t like it@JessyCarr. I was beginning to think it was just DS.

I’m doing okay, thanks. I had my final round of chemo last week and I move to a new type of treatment on Monday. This feels like quite a milestone and I’m looking forward to (hopefully) being able to taste Christmas dinner and having the energy to eat it!

I hope your daughter is recovering well and enjoying feline snuggles whilst watching Christmas movies.

Thank you for the information about Exeter. You are such an authority on this. What is your daughter’s first choice currently?

My son doesn't like it either and he goes to school 5 mins away and we live here! He didn't apply even though he would have got a local student guaranteed offer (not sure if they promise to offer on what you apply for though eg would he have got an aero offer or something similar). He said he's sick of the city centre and wants to live on a campus. Also the hills. I can't say I blame him.

LOL @Ventress - DD loathed Bristol when we visited friends there a few years ago, and announced she was never going to apply there! In the end they didn’t do the course she settled on.

Been thinking of you and hope you are doing well this Christmas.

@FabfabfabWe have been thinking about the Exeter accommodation position too, as it’s a possible insurance for DD. We really liked it when we visited. Neighbour’s DD is a first-year there and currently home for Christmas. She is in private halls, but very happy and settled and full of how wonderful it is.

It is clear that Exeter experienced a real pinch point on accommodation for the current first-years. They are building new accommodation on the Streatham campus but it’s not going to be ready for the 2026 intake. In order to do that they had to demolish some older halls on campus. At the same time they received 23% more firm acceptances for 2025 than they did for 2024 (source: University of Exeter Council minutes). This meant that there was little or nothing left for insurance applicants after those who had firmed had been made an accommodation offer. The university honoured its accommodation promise to all those coming who had firmed, but had to go into partnership with private providers in order to do so. Thus not everyone who had firmed is spending their first year on campus.

The good news is that there is ample student accommodation in the city of Exeter if you include private halls. It’s a one-university city, so halls are not competed for by other universities. It is a small city, so nothing is too far away from campus. Compare e.g. Manchester, which has been known recently to offer students £1,000 to live in Preston.

The bad news (and this applies across the sector) is that private purpose-built halls are less likely than university-owned halls to offer a significant range of price points. If they do, the choice may be between expensive and even more expensive. This may well become an even more acute problem in many university cities in 2nd year and beyond, as the Renters Rights Act drives HMO landlords out of the market and the owners of purpose-built halls (exempt from the provisions of the Act) cash in.

I get the impression they offer in batches, but what do I know!?

DS has offers from Exeter and Warwick. Had an Oxford interview but thought it went really badly so has written it off and moved to Durham and UCL as first choices. Waiting on offers from these two which I assume will be after Christmas break now before he finds out either way.

Great to have that Bristol offer if it’s a favourite.

DS hated Bristol when we went to the open day and didn’t list it as one of his 5. he is rather strange about first impressions. I wish he would be more logical.

Yes not worried, just ironic as Exeter asks for the lowest PGs! Top choices are either Durham or Bristol. Insurance either Exeter or York (probably prefers Exeter but just not sure about how tricky the accommodation situation will be). So far offers from Bristol and York. What about your DC?

I’m sure the offer from Exeter will arrive soon @Fabfabfab

warwick have a bus station on campus and run buses to all the local towns - Leamington, Coventry , etc. The students we spoke to on the open day tended to live in Leamington rather than Coventry. In my opinion Coventry is a city and has good bits and not so nice bits just as any city does.

DS’ current plan is either Durham or UCL (assuming he gets an offer) and Exeter as insurance. He’s also talking about a gap year and applying grades in hand if he doesn’t get an offer from one of his favourites. I’m staying out of it!

York is lovely. Either Exeter or York would be a great insurance choice. What is your child’s top choice?

Yes heard about Warwick and that seemed even worse as students ended up in Coventry whereas at least Exeter Uni is near the main town (and a lovely place - although I’ve never been to Coventry so can’t comment on what it’s like). Would it put your DC off any of those Universities as insurance though? DC is considering York as an option instead although not ruled out Exeter yet. Hasn’t actually had an offer from Exeter yet either despite PGs being quite a bit higher than what they ask for

I think student accommodation this year was very difficult at several universities @FabfabfabThese RG universities offered way more spaces than usual.

Warwick were/are also affected. Plus they had the recent fire in one of the Arthur Vick buildings and had to move everyone out.

I think there will be more use of private student buildings in future. These tend to be more expensive unfortunately, and some are much further out.

It’s another reason I’m hoping DS gets a UCL offer as then he can live at home and commute if he doesn’t get accommodation. It’s a difficult situation.

All the respect in the world. This YP is going to be absolutely fine in life.

My DC is also thinking of putting Exeter as insurance (really liked it at open day) but have heard that student accommodation was a nightmare this year and even those who firmed it didn't necessarily end up in Uni halls. Therefore it seems very likely that if it's an insurance choice they will end up in private accommodation somewhere. It's therefore putting us off putting it down as insurance, although not decided yet.

Warwick itself is lovely @KellySeveridebut Warwick university is in a large expanse of nowhere outside Coventry, which isn’t as attractive. He is also very taken with the idea of being part of history, which is a big part of the UCL pitch. My hopes are pinning on UCL now as Durham is just so far away. He has an offer from Exeter too which he hopes will be his insurance choice.

I love the conversation with your daughter @wonderstuff😂 DS had his winter ball last weekend and looked very smart in his dinner suit.

@bluefinelinerour friend’s daughter is just finishing her first term at York/Hull. She has been very busy but hasn’t regretted choosing medicine. I hope those remaining interviews go well 🤞

@JessyCarr so pleased your DD is home and recovering now (a cat is the perfect rehab support).

@KellySeveride well done on the offers for your DS.

@Ventress if my DD could have chosen her unis more broadly I think she would have used criteria such as your DS has!

@wonderstuff well done on the offers so far, DD just got an interview for med at Liverpool this week. Great comment about buying alcohol, mine is not quite 18 but I am sure will be the same once she can legally buy it!

@temperedolive amazing opportunity for your DD for her gap year, she must be so independent to attempt it.

@hels71 well done on the offers too.

So last half day at school this term for DD with her 'winter ball' tonight. The past few weeks have been chaotic but very positive so far. DD has now got all 4 med interviews she applied for and has done one. The other 3 are Jan and early Feb along with her mocks early Jan too. Now her driving test is passed that is one less stress for her to deal with so back to the mock revision and interview prep after a little Christmas break. Hope you all have some rest over the coming weeks too, being a parent of a Y13 is very demanding 😂.