When your dc went to uni, did it really take from results day, to the day they start, to get them sorted ??

[BluePansy]

As this is what a friend has told me, and has advised me
I won't be able to go on holiday after results day as I'll be too busy Sorting stuff.

So just wondering what others think?

We will certainly arrange it so that we are here on results day, so we can make any calls needed or help with clearing if needed

Not sure how what 'sorting stuff' your friend is talking about, mainly it's making sure they've replied to emails and logged into the right thing at the right time and are making any phone calls that need to be made. You cant sort anything out as they have to do it themselves!
If she talking practicalities, again, just make sure they've packed their stuff, that it's fitting into whoever is taking them car and that they've booked their moving in slot if their uni operates that system.

Nah.

My dd has just had all 5 offers pending results. We're going to be at home for results day just in case but there's a month between them and most enrollment weeks.

What's yo organiser that can't be done before then? One mahoosive trip to IKEA or a few trips over a few months. Finance needs applying for I think but can be started soon. Cooking skills being worked on now.

I really can't imagine what your friend is thinking you need a month to organize.

No it definitely doesn't take that long. They need to be on it registering and setting things up, they may need to accept accommodation etc, and if things don't go right and they eg end up in clearing, you'll probably want to be around for that. But doing a big Ikea shop etc takes a day, max, or can be done on line.

It sort of depends if they et their grades or not. If they have to go through clearing then is might take a bit of admin. If not, just making sure they have replied to accommodation emails, paid deposits and registered online.

I probably wouldn’t go immediately after just in case they didn’t hit their grades and you needed to support them with clearing/alternative accommodation, etc.

But after few days? Absolutely. Just be back a few days before they have to go so you can get anything they need and drive them there.

Oh and go on holiday somewhere with decent wifi and you can do the finance and booking moving in slots from your sunbed!

Mine had a lot of extra admin for setting up all his disability support, and he did need help with that (because of the SENs) but otherwise, no, not that much to do, it was more than just a trip to Ikea, he didn't get everything there but it wasn't that bad.

We made sure we were available for results day and the likely moving in dates of her first and second choice unis, that was it.

DD did her uni applications and Personal Statement herself, she didn't even show us her PS until after submission. Thinking back, if she was old enough to break away and go to uni, she had to be capable of sorting her finances out, ordering things for her accommodation, which is exactly what she did.

Some people just take ages to do anything.

Both of mine got first choice, so was pretty straight forward in terms of admin. Accepting the offer and sorting accommodation can all be done online.

getting all the stuff together takes time, but there’s a million checklists on line and it’s just a case of gathering/going shopping. I’d recommend the big IKEA trip sooner rather than later as every weekend in September is frustrated parents dragging teenagers around to look at pans

theres also many going away parties!

is your friend normally a bit of a faffer?

Oh, and thinking back DD's 18th fell between results and uni, and she went away with her friends, so there is certainly time for you to have a holiday

It depends whether they get their first choice with accommodation guaranteed (in which case no,it won't) or whether they have to go through clearing, ring round Unis to find a place. Then visit the town, sort out their own accommodation from scratch, arrange viewings and deposits etc, in which case it possibly could, and I'd certainly not want to be going off on holiday then.

Why not go on holiday between the final exam and results day instead?

A few years ago (ok 15.. ) I got an offer for my post-grad on the Friday. Started on the Monday. 200miles away from my previous address.

Like a lot of things... it can expand to fill the time you have available.

The exception would be finding a new course through clearing obviously.

With packing stuff, I don't really get it - in that these days, forget something, order on Amazon, there you go..

Assuming your child isn't going to university on a desert island

Some people just make a big deal out of things, others find this sort of thing difficult.

If they get the grades they need, it’s very straightforward and doesn’t take much effort at all on results day. If they don’t, it can take a bit longer, and obviously they might be upset and stressed too, so they may need a bit of emotional support as well as help with sorting next steps.

We bought everything online for uni so no stressful shopping trip.

We had a 2 holidays after results day, before our son started uni. He also had 2 holidays, one with us and one with his friends. You certainly don’t need to stay home making a drama out of what can be sorted in a matter of hours.

Depends where they are going. If they are going to one of the Universities that start very early in September then it isn't much time at all if you haven't done any shopping.

As others have said, if they get a place via clearing that can take days to sort out.

You then have things like transferring doctors, sorting accommodation, sorting bank accounts, paying for accommodation, college fees etc

I think alot depends on what you are expecting - scrape through and a bit of fuss getting in - flying results and no issues etc. Finances should already have been applied for and accom applied for and a deposit paid, in terms of kit to take - if they are in halls not masses and they have lists - can be ordered for delivery t o halls even if required (best bet if London). We enjoyed searching charity and tip shops for odds and sods she needed, with a sains Home shop for a few nicer bits.

I took a hands off approach and said if she really wanted to go then she had to sort it all out for herself, I would support and pay what was required. And she did including getting a good part time job (also told her that she would absolutely need to get one of those and she needed to get stuck in ahead of the game etc.

We had a set of secondhand but good quality towels from a neighbour, new bedding and pillows etc, and a couple of boxes of kitchen and bathroom things plus two suitcases of clothes. It all doesn't have to be sorted day one - paper plates are good and work. Main things are finances and accommodation and transport to get there etc

I think a lot also depends on what you would expect your child to do Vs you

I wouldn't expect to be involved with things like changing doctors or shopping - would assume my child would want to choose their own things

Tbh the less fuss you make about going to Uni the better. I saw many of my DC's really struggle in their first term once the they were there. One even came home and dropped out during freshers week. I think their is so much pressure on them.

DD moved to university 2 weeks and 2 days after results day.

She'd done a lot of things earlier, but it did suddenly feel like a lot of things to do all at once.
not all of them were leaving parties

I would give it a week or so after results. My daughter got into 1st choice uni but__ the allocated accommodation was the most expensive and a studio - she didn't want to live on her own. It was a stressful week on the phone to the accommodation office. It could have been done from abroad but wouldn't have wanted that on holiday.

I probably wouldn’t book a holiday after results day.

If they don’t get their grades for their first choice, accommodation isn’t usually guaranteed for their insurance choice so you will likely need to rush around finding somewhere for them to live. You may have to deal with remarks and won’t be able to sort accommodation until you know where they have a place. If they don’t make their grades for either choice and decide to go through clearing, again, you will have to find accommodation because university halls places aren’t guaranteed, they may want to visit the universities too.

Paperwork, buying stuff and packing only takes a few days but you really need to be around for support if things go wrong.

No defo not.

She had uni household stuff for Christmas and birthdays for three years before that so once list was written, it was about a week.

I didn't do a thing really. My 17 year old had it all sorted. I did sit and order a load of kitchen items for her to take with her and of course we drove her there but her school gave her all the guidance she had needed in order to apply and pointed her to the site to get her accommodation funding sorted. We had a chat about stuff, where she filled us in on where she was going and I sat and looked through the Uni dorms site and we chose the nicest to apply for.

Is it usually difficult? I literally did nothing but order stuff from Dunelm, Studio and Amazon. 🤷🏻‍♀️

no 😂
We went to Ikea once and she ordered bits and bobs off Amazon which didn’t take long at all.

We were home for results day, but we’re on holiday from end of august for 10 days. Dd sorted out doctors, changing bank account, railcard etc herself. dd has a chronic illness so she had already been in touch with the disability team at her first choice.
We had a couple of shopping trips to home bargains etc, but already had spare bedding, pans, duvets etc at home so didn’t need many shopping trips.
We took her to university, stayed overnight nearby and checked the next day to see if she needed anything.