Daughter unable to attend her graduation ceremony as it is full. Advice please

[mildlyfried]

My daughter has just finished a three year Bsc (hons) at a major University. She has been advised that she cannot attend her graduation ceremony as it is full and she is on a waiting list. All the other ceremonies are at capacity too. She has been told that if a place does not become available then she can either try to graduate in November without her friends or have her certificate posted to her for a £10 fee.

To say we are upset and disappointed is an understatement. Has anyone ever heard of this before? I did not think a University would do this and would make sure they had enough graduation days/dates for all their students. The students have paid tens of thousands in fees and slogged for three years to be denied the chance to get their degree in a ceremony with their family watching.

Is there anyone out there with any advice? maybe someone who works at a University? I'm tempted to go to the local paper and tell the story so other students know what to expect at this University. Students should be told when they are choosing the University that they are not guaranteed a graduation.

Thanks for reading

Probably a good idea if they are just starting but a bit obsessive if still there three years later.😂

They really are tiresome, make the day special in another way which will be very much more interesting.

Long gone? More like banned. Just like she was from the FB parent group

Why would she be banned from here.🤔

The Lancaster University Parents facebook page is a really active group with about 3500 members.

The OP didn’t clarify why but it’ll likely have been abusive behaviour

Can't you just go in TripAdvisor for advice on places to eat/stay like everyone else?

What story?

That all your DD’s mates read and responded promptly to an invitation and so are going to have a blast graduating together.

Whereas your daughter read, ignored, then
ignores the reminders and then confirmed just before the deadline and wasn’t one of the first come first serve?

I don’t see the uni quaking in its boots 🤭

If it’s anything like the group I’m in for
My DS it’s been invaluable as the parent of an adhd 18 year old

When’s your child graduating @Pikachu150 ?

I think it is appalling. A university charges circa £30,000 for a degree course and they can't ge bothered to organise a ceremony for all if their graduates. They deserve to go out of business. Having had to endure 3 graduation ceremonies they are extremely boring and vastly overrated. If your daughter can't secure a place, feel free to leave terrible reviews for the university and organise a nice lunch or maybe a party for her and her friends.

My children have graduated.

One doing masters definitely obsessive

Two in second year verging on obsessive

🤣🤣

How long ago?

Uni of Bath! I don’t think it’s that uncommon for universities to have a similar system in place though.

I can’t post a picture but the information for Bath is here: https://www.bath.ac.uk/guides/preparing-for-your-graduation-ceremony/

They are in their 20s so not that long ago. What is your point?

They have a deadline and if students respond they get a place. That seems reasonable and very different to a first come first served basis.

I suspect that the OP was banned from the FB group because she was possibly claiming that either the admins or other posters were LU employees or stooges and so were biased. She wasn't necessarily abusive.

I completely disagree with her views and attitude but I don't think she's been abusive here and I think if she was a PBP the whole thread would have been deleted.

At this stage the posters pissing me off are the ones who haven't RTFT and know nothing about Lancaster's system and yet still think their opinion is relevant.

My university did this, hugely oversubscribed the course/degrees then everyone wanted to graduate at the ceremony

I ended up with my certificate posted -its really bad to be honest ! They just take on too many students - all money!!!

Yes, not good at all.

Nosy

There are posts you have responded to explaining that Lancaster do the same.

Plenty say that it is first come first served rather than everyone gets a place if they reply by a certain date. The same posters seem to think it reasonable.

Thank you for all your support. I didn't realise there would be so many posts and at such a rapid pace. I still feel there is time for the Uni to do something. I hope they will do the right thing and add on an extra graduation day for all the disappointed students on the waiting list. Either way we will make the day special for her.

They can’t make the grand hall bigger
no, they won’t be making any change to the process that has gone on for years

and no @mildlyfried the ceremony will not be a “flop”. Your DD’s friends will confirm as such