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

I expect they have increased student places to make up for the loss of international student fees. This is probably one of the first cohorts graduation.

It was the government that got rid of the student caps so any university can take as many students as they wish.

I would ask DD to get in writing that they do not reserve enough seats for each student to attend and instead allocate seats to people to watch.

This happened to me. 2023 kingston university. I applied within the deadline. It was a work based qualfication. I wasnt that bothered. The experoence reflected the standard of their teaching tbh.However this is no way to treat an undergrad, very shitty of them.

If you’re 100% sure she didn’t miss a deadline, then I’d seriously consider going to the papers about it.

Seems like a nonsense system. All students should be guaranteed a place + 2 guest tickets, so long as they confirm they will be attending by X date. The wait list should be for ‘extra’ friends and family members who wish to attend, who can then be allocated tickets of students who are away or don’t want to go.

I heard that there are less international students at Lancaster Uni now and more UK based so this has impacted their numbers. Surely they should have predicted this. Thanks RandomMess that is a good idea

That’s ridiculous. Are the ceremonies held on campus? If so why don’t they have more graduation dates?

Have been to a few - it is a bit of a money making scam for the universities - dead boring and a chance to sign up for expensive photos and a load of cheap memorabilia plus a sign up to the alumni group which is basically permission to keep pestering you to donate or sponsor a student. DS couldn't be arsed to go to his - met up with mates and went to the pub

I was going to suggest something similar.

When I was having a minibreak in Durham a couple of summers ago, I kept bumping into little groups of people with a student in full graduation regalia.
Somebody explained that many of the Asian students hire a gown for a second time to get some crowd-free photos in iconic Uni/Durham locations.

It’s a bit rubbish for your DD, OP, I hope she is able to get a cancellation place.

If they are limited on space it's the only way. It is health and safety, imagine a fire broke out and they had over sold tickets and people couldn't get out. You'd be on here creating a fuss but about them over selling the tickets.

If your daughter didn't heed their advice about applying early to guarantee she got a space that's on her.

Life lesson learnt…. Apply for things BEFORE a deadline

My feeling exactly StrictyCoffee. Saving money is my thought

She definetly applied before the deadline and I can prove it

so they know that they won't have a space for every graduand which means if your daughter got her space them someone else wouldn't? That's disgusting!
Is there anywhere where Uni's get reviewed?

then they should use a bigger venue

Not 'crafty'. They won't talk to you because it's your adult child who studied at the university, not you -- you would have found the same if you phoned up your daughter's tutor because she'd been done for plagiarism or thought she had done better in an exam.

That's a good point. Is there anywhere where Uni's get reviewed?

Must say I agree with this. I lived abroad for a year after my degree and was very glad to use it for an excuse not to attend the graduation ceremony.

That's really disappointing. I didn't know it was a 'thing'. Did dse leave it late to book.

No she applied before the deadline

My graduation was the same. Everyone knew they needed to apply for the initial 2 tickets ASAP, as it was first-come, first-served, and then you could apply for two more if there was availability later. The "window" to apply in was all of March; but realistically the tickets are gone by the second week of March.

I do really feel for her but I don't think this is that unusual. I'd push that they should be trying hard to find her a ticket as the actual graduate; but they are unlikely to take a ticket away from someone who applied earlier.

Why did she delay applying? Not that it matters much.

Some (large) Universities offer several graduation dates over the summer, and you have to sign up to the popular summer dates quickly as they do get filled up. If you want a particular date - and everyone on a course wants that one - you have to book in together as soon as the booking opens.

I would want my certificate in my hand. Not posted out… sorry it got lost….
But I would without question get onto the university. I have never heard of anything so awful.
Those receiving degrees first. All of them.
Unless there are so many now they cannot fit literally all of those getting their degree in.
Then any relatives.
If not why do you have to wait until November.
Do another sitting the following week ?

Oxford and Cambridge have a limit on numbers at graduation ceremonies because of the small size of the historic buildings.

I’m not sure how allocation works now but it was certainly first come, first served for the number of spots allocated to your college on a specific date when I was a student. Friendship groups organised themselves to to apply together. You might have to wait to graduate, maybe as long as a year if you wanted a summer date. DD graduated with her friends from college on the same day but her friends from her course graduated on different days, some several months later. DS graduated in lockdown so there were no guests.

Given the information posted above about the Uni being clear it was a first come and first serve basis and not everyone would get a place, I can understand them not being sympathetic that a late applier did not get a place. Your daughter was warned.

She should take this as a life lesson and move on.

Also, it is not ' crafty' that adults are expected to manage their own affairs. Its embarrassing that you thought you could phone up the Uni and have a go. Quite right that they won't speak to parents about stuff like this. You'd be better encouraging your daughter to take responsibility for the consequences of her own choices and learn from that.