My DD confirmed Sussex as her firm on the deadline. We have visited 3 times and checked out a range of accomodation.She is unsure now of her course choice and is getting cold feet about uni - but I expect she'll go in the end. She is terrified that she'll make no friends on her course and hate it.
Sussex seems great - small but friendly. My DP has a friend who gave uo on his course as a mature student as he said it felt like an overgrown 6th form but I know a couple of current students who are in their 20's and love it. We recently moved here from SE London and its great for teens, so much better than London.Most of our neighbours seem to be ex Sussex students who went to London for a couple of years but were drawn back.Although she is now a home student my DD hopes they will give her a place on campus.
We were told that The slopes were originally built for the workers building the uni and were meant for demolition but were kept as an alternative to the big halls (park houses? with long corridors of rooms) and extra ones added. They are cheap and look like little holiday chalets. Apparently they are very popular with "social "students - ie drinkers and partiers and are very good for making friends but can be rowdy. The 2 we looked round were very cramped - tiny kitchen and dim and smelly and the 1 toilet between 6 was a bit gross - I thought well I lived in worse but my daughter is a very pristine , trendy girl and doesn't like drinking etc and didn't fancy it.
We also some the Brighthelm houses which were shared flats of 6-8 which I thought were very nice and had a good size kitchen and a sofa. They had sinks in the room and 2 toilets.
We saw Lewes court - 2 types the ones with sinks in the room and the ones with little ensuites (more expensive) they were really nice too (heating way too hot). Stanmer court was lovely and very modern but was across the dual carriageway and built next to it so was noisy and a bit out on its own as the other places were all behind the main campus buildings and very quiet.
There is also a huge new block of flats due for completion by SEptember - more expensive again.
The students showing us around had enjoyed living in the slopes and park houses, one girl had lived in Brighthelm and she said she preferred that as she liked a bit of quiet for studying. The 25 buses that snake all through the campus go every 10-15 minutes 24 hours into the centre and there are quite visible security patrols on site.
We are filling in the forms tomorrow - I think she will put Lewes court and Brighthelm down as although everyone including some staff at her school who are ex students have told her to choose the slopes or park house for a good time she wants the more private facilities. Everyone advised us not to select the postgrad dominated houses and halls as they can be grumpy, old and want total quiet and choose not too near the family flats either.
Hope your sons gets his grades.PM me if you want to know anything about brighton.