Some Advice Please (University)

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My son got his second choice of university. We made plans for accommodation for his first choice. He has been contacted today;he's his on the waiting list for accommodation. He is upset. I am keeping calm and looking at alternatives.

What other option has he got at this late stage?

Thanks for your time. Its Coventry unit

sorry Coventry uni

Hi, the university should have lists of possible private accommodation. Some universities run "find a home" days for those without accommodation. Can you check if Coventry run any of these? I just had a look....
www.coventry.ac.uk/study-at-coventry/student-support/accommodation/accommodation-update/
Students do drop out in the first few weeks too (sadly for them of course)but it does free up accommodation for those waiting.

Coventry actually released a blog today here regarding latest info for accommodation

Keeping calm is indeed the thing to do.

Will they tell him where on the waiting list he is? Or is there no prioritisation only random selection when a new space comes available. Can they give an idea of how many people from the waiting list usually get accommodated each year? As going says, there will be drop-outs and no-shows so there will be a few rooms.

Living out can be great fun though. Get him to the house hunting events on one of the next two weekends as per the page cricket linked to - he'll probably meet some great new friends and find a decent digs to share with them without too much trouble.

TSR is also a good source of information, for example someone has posted today about house sharing

Coventry uni accomodation page aren't showing Victoria Halls, which according to dd2, are the bees knees for students. Have you enquired about them. I'm just wondering if they are somehow separate to the uni's own accomodation and aren't showing.

Victoria Halls are private and according to their website full. They do look stunning, but so do the prices and payment schedules (not in line with loan dates)!

Last year they were cheaper than Callice Court and better. Callice Court is owned by Unite who are complete bastards and we are still in dispute with them. Avoid!

I disagree that living out in Year 1 is fun. It is not and can be very lonely. Halls are definitely the best way to go, especially if he is disappointed about not getting a hall. Most universities have a flat hunting day for unplaced students. Or, they might give him a place in a hall at the last minute if someone drops out. Flashy halls are not always best, but a hall is best. I would contact them to see if any hall is available and what they are doing about if they say they offer accommodation to all first year students.

One of my DD's got into this position. She got lucky and got a hall place at the last moment and the University cancelled the flat hunting day. (It can be an insurance place/overseas qualification problem). We therefore assumed that all new students got something that year. However, she now says she would never have enjoyed being in a private house in the first year and would have taken a Gap year. Remember too that all the decent ones have been snapped up by second and third year students, and, in some universities, as early as January! My advice would be, take a Gap year. See if he can get into another university with his results or, if not, ask Coventry if he can defer. This really can be a deal breaker and could result in a very tough year. Halls organise fresher events, getting to know you evenings, there are lots of people to make friends with, events throughout the year and bar crawls. Being on your own makes these types of fun event difficult to access. You are not invited!