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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Any thoughts on Exeter accommodation?

19 replies

basildonbond · 26/04/2015 17:07

Ds has formed Exeter and barring a complete disaster in his IB exams should get the points score they've asked for as they've given him a v generous offer which is below his predicted points.

As he's v immature and will need quite a bit of support coping with uni we think he'll be best off in catered halls - the mid-range catered halls are massively over-subscribed ... Is there one in particular he should try for/avoid and will he get any preferential treatment given that a) he'll know definitely where he's going in early July and b) has had a statement of SEN since he was 4?

OP posts:

Original poster

basildonbond · 26/04/2015 17:08

Firmed .. Even ...

OP posts:

alwayshavepeckham · 27/04/2015 11:59

Watching with interest. DS has just done his application, he wants SC though. At the Open Day the students he spoke to seemed to think that Holland House/Hall? was the nicest Catered. Seems very pricey though.

Moominmammacat · 27/04/2015 12:17

I have a DS at Holland ... it is super-pricey, overly cool ... and they seem to have very extravagant lifestyles on top of the £7,000 you're already paying for hall. Having had a DS on DSA elsewhere, I would say go for somewhere a bit calmer, bit less image conscious. Can't say where because I don't know enough about it ... but my other DS got excellent support in fairly grotty accommodation. Would definitely go for catered though. Good luck. Holland food is excellent by the way ... Why don't you ring the student support people and ask them?

stonecircle · 27/04/2015 22:56

Watching with interest. DS is about to firm Exeter (although is currently muttering about it being, 'a long way from home ....'.) I went round Holland House with him on his offer day and it seemed very nice but I've subsequently read a few comments like Moomin's about it attracting wealthier students, some of whom can be a bit annoying. Hardly surprising really as it's the most expensive residence. When I went to uni in the dark ages (not Exeter) my first year residence was like living in a rather posh girls' boarding school - however, despite my working class background, I absolutely loved it!

I'd like ds to have a comfortable first year. He plays a lot of sport and eats lots so I thought catered would be good. He's fairly down to earth so I don't want him to be somewhere he doesn't enjoy socially (although to be fair, he currently has a fairly diverse social network), but equally, I'm happy and able to give him a bit more money in his first year while he settles in.

gruffalocake2 · 27/04/2015 23:08

Lopes hall and Mardon hall are nice and more communal than Holland. I went to one of those and it was great, don't share a room though, especially if SEN (ds has SEN) as it can be a nightmare if your roommate is not on your wavelength.

nowwearefour · 28/04/2015 02:55

Birks has a sense of community but mostly single rooms?

Original poster

basildonbond · 29/04/2015 12:39

Thanks for the suggestions - we're going to pay for his accommodation so obviously would rather it was in the mid-range price bracket so that puts Holland out of the picture anyway!

He will need a single room - I can't imagine him being able to share with anyone

OP posts:

oneearedrabbit · 29/04/2015 18:55

There is a very good accessability gang at Exeter. we met them recently and they showed us various halls (DD has a physical disability) - worth getting in touch I would say.

Bluestocking · 29/04/2015 19:25

Definitely agree with contacting Exeter's AccessAbility team.

MrsWobble3 · 29/04/2015 19:57

Dd is in marden and her friends all seem nice and normal but she's not one for a wild or extravagant lifestyle anyway. Meals are in Holland. You should be aware that demand for single rooms outstrips supply so if there are medical reasons why your ds needs not to share you should definitely raise this at the time of application or he may end up sharing even if he has applied for a single. We were told that Pennsylvania court is where the unlimited budget students choose - don't know how true this is though.

MrsWobble3 · 29/04/2015 20:31

Another thing - get your accommodation request in as soon as the system opens as I think they process them on a first come first served basis.

stonecircle · 29/04/2015 21:56

they process them on a first come first served basis

Not according to their website or the students we spoke to on offer holders' day.

Bluestocking · 29/04/2015 22:05

Holland Hall is where the "unlimited budget" students (I rather like that phrase) congregate.

Lilymaid · 29/04/2015 22:09

Don't choose Birks if you hate climbing hills!

stonecircle · 30/04/2015 10:32

unlimited budget is one thing but there have been comments on other threads that Holland Hall attracts those wealthier students who are also a bit unpleasant. I had some great friends at uni who were loads better off than me so I've been a bit sceptical about some of these comments. But I would like ds to be in a hall which has a good social mix.

I've just had a look at the accommodation website and am a bit unnerved by the fact that some of them are 2 or 3 times oversubscribed. I hope this doesn't mean ds might end up having to share. He is very sociable but really needs his own space and does have a few sleep issues.

Moominmammacat · 30/04/2015 12:19

If he has his results early and has a statement I would have thought you'd have a chance of getting in early. Do speak to the accommodation people/accessibility lot because they will have the real answers. I know people who moved out of Birks after a term because they found it a bit flat (apart from the hill) ... but the whole place just looks dripping with white Volvos and Jack Wills to me ... not that it's necessarily a bad thing, just saying ...

stonecircle · 30/04/2015 15:16

White volvos?! Not sure I've ever seen one! DS's Jack Wills catalogue did come in the post today though .....

stonecircle · 30/04/2015 15:26

I know Exeter does attract wealthier students but all the students we met/spoke to on the offer day seemed very very nice and down to earth. Maybe the wealthy ones are too posh to get involved??!! I know one student there who is from a very ordinary background and quite a few of ds's down to earth friends are applying. Interestingly, the two students who gave a talk at the RHUL offer day seemed very very posh!

lastqueenofscotland · 20/05/2015 19:10

I was at exeter and for the busier/sportier people catered was often a nightmare as if they missed meal times it was takeaways or what they could do with a kettle!
For what its worth i rowed, rode, shot and did track and field and didn't starve in self catered, intact found it more convenient.
Is James Owen court still there? I know there was some talk of decommissioning it, bt that was vv reasonable, especially for en suite, in town but not far from uni uni, (20 min walk to uni you can do it in 15 if you are running late! about 5 to town proper)

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