Preparing for Uni in 2015

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Carrying on from yr13 thread, here thought we could share our ideas for Uni preparation.

All welcome, not just those in above thread. Would especially appreciate contributions from those who have 'been there'

Topics that spring to mind, and a few recent threads on them are :

What to take What to take , What NOT to take, Shared accommodation

Clearing out rooms

How much to contribute What does it cost, How much needed weekly, How much are you subbing

Budgeting, cooking, and other life skills to learn Easy recipes for teens

Leaving friends, family, boy/girlfriends behind

Us coping without them - noted series of 'Empty Nest' threads.

Hope all the links correct!

Ok Thursday , result day , is getting closer . My ds is my eldest so never been through the uni thing before . Quick question , apart from registering for clearing is there any other prep my son needs to do before Thursday ? Also can anyone who has been though it or who is in the know , tell me what happens with clearing . For example does my son need a list of uni's or is it as simple as clearing will just list to him the unis that will accept him ?

On Wednesday (about 5pm) the full clearing list will be ready on the Ucas clearing site. search.ucas.com/

Your son needs to make a list of the courses / universities he may be interested in (just in case he goes into clearing).

When he logs into track on Thursday (around 7.30am) he will either have got into his Firm, Insurance or be released into clearing. (Occasionally his Firm or insurance may still be considering him if he is a near miss in which case he could ring them up to check what is happening).

If he is released into clearing he will have a clearing number showing on his track screen (which he needs to quote when ringing universities) and he then needs to ring the universities direct and collect verbal offers. These verbal offers only last for a short time. When he gets to the deadline he needs to decide on his favourite verbal offers and put that into ucas. At this point all the other offers lapse and are released to other people for the next day. Then he logs on to see if he has been accepted by his clearing university. And so the process goes on until clearing places are full.

That is my understanding, but please correct me if any of this is wrong as I would like to know!

It is also worth buying the Telegraph on Results day as all the clearing courses are listed by their codes. There is a Telegraph App that you can pre register with too.

This explains the process too.

www.studential.com/further-education/Clearing-Guide-2015

Thank you very much , you made it much clearer . Now I can at least feel like I know what I'm doing ! My son already has the telegraph app so I feel we are almost prepared .
Thanks again .

I haven't read every pot on this thread, so apologies if I'm repeating, but from my experience (DS just going into yr2) I would add the following

• as soon as room allocation is done, search through FB/student room for fellow flat mates; DS found all flat mates on FB and they spoke to each other quite a lot before moving in and arranged to share the kitchen equipment supplies between them
• ensure that they have some cash for freshers week; the loan does go in a couple of days after enrollment, but they will need plenty of cash before that happens (even if you are supplying food etc) for freshers week
• even if you are sending cash, I would advise to send them a student's supermarket card when you know what the closest supermarket is (DS had a Sainsburys close, so we regularly put £20 on their student card so he always had access to food).
• make sure they practice before hand cooking for themselves, using the ingredients/budget they will be living with
• when they do come home, it isn't food they pinch, but washing tablets etc as these are very expensive on a student budget!
• if you can, send them with a printer; DS's uni gave every student a set budget of printing allowance and then charged if they went above this
• remind them that they will have room inspections and if they leave halls at the end of the year and it is less than perfect, then they all will be charged looking at the £230 bill sat on the table that has to be paid otherwise he can not re-enroll
• advise them to find where the charity shops are as dress up nights start straight away....
• they will get 'freshers flu' so send them with the necessary drugs!

Marking my place. I didn't dare comment before in case it was tempting fate

anyone know wessex halls at soton? Small singles or 4 ft beds as some unis now do. Need to buy bedding.

Thanks Cricketballs that's really useful.

DD just been allocated her halls, but not actual room yet. On-line clips look like 4ft bed, guess best to call and check. Suspect double quilt best rather than restricted range, but will maybe still go for fitted 4ft sheets.

Exeter halls have 3' single beds - I'm presuming single fitted sheets but small double duvet is the way to go?

this article appeared on my fb last night - according to DS it is very true!

Just popping back in here. Like cricketballs I have a DS going into year2.
Have you all made sure they get the menengitis ACWY vaccine. It's for new students up to age 24 as well as 16 /17 year olds. (The NHS is not funding it for second year students).
Also they will need to register with a Doctor at uni, many campuses have a surgery on site and this is all done in the whirl of arrival and easily forgotten until they are ill in week 3.

Freshers wristbands can be very expensive and not worthwhile unless they are extreme clubbers. DS just bought tickets to the odd event he liked the look of. They do sell out quickly though.

Basildon Be careful with 4ft quilt, as suspect cover range fairly limited.

Mumslife the Freshers passes DD was looking at didn't seem to save much when you added up the individual events. Also don't include some of the 'quieter' things she preferred, so likely to go for individual.

Think some of the larger campus accommodation may also have their own events, so watch out for clashes.

Hello, feeling able to join in now, free from jinxing!

Haven't read whole thread so may be duplicating
DD1 laughed when I made her take a clothes airer (she later admitted it was v useful)
Small tool kit (theirs were from Muji I think )
First aid kit (supplies are so expensive )
Yes, mattress toppers if you can afford it
Milk , tea coffee and a bottle of wine for day 1 and new friends

And try Ikea for everything. DD1 is still using their towels I bought her for Uni ten years ago

Joining in! DD has been asked to visit Huddersfield, where she got a place through Clearing, tomorrow. No idea if this is an official last minute open day or what? Anyone know anything about this?

We've bought cutlery and tin opener, so I feel we've made a great start!

Has anyone heard from accommodation yet? We're waiting to hear from Exeter.

Ds has been allocated a single room in Ransom Pickard at Exeter, however his place was confirmed in early July as he did the IB so presumably they got the easy ones out of the way first

What's your ds studying?

Make sure your ds/dd (sorry can't remember which!) checks email regularly as once an offer's made there's not that long to accept