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Higher education

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

Original poster

Preparing for Uni in 2015

998 replies

circular · 22/06/2015 09:01

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!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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Original poster
circular · 19/08/2015 09:24

Does anyone know if they are likely to need their exam certificates (presuming they get them in time) with them? Or is it OK for then to just have electronic copies and leave the originals safely at home.
So far, DD only ever been asked to provide Music grade Certs, and that was electronically.

DD also on minimum loan of £3731.
Accommodation more, which we will be paying to allow her to budget and live off loan in term time.
As she is only just 18, still has under-19 account (cannot even accidentally overdraw), which she will keep and set up s/o to transfer £400 x 8 monthly payments from student account to, for food and everyday spends. Remainder of loan and some of her savings will stay in student a/c for larger purchases or emergencies.
Will have to do things differently next year, but all changes when they private rent anyway.

OP posts:
Haffdonga · 19/08/2015 11:29

Anyone with softy students going catered able to give a rough estimate of their dc's predicted weekly budget? I want ds to be able to buy the odd coffee, stationery and perhaps even a weekly half at the student union (ha) but not a non stop temr of drunken debauchery.

SecretSquirrels · 19/08/2015 11:55

A level exam certificates don't come out until December so they shouldn't need those. Some unis ask to see GCSE certs but not all. There will be all the details on line in the enrolment procedure. DS had to take a list of his vaccinations which the GP surgery printed out for him.

Chillywhippet · 19/08/2015 12:08

In case you've not clocked it a MN list here:

www.mumsnet.com/pdf/university-packing-checklist.pdf

sorry if it's already been mentioned on this thread. Feeling a bit addled as DD2 has GCSE results tomorrow...

voilets · 19/08/2015 12:19

we still have not heard from uni at all except transition day. Over phone they confirmed accom. but not sent to DS.

ISingSoprano · 19/08/2015 12:51

Remind your offspring that they need to have their Men ACWY vaccination before going to uni. Can be booked at GP surgery.

neuroticattimes · 19/08/2015 12:54

Good idea ISing, I rang our GP surgery this morning and they tell me stocks are limited.

basildonbond · 19/08/2015 13:18

haff my ds is going into catered halls - we're paying for his accommodation and he will be living on the minimum loan which works out at about £93 per week not including the summer holidays- I sincerely hope he can survive on that - he can always get a summer job here as a lifeguard so he might be able to pick up some work at uni but not at the expense of his studies ...

Haffdonga · 19/08/2015 14:13

Thanks Basildon. That sounds fair. Smile We have differing opinions here.

voilets · 19/08/2015 14:16

I need to rant.. I am really upset. Rang soton twice this week re: Ds's accommodation. Told don't worry, you'll here in the next two weeks. Will be fine. Wait for an email.

Called a 3rd time today - told you were allocated last Thursday - if Ds does not accept by early Friday will be given to someone else. Online - wasn't working - a kind gentleman sorted his offer and we have now accepted - given payment details.

DS was saying, let's not hassle them, we are going for a transition day on Friday ( DH agreed) don't call. So I called guiltily. They told me if he had not accepted there would have been no way of him getting his accommodation, we had applied for special circumstances with room.

Why did soton accommodation people not understand this when I called before? He never did get an email .

Phew! Near miss!

Fairenuff · 19/08/2015 14:31

Good job you called violets Shock

I don't think their freshers information is very good, other than confirming a place and accommodation dd has heard nothing else from them. Don't know what day she is supposed to turn up or anything at all about it. She is just waiting now to see if she gets any more emails.

Horsemad that new accommodation looks great on the website and right in the city too. Handy for getting to work if he gets a job and also very near the train station. Have you heard anything about the free unilink bus pass? Do they have to wait until they get there to apply?

Fairenuff · 19/08/2015 14:32

What's the transition day violets, is that for everyone or just certain students?

PUGaLUGS · 19/08/2015 16:35

DS has his Men ACWY vac booked for the 3rd Sept (we are away until the 31st Aug).

Chilly I asked DS how he wanted to use the money and he said he would rather do it the way we suggested and have guaranteed money every month from us. To be fair, he isn't a big spender but I think he prefers not to have such a large amount sat in his account. He has less to keep track of our way.

Am I missing something with transition day? Is this the day they move in?

mumslife · 19/08/2015 16:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LapsedPacifist · 19/08/2015 18:41

Hi Voilets, sorry to hear about your probs with Soton accommodation - glad to hear you've got it sorted! We went through a similar panic last week and eventually managed to log on to the accommodation website to discover that DS had been offered a place in Glen Eyre halls. He didn't receive an email either Hmm.

We are also taking DS (who has Asperger's) to the Soton transition day on Friday. He is also having an assessment with Enabling Services in the morning, to determine what extra help the uni can provide for him via the Disabled Student Allowance.

voilets · 19/08/2015 18:57

fairenuff: transition day is for students who have special educational needs to discuss requirements at uni.

We also have a DSA allowance lapsedpacifist and we will also be there on day.

I'm still a little troubled by problems we had with accommodation. It could have been really difficult for him. Just so surprised accommodation office were giving us wrong information. We are now in Wessex halls- had confirmation

Lets hope all goes more smoothly from now on.

Fairenuff · 19/08/2015 19:12

Ah, yes of course, I remember reading about transition for sen now. Hope it goes well for him and that he enjoys the visit.

Original poster
circular · 19/08/2015 20:31

Is it unusual not to get actual accommodation address until move in?
DD been given her halls and room type, but won't know the actual bloock or flat till she gets there. Bit disappointed she's not been able to search for who she is sharing with.

OP posts:
Kez100 · 19/08/2015 21:37

Ohhhhhhhhhhh strange. My DD knew on allocation. Had met 4 others online before move in. One remained missing until the day before!

Horsemad · 19/08/2015 23:50

PUGaLUGS, thanks for the recipe, will def get DD to do that for us and then he can wow his new Uni friends with his culinary skills! Wink

Not heard anything about the bus pass Fairenuff, I agree their freshers' info is a bit scant. Can't find out much about his halls, except which block he's in.

Luke circular I am wondering how they're supposed to find their flat mates on Fb if they don't know what room number they're in until they arrive Confused How do they organise who's bringing the kettle/toaster/iron etc to avoid duplication?? Grin

Horsemad · 19/08/2015 23:54

Good job you phoned voilets, that would have been a stress you could do without. DS did get an email about his accommodation offer, but he said people on TSR have said they hadn't received them.

Hope your DS enjoys the transition day - and your DS too LapsedPacifist Smile

ISingSoprano · 20/08/2015 08:54

At Southampton the students don't find out which flat/room they are in until the day they move in - they are only told which block they are in. On moving in day they get their Unilink bus pass with their room key - no need to apply for it.

When ds moved in, two years ago, he had to book an arrival time but on the day I don't think it would have mattered if we had turned up earlier or later as no one checked. There were lots of students there to help with carrying stuff from car park to rooms so the whole moving in process took about half an hour.

Horsemad · 20/08/2015 09:42

Thanks for the info ISing, it helps having a Soton parent here to advise! Smile

onadifferentplanet · 20/08/2015 10:09

"mumslife " For UEA look n the new students link on the website, lots of info on starting including timetables for first week for all the schools and how to register when you arrive

Fairenuff · 20/08/2015 10:21

Dd has found out through facebook that moving in weekend is 19/20th September (although you can't book til the 1st) and there is a timetable of all freshers events. Also lots more people joining the group so she's happier now that she knows roughlly what the plan is Smile

We're going to go out later and start getting a few bits and pieces but will assume kettle and toaster provided, or at least someone else will bring one.

Thanks for the unilink info, that's helpful. One less thing to have to remember. Do they need a photo for it?

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