Accommodation offer: requesting an alternative?

[Bronwen11]

DS has just been offered something like his 8th choice of uni first year accommodation. The uni is question is his firm. Prospective students had to choose 10.

He's pretty disappointed because it's at all want he was looking for but accepts that he may have little choice but to make the best of it.

In his email from the uni, there's no indication that he can request an alternative, should one be available. He's tried phoning but, unsurprisingly, the line has been engaged much of the day.

I was wondering if anyone's DC has managed, at about this time, to successfully request a hall other than the one that they've been offered.

Really - he'll be fine but I though it was worth asking here as presently DS is feeling rather glum. Many thanks.

I'd say his best bet is to accept it, see how it is when he gets there & if he hates it, badger the accommodation office to. move him. There is usually a few people who don't turn up or drop out after a few weeks I believe.

A friend of mine's daughter did this. She (the daughter not the parent) phoned up and got an alternative. I'd keep phoning but ensure she has a list in preferance order. often the problem is that everyone wants the same halls. Unconditionals and early exam boards tend to get first dibs. A levels are sat later than many other exams and the results are quite late.

Most university halls will be pretty full by now, which is presumably why he got his 8th choice. As another poster said, he could take this place and ask to be moved if possible later on.

Thanks, all. He's just spoken to accommodation who said that they still have students to allocate and that allocation is, in any case, done in the order in which applications come in. Transfer once he's arrived is possible, goes on a transfer list but of course that could be fine - or unsettling. And it's always possible, that sharing a bathroom with 5 other students and a mile walk to the uni buildings will be just fine -

Sounds like he'll be getting valuable lessons in sharing & regular healthy walks, brilliant

I would try not to worry. My DD got her 7th choice and actually loved it. 20 min walk to uni but right near the clubs and she made really good friends with her flatmates and a girl living in the same block. Once they get there, it's much more important they make friends and join societies, where they live doesn't seem to matter (although 5 to a bathroom does seem a bit much). One word of advice, try and be choosy about 2nd year accomm, tell him to really look at the place (watch out for damp problems and general grottiness) and not get carried away with the excitement of moving in with new friends.

PerpetualStudent - I, too, like the idea of the regular walks! Most of the other accommodation is a stone's throw from the uni buildings - out of bed, into class!
fairywoods - thanks for reassurance! And also for a reminder to choose carefully next year.

One of my other DCs lived, for his second year, in the most unbelievably grotty accommodation in his uni town. It just wasn't fit for purpose - any purpose. That was the year when landlords could more or less do/rent out what they wanted as student rooms were at a premium (these were the students who were paying under the old fee structure before it went up three fold). Now this particular uni's numbers have dropped considerably and there are signs everywhere in the town advertising rooms so very much more choice for second and third years.

5 to a bathroom and a mile away sounds fine to me. I'm not seeing the problem.

He'll find a community builds up around the hall, it might even become to go-to destination for people in halls closer to uni.

Is it a campus uni? Or a city one like London?

OP, That sounds like the uni my DD went too that year before the fees went up where students had to bunk up in single rooms.

She had to share a bathroom with six others and was horrified at he thought but she survived .

BestIsWest - I think we could be talking about the same uni - in Wales? DS bunked up, too, with someone who he's stayed good friends with.

Daffydil - I guess you're right. DS is going to find himself in a small (ish) house made up of a number of flats but he may well make friends in those circumstances. His older DS was in a large hall (with the bunked rooms) and in no time was he socialising with the students on his corridor. Before we'd even left the campus. This younger DC is worried that a house, bit of a way from campus, will be less convivial and as he is quite shy that's a particular concern for him. But of course, it could work in his favour ...

Once they arrive at Uni, friendships develop and the "room" and "situation" matter less than the relationships they build. People do move around but its rarely to be closer to the library or SU bar and more likely to be to move away from a group that a student really hasn't gelled with.

Additionally, being a mile from the Uni itself might pay off if they are nearer clubs or the town centre and a walk to lectures sounds like a good thing.

The sharing and distance sound fine to me - much like what they have to face in year two. Having said that, at the cost Halls places are, I'm not surprised people want to see what they consider to be "best value for money".

Bronwen that's the one.

DS has the opposite problem, we requested a shared bathroom and he's been allocated an expensive ensuite at £139 a week!

Have you tried asking if anyone wants to swap on the unis FB page or Student Room.

DS's uni made it clear that they make one offer only and its take it or leave it. This year they've actually had to reopen some halls they were planning to close down after more students made their offers than expected.

He just had his offer yesterday for a very nice en suite room within 'fall out of bed and into a lecture' distance. The rent however is an eye watering £224 per week! thank god he qualifies for their full bursary as well as the extra london allowance on his student finance or he would have a lovely room but nothing to eat