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Higher education

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

Original poster

Uni Freshers 2016 (second thread)

862 replies

soapybox · 13/10/2016 12:27

A new thread!

OP posts:
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11
Leeds2 · 17/05/2018 09:31

My DD came home for the summer on Monday! Only here for three weeks though, as she has a two month placement elsewhere.

hellsbells99 · 17/05/2018 17:02

LIZS and Leeds2 - glad yours are doing okay.
LIZS at least you won't have to subsidise 2 students at the same time - bad planning on my behalf! .....unless your DS does a masters year.
My 2 will be home sometime around the beginning of June I think - although DD2 may stay on for a couple of weeks before going on holiday with friends from home. DD1 may come home tonight for a couple of days as she is on a revising week and finds it easier to study at home.

Leeds2 · 17/05/2018 18:41

Good Luck with the revision, hells! I bet home cooked meals and a decent bed will help the process! DD hasn't mentioned any holidays - you have reminded me to ask.

hellsbells99 · 18/05/2018 00:26

Thanks Leeds2!

raspberryrippleicecream · 01/06/2018 20:37

DS1 still has exams - last one on Monday. He is coming home for a weekend afterwards, partly to help DD with some revision for her Maths A level. He has commitments so won't be back properly until the end of June.

He is four years so halfway through! All being well I will have 2 at uni in September with an overlap of 2 years.

Sophiesdog11 · 02/06/2018 07:58

I NC a while ago, am Kath from previous posts.

DS had last exam yesterday, said it went well, 2 questions were identical to a past paper he had done on Thursday! Had a course ball last night, coming home later today - second year done. Gulp, where did those 2 years go??

So he has a month at home before his placement starts. He had induction 3wks ago, I was away that weekend so heard v little about it, but he mentioned earlier this week that he was in a group chat for house hunting with another guy and 2 girls, the guy was going to view 2 on weds. He said yesterday both were fine but they have chosen the one with 2 bathroooms as all will be heading to work together!! He and at least one other will have cars with them and there is parking. So just a case of sorting the tenancy now, not sure if their placement contracts will be accepted as proof of income or whether I will have to be a guarantor for him.

The house is near a university, so v much student accommodation again and no more expensive than his uni house, so he should have plenty of money left over each month.

I am going to miss him even more than uni I think but I am also so excited for him, the job is in an organisation he is desperate to work for, and they are on S coast so will have lots to do at weekends. We will no doubt visit the area regularly too, with the caravan! DD finishing college, having gap year but prob not going uni anyway. She is now driving with a car and a PT job, so means we are more free for weekends away.

He said yesterday, no more exams till 2020. I think it will be good for him to have a break, he studies v intensively.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 02/06/2018 15:44

DS1 is in the middle of his second set of exams. He's definitely found the work harder this year and doesn't think he's done as well as last year.

He got his house sorted before Christmas but it's been complicated. One friend has got a placement abroad and another has now dropped out due to mental health issues. So their house of 7 has found one replacement and is still looking for another. Most of DS1's closest friends have either dropped out or 3 have a year abroad next year.

DS1 has decided that 3 years is going to be enough for him. He hasn't had much luck romantically while at uni and while that's possibly good for his studies he does spend quite a lot of time with the 'lads.' Scary to think he'll be (should be) job hunting next year.

LIZS · 02/06/2018 15:47

Ds finished exams weeks ago but this week had sessions re. Dissertation. Term officially finishes next weekend but he has a bit longer on his rental then a gap before next one starts.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 26/07/2018 15:58

DS1's second year results were good, not as good as his first year but still excellent. He's on holiday with his Marxist friends at the moment (he calls it a conference, but lots of eating and drinking happening.)

He's got 7 weeks work sorted after that then roll on 3rd (and last!) year.

Leeds2 · 26/07/2018 19:13

My DD's degree is 4 years, so only half way through. Going by very quickly though!
She gets back from a two month internship in Dublin on Sunday, so I am looking forward to having her home again before she heads back to university. She is sharing a flat with a friend, but their tenancy doesn't start until 1 Sept and she has to be back before that, so think she will be sofa surfing!
And Well Done to DS on his second year results, Ellen.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 27/07/2018 00:09

Thanks Leeds Dublin must seem like next door compared to the US!

Leeds2 · 27/07/2018 12:22

I have even been to visit, Ellen!

LIZS · 17/09/2018 21:41

This thread has gone rather quiet! Final year here, ds will return to uni towards the end of the week. Only 4 regular contact hours per week. Just starting application process for dd, so he will finish (and boomerang home) just as she will go.

VanCleefArpels · 20/09/2018 13:46

A word of caution for all our DC’s going in to final year and privately renting accommodation.

It has come to my attention that some Unis deem the students to no longer qualify as “students” for council tax exemption purposes at the end of the “taught course” or “second semester” which could be as early as Easter. This means they will be slapped with a council tax bill from their local authority, for which they may be deemed jointly and severally liable with their housemates.

You can look up on local authority websites and student union information what the policy is in your DC’s area (at my DS the no longer deemed a student date is the end of the summer term, quite rightly since fees are paid for the whole year!)

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 23/09/2018 11:10

Thanks for the warning! DS1 is in accommodation managed by the uni as an agent but in a house owned by a landlord, iyswim. So he pays rent to the uni who then pays the landlord. Nothing in terms and conditions about council tax being due end of 3rd year but worth checking.

He was dropped off yesterday for his final year. Missing him already but at least I have 2 still at home. DS2 has started an HNC at the local college. He has ASD and wouldn't manage living away or the workload of a degree course. DS3 just starting sixth form and we'll be doing university open days all over again!

DS3 has around 16-17 weekly contact hours. Maths is more lecture heavy than some, I guess.

hellsbells99 · 24/09/2018 18:51

Hello all and welcome back for their 3rd year. LIZS that's not many hours. Does he have a lot of self study etc.? Ellen, one of mine does maths and she has about 18 hours at the moment. DD2 hasn't got her full timetable yet but I think it was about 24 hours last semester on average. DD2 is doing freshers week this week whereas DD1 has had 1st day of lectures today. DD2 went and joined in with DD1's freshers for a couple of days last week. The house suddenly seems very quiet tonight!

hellsbells99 · 24/09/2018 18:58

Sorry forgot to say that DD2 still has 2 years to go or possibly 3 if she does a placement next year. DD1 still hasn't decided whether she is doing 3 or 4 years. I look forward to when they are working and I am not paying for their accommodation!

raspberryrippleicecream · 24/09/2018 20:02

DS1 is still at home, goes back to help with Freshers next Sunday. He also still has 2 years to go, as do all his flatmates so no worries about Council tax.

My DD started uni 2 weeks ago, still DS2 at home but will be very quiet after next week.

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 24/09/2018 21:52

DS1 now has a girlfriend that he met on his Marxist week in Italy. She seems very nice and is now a second year student in London. She's doing one of those lecture light courses and has no lectures on a Friday so I think she'll be visiting DS1 every other weekend or so. It's cute and he's really happy, but it'll mean I'll probably see even less of him. Growing up...

VanCleefArpels · 25/09/2018 07:45

My DS has fewest contact hours this year because of dissertation which is “off timetable” IYSWIM. Hopefully he will use some time to start applying for jobs!

LIZS · 25/09/2018 08:11

Ds has a dissertation and a placement module which in themselves should take up time each week with the occasional seminar to support it. The 4 hours is for the 2 taught modules. Benefit is his finals will only be 2 exams! This week he is helping recruit freshers to the society he is involved in. Term starts next week and there is a careers fair soon.

Squirrills · 18/03/2019 11:36

If you were on this thread, it's coming up to the end of their third year. Where did that go?
I just wondered what all our DC were up to? Jobs, Masters, gap year?

Dunlurking · 18/03/2019 12:09

Squirrills I came on here yesterday thinking to ask the same thing then got distracted! What is your year 3 ds planning? Our ds has decided to apply for a one year graduate diploma in dance in a London conservatoire (Trinity Laban), after spending all the time he wasn't studying for his Liberal Arts degree, on performing, choreographing, teaching, and competing in dance (tap, jazz, contemporary, ballet etc) in various university dance societies.

LIZS · 18/03/2019 12:21

Ds has just 2 weeks of teaching left this term. 3 essays and a presentation to submit then Dissertation due just after Easter, followed by 2 exams next term , then done! He's trying to apply for grad schemes but is finding it difficult to juggle their deadlines with the workload.

Graziass · 18/03/2019 12:39

Hi Dunlurking and LIZS
It's great that your DS has found something he really wants to do Dunlurking.
DS is in a similar position to your DS LIZS. He's working on his dissertation and then exam revision. He's applied for a few grad schemes but hasn't got one yet and hasn't ruled out a masters though he doesn't want to do the integrated masters where he is. He's still unsure what he wants to do and I think the current plan is to have some kind of gap year - get a job back home and do some travelling.
Meanwhile lots of 21st birthdays.....