University offers for 2017 start (Part 2)

[EnormousTiger]

Continuation of the original thread which is now on to 40 page maximum.
Original thread (part 1) here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/2759621-Uni-offers-for-2017-start?

Most offers now received. My twins have had offers from their 4 and are currently deciding which will be firm and which insurance. One twin
( possibly two of them) is going to an offer holders' day coming up at Bristol next month with his friends from school.

Hi teta accommodation choices are pretty simple to do so if accommodation is open (most are now I think) you could encourage DD to do that. We've done one but still need to do the other one - I might see if I can get DD to do that before she goes back to school on Wednesday ( yes, it's still Easter hols here!)
Uni finance wasn't too bad either.
Very nice to have two offers for vet med !

Congrats to your dd teta.

For Bristol, the accommodation application process doesn't open until 1 June. You can relax about that one for the moment.
www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/undergraduate/apply/

Teta congratulations to your dd. She. Yay be over the moon. I'm relieved we've done finance, but accommodation and choosing a uni / course still to do.

getahaircut

Yay! = must be

Well done to all.
Yes if my sons choose Bristol which is likely if hey ever get round to firming.... then they can only book accommodation from 1 June as said above. I hope they get on with that early rather than late. Then the next issue with twins is different halls or not - they wouldn't want to share a room and probably happy to be at separate halls.

(I just did my sums for costs this morning actually but the accommodation costs are not up until late May apparently although presumably just a bit more than last year).

Carl, was the last a US university? You were very brave to allow three sets of applications with twins.

Bristol accommodation looms for us as well. DD was all ready to roll with it last year, and then decided to defer. This year, and after visiting friends at different Universities, she has decided she wants self catering, so she needs to start again. Maybe they will all end up in the same flat

Thank you aginghippy.
Hsmm, yes Dd was thrilled about the second offer.It really was a tough ride for a while there.I can't actually believe we can move into the next stage now.
needmoresleep Dd is also thinking about self catered halls in Clifton or in town .She is well able to cook and can't imagine sharing toilet facilities .Apparently the days on the Vet campus are too long for the catered accommodation and current vets have advised her to batch cook and freeze portions ahead of the week (and always have rice and pasta).Two friends going from her school want to go to catered halls only though.

DD says she wants self catered accommodation (though she is not so definite about going to Bristol). She will be doing engineering and had the same advice about batch cooking and freezing meals for the week.

She also she she expects to gain weight and that everyone gains weight in their first year

DD is almost certainly going to want to be in Stoke Bishop where the sports fields are. When we research last year Student Room comments were interesting and it looked as if there was a certain amount of self-segregation with livelier party animals opting for newer City centre accommodation. DD is sociable but medics, like vets, will have a pretty heavy work load, so halls described as full of nerdy engineers don't sound too bad. She likes her sleep.

Sharing facilities will not bother her after four to a room in a ski resort. At least I hope so as we have committed to paying her costs. And after three months interning at a cookery school and five months catering in a chalet she is a pretty dab hand at whipping up something fast. (And just made me lunch!)

Except RADA. Still one more round to go for fecking RADA!

She's through to the last round? Wow, that sounds like an achievement in itself.

My twins' older sister was at Wills Hall and loved it but if my boys pick Bristol it is very much up to them there they each live there. They both currently cook for themselves from scratch every day and one is vegan so not sure catered halls which don't even have a hob would work but may be okay. I don't want to interfere. They need to do some research however.

need can you believe it was bloody Durham?!?

errol it is cool to get this far but I think we'd all just like to know one way or another now.
The final round is soon. All day workshop. Then hopefully an answer, a few weeks after that.

My DD is a vet in year 1 at Bristol. She opted for Hiatt Baker self catering. She needs to be in control of her diet as she suffers from IBS so it has worked out very well. From a social point it has also suited her very well, she is come from a decidedly bog standard comprehensive school so dont believe all you hear about stoke bishop being full of ex private or grammer school kods!

Anyone else's DC ridiculously stressed? Or is that a silly question. Almost daily tears and panic attacks here but I guess if we see he GP he/she won't really be able to do/prescribe much Really don't know how we are going to get through these final few weeks

Chip, mine are fine (very laid back) but I am sure lots of others aren't and I still remember the stree of my own A levels all these years later. Is there a big risk yours won't get teh grades for what they are after? Usually even the back up options are fine so it's not a big deal.

One of my mine had a chat with me about the pros and cons of their 2 posisble first choices which was useful and we then saw him later doing a spread sheet of pros and cons of each on his PC so that's good although either place will be fine which is probably why they are finding it hard to choose.

Peace - self catering might be better for mine although so far as their older siblings all went for catered we have all just assumed that would be best. However my twins cook all their own meals, have quite strong views on what they like to eat and I am not sure catered is going to work for them actually. I didn't get catered as I had wanted (as I was not prepraed to share a room - over 30 years ago) and was disappointed at university and felt less involved where I lived as we were not quite in a group you'd get with all going to meals so I was quite glad the older 3 went for catered halls but I may just be applying my own bias to the twins. A self catered place with lots of other students around might work best. I told one that their possible catered place's kitchen only had a microwave and he said what kind of kitchen is that. He even cooks his breakfast every morning before school. I think at the least he's going to need a hob. The idea that a vegan is going to get a lot of really nice healthy foods at catered halls at university is probably very unlikely. He'll just end up with carb stodge and feel awful.

Really sorry to read your post Chip. This is the time we as parents/carers do all we can to bolster and support. I'm providing well balanced food, limiting other stresses at home and reassuring that we'll be there whatever the outcome and will support in any way we can. I'm sure you're doing all those things too but coping with stress is such a personal journey. If you feel seeing the GP is a way forward, do talk to them. There are lots of techniques that can be adopted to help limit stress and at this time of year GPs are used to listening to young patients with these exact concerns. As a parent you support, are there to listen, not necessarily offer advice unless it's clear they really want it(!), and do all you can to help them through this next few months. Has your DC spoken to school/tutor about ways to help? That can be beneficial for some. Others on here who have been through this with their DC will hopefully have more pertinent advice. Only you know your DC though and what they really need. I really hope you find a way through and you will.

I'm a bit surprised about your DD applying for accommodation at her insurance Errol. None of mine have ever applied for accommodation at their insurance but then it hasn't come to it so we don't know if it would have been a problem.

Chip my DS doesn't seem stressed either, but boys are way better generally at being cool with exams.

Sorry, that was supposed to be a question about accommodation! Do most places require all students to apply even if it's their insurance?

PeaceandlOve thank you for the information.Is it a quiet hall?I remember I had to move halls as a student, because loud music all night and a hard course didn't go together.Do many Vets stay in Clifton or Town centre Halls?
Chip at the moment Dd is pretty laid back.The most stressful time was waiting for an offer after her first rejection when all of her friends had offers before Christmas.I echo speaking to the school and maybe a sympathetic gp ( if there are any left?).Other things that you could help with is planning a revision timetable ( if not done yet).Dd has a countdown App on her phone which is useful.Good luck.

Dd has been stressed. This is why I am gently encouraging her to accept the unconditional offer, as I think the stress of getting the grades for her higher offer might push her over the edge.

We have a big chart on the living room wall showing pros, cons and costs of all her options.

Most people don't apply for accommodation at their insurance as far as I know. My children never have.

I am so glad Yr 13 is over for us. Only two DC. I don't think I could have done it again. Luckily the main stress for both mine was getting the place on over-subscribed courses, so the offer(s) when they came were very achievable. And with as many rejections as acceptances, there was no agony over choosing.

I am also pleased that DD bailed out at this stage and decided to defer. A unexpected advantage has been that she has seen her school friends cope with their first year at University, so has a better idea of what is in store. A couple were slower to find their feet, but now seem happy. A big difference from DDs perspective is between those who have clung to school friendships and not ventured further, and those who have moved on, finding new interests and friends from a variety of backgrounds. At Bristol DD is bound to trip over plenty from London private schools who share lots of mutual Facebook friends. My guess, and the year out will have helped, is that she will make friends through sport and through her course. I can't see her wanting to be limited to a private school clique.

I was very glad that we were able to choose accommodation options for DD's insurance choice at Swansea as that is the one she's most hopeful of getting the grades for. We're having a shot at Sheffield too but she feels she'd be almost equally happy with either, which is good! In fact hasn't yet got round to doing accommodation choices for Sheffield. I wish she would and hope she'll maybe do it in one of her frees when she goes back this week.
Thinking of you and your DC Chip, hope things ease a little for you both x

I went to Bristol and liked being closer to the Uni in one of the Clifton halls - Manor Hall in my case. I found out later that David Walliams lived there too but not in the same era. Lots of friends enjoyed their time in the Stoke Bishop halls across the downs though. It's not so far by bus or bike.

Thank you for your lovely thoughts/replies. DC has accepted an unconditional (which a teacher pooh-poohed saying unis give those out just to get bums in seats ) Not much of a talker to external people so I tend to get the brunt of it. I feel there may be some self-fulfilling prophecies going on ....