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Higher education

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

Original poster

Applying for Uni 2019 entry, parents support thread

998 replies

Decorhate · 09/09/2018 09:51

Now that they are back at school, working on Personal Statements, doing the final Open Day visits, I thought we could do with a new thread...

OP posts:
Justanothermile · 22/09/2018 19:15

Although, the taxi driver that took us back to the hotel took us on a free of charge tour of the city which was more like an excursion, he knew everything about it all, such a friendly and lovely thing to do, even though it took nearly an hour. Good job he'd turned off the meter. Grin

Witchend · 22/09/2018 19:24

@AtiaoftheJulii
And tbh ds would take it with a pinch of salt from his college, because they've obviously told him uni application stuff that he knows to be factually inaccurate.
Dd1 would agree to that. She says they've said you must put things down that the unis have said no point. She's ignored their guidelines as much as possible and been having help from TSR.

But she has been told it's a good idea to leave the 5th blank by her tutor, so is doing that quite happily as it's what she wanted to do anyway.
Confused

AtiaoftheJulii · 22/09/2018 19:31

Lol, they're not even consistent then! I don't think it's a bad idea to leave a space, but I don't know that I'd be advising it as a good idea for everyone.

Ds is back on ComSci today, and we've had a chat about which other unis he might add - I think he would quite like to get it all done so he can forget about it for a while. Think Manchester is still his favourite, he's going to apply to Cambridge as a "what the hell, might as well try" option, and I think he'll probably also put Bristol, Glasgow and Leeds. Dd1 also applied to those 3 (Leeds was her insurance), and dd2 applied to Bristol and Leeds. Obviously my kids have similar tastes in some areas!

Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2018 19:35

I'll Let you off aurea ! Wink

eatinglesschocolate · 22/09/2018 20:33

ifonlyfor Nottingham.... Campus was beautiful. (We both think this). DD felt too much like school (leafy boarding school, she's seen enough lawnsHmmGrin). I thought the accommodation was fine if a little 'rustic'. DD didn't like that most it was catered( too much like school and worried she wouldn't get self catered). Most important for her and what really matters I think.... She felt the lecturer alluded to teaching the students interfered with his research. I couldn't disagree with her. She wanted to like it and was gutted that something sat badly. However, she loved the Classics dept and was nearly swayed to change course so maybe just a bad comment from Politics lecturer ruined it for her.
I've just ran all this past her and she's again said...' I wish I'd liked it.' So.... I'd give it a chance.Hmm

LoniceraJaponica · 22/09/2018 20:41

DD liked the Nottingham campus and, like eatinglesschoclate's DD, didn't like the fact that just about all the first year is catered. We didn't bother looking at the accommodation.

ElizabethBennetismybestfriend · 22/09/2018 20:49

Just back from Liverpool and andloved it. Just need to visit Cardiff and then she can decide whether Liverpool will be firm or insurance. Great to see her so animated compared to the visits last week. We are also looking at Manchester but it looks like Cardiff or Liverpool for Psychology.

Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2018 21:25

See now, catered would be a good thing for DS!

Unofrtunately, this seems to be the preserve of unis out of his reach these days , mostly.

eatinglesschocolate · 22/09/2018 21:30

So DD's house mistress has told her to at look at Exeter. Hmm Will only visit if she gets an offer (if she applies). Go on ladies...give me experiences and anecdotes. I'm an 8hr drive away so have avoided looking at it in depth. International Relations if that has any bearing in feedback. She's not a clubber/drinker to fit in. She's sociable but doesn't need to get wasted to have fun if you get my drift Grin

Original poster
Decorhate · 22/09/2018 21:34

I steered mine away from Exeter because of the hideous journey...

OP posts:
LoniceraJaponica · 22/09/2018 21:38

DD's favourite by far is Newcastle.

Piggy DD is vegetarian, and doesn't want to eat "shit food" at specified times of day. She is also a competent cook, and a bit of a foodie (like me)

LoniceraJaponica · 22/09/2018 21:43

Exeter is a hideous journey for us as well. We did Bristol last year and got messed around by Cross Country trains. As DD didn't like Bristol it was easy to be put off by the journey.

Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2018 21:48

lonicera she sounds the binary opposite of my DS!

Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2018 21:49

Exeter = green wellies!

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 22/09/2018 22:10

@loniceraJaponica my DS at newcastle and loves it

@piggywaspushed my DS has lots of friends from his comp at Exeter and I think that stereotype unhelpful...

LoniceraJaponica · 22/09/2018 22:10

Piggy I wasn't aware that certain types of university did catered halls. The universities we have looked at this time around (York, Lancaster, Newcastle) all have mainly self catered halls.

LoniceraJaponica · 22/09/2018 22:11

What is he studying mumsiedarlingrevolta?

DD wants to do biomedical science.

Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2018 22:30

maybe mumsie... one of my students (years ago tis true) was on a corridor with Princess Anne's son!

The cayered halls dominate in the more traditional unis lonicera, it seems...

Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2018 22:31

catered...

2BoysandaCairn · 22/09/2018 22:31

FrameyMcFrame
Of course you can, sorry for late reply I had to collect Ds from uni this morning (family birthday) and been at work all afternoon.
He applied for Criminology, To the Universities of Bradford, Hull, Lincoln, CuScarborough and Derby. Bradford asked for BBC, Hull for BB, Lincoln BCC (made a unconditional offer, if he firmed them, within 12 hours), Scarborough BCC and Derby CCC (CDD if he took a foundation year). Ended up choosing Lincoln.
Started Sunday, loving it, great set of 5 flatmates and brilliant course students too. 1st lecture 0900 Monday.
Lincoln was his first choice after opens and offers day confirmed it.
HTH
Also 3 universities (Hull included, but 1 RG and 1 top 15 too offered courses in LAW to him through clearing, think AAB and ABB original tariffs but in December)

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 22/09/2018 22:43

@loniericaJaponica he is doing biology/nutrition thing but if truth be told he also went for the rowing...think his gf did biomedical science-now doing Masters

2BoysandaCairn · 22/09/2018 22:44

@piggywaspushed
I think it may be criminology lecturers, I did 3 open day visits, Dwife 2 visits, and every university had "interesting lecturers, shall we say"
In Ds eyes the one at Lincoln who did an 78 minute sample lecture (should have been 45 ) and had music, props and was seen lying on tables doing a dying spider impression, was the best.
Hull and Scarborough the next best,
Bradford and Derby, dropped because they had boring school type teachers.
Ds said why spend 3 years and £28000 and be bored rigid, when you can learn and be entertain too. Not sure that the correct way to finalise your choices though Grin

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 22/09/2018 22:45

and have to add-newcastle brilliant. could not recommend more.

Unlike Brighton where DS1 went and was an absolute shitstorm

Itsmeaga1n · 22/09/2018 22:51

Dd doesn't want to attend open days, she wants to go to York but it doesn't look like she'll get the grades at the moment. I'm hoping she can work really hard and improve on her AS grades. However her love life seems to interest her more atm. ..

Apparently they're working on their personal statement but I've not seen it yet. Otherwise she seems to know nothing about the procedure and I've not done it before so am a bit lost tbh. No info or advice from school yet.

2BoysandaCairn · 22/09/2018 23:11

Itsmeaga1n
Ucas is your friend, they have loads of information on their website.
Ds1 applied last year from an inadequate northern comprehensive.
We got numerous emails from UCAS, as his school failed to correctly submit his application. Did on the 9th attempt!
They where great at Oxbridge, no one ever gets in though, and RG, but crap at non RG and degree apprenticeships, because those kids don't get into the press and big it up.