Applying for Uni 2019 entry, parents support thread

[Decorhate]

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...

We visited 7 last year and are doing 4 this year (gap year). Three of them are revisits from last year, but for a slightly different subject. I think DD has already decided on her 1 and 2, and as she already has the required A level grades she has been told that she will get offers straight away.

My eldest DD is Yr13. We've done some open days but she now has a Saturday job and it will be hard for her to take time off. Can we do some trips over half term and have a look around even though they wont be official 'open days'?

pontious That's how we narrowed choices down. Visited one and couldn't get back in the car quick enough so knew we didn't need to do open day! DD did think their marketing dept deserved a bonus as website and brochure looked great! Only one didn't survive the actual open day look but we'd liked it enough on the unofficial visit to give it a chance.

My DS2 is in year 12. Is it worth to start visiting open days now?
He didn't decide yet which course to do.

Elena they are coming to an end now but what I did at this time last year was take ds to a local uni so he could find out a bit more about different subjects. Then he was ready to research & decide where he was interested in looking at this year

Elena there's a website with the dates on - www.opendays.com
As Decorhate said they are nearly all done now, but a few still over the next few weeks. Does your DS have any ideas of what he wants to do?

My dd has decided she wants to go to York. My worry (as a newbie to all this) is accommodation. When do we apply for accommodation and will she be in student accommodation or will she have to find private accommodation? How is the decision made?

Also when and how do we start applying for grants and loans? How much is she likely to receive - I'm a single parent with very low income?

Thanks. Sorry if these are stupid questions, we're receiving no advice from school at the moment.

@itsmeaga1n from what I have gathered on the rounds so far (UCL & Bath), once offers are made then accommodation can be applied for and if you make the uni your firm choice you are guaranteed a place.

We have Edinburgh and Sheffield to visit next month. Wasn't possible to visit Nottingham last week but looks likely to take the 5th spot on the list.

Can't quite believe she will be going off to one of the above next year.

Thanks nessus

Anyone going to Manchester Open day next weekend?
We are planning to.
Are there any others on?

We are, but I'm not sure how we are going to get there because shitty Northern Rail are on strike.

@itsmeaga1n Regarding the student loan, from memory I think you apply in the spring once you have firmed. You would need to check on the York website what they offer in addition in the way of bursaries. Usually you don't need to apply separately for those - the uni will automatically know who qualifies from the info you send to Student Finance

York is a collegiate university so everyone lives in one of the colleges in first year.

... although there are other options , too, should add !

Itsmeaga1n Straightforward guide to student finance
Includes a sliding scale of household income/maintenance loan available. Numbers are all for this year, so will be a tiny bit higher next year.

Generally first years are in university halls, and after that people tend to get into groups and rent privately. Although I was reading on here yesterday that York have lots of accommodation and a fair proportion of second and third years live in halls too.

Has anyone been to Cardiff University open day? Dd had it in mind as first choice but is now thinking of Liverpool because of the opportunities for studying abroad without adding an extra year to her degree.

My DD absolutely loved Cardiff - campus feel, but still in the city. It had a very nice atmosphere - easy to imagine living there (I felt as if I’d like to go there myself). It’s also supposedly the most affordable place to study in Britain.

What does your dd want to study - interested to know how you can do a year abroad without adding an extra year. My dd is thinking of French and Philosphy - Cardiff Law and French course looked really good, but she’s gone off law. We visited the business school at Cardiff - missed the talk, but ran into the course head in the lift and she came out to give us a personal presentation (made dd realise she doesn’t want to do business, but their business courses with a language sound great if that’s your thing).

The year abroad is what they would study during that year if they stayed at home.

I see - so I suppose it depends on the course and where you go abroad as to whether they are covering the same ground you would be covering if you stayed in the UK.

Dd is studying Psychology. Liverpool offer the chance to take part of your course at another university abroad, in her case, Italy, Canada, or Australia . So you would be abroad for a semester rather than a whole year.

DS applying to Cambridge, Durham and York for Physics. Very daunting but exciting time for all.

Lots of places offer semester abroad at a partner institution, credits gained there will be put towards credits at “home” so it’s not a jolly. Nottingham Uni and Trent Uni definitely do this, loads more will have similar schemes.

Elizabeth, haven't been to Cardiff myself, but my friend's son really likes the layout and accommodation and it is top for him over Southampton, Durham, Birmingham.

Thanks for our feedback over Edinburgh and Nottingham everyone. As we won't have done a proper open day for either, I've pointed out to DD she needs to check the course is what she wants and ask questions. Any feedback over Durham still appreciated. I think DD will end up visiting 3/5 she applying for. Just hope it works out if she ends up at one she hasn't seen. She boards out of county (on scholarship) and I work Sundays, so it's hard to get to open days.