Applying for Uni 2019 entry Part 4, UCAS & offers (and thinking about exams)

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Following on from the previous thread.

The accommodation is a bit of a lottery at DD's university. Even though she has her grades and has confirmed that she is definitely going there the accommodation applications don't open until April, and the accommodation isn't allocated until several months later. DD wants an en suite, but is likely to end up in partyville sharing a bathroom with 4 other people

Yikes, I'd not factored in having to pay an accommodation deposit as yet!

DS’s applicant day is tomorrow. There are several dates.

Sorry, yes, I know - it was more a question of, has she booked the right day / did I book the right train. DH is going to Leeds with DD next week and on Saturday, suddenly noticed that he had booked the return tickets for the wrong day.

When I went with her to the open day at Leeds, I'd booked the right trains and the hotel for the right night - but at midnight, 36 hours before the right open day, I discovered that she had put her name down for the one four weeks later, the one that neither she, nor either of us could go to...

Fortunately, the university was very accommodating.

I think either way unis have got it wrong (or can't win, I am sure they would say!) re accommodation. The allocation after averyone has applied feels like only the most laid back would get anxious, and first come first served feels like pressure selling!

We are attending UEA applicant day tomorrow. Although I think it is more to check out accommodation again more than anything else. The grade boundaries are not much lower than RH which is likely to be firm choice.
When do we apply for student finance ? I'm really worried about not being able to work out the sums correctly for a rough idea of how much we can afford for it all.

I was texting someone today who is applying for student finance already which took me aback! It never stops. I haven't even thought about that. Sometimes I think I am not grown up enough to be a parent.

I woudl know NOTHING wthout Mumsnet.

No pressure for us regarding the accommodation Piggy. We didn’t know it would be sorted out so quickly when Dd applies so it was a total surprise when we got the offer through. We didn’t expect to hear anything until the closing date for applications. Saying that Dd is delighted and is already thinking about what she needs.
Regarding the deposit New Model we were asked for £150 to secure the offer so it wasn’t too bad.

When we were at UEA on Saturday they said student finance application needs to be made before 25th May to be sure you will get paid at the start of term in September.

Job for Easter then!

Marching - I see what you mean. I hope everything is properly booked now and for the right dates 🙂.

Well....just got back from UEA, hated the surroundings, some of the accommodation was shocking, I could smell urine, 2 toilets and 3 bathrooms to 14students? Course itself sounds like they really want the students to do well and a lot of support, but everything was so dated/ tired looking. DS strangely said he loves it and wants to firm over Cardiff and Swansea😯 I’m quite frankly, gob truly smacked.

I’m beginning to think encouraging DS to attend applicantdays was a mistake?

Shimy did you only look at the Ziggurat accommodation? I saw lots of good and also new accommodation, (mind you my DS wants en-suite so we ruled the Ziggurat out).

Ziggurats are popular with the party crowd but an acquired taste. The rest of the UEA accommodation is the best we have seen for the cost. DS1 fell in love with it and is in year 3 now. DS2 is going to an offer dat on Saturday and I wouldn't be surprised if he chooses it too. It beats all the others we have seen hands down

One of my nephews was in Ziggurats and really liked it but DS is in Nelson (clearing only) and that seems quite good. Reasonable size bedroom & en suite wet room. My nephew chose Ziggurats as it was the cheapest.

Itscold- we saw different types but for some weird reason, Ziggurat is ds's Favourite because of its proximity to his classes. It’s notreally registering how bad it can get. I thought student village was lovely and definitely value for money. DS is super quiet and introverted, doesn’t much like parties at all.

I posted way back on about thread 2 about Ziggurats : it was the thing that nearly put DS (who didn't need much encouargement) off uni altogether. If I had known I would have gone to the other accommodation but we just decided to look at one. I am told the rest is nicer there but Zigurats is, frankly, shocking. Hull is £100 pw and beautiful!

The kitchens at Ziggurats shocked me : no oven! One fridge freezer! Honestly, it was worse than my accommodation in the late 80s.

Piggy, I’m nodding to everything you’re saying. It should be completely bull dozed. My heads still spinning and cannot unsee it.

They make quite a big deal about its cutting edge 60s brutalist style as if it's retro cool !

And you get all that glory for £111pw! It’s not even f**cheap😡

Well as a designer I love all the concrete and thought the Ziggurat rooms were lovely, but I get it’s an acquired taste and no way would DS live there (mind you he doesn’t party, is introverted and wouldn’t dream of sharing a bathroom). The newest accommodation was some of the best we’ve seen (and we’ve been to lots of unis) maybe only topped by the newest accommodation at Bath.

They had a really good selection of different accommodation to suit the pocket. The en-suite ones were okay and I thought the Village, excellent! But why DS thinks Ziggurat is the place to be isbeyond me.

I think it's quite cool. Didn't you see the modern blocks, the Sainsbury building or the lake and grounds? The Zigs are striking to look at and have the best views of the lake. You should see Keele equivalent accommodation if you think the Zigs are bad 😁

The grounds are lovely definitely.

I guess some of these 60s campuses haven't been updated much!