Anyone's kids at Harper Adams Uni?

[Handbaghag]

DS has a place at HAU. it's so different to other unis as it's in the middle of nowhere. My mum brain is working overtime about a few things and wondered if there are any MNetters who are dab hands already or in the same boat?

No, my dc aren't there, but I've been there.
What is it you want to know - maybe some MNers can help, through knowing a similar campus ?

It was practical things like availability of work in Newport, what was transport like, what amenities are available in Edmond at the weekend for food etc.

There's not much in Edgmond apart from Harper Adams, really. There are three pubs in the village. There are plenty of catering outlets within HAU but I've never been there at weekends, so I don't know what it's like then.

Newport is quite lively but it's small and the bus service between Edmond & Newport at weekends is pretty patchy. If you're going to the trouble of getting a bus it's probably better to go to Shrewsbury, but the last bus home is at 5:10 pm. I'd imagine students go out in groups and get taxis to Telford, Shrewsbury or Wolverhampton. I think the university makes reasonable provision for students to park cars if they have them.

Sorry, should have added the university runs a free minibus to Newport on Saturdays and Telford on Sundays (www.harper-adams.ac.uk/university-life/our-university/travel-information.cfm). Again, though, the last bus home is quite early, so this is more for shopping than for working.

Thank you

Newport is a lovely, lively little town - where my DC did their pre-uni socialising!

Hello, I graduated from Harper a couple of years ago and I can honestly say I loved every minute of it.
The university in edgmond and in first year most students live on campus. The catered halls mean you get fed mon-Friday and theirs a small shop on site for snacks, drinks etc. In non catered halls most people I knew in them would order online, Asda delivers to the campus and it wasn’t uncommon for them to deliver an entire flats shopping at once. There are plenty of catering outlets on site although not all open at weekends and if he is self catered and can’t be bothered to cook one day he can pay to eat with catered students in the dining hall also.
Having a car definitely makes things easier however isn’t completely necessary, I didn’t have one and managed fine with the university bus services, I also found that as a lot of students had come from rural places most had a car and I never had a problem finding a lift in exchange for petrol money or lunch etc. In fact most people carpooled wherever they went particularly in second year when most people live in Newport.
Newport is a small town but as it has so many students there was always something going on and the student union really tried with regards to keeping everyone entertained. It had enough shops to do weekly shopping in and teleford is only a 20 minute drive away which had any shop you would really need.
With regards to work I’ll say that honestly I struggled, the university is pretty good at employing people but usually only for a few days a term for open days etc. The location is rural and work is limited in Newport itself without a car I didn’t find anything although I admittedly didn’t try to hard. In my final year I bought a car with money earned on placement and found much more work opportunities, if your DS is willing to milk cows, do farm labour etc then work is abundant provided he has transport.
Please feel free to ask any other questions or DM me

Thanks Supportsoil - that's really helpful and very kind of you to take the time to say so much.

I work at Harper Adams so happy to answer any questions. One thing I will say is that there has been a huge drive to improve transport options and the range of extra curricular activities available.

Thanksnumtum really appreciate it

supportsoil and numtum do they really get their laundry done in halls or does that mean their bedding is washed?

www.harper-adams.ac.uk/university-life/accommodation/faq.cfm

This would imply that some accommodation includes a full laundry service (going on the question, Is it true I have to nameallof my clothes? and the response)?

While I was there all halls got laundry done I think now some have the option of self service laundry. Each halls had a day where laundry was put in named bags and left at the bottom of the stairs where it’d be collected from early morning. You then went and picked it up from the laundry room a couple of days later. You had to fill a form in and put it in the bag with your clothes and eg. 5x T-shirt’s 2x jeans etc and there was a limit but it was a generous one.
Anything you wanted washing in between or considered to gross for laundry (lots of students worked on farms) could be washed at a self service laundrette.
It was a great system that I didn’t fully appreciate until moving back into halls for my masters and learning just how expensive student hall laundry is.

Hello @Handbaghag - I'm a bit late to this thread, but just wanted to connect - my dd has also been offered a place at HA for this September, and has made it her first choice - she absolutely loves it and was thrilled to be offered a place after her interview. I went to the interview day with her and so had a good look around all the accomodation etc, it looked good. We're thinking about applying for the catered accomodation, it seems to make sense, then they do cater for themselves at weekends so don't need to buy too much food.

Newport is a lovely town - we're already quite local, so I know the local towns well - it probably doesn't have loads of work opportunities, but Telford and Shrewsbury do if the students can get there (buses are ok from Newport to those places, and the uni runs a free minibus to Newport.)

My dd is so excited - now to get the grades!

Feel free to PM if you want to talk more.

@Madhairday- i hope she got her grades? My son did and is starting in September- all very exciting, we are coming up from Kent so are not familiar with area- but he will be bringing his car along ! hes on the off road mechanical engineereing course!

@stresshead67 she did! One of her grades was one lower than the offer but her place was confirmed on UCAS track anyway. She's thrilled. Have you heard anything yet directly from Harper, eg about accomodation? I was worried there didn't seem to be anywhere to click confirm, but apparently it's just how track works and you are already confirmed if you chose it for first choice. I just like to worry about these things 😂

Great that your ds is bringing a car - looks like it will be helpful. Transport links aren't too bad though, especially from Newport.

I think it starts on 23rd September and they can move in on 22nd, I guess that's fresher's week then? I really must research it properly. So relieved she's in, it's the only one she really wanted. :)

@Madhairday - well done to your daughter- my DS was same- only ever wanted to go to HAU) good luck to them both!