University life for freshers (2019/20) - Christmas backpacking (or not) and festive homecomings with all the tinseltastic trimmings!

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread.

Does anyone know what the pass mark or percentage is to pass Year 1 and be able to move into year 2. Is it different for each course. My DS doesnt have a clue. Thanks

I wonder if some landlords really chance their arm with students. It's rather more difficult to stand up to an assertive adult than it is trying to pull one over 19 and 20-year-olds, I would have thought.

Thanks, I appreciate all your comments, they are what gave me the confidence to challenge the landlord. Actually he was very reasonable and said it was preferable but not essential if they'd rather avoid a shared account. As it's an all inclusive rental payment they won't need a shared account for bills or anything so it seemed unnecessary.

@minesawine - DS tells me he needs to get 40% to progress to year 2. I think that’s pretty standard.
Year 1 doesn’t count towards his degree.

Just checking in again as I seem to have dropped off this thread 😊

Thank you Blame.

Another question - is it better to do a 4 year degree with a year in industry or do 3 years and finish sooner. My DS is doing economics and Business management. He is not sure what field he wants to eventually go into but is weighing up both options. Is it hard for DC's to go back to uni after a year out. Thanks

My eldest did the year in practice, went back to do his finals and said working in the industry helped a lot of things fall into place. He said without that he would not have got as good a degree. He also went straight into a job.

My DS is in his final year after a year out. Things to consider:

Getting placements is not as easy as unis would have you believe. My DS was just signposted to a recruitment website serving the whole country, so up against many others.

As well as placements related to his course, he applied for and eventually got one in a niche industry that he is interested in. But he could show previous interest, which helped.

Most of his course friends had given up on the application process by Xmas of Yr2, as they wanted to confirm Yr 3 housing if they weren’t going to get a placement. DS started the accommodation process after being turned down initially for the niche position at end of Jan, only to be offered it 3 wks later. Luckily he (we!) ‘only’ lost the initial £50 fee for referencing.

As most of his course friends didn’t get placements, they all graduated last summer. Only one other of his 20+ group did a year out, so there are only the 2 of them from the group left this year. He hasn’t made friends with anyone from the year below, who are now in their final year with him. He has found this hard both from social side, as less friends to go out with, and not able to bounce course ideas off other people, revise with them etc.

I don’t think he found getting back into studying particularly hard, although he is very organised generally and a hard worker.

A friend whose DD also did a year out, told me that many find that having had to work 9-5 helps them in the final year and often spend those hours in library when not at lectures.

Another thing to consider is who will he live with 8n final year, does he have friends doing 4yr courses that he can move in with? DS has ended up with 2 girls who also had a year out, and a guy who is on a 4yr masters course. He only knew one of the girls before sorting a house with them. He gets in Ok with other 2, but don’t think they socialise much together.

On the plus side, he had a brilliant year. Loved the placement, they loved him, he saved loads of money to help him go travelling this autumn. He knows now that he wants to work in that industry, and, having worked in that company, which are the No 1 for the industry in UK, he should have a reasonable chance of getting back in.

He lived with 3 other students, all on placement in same company - one disappeared home a lot but he is still in close contact with other 2.

Any other questions, please ask!

DS went through Hays recruitment, a temping agency. I would check with temping agencies and see which way the wind is blowing re: jobs.

Oh he did stay in the house for the year he worked rather than coming home which meant he had a wider pool for jobs. In his final year he went back into halls, so much work to do he said it was easier to have no responsibilities that year.

@justasking111 - so did your DS get his placement in his uni city? it sounds like it?

My DS was 4hrs from home, his uni is 1hr in opposite direction. None of the placements that DS and his course mates applied for were in his uni city, or commutable from our home.

I suppose it depends on where you go to uni, what course you do and what sort of placement you are after. London will have a decent number of placements, as will other cities, but many will need to go away from home and uni.

There is a lady on the ‘Started uni in 2017’ thread whose DS is on placement many miles from home, in a remote area.

If your dc can do the placement in their uni city then a good plan would be to houseshare that year with others on placement- then they have a ready made group for final year. Anecdotally, it definitely seems to be hard to get placements, as Melvinsmum said.

My ds is debating whether or not to do the year in industry. He’s already doing a 4 year course so it would make it even longer. Though if he found a good placement there is a strong possibility they would offer him a graduate job later.

DS had to catch a train every day into work. But he was paid the going rate so felt rich after two student years. Talk to the agencies get things lined up, cv done earlier rather than later.

Mine our DSs are on the same course and my DS is particularly interested in doing the year out, I think it will be a great experience for him and very useful in the future when applying for jobs - as he is not hugely academic I believe the practical side will be very important. Good point to think about accommodation and who he will live with in the final year but interestingly his second year accommodation is with a third year student who he has met through one of the societies and all her fellow students are on their year out so if you have friends across year groups etc it can probably work out OK.

(No idea about the pass rate to get onto year two will get DS to make enquiries as I believe exams are coming up soon?). My niece failed her first year exams but was allowed to re-do them at the end of her summer term and then got onto her second year - different course/uni though.

Mine just thought of something else, there is a Job/Placement event coming up in early March so I know it's a bit early for our DSs but worth going along to see what might be available for Year 3?

Bit concerned that DD has lectures in the RVI. Although I know that strict infection control procedures will be in place, DD's immune system isn't great.

What’s the RVI @Ginfordinner?

Royal Victoria Infirmary. The main hospital in Newcastle. DD says that the medical school, where she has lectures, is in the hospital. I thought it was next to the hospital, but there is probably indoor access from one to the other.

Just seen the news. Sorry.

Was surprised to see that the coach driver taking the people from to quarantine areas, was not wearing a face mask or any protection at all, yet an official next to him was in the full gear!

*From Wuhuan

Thanks Melvin that was a really interesting post and I have loads of things to think about.

Hi Rags my DS is thinking about a semester abroad next year, which is only open to 3 year student so he has to make some big decisions about his placwment

My DS is currently on year placement which he is enjoying it has certainly opened his eyes to which areas of the industry he doesn't want to enter. He was advised to do the year because of the big difference uni had seen in grades particularly 1sts by students who had completed a year as opposed to those that didn't.
Most of his friends are doing the year on a variety of courses. Some found it easier than others to find the placement, some are being paid an intern , and others a 'proper' salary . DS luckily in the latter group. The year has given him the opportunity to live alone and in a nicer house than student accomadation. We will see how he copes with going back to uni in Sept but housing is sorted with same friendship group

At NTU in year 2 they are offering a term abroad, 16 week work placement, starting a business idea or stay and study modules. Not all of this is available on the 4 year course, but it's good that he can do 3 years and still get some industry experience, although he's not sure how difficult it will be to get a short term placement. But he is currently steering towards this option. For now

Mine that's interesting, my DS hasn't mentioned that yet, I'll find out if he know about it (this thread is very useful for sharing such information ).

Did you hear about the tragic murder of a NTU student two weeks ago? I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that it didn't seem to receive national news coverage.