Durham University

[NotEnoughTime]

Hello.

How many of us are waiting for their DC to hear back from Durham? My DS applied back in October last year and is getting very down now he knows that others who have received offers are being informed that they will be told soon re college allocations.

I am usually a 'no news is good news' type of person but even I am finding it hard to be upbeat as I too am fed up

I wish they would just let him me know soon if he is going to get an offer or a rejection and then he can get on with his life and his A Level revision without this hanging over him.

Jonathonripples please don't be put off - there are far more lovely and balanced people at Durham than the few who engender the bad publicity. In the last couple of days I'm pretty sure someone from the press was stirring things up to get a story.

Thanks all.. you are lovely
domina ouch! dc has plenty of practice at walking on cobbles on streets here.. that’s gotta be worth some extra points right? 😁

Numbers are coming Down. Less than 30 cases yesterday....

Hoorah. We are visiting next week - any recommendations for restaurants with outside tables and very effective patio heaters?

Cant help you there Kingscote, but at least the tier 3 negotiations are on pause!

I was the only comprehensive-educated person I was aware of in my year at Castle (2000-2004). There was definite snobbery around but I think I largely escaped it due to my ‘posh’ accent. I can remember talking to one boy in fresher’s week who simply couldn’t compute the idea that someone from a state school might have made it to Castle. I can also recall people chanting ‘your dads work for our dads’ at people from other colleges . Sadly it sounds as though things have got worse since then rather than better.

@bookworm14 I think the random college allocation has made a big difference.

Oh is it random now? That should at least stop certain colleges being massively weighted towards private school kids.

I do think things have changed an awful lot since 2000. The new Castle principal is a woman - and has a female partner. A lot of the old norms have been successfully challenged, and I am confident that our children will do their bit to continue that.

@janinlondon Great news that cases are down - where did you find that - dashboard only seems to have 7 day figures.
@KingscoteStaff Riverside has outside tables - good for brunch - not sure about outside heaters! Thai river (Riverwalk) also has outside tables but again I’m not sure about heaters. The Boathouse (Elvet Bridge) potentially too.

Changes in college allocation have helped enormously. The great thing about a college like Stevo is few actually choose it. Initially they're disappointed to not get the college of their choice but soon realise you get a great mix of students. I just think it's a shame much of the uni marketing is based on the beautiful bailey colleges.

Baytree its here: www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/cases/

@Jano69 It is quite interesting to see what your child chooses to focus on in selecting their college isn't it. I know some base it on the size of bedrooms, or how many have ensuite bathrooms. Mine stood in the middle of every chapel to test the acoustic. I mean ..... seriously??? Though on balance, that was as good a basis as any I suppose. I only lost....what...four hours of my life... waiting for people to clear chapels........?

@janinlondon DS wanted a bailey college with the best academic reputation. DD on the other hand, currently Y13, wants the college with the most sporty reputation. I think the current measures prevent students from self selecting which may otherwise reinforce some college's reputations.

Am I being thick? If college allocation is random, what's the point of applying to a specific college at all? I mean you might get lucky and get your choice but surely it's highly unlikely?

I'd always thought that at Durham most of the college sports were much more about inclusivity and encouraging everyone to have a go, and that serious sports people would be representing at University level..? But I only know about rowing, specifically, so that may be nonsense!! Is there a Durham college for sporty types?

@Jano69, is she applying for Collingwood? DS loves it there - now living out second year. Loads of sport opps and everyone seems to be sporty.

@janinlondon, I think Collingwood is regarded as the most sporty? However, for popular sports, all the colleges have teams, I think it’s just that Collingwood has the most? 14/15 footy teams I think, for example.

@KingscoteStaff it surely can’t be entirely random as eg so many sporty students in Collingwood?

@alterego2 These links are helpful.

www.dur.ac.uk/colleges.se.office/allocations/details/

www.dur.ac.uk/colleges.se.office/allocations/details/statistics/

www.dur.ac.uk/resources/colleges.se.office/UGPreferencesforColleges-2019Entry.pdf

@janinlondon Collingwood is the college with the sporty reputation.

DD got the impression that Collingwood was the most aggressively sporty college. She didn't want to go there because of that - even though it has the most impressive theatre facilities, which is her thing.

Cross post @bigTillyMint - yep Collingwood!

Sorry cross post with lots of you. Thanks @Jano69 - I'll take a look at those links

@alterego2, DS has never said it’s aggressive

DS originally applied for another college - the one his ex gf was at because he knew it, but was happy to go anywhere

I think they must have deliberately placed him at Collingwood as he was playing his sport at a high level (not just school league level) Anyway, it worked out perfectly for him

Thanks for the link janinlondon

@alterego2 to be honest it doesn't matter which college you are at for drama - most of the big productions are performed in the Assembly Rooms now that they are refurbished, and while college drama is very much alive, the DST productions are for everyone.