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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Durham University

999 replies

KingscoteStaff · 19/02/2021 11:03

A continuation thread for those with DC at Durham, or applying for Durham or alumni or staff! Share your thoughts and questions on colleges, courses, etc.

Assemble! @Baytreemum @WelshDaff @WinterRobin @janinlondon @MarchingFrogs @ChildOfFriday @tava63 @Terfterfterf @TonTonMacoute @Suki2 @Quair @Greyhair59 @bpisok @Jan069 @999caz @nipersvest @mum2eim @witchend @chopc @alterego2

Who have I missed??

OP posts:
Peasepuddingplease · 11/07/2021 15:25

Hi all. Just wondering if any of you have any knowledge about Van Mildert college? DD has an offer for this year and although we managed an offer holder tour she couldn’t see inside the college or get any idea of what the rooms are like.
Is it friendly or quite noisy and partyish? DD is friendly but certainly no clubber and quite homely. Have heard the non en suite corridors dont have many showers / facilities but rooms of a reasonable size? It wasn’t her first ranked college but seems happy enough as single rooms and catered!
Any info greatly appreciated. Thank you

MargaretThursday · 12/07/2021 23:16

Apparently they've got a good theatre college, but dd doesn't know much more, which means at least they haven't a bad reputation (she wouldn't be into partying)

alldonenow2 · 13/07/2021 17:24

I went to Mildert - a long time ago but I loved it. Most of the buildings have wide corridors which serve as lounge areas and help foster a friendly vibe. A lot of my friends have kids who have gone to Durham and have chosen Mildert and had fun. The grounds are lovely - the lake and the fountain and it has a big dining room which is good for ‘bops’. The accommodation is a bit 1960s - but the rooms were spacious and I don’t remember ever having to wait for a shower or a bath.

Peasepuddingplease · 13/07/2021 19:37

Thank you. You have been v helpful. Certainly sounds like somewhere that has something for everyone. @alldonenow2 can’t be a bad thing if friends’ kids have chosen the college!

Baytreemum · 16/07/2021 12:42

@Peasepuddingplease Hi my DD (2nd yr) is not at Mildert but has friends from there she met through dance (which is big at Mildert) and says they are lovely and v friendly. It sounds as if there is quite a good college feeling with the lake, ducks etc!

mangoguava · 22/07/2021 08:53

Hi all,
Was wondering if anyone could tell me about St Chad’s College? DD has just had her place there confirmed but we haven’t had the chance to visit at all and was wondering what it’s like.

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 09/08/2021 12:05

Good luck for tomorrow to all with DC hoping to head Durhamwards!

OP posts:
LeiatheSchnauzer · 10/08/2021 12:11

Dd1 met her offer! Such a relief after such a long process. Hope others had good news today too.

chopc · 10/08/2021 13:59

DS in as well 💃🏽🥂

Longtimenewsee · 10/08/2021 14:10

And she’s in.. thank goodness! Beautiful Durham here she comes!
I’m also happy that I get to visit occasionally .. even if it’s just to lug stuff about Smile

LeiatheSchnauzer · 10/08/2021 14:14

Anyone else get the email that the assigned college may no longer be confirmed? Sounds like they have more students than they planned for.

chopc · 10/08/2021 15:04

@LeiatheSchnauzer DS not at home. That's worrying- do you mind sharing exactly what it said?

LeiatheSchnauzer · 10/08/2021 15:16

Dd1 showed it me quickly. It was along the lines of congratulations on your place however there has been unprecedented demand and they now can't guarantee the college or room type previously allocated. New allocations are starting from the 16th. I think this was a generic email rather than specifically for dd but I am not sure! She is a bit crushed now as was so excited about her college choice.
I am guessing that they haven't given many spaces to insurance or near misses who would normally be the ones to plug the gaps so now they have an unbalanced spread of students over the colleges.

chopc · 10/08/2021 15:40

@LeiatheSchnauzer that is worrying

What was the point of putting down college preferences unlike the previous years then? Was there any option to select accommodation again along with room choices?

LeiatheSchnauzer · 10/08/2021 15:50

No, nothing! Not sure if that will come later or if it will be completely random.

LeiatheSchnauzer · 10/08/2021 15:51

There's nothing about this on the website or on socials so feel like I am imagining it!!

Longtimenewsee · 10/08/2021 16:09

Dd has had the same email @LeiatheSchnauzer and @chopc. She is upset as she is now very invested in her college and was told in previous emails that it was guaranteed and wouldn’t change once she firmed.

Longtimenewsee · 10/08/2021 16:10

It was on the email that came with the link to accept the offer I think

whoatethelastbiscuit · 10/08/2021 16:14

Hi, DD exceeded her offer and is in, so pleased for her, can finally sleep ... but also had the message about unable to confirm college due to numbers, and lDD ikewise upset as heavily invested in her original allocation - Hatfield. Her friend at one of self catering colleges has also had same message so not sure if this applies to all colleges??

chopc · 10/08/2021 16:25

Can any of the current Durham MNetters guide us?

MargaretThursday · 10/08/2021 20:52

@LeiatheSchnauzer

Anyone else get the email that the assigned college may no longer be confirmed? Sounds like they have more students than they planned for.
DD1 had that 2 years ago. They sent it to everyone for whom Durham wasn't the first choice, or that had missed their offer but been accepted anyway (she'd missed it by 2 marks!) There was a bit of misery on the group chat as many of them had the email, but in the actual event none of them were moved at all. In fact she received the package (by snail mail) welcoming her to her college on the next day.
MargaretThursday · 10/08/2021 20:54

@chopc @LeiatheSchnauzer

Sorry, I meant to tag you in the previous post.

Hope you hear quickly.

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 10/08/2021 21:02

Ds has also had the email about the college allocation and Durham was his firm choice and his grades are higher than his offer.

Now whether or not this is a standard email that has gone out to everyone who has a place at Durham whether that was a firm or an insurance I don't know but Ds is a bit annoyed about it as his college was confirmed in February and it was his first choice.

Hopefully it is just a generic email and college places will be confirmed next week as promised and everyone will still get their allocated colleges. Fingers crossed.

chopc · 10/08/2021 21:03

Thank you @MargaretThursday .DS is oblivious as he has been out the whole day. But that is reassuring

MargaretThursday · 10/08/2021 21:10

I would guess that they've sent it to everyone (possibly depending on individual colleges) to avoid any accusations of discrimination etc. They must have sent dd her email saying she might be moved college after the college had sent the welcome pack.

Dd was really upset about it at the time, and felt that if she'd known that then she would have refused Durham and gone for her second choice.
She'd been chatting on a college chat since the offer holder day, and felt that moving college she would lose all the friends she'd made on that-and everyone else would have made friends on their own college chat. Again, now she can look back at that and say, wasn't true because once they were there they made their own friends anyway.
However one good thing about the chat was that several of them had the email so they knew they weren't the only one getting it.

I've just asked her and she said she did know a few people were moving, but very few (I think she knew two) in comparison to the number of emails.

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