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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 · 18/09/2021 06:46

The continuation thread for those with DC at Durham, or applying to Durham, or alumni, or staff!

September 2021 finds us packing, unpacking, meeting old friends and new, and all with our fingers firmly crossed for a positive year!

OP posts:
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11
Meery · 15/10/2021 11:18

2nd year housing! Don't think my dd is anywhere near ready for that yet.

NotEnoughTime · 15/10/2021 12:02

Same as Longtimenewsee!

MidLifeCrisis007 · 15/10/2021 12:53

Well I think the nicer houses are all being snapped up now so it pays to get in early. DS said when his group had just signed for theirs, another party came in to try and reserve that same house.. They were really cheesed off to have been beaten to it by 5 minutes!

No deposit is required at this stage. Just signatures.

SpamhappyTootsie · 15/10/2021 16:55

@MidLifeCrisis007

Well I think the nicer houses are all being snapped up now so it pays to get in early. DS said when his group had just signed for theirs, another party came in to try and reserve that same house.. They were really cheesed off to have been beaten to it by 5 minutes!

No deposit is required at this stage. Just signatures.

This is my next Big University Worry. I’m starting early with this one.
libbytrois · 15/10/2021 17:03

Bit difficult to be certain of who you want to live with after 3 weeks. I appreciate it's driven by sheer volume of numbers but all the same it's tricky.

NotEnoughTime · 15/10/2021 17:21

Does anyone know what Remittance Advice is? My DS has just received a bill for £660 from Durham uni and we can't think what it might be for.

SpamhappyTootsie · 15/10/2021 17:28

Remittance advice is usually notification of something paid to you, not owed by you. Could it be telling him a maintenance loan is on its way to him?

NotEnoughTime · 15/10/2021 17:32

Thanks SpamhappyTootsie Can't think what it might be Confused He has already received his maintenance loan.

SpamhappyTootsie · 15/10/2021 17:35

Did he end up in different accommodation to the one he chose? Could that be the difference between them? Seems a lot, but could be for the whole year?

Longtimenewsee · 15/10/2021 17:38

Just asked Dd about 2nd year housing. She said her college exec are running a campaign “take time to sign” advising about different areas and warning about dodgy landlords. I assume all colleges will be doing the same so might be something all our dc can ask about

NotEnoughTime · 15/10/2021 17:41

No, he didn't Spam. I have told my DS to sit tight until he can find out what it's all about ie if he has been 'given' money DON'T spend it in case it is an error and he has to pay it back!

Summer15coming · 15/10/2021 18:30

@Bluebellwoods1 - it's a long-living virus that seems to be going around! Hope your DD is better soon too. @Longtimenewsee @SpamhappyTootsie thanks - I am pleased she was able to be seen by a doctor at least!

My DD is also talking about houses next year, but has said her tutor (or someone - can't remember) was advising waiting a while to make sure that they really know who they want to share with as there is a danger in leaping into something with people you think you get on great with after a few weeks. That all has to be balanced along the availability of good houses though, I do agree!

MidLifeCrisis007 · 15/10/2021 19:51

I agree that committing to share with 5 people you met recently is a huge leap of faith. That said, I believe all had been to boarding school - and that makes you very tolerant of living with other people... and, while DS hasn't mentioned it, I think most had a gap year too which gives them a bit of added maturity too. DD knows one of his housemates to be... by total coincidence.

His house is one of 3 in a row owned by a landlord on a street just by the viaduct. The road was very popular with students back in my day.... and I'm happy that he's locked into a house there early so he can relax about 2nd year accommodation now! And as I mentioned earlier, no deposits have been paid at this stage.

NCTDN · 15/10/2021 20:46

Hi all can you help? Dd is doing her application for next year but the whole coding a college thing is tricky. How do you narrow it down? Are any reputed to be ones to avoid or ones better than others?

chopc · 15/10/2021 21:27

@NCTDN did you mean choosing a college? It's irrelevant at the point of application no? You only have to list the colleges in order of preference after you have received an offer.

For what it's worth DS first discounted the self catering colleges; then he went for a college with the most sporting and music facilities. To him that was Collingwood. But I wouldn't spend too much time on it and definitely wouldn't get invested in a particular college. DS found out only a week before where he was actually going to live due to this years fiasco

Longtimenewsee · 15/10/2021 21:31

I didn’t think you chose a college when you first applied @NCTDN.. perhaps they are doing things differently this year?

LeiatheSchnauzer · 15/10/2021 21:43

Dd chose a college on her ucas form last year. She was later given the choice to do the rankings. I think the rankings were new and you should probably give thought to what you put on the ucas form in case that is his one chance to express a preference. They might decide that the ranking system was more trouble than it was worth!

NCTDN · 15/10/2021 22:02

I think this year it's changed and the preference goes on the application.

Longtimenewsee · 16/10/2021 09:41

Just asked Dd..LeiatheSchnauzer is right -they DID choose at application . Go with her advice just incase you aren’t given option to rank. You can look on the website for info about each college here-

www.durham.ac.uk/colleges-and-student-experience/colleges/#d.en.467132

ppp4321 · 16/10/2021 11:46

Just checking that you only have the option of putting one college at the application stage? (There's no second or third choice for college?)

NCTDN · 16/10/2021 12:57

No I think you put lots down in order of preference.

moanymyrtle · 16/10/2021 13:11

It will be the Durham grant which is based on family income. You don’t apply for it they take the income from student loans info and give it automatically. So someone on full loan gets £2000 back it’s probably the only way they can justify their college rents compared to other uni’s as a catered hall would use almost all the loan. It gets deducted from rent bill if living in.

foodledoff · 16/10/2021 14:27

DS applied to Durham earlier this week. There was the option on UCAS to list one college, which he did. He's since had an acknowledgement but there's been no mention of ranking colleges - perhaps this is something that's done once offers have been made (if it happens at all)?

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 16/10/2021 15:15

Ranking of colleges was a new thing last year. It happened after offers (and thus after the original one choice on the UCAS form).

No clear guidance as to whether it will happen again this year.

OP posts:
foodledoff · 16/10/2021 16:24

Thanks @kingscotestaff - sounds like there's nothing to worry about for a while regarding college choice (could be a very long while!)