Do universities bounce students into decisions by only allowing 'firm' offer holders to book accommodation?

[naomichange]

DS has 4 offers - Durham, UCL, Warwick, Nottingham. He has told me that he doesn't need/want to decide between them until early June. This is partly because he is struggling with the decision (he will be talking to someone at school about this), but also because he has applied for a sports scholarship at one of them, and won't know if he's got it until the end of May. (The others don't open their sport scholarship processes until later in the year).

In the meantime, Nottingham is opening its accommodation bookings process from early April. I haven't yet checked when the others open their bookings - there is so much marketing material on university websites its sometimes difficult to look things up quickly and get a straight answer. But in general, if he waits until to the last minute to decide on his firm and insurance choices, will he miss out on the best accommodation?

@SimpleShootingWeekend

It would be fine only allowing “firm” offer holders to book, if they weren’t first come first served, and the bookings didn’t open until after the May deadline. Just no need to be pushing accommodation at people in January in the knowledge that other unis may not make them an offer until May.

Exactly.

Not a popular opinion on here or in WIWIKAU either, but I think it is daft to have these WhatsApp or Facebook groups set up so many months in advance either. There is plenty of time after results day, when you know who is actually going to be in the flat, to start conversations with people before you move if you feel that is going to help.

I go back to the statistic about 1/4 of applicants not going to their first choice university. It seems daft to make it even more of a thing of having "missed out" than it need be.

My son is at Nottingham, the halls do go quickly on campus

@Kite22 Agreed. I think the groups can be an excellent thing, but I don’t understand joining them before you have your place and accommodation confirmed.

It is profoundly wrong and deeply unethical that some universities brazenly operate an accommodation policy that puts pressure on 17 and 18 year olds to make major life decisions ahead of the sector-wide UCAS timetable. Most universities operate a fair system, so why not all?

Some PP point to limited available accommodation but there is not a neat correlation between that factor and the universities employing this tactic. In some cases it is entirely self-inflicted. Yes, all universities were blind-sided in 2020 by the algorithm debacle but should have been wary and anticipated issues in 2021.

Instead, many were merrily over-offering in the autumn of 2020 despite, at that time, no vaccine breakthrough and the very real possibility that summer exams would be smashed up. Surprise, surprise, September 2021 saw more problems with ludicrous outcomes such as Bristol students being bussed in from Bath, Notts students from Derby and Leeds students from Hull.

All this means 2022 applicants are understandably anxious about not only accommodation quality but whether it is actually in the city where they will be taking their degree. I doubt those setting and implementing the 'bounce them into early firming' accommodation policies would want their own DC to experience that but are perfectly happy to inflict that on other young adults putting their trust into their institution.

I suggest the prospective students also look at whether the insurance choice guarantees accommodation for first years. Many do not, and it just adds extra stress on results day.

Having said that, allocations and flatmates can be a total lottery, so it's good to be prepared to make the best of the situation.

DS was offered the least popular halls, but everyone bonded over that and they had the best time, even in lockdown.

DS also in limbo. It is an absolute nonsense in terms of accommodation portals opening early to pressurise students before they are ready when still waiting for offers. Equally it is hard work when a Uni keeps a student waiting from October to the end of March or beyond!

DS is still waiting for St Andrews, he has indicated his college preferences at Durham already but nothing is allocated for awhile. He is still waiting to hear from St Andrews who are apparently notoriously late in offering. Meanwhile York which may have been and may still be his insurance opened their accommodation portals on a first come first served basis ages ago so if he opts for York as an insurance he will be at the bottom of the pile in terms of accommodation choices and we will have to pay through the nose for the most expensive accommodation.

This is where you can see the value In a gap year. Apply when you know your results, get a yes, apply for accommodation, no stress... earn some money, travel a bit, grow up a bit. And that year lets you know if you really want student life... rather than just continuing "school".

Dd left it till the last minute and ended up at Cavendish halls at Nottingham. She’s been lucky in that she’s made some fantastic friends but the halls itself is so expensive - it’s catered but the food is absolutely dreadful (!!) so she ends up buying her own food a lot (without anywhere to really cook- because it’s catered there’s no proper kitchen, we got her a toastie machine and a toaster!) and gets takeaway when the dinner is dreadful. People who picked earlier were able to choose nicer, larger self catered accommodation and have a lot more spending money than she’s left with! So definitely get in early if you can.

@Bagelsandbrie

Dd left it till the last minute and ended up at Cavendish halls at Nottingham. She’s been lucky in that she’s made some fantastic friends but the halls itself is so expensive - it’s catered but the food is absolutely dreadful (!!) so she ends up buying her own food a lot (without anywhere to really cook- because it’s catered there’s no proper kitchen, we got her a toastie machine and a toaster!) and gets takeaway when the dinner is dreadful. People who picked earlier were able to choose nicer, larger self catered accommodation and have a lot more spending money than she’s left with! So definitely get in early if you can.

My ds is thinking about applying to Nottingham and quite likes the sound of the catered halls so this is disappointing to read. It does sound a waste of money if the food isnt good.

@Tree543 it’s such a shame. Dd was really excited thinking it would take the hassle out of cooking / eating but it’s just been awful. (Her friends also agree so it’s not just her being fussy)! It’s basically like very poor quality school dinners - a lot of meat based stews and pies. They have stew one night and then the stew is put in a pie the next. And it’s horrid. And there isn’t much choice if you don’t like those options! The brunch at the weekend is good apparently- eggs, bacon, fry up stuff and they also get a £5 lunch card each day they can spend on site (there’s a Starbucks and spa shop). So that’s good. But as for actual dinners she says it’s terrible. She regularly sends me photos of how bad it is! She can’t wait to move out and into her own student house next year so she can cook again.

Good suggestion about a gap year and this may work for some subjects and some students. But some students who are quite mature, are absolutely certain they want to go to Uni, sure about their course choice and eager to get on in the subject they have chosen and in certain highly competitive subjects such as maths and physics studying at a top Uni they may find themselves at a disadvantage with a year out academically and could still be waiting awhile on the likes of or Durham or St Andrews to grace them with an offer.

Plus, for this particular year, taking a gap year will make a considerable different as to the time they are paying interest on their loan , and the time (salary) at which they start paying.

@nolanscrack

There is more than one Cinderella,the most obvious are QMU and Queens but Notts isnt exactly at the top..

Do you mean poor relation?

We didn't have this problem with Leeds Uni. It was my son's insurance choice and he got his first choice of accommodation. Nothing is allocated until after results day. It's simply bonkers to do it beforehand and causes undue panic and decisions on courses made for the wrong reasons.

Yep dd's first choice accommodation is already sold out. I assumed all uni's were like this but it appears not.

Nottingham
Must have more student accommodation than it has students. With yet more being built!

@Hillarious

We didn't have this problem with Leeds Uni. It was my son's insurance choice and he got his first choice of accommodation. Nothing is allocated until after results day. It's simply bonkers to do it beforehand and causes undue panic and decisions on courses made for the wrong reasons.

He was lucky. DS firmed and applied on time, and was allocated the hall that literally no-one put as their option. He did get the wash basin he wanted and fabulous flatmates all determined to make the best of its terrible location.

@stilldumdedumming

Yep dd's first choice accommodation is already sold out. I assumed all uni's were like this but it appears not.

What Uni was that?

@Tree543 Liverpool John Moore's. There's probably plenty of accommodation but she wanted this particular one.

My ds has formed Manchester Met. He went to book accommodation and his first choice was fully booked. He was able to book an actual room in an actual flat, and see the sex and age of others who have already booked the flat. Must be a nightmare on results day!

*firmed