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Higher education

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

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Original poster

Nobody in flat on similar course?

48 replies

Confuzzlediddled · 03/06/2022 09:37

My daughter has been sent the list of people who will be in the same flat as her (private halls there aren't any university halls) everyone else is doing engineering, and in the WhatsApp group they've set up they're discussing how hard A level maths and further maths is, great so far...

Except my daughter is doing musical theatre!! Has anyone else's child been in a similar situation? Was it ok? I'm worried she'll have nothing in common with any of them!

To add to my worries, 5 of the 7 are doing a degree apprenticeship so will have a wage and be considerably richer than your average student dependent on loans and a bit of money from us, so I've already said not to get sucked into thinking she needs to keep up with spending.

OP posts:

Siepie · 04/06/2022 16:04

Most of what makes a good flatmate has nothing to do with the course. It's definitely better to live with an engineer who washes up than a musician who lets their dishes go mouldy (or vice versa!) I was the only non-STEM student in my first year flat and stayed living with them in second year. We split up to live with course friends after that, but my first year flatmates are still my closest friends from uni.

I wouldn't worry about the fact that some of DD's flatmates will be earning either. There are always income disparities at uni. While there's the stereotype of the broke student, there are also students who get a lot from parents and students who earn quite a lot from their part-time jobs, so she's likely to find people with different amounts of money in any flat.

mathanxiety · 04/06/2022 17:23

Agree with Siepie.

If DD is the only female in the flat ( and I admit this is a sexist idea before anyone lays into me about stereotypes) I would be very careful if I were her not to get sucked into playing mummy - doing the washing up, keeping the bathroom clean, etc.

Other than that, she's going to make a lot of friends in musical theatre. They tend to be a gregarious and convivial bunch. And if the engineers are decent people, no reason not to become friends.

Original poster

Confuzzlediddled · 04/06/2022 17:30

@mathanxiety fortunately she's not the only female!

OP posts:

Original poster

Confuzzlediddled · 04/06/2022 17:32

Thanks to those who have put my mind at rest a bit, hopefully she'll be living with a good bunch and maybe the space of not living with people on her own course will be a good thing!

OP posts:

madasawethen · 04/06/2022 17:34

No reason not to be proud of her.
That isn't what I meant.
Unless she doesn't need to work, the degree won't prepare her to get a good job afterwards.

ChandlersDad · 04/06/2022 17:35

In my randomly allocated flat was: phd chemistry, undergrad chemistry, law, law conversion lpc, law, Italian, computer science, law, Russian and me doing sociology.

I never made friends from my course but been with the phd chemist for 25 years and now have two kids, so I’m all for random allocation.

TizerorFizz · 04/06/2022 17:36

@Confuzzlediddled
Degree apprenticeships are usually part time degrees. The students work and study. I would still change. Too many not like her. Of course she could try it for a term and see how she gets on. If they have nothing in common, it will be tough going. She might want to be with like minded people in y2, whether they are competitive or not.

Original poster

Confuzzlediddled · 04/06/2022 17:37

@madasawethen you evidently have no idea what a musical theatre degree entails, so probably better that you refrain from commenting on something you don't know about.

OP posts:

Anoooshka · 04/06/2022 17:46

Confuzzlediddled · 04/06/2022 17:37

@madasawethen you evidently have no idea what a musical theatre degree entails, so probably better that you refrain from commenting on something you don't know about.

This data is from 2019 (National Lottery Website):

The arts and culture industry has grown £390million in a year and now contributes £10.8billion a year to the UK economy.
The sector contributes £2.8billion a year to the Treasury via taxation, and generates a further £23billion a year and 363,700 jobs.
Productivity in the arts and culture industry between 2009 and 2016 was greater than that of the economy as a whole, with gross value added per worker at £62,000 for arts and culture, compared to £46,800 for the wider UK economy.

I hope your daughter enjoys her degree. At University, none of my friends were studying the same subject as me. Engineering students have quite a high workload and lots of labs, so they'll probably be out a lot. I'm sure your daughter will make friends on her course. Theatre types tend to be very sociable.

Original poster

Confuzzlediddled · 04/06/2022 17:47

Thank you @Anoooshka

OP posts:

CMeredithC · 04/06/2022 17:55

the degree won't prepare her to get a good job afterwards

I did a music degree. Not MT, but one that is actually known for paying even less than a potential West End job.

90k salary by the age of 23, working in that same field I trained in. I'd love to know what your definition of a 'good job' is, @madasawethen . Perhaps I haven't shot high enough.

Good luck to your DD, @Confuzzlediddled . I lived with both musicians and non-musicians and they both have their pros and cons. With non-musicians I felt the environment was less competitive - nobody cared that much about how the others were doing on their courses - and I got to meet people from other degrees too. Hopefully they're a good bunch and your DD fits in.

thing47 · 04/06/2022 17:59

Surely a degree in Musical Theatre equips you pretty well to work in Musical Theatre…? I imagine there probably isn't much money in that line of work, but not everyone is motivated by money and if it is your great passion, why not pursue it?

Sounds really cool to me @Confuzzlediddled.

motogirl · 04/06/2022 18:07

Check with the university, if it's private accommodation not university halls it may not be exempt from council tax if they aren't full time students. That said dd has several friends on degree apprenticeships and they certainly didn't live in halls, they had nothing to do with the university until work enrolled them a few weeks after they started - they live with parents or bedsits/flatshares arranged privately

Iloveychildrenandmydoggie · 04/06/2022 18:16

Really don't worry My three all shared with others that were not on their courses.
They have all still got firm friends from their flat share now years later.
Biggest problem for one of mine was that he was the only English one in his flat which made settling in difficult because of language barrier. Definitely 100% not racist but hard for an 18 year old to find his common interests with them.
He is still friends with one of the original guys.
The uni did schange his accommodation after a week.
Thinking about it none of my lot really made close friends with others on their actual degree course!!

Iloveychildrenandmydoggie · 04/06/2022 18:25

@madasawethen ..OP didn't ask for your opinion on which degree her daughter should take !!Seems a very catty , nasty reply from you !

Greatauntdymphna · 04/06/2022 18:38

I've not read the full thread but I wouldn't worry. DD is in a flat with 5 others, 4 of whom are doing the same subject as each other (and the other is doing something different again). They are very different subjects (think 4 Physics and 1 Drama whilst DD is doing English). Two of her closest friends are in her flat, a couple of others from her societies, a couple of others from her subject....
It's not as though they only socialise in their flat - and people aren't defined by what they happen to study -so I'm sure it will be fine.

AclowncalledAlice · 04/06/2022 19:04

My Dd shared with 2 others. All of them were doing different courses and they got on like a house on fire. In fact 2 of them got on so well they got married 5 years ago and DD is god mother to their 2 year old.

HannahDefoesTrenchcoat · 04/06/2022 21:48

I know a student that was an engineering apprentice and also LOVES musical theatre and sings and plays in an orchestra… just sayin.

ShaunaTheSheep · 05/06/2022 05:57

Surely if the others are working FT and studying, they will be on a similar schedule ie 9-5 and would be a good fit for your DD.

ExtremelyDedicated · 05/06/2022 06:30

We were a mix in my flat, three science students (me and two others from completely different courses), one geography, one Eng.Lit, one engineering. Although I didn't get on all that well with some of them it had nothing to do with courses and actually it was a huge benefit not to be living with people from my course, imagine being at work all day and then living in a house with your colleagues. It was far better to have two different lots of friends to socialise with.

wonkylegs · 05/06/2022 10:06

Degree apprenticeships often count the same as students with regards to CTax disregard so are exempt. If it's a private hall of residence rather than a private flat this should be automatically applied. If it's a private flat then they will need to apply to the council for the disregard.

mimbleandlittlemy · 06/06/2022 21:22

Ds wasn’t with any from his course this year, first year. Isn’t living with anyone from his course in second year. They make friends from all over, don’t worry.

TizerorFizz · 07/06/2022 07:36

@mimbleandlittlemy
The point the op was making is that ALL the other flat sharers are doing Engineering. Therefore they are not from a variety of courses. Musical Theatre is fairly niche too. Friendships are formed in the first year with flatmates. I think it might be difficult for the DD to meet students on other courses. How? Where? Only on her course I think.

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