DH is limiting Y12 DC to universities in the north due to ££££

[BatteredHonda]

DC is in Y12 and wants to apply to KCL, Bristol and Exeter - alongside other unis. DC will qualify for minimum maintenance loan and we are therefore expected to top up/pay the accommodation. We struggle to make ends meet as it is so DH has said DC canNOT apply to southern unis - let alone London ones. He is recommending Leicester, Newcastle, Swansea, Belfast etc instead. DC is furious but I do get where DH coming from. What are your thoughts?

So, as some have said, there is a chance he may drop out on the grounds of being unhappy with the course or the place. But I'm afraid I have seen unhappiness take a real and creeping hold if you're struggling financially and/or lonely or living a fair way away (due to not keeping up with others who often do have the pin number of the bank of Mum and Dad, or live nearer to expensive boroughs, or get to fly home most terms if they were overseas students). I am basing info on observations in the U. of London, one of the colleges, but many rungs down the reputational ladder from KCL. Most of the accommodation was nice but small rooms in huge blocks, run by large companies that combine a student offer for whom the nearest tube line is handy for several universities. As to private, I hope most are lucky with it, but all is competitive.

Quite a lot of people on the working side tend to live in other locations than the cities where they work too, sometimes working intensively in the middle of the week and going back to where they really live when done!

It's like picking the local 'requires improvement' comp when Eton is the other option.

If you look at all the various league tables the only northern universities in the top 15 in all of them are Durham, Manchester and Lancaster (plus St Andrews and Edinburgh but then you’re looking at four year degrees anyway so much much higher student debt).

I won’t have much sympathy if my dc don’t feel they have time for a job at uni. I played sport, got a first in my degree and worked to fund my own travels and study exchange to a good university. It all seems very hothouse to have time only for the things you want to do.

He is correct.

That sums up DH’s view.

Maybe it’s changed since I was there. I didn’t get a sport scholarship but did a heck of a lot of sport there and th facilities are amazing, was great playing with scholarship people as well.

course wise I had more contact time than my sibling at An Oxbridge college

He's not correct at all. Exeter Lafrowda is £5.5k, loan is £9.5k.

Or maybe you think £4k is nothing. How very MN of you....

That changes a few things.

if a military career is a key thought for the future look for universities which have a RAF sponsored flying club as while this isn’t a guarantee to get you into the RAF it massively helps. Shows a level of commitment and also gets them around the right sort of people who can help manage the process of application

“What a mean fucking bastard. Your dh knows absolutely nothing. At. All. AngryAngryAngry”

ok @titchy. No need to be so nadty. DH is a good man and does not claim to know about universities - but he does know what we can afford (he is not mean - our resources are finite as we have DS plus two younger DC) and how likely my son is to work while at uni. Back off.

@Scepticalwotsits great suggestion. Thanks so much. Wasn’t aware of this at all

Well you can only give what you can afford to give , not sure why some posters are angry about that

And you've said you're prepared to top up the difference between basic loan and the maximum. So do that and PLEASE let your ds make his own decision without influencing him because you are SERIOUSLY selling him so short I could cry. Your kid knows exactly what he wants and exactly which universities are incredibly good for his course. Honesty he knows far far far more than you or his father.

Precisely @TimeToFlyNow.

www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/university-air-squadrons/

I would choose a university near a squadron air base.

Respectfully (although you have shown none of that), please hop off this thread @titchy. My DH and I don’t need to be judged by you. Others have been measured and helpful.

@Ritasueandbobtoo9 thanks for the link - super helpful

My ds got the maximum, we still had a conversation about the difference in price of accommodation and what sort of accommodation he wanted etc. He deferred for a year and got a job with the CS though that luckily he was able to continue doinf when he started uni last Sept as its wfh. I couldn't afford to help him so he needed to consider what he could afford, taking into account social life etc.

Flippin heck @titchy she's not making you go to Wolverhampton. They obviously don't teach decorum wherever you went.
Take a breath.

This.

The OP has started this thread to find out more.

If you feel her / her dh's advice is poor, surely you are capable of expressing that without being so vile and offensive @titchy ?

There has been lots of good advice on this thread OP. Try to just ignore anyone being that offensive until it gets removed by MNHQ.

i would default back Lincoln - 4 active airbases nearby plus raf cranwell which is where officer training happens and also where the university air squadron flys from. Couldn’t be any where more perfect for it.

plus Lincoln is stuffed full of history and is a good uni based on satisfaction and has a reasonable rep with history courses

www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-benson/

It's still operational if he wants a look see

Thank you @UsingChangeofName and @Dodgeitornot. Astonished by the venom! So glad for all other input though - has made me and DH think (and DS start thinking seriously about affordability)

Our police do careers Day at HQ. I daresay the armed forces do too

@Scepticalwotsits @Ritasueandbobtoo9 i don’t think the vile poster will think Lincoln any good either 😂. But whatever. Is Lincoln a good uni?