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Higher education

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

Original poster

Disappointing offer holders day?

213 replies

InMyRoom · 18/03/2023 20:31

Anyone else been disappointed by the offer holders days? Would you see lack of effort as a red flag?

DS was set on Warwick, course impressive, open day welcoming.

Could not have had a more disappointing experience on the offer holders day. Hardly any reps showing people around, most accommodation closed, barely any students on campus (term time Saturday). The place felt abandoned and frankly depressing. There were no seats or benches on the whole campus, not sure if removed during the pandemic or they never existed.

Compare and contrast to his potential insurance day today. Was buzzing. Student reps everywhere, students all around, accommodation tours. Campus beautifully cared for.

DS is a social beast and reasonably is wobbling that there will be no one around and nothing to do. I think he’d drop it but the course is much higher at Warwick. I just can’t work out why they made such little effort and why no one was around.

OP posts:
mrsconradfisher · 19/03/2023 15:01

Piggywaspushed · 19/03/2023 14:58

I think I remember that mrsc !

I do think shambolic course information and lectures seeming dis/un interested is a much bigger red flag than campus atmosphere, to be honest.

Ahh yes so you do!! Sorry I didn’t connect with the name.

Piggywaspushed · 19/03/2023 15:04

piggy waves in solidarity!

Parker231 · 19/03/2023 15:05

SeaDee · 18/03/2023 21:03

Funnily enough when I saw your thread title I thought “I wonder if that’s Warwick?”

Ds went to Warwick last Saturday and was really flat when he came back. It was his first choice but now I’m not so sure.

DS did his degree and masters at Warwick. First year in halls and then shared house in Leamington Spa - he loved it. Did loads of sports and social stuff.

DinkyDaisy · 19/03/2023 15:10

Hello @mrsconradfisher and @Piggywaspushed . Ds not firmed Bath yet or insured Surrey yet...
This weekend a washout as he is doing important history essay. Waffles on so miserably having to cut a couple of thousand words. Didn't learn from the trauma of his epq!
Back to the thread- Surrey, Essex and Bath made an effort on open and offer days. Bristol disappointed ds on open day. One lecturer actually said we will look good on your cv.
Put ds right off...

Ladypuggerz · 19/03/2023 16:39

ort1gia · 19/03/2023 10:47

Why do they call it University of Warwick when it's clearly on the edge of Coventry? And why do students generally move to all the way to Leamington Spa? Is Coventry really that bad (even by student standards)?! There must be loads of accommodation in Coventry?

From Warwick's wiki: The idea for a university in Warwickshire was first mooted shortly after World War II, although it was not founded for a further two decades. A partnership of the city and county councils ultimately provided the impetus for the university to be established on a 400-acre (1.6 km2) site jointly granted by the two authorities. There was some discussion between local sponsors from both the city and county over whether it should be named after Coventry or Warwickshire.

As for the "whys" over Coventry vs Leamington, I remember as a student, Leam had the reputation of being much nicer. My housemates and I looked for houses in both areas and ended up in Leam. Those living in Coventry always arrived on campus much quicker. In hindsight, I had a good time in Leam, but could have easily lived in Coventry! Good amenities and IKEA handy, too!

Poepourri · 19/03/2023 17:20

Ppl on here get a bitI know a couple of students there at the moment, they are loving it. Very social.

Poepourri · 19/03/2023 17:22

Sorry should say ppl get a bit negative about warwick but.. the students I know there at the moment are loving it. No shortage of social stuff going on.

CloudPop · 19/03/2023 17:23

One of his other offers is the same grade requirement (so he can’t insure)

@InMyRoom you can insure an offer with the same grade requirement. All of my DCs offers had the same grade requirement.

Ted27 · 19/03/2023 17:45

@Ladypuggerz
And of course in those days Coventry was in Warwickshire but is now in the West Midlands

Sorry to inform you of Ikeas sad demise.

Its currently being used a film set. Lenny Henry's new drama has been filmed in several locations in Earlsdon, with sets in the IKEA building
Long term plans for it as a public arts space.

bguthb90 · 19/03/2023 17:47

Has anyone been to a Bristol offer holder day ? If so, what was your/your DC opinion on the day ?

Ladypuggerz · 19/03/2023 17:53

Ted27 · 19/03/2023 17:45

@Ladypuggerz
And of course in those days Coventry was in Warwickshire but is now in the West Midlands

Sorry to inform you of Ikeas sad demise.

Its currently being used a film set. Lenny Henry's new drama has been filmed in several locations in Earlsdon, with sets in the IKEA building
Long term plans for it as a public arts space.

Ah, goodness, nothing stays the same, ha! That is interesting to know!

I'd love to come back and see what has changed. I have a great fondness for the area because of my time there.

Twwodoorsaway · 19/03/2023 17:57

@InMyRoom when mine was at Warwick they stayed in Arthur Vick halls, en-suite bedroom but with a “corridor” kitchen shared between about 13 rooms. This was brilliant as they very quickly bonded (and in fact 7 of them house shared after halls). There were always kitchen parties going on, nights out in clubs in Coventry or Birmingham etc. My DC was by necessity quite a hard studier as he did a challenging degree (MMORSE) but boy they all partied hard too. This was pre covid but I can’t imagine that things have changed too much.

mellicauli · 19/03/2023 18:06

I have 2 Uni of Warwick students here today . I asked them is it busy on campus? Is there a buzz? Yes they said. During the week there are 30,000 students on site, of course it's busy. One is a exchange student from a major European capital. How does it compare to your home uni (non campus), I asked. Much more of a community, lots more clubs and activities. Everyone goes off and does their own thing at their home uni. They confirmed it was time of day you visited. It was a rainy day. They saw the stalls set out for offer holders day.

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 19/03/2023 18:19

It sounds like you want a university theme park.
Students wandering around wearing caps & gowns, clutching piles of text books to their chests.

Students work, study, stay in bed, hang around with friends on Saturdays and a lot of these activities don't take place on campus.

Your child is likely to be doing the same when they are a student.

InMyRoom · 19/03/2023 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

AvocadoPlant · 19/03/2023 18:40

Wow so rude!
@InMyRoom you've been very quick to name and shame Warwick as not presenting the offer holders day you wanted, but you’ve consistently failed to name and praise the university you’re comparing it to.

RampantIvy · 19/03/2023 18:45

CloudPop · 19/03/2023 17:23

One of his other offers is the same grade requirement (so he can’t insure)

@InMyRoom you can insure an offer with the same grade requirement. All of my DCs offers had the same grade requirement.

Of course you can, but DD's ex BF did this and ended up in clearing.

lightisnotwhite · 19/03/2023 19:01

@zonder Why are you arguing. I was explaining to the person that asked why they prefer L .Spa. And my DS has been looking at accommodation for his second year. They’ve found one in Canley. It’s not really Coventry more of a suburb. Looks pretty rubbish fir students frankly. Just family homes. Leam at least, is a nice looking town.

Original poster
InMyRoom · 19/03/2023 19:12

AvocadoPlant · 19/03/2023 18:40

Wow so rude!
@InMyRoom you've been very quick to name and shame Warwick as not presenting the offer holders day you wanted, but you’ve consistently failed to name and praise the university you’re comparing it to.

You seem very invested. Do you work there?

OP posts:
Zer · 19/03/2023 19:17

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 19/03/2023 18:19

It sounds like you want a university theme park.
Students wandering around wearing caps & gowns, clutching piles of text books to their chests.

Students work, study, stay in bed, hang around with friends on Saturdays and a lot of these activities don't take place on campus.

Your child is likely to be doing the same when they are a student.

And yet Exeter and Durham are absolutely buzzing at these times.

Zer · 19/03/2023 19:19

Also Warwick had that awful phone text rape scandal. Which put my dds off it.

Piggywaspushed · 19/03/2023 19:21

We do share insights on MN. I think lots are genuinely just interested to know where you visited that compared favourably. I think that's a totally fair question.

I have no idea why everyone is suddenly getting arsey.

Zonder · 19/03/2023 19:36

lightisnotwhite · 19/03/2023 19:01

@zonder Why are you arguing. I was explaining to the person that asked why they prefer L .Spa. And my DS has been looking at accommodation for his second year. They’ve found one in Canley. It’s not really Coventry more of a suburb. Looks pretty rubbish fir students frankly. Just family homes. Leam at least, is a nice looking town.

Weird. You said Warwick Uni prefers L Spa and I showed something from the uni website that said the opposite.

mellicauli · 19/03/2023 19:40

The students at Warwick Uni generally prefer to live in Leamington Spa. The university itself sensibly suggests nearer options on their website.

Ted27 · 19/03/2023 19:43

On a purely practical point

Leamington Spa - population c95,000
Coventry - population c350,000

Warwick uni students c30,000

There is no way that Leamington can absorb the student numbers from Warwick

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