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Higher education

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

Durham University

599 replies

EwwSprouts · 21/06/2023 22:09

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

June 2023 End of term for all. Hopefully young people are brim full of plans for summer fun and jobs to pay for it!

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]Previous thread (fingers crossed!)

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19
Fruitygal · 04/09/2023 22:34

@KittyMcKitty sorry I wasn’t being funny this morning just you’d mentioned it a lot about priority given in allocation in those exceeding grades like your daughter. I didn’t say anything at the time as you were going through the mill with it all. I knew how much you were keen for her to fit in and were worried about it. I was n’t sure and would feel awful if I hadn’t said anything and a small thing could have caused a blip with anyone. I hope she’s got her 6th module sorted - has she chosen a language or something science or a wildcard?

@EconButlerSnow not sure if you were addressing your comments to me ? If so my kids all went to state schools. Some to selective state schools and some to comps and sixth form colleges. It wasn’t meant as patronising just helpful.

mondaytosunday · 05/09/2023 23:08

My daughter has grades in hand and met with her old sixth form head today who told her to apply to Durham (Cambridge, Bath, Bristol (not that keen) and Exeter the other choices). Have to say by reading this thread I'm not encouraged. It's too far (we are in London) so she hadn't considered it before. But I thought the collegiate system might be good, especially applying to the uni first then get allocated (as opposed to Cambridge where one obsessively weighs one against the other). But it appears such a lottery! My daughter has MS, needs a fridge in her room for her medication, and while not disabled in any way she does suffer from fatigue. Do they take that into account? The thought of needing to sort second year accommodation in the first few weeks of year one is not appealing.
And the lack of interest from the professors mentioned at the beginning of the thread - on another one I'm sure they also mentioned lack of responsiveness.
Sociology is her interest. She's read the course description and it sounds appealing. But have to say I'm not keen at all. We will not make the next open day either.

grass321 · 06/09/2023 05:21

MondaytoSunday sounds like Durham isn't the right choice from what you've said,

In terms of distance, we live just outside London and the train service is excellent. We only drove up twice last year. A lot of students come from the SE and I liked that people didn't go home for weekends as it was too far. It made for a better social life.

Fruitygal · 06/09/2023 05:23

@mondaytosunday great to have grades in hand so one less thing to be concerned about. Have you been to any universities to look around yet? If so have you visited any of the ones listed on your sixth form head’s recommendations?

In terms of the MS she will be allowed a fridge in her room in any university she studies at and students with medical conditions are prioritised in allocations in all universities including Durham to ensure rooms are suitable and ground floor. This includes the ability to remain in halls/college in years 2 and 3 in the case of Durham and I also believe Bath and Exeter. Cambridge obviously is in college for all three years anyway.

She can apply for DSA - disabled students allowance (for physical disabilities, chronic conditions and learning disabilities like dyslexia) and this provides any equipment and software she may need or a printer so she doesn’t need to walk to a library to print things (conserving energy). This DSA support can stretch to paying the difference between a large and a smaller room to allow for a comfortable chair in a college room if that is better for her condition over sitting on the bed or an en-suite etc; in addition they will pay for taxis it the walking back and forth to lectures from halls or college was too fatigue inducing. Each person is assessed individually so it’s difficult to confirm what you’d get but it’s a very positive process.

Things to consider probably relate to the intensity of the course and how that may impact negatively on the control of the MS. Obviously MS can come in several different types and each persons presentation is unique but avoiding relapsing is important. Cambridge terms are intense and short with longer holidays - you and your daughter might feel that is better to get longer breaks but would the intense study and long days be too much re fatigue etc? Only you and your daughter know this. Other unis would be less intense as terms and work is more spread out so Durham etc might be more suitable.

Cambridge is far flatter and with the exception of a couple of colleges very compact. Exeter and Durham more hilly and spread out which might be tiring. Reducing walking by using transport can help and Durhams bus service is cheap £1 all day which would overcome this possible hurdle.

My DD looked at all the unis you mention and we visited them all. All have strong train links into London and we live near to Cambridge so travel home is either to Peterborough or in and out of London. It is far by car but so was Exeter. ( Please note some of Exeter’s courses are on their Falmouth campus so make sure you check where sociology is based as that would be super far away.)

My DD has loved Durham and it hasn’t disappointed. She chose a self catered option over catered and supermarket shopping can be delivered but catered colleges at Durham and Cambridge maybe a bigger draw to reduce fatigue.

My DD in on a science course but has found lecturers and the profs very engaging and enthusiastic! She loves the additional wildcard subject option for year 1 and she chose a geography module but others chose languages, economics or archeology.

In terms of visiting when it’s not possible to do an open day. We visited unis a couple of times across the years with all the DCs away from the open day as we have a close family member who was very unwell meaning we missed days.

I supported my DC to contact department heads at several unis to ask if they could support us in seeing the department outside of any open day - Durham for science, Royal Holloway and Exeter were ones approached for different DCs and all were super helpful once they knew circumstances and got a senior staff member to give a personal department tour for 30mins to an hour and answer the DC questions.

Colleges at Durham often have porters who will if asked give you a college and room tour inside. Durham also do campus tours outside of open day dates if you look on the website.

I hope this helps a little - please ask away about Durham or any uni - I’d visit a few and I’m sure she’ll fall in love with 1 or 2 from that great list or come up with another fab one of her own.

KittyMcKitty · 06/09/2023 06:41

Other people have given great advice on disability support etc.

with regards to sociology (I guess HSPS at Cambridge) my dd will be studying this at Durham. A couple on your list wouldn’t necessarily be the best places to study sociology but of course university / course is very personal.

I would strongly suggest looking at York - it is a very good course as is Lancaster. Manchesters BASS courses are fantastic and give a huge amount of optionality (I have a child at Manchester studying under BASS - not Sociology but has done one of their optional modules).

I would really suggest you visit. My dc firmed Durham on the back of a visit (and insured York) and discounted a high tariff Uni as she hated the sound of the course - I won’t say which as courses are very personal.

KittyMcKitty · 06/09/2023 06:50

Sorry meant to add - what area of sociology is your dd interested in / wants to focus on? It’s worth digging deeper into the specific modules offered by universities as it varies hugely. Eg my dd is specifically interested in feminist sociology / gender based violence etc - York, Durham and Lancaster have done great work in this area and offer some really great modules - other very good unis with some great sociology courses don’t really explore this area in any depth.

JudeOfMcDougle · 06/09/2023 09:44

@mondaytosunday your DD would usually be housed in halls for all 3 years given her disability and would be allowed a fridge. I agree that visiting would help and chatting to departments etc. Plus where the lectures would be for sociology and the nearest college to reduce her walking time. Durham is small but hilly. I think seeing it reality, like any other place, would help decide it. I would look a train journeys for all the universities you listed. Ds1 did that before he applied as sometimes an easy route by car is a much longer train journey or vice versa. We live relatively close, Ds comes home once a term, the terms are 10 weeks long so 5 weeks in.

I think you need to look at the Cambridge/Oxford current students thread to know that it is intense and might not be the best for someone with MS.

Re lecturers it is pure luck if you like them, enjoy their teaching style etc. I have nieces and nephews at other unis and they also complain about the same things. The only difference is this is a thread purely about Durham (lot of threads on here complaining about online teaching only for other unis) and my siblings aren't on MN putting their complaints in.

mondaytosunday · 06/09/2023 12:46

Thanks all. I certainly do not want to overstate her MS. She is not disabled in any way and if she has a relapse it could take on any form - But hopefully she won't have any other than a few minor things. Fatigue is a general thing, it certainly didn't hinder her A levels and she was actually experiencing a relapse (which led to her diagnosis) during mocks affecting her writing but still did well regardless (and has recovered).
Can you elaborate further on what unis on her list you think are not good for Sociology @KittyMcKitty? Looking at What uni and The Guardian league tables and others they all feature in the top ten for the subject except Exeter (18 and 23). She is looking at Exeter as it does a joint Anthropology/Sociology degree. She'd prefer a campus uni which is why not as keen on Bristol, she's been to the city and we are doing the open day this weekend, hoping to perhaps swing by Bath as also having an open day but the subject talks were booked solid, but we may be able to just look at the campus. Cambridge the following week, Exeter in October.
York has such good reviews - again its distance. We went to Falmouth when she was considering Animation and though she liked it decided too far (the Exeter course is at Streatham campus).
She will take a closer look at Durham - I do know someone who went for maths in 2019 so will ask him his views.

KittyMcKitty · 06/09/2023 15:41

@mondaytosunday - York and Durham are on the same train line so York is c. 45 mins closer to London than Durham. There are non strip trains from Kings X to York. My dd is going to Durham for Sociology so happy to share her experiences when she starts with you. If she specifically wants a campus Uni Durham isn’t campus - although is v small city. York and Lancaster are. I think it makes a huge difference visiting- it totally changed my dd’s view of Durham. Birmingham is a lovely campus closer to London?

What is right for one person isn’t necessarily right for another so I’d rather not say what is good / bad if that makes any sense. One thing to consider re Bath is it’s focus is on STEM - this was a factor in my dd not applying their as she wanted a broader student population- again that is her view and others differ.

SchnitzelVonCrummsTum · 21/09/2023 20:38

Sending good wishes for everyone who's moving in this weekend. May the roads be quiet(ish), the Freps be helpful in carrying luggage, and your hearts be reassured by the fact that there's lots of us doing our level best to educate your kids and keep them safe and happy ;)

SpamhappyTootsie · 21/09/2023 20:54

Yes, best of luck to everyone heading to Durham this weekend! Such an exciting time. Flowers and hankies for all if needed.
I can’t quite believe DS is going into his 3rd year Shock
We are taking him to his student house on Sat <gulp>. He’s got a washing line he wants to put up and will be testing the Tesco delivery efficiency - that’s my boy Grin

EwwSprouts · 21/09/2023 21:35

@SchnitzelVonCrummsTum You are fast turning into my favourite academic and I am related to one!

We're on the A1 tomorrow to beat the rush and so DS can play hockey on Saturday. He is going into year 2 and a private rental with fab views of the prison 😂

Good luck to all the students for a super year.

OP posts:
Fruitygal · 21/09/2023 21:39

We took DD back on Saturday! Shes settling in and 4/8 are back for the 2nd year with the rest arriving at the weekend.

sep135 · 22/09/2023 07:08

My son's been back 5 weeks for hockey. I try not to be a clingy parent but it makes it feel a long time until he comes home for Christmas. Although I've booked a flying visit on the train at half term.

GoldenRuby · 22/09/2023 07:09

DD and her house have all just got back from a week in Europe together, so DD is taking the next week to sort through all of her stuff before we do the 6 hour trip up the A1 next weekend. She claims she is going to take less clothes this year as she can swap things over in the holidays or if we visit, but we shall see!

sep135 · 22/09/2023 07:10

We're on the A1 tomorrow to beat the rush and so DS can play hockey on Saturday. He is going into year 2 and a private rental with fab views of the prison

View aside, that must be quite central!

My overriding memory of giving birth to my kids was the view of the Wormwood Scrubs wall a few metres away.

Longtimenewsee · 22/09/2023 07:14

Good luck to everyone heading down ( or across or up) to Durham this weekend

We are taking Dd on Sunday. It’s too far for a there and back in one day for us really but needs must. We are busy and she’s wringing out the last of dosh from the summer job so is working til then. She has arranged it so that she can do a bit of work over Xmas too so that’s good.

She’s signed up to get college children this year - she’ll make a great parent to any anxious fresher .

There are de-stress dogs in the fellows garden at the castle around lunchtime on Wednesday if anyone is missing their pups.😊

SpamhappyTootsie · 22/09/2023 07:59

They had the dogs at JoBo in the first year, it's a lovely idea. When DS was looking for a house there was one with 2 resident black Labs and he was REALLY tempted to apply. It was in Browney though, so just a bit too far out.
We are taking the dog with us tomorrow. She's not really into people she doesn't know, so I won't be volunteering her as a De-Stress dog Grin. We'll probably mooch around Low Burnhall as town will be packed.

EwwSprouts · 22/09/2023 08:28

@sep135 It is. It was the cheapest on the books when they were trying to sort a house in November but the rent is eye-watering.

DS is in Stevo and they too had the dogs in last freshers week, he did go down for a pooch smooch. One of the staff used to take her dog in regularly too. @SpamhappyTootsie 2 black labs would have sealed it for DS. He's been nagging me all summer for another dog but we're not home enough at the moment.

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Longtimenewsee · 22/09/2023 09:21

@GoldenRuby . Dd claimed similar last year re clothes- can’t say I noticed much difference though ! She was able to leave boxes of stuff at her Durham property over the summer though so at least we didn’t have to bring it all home!

MargaretThursday · 22/09/2023 10:09

When dd went the stress dogs in college were probably her biggest source of stress as she is really uncomfortable round dogs!

My other two would think it was a wonderful idea though.

EwwSprouts · 22/09/2023 20:29

Just a quick bit of good news for drivers this weekend, the roadworks on the A1 south of Durham that according to the signs were going to be there for the duration of DS's three years were not there today!

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SpamhappyTootsie · 23/09/2023 08:09

We’ll be fine if we make it past J32-33 of the M6 Northbound 🤦‍♀️. Currently making travel to our favourite bit of the UK extremely tedious. At least we can play our favourite car game of this time of year - Which Cars Are Transporting Students….. GrinSetting off in a short while, couple of stops planned to get pasties from Brysons walk the dog.

Hope everyone has a good journey, whichever direction you are travelling from.

KittyMcKitty · 23/09/2023 09:27

We’re off in about an hour - dd moving in tomorrow morning so staying over in Durham tonight.

MargaretThursday · 23/09/2023 13:04

Good luck! We always stayed over because it made a far less stressful morning!

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