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Higher education

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

Original poster

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!

Link to old thread
]Previous thread (fingers crossed!)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
GoldenRuby · 24/06/2023 21:50

Winter, not winder (fat fingers!)

Original poster
EwwSprouts · 29/06/2023 20:15

Congratulations to all those who are graduating this week and next. Commiserations to those who do not have enough credits. It's clearly a dog's dinner but I hope all have enjoyed the learning, the clubs and societies and leave having made some fabulous friendships and with some very happy memories.

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Fruitygal · 01/07/2023 21:40

Moved DD for 2nd year at Durham this week but 4 of them will be looking for a house for 3rd year asap in September/October for 2024 etc (or possibly 2 x 2 beds)

Wondered if anyone on here owns a property in Durham or knows of one that will be free September 2024 as would be interested in viewing on 16th September when back to move DD fully

lurchermummy · 01/07/2023 21:48

Just got back from
DDs graduation - a lovely day and can highly recommend the Rabbit Hole fior a celebratory dinner but you have to book a long way ahead! The university really do pull out all the stops, just a shame that due to the lecturers strike DD does not yet know what class of degree she's been awarded!!

Fruitygal · 01/07/2023 22:11

just wanted to say hi again ! Crazy few months but DD has loved her first year! Just did a quick pop up to Durham to get her keys for 2nd year House today. Friends son graduated yesterday which is great but the marking boycot has been a mess. DD has 2-3 modules with exams yet to mark. Others all great and loved the ecology field trip last week.

Fruitygal · 01/07/2023 22:26

@LaDeeDa123

Teaching quality very much depends at each uni on what you study and the ethos of that department. Imagine it as a series of subjects at a school - DD went to a great school but 1 department was weak. Most superb ! Ask away about particular subjects or courses.

Accommodation issues at a dozen unis from Manchester to Bristol to St Andrews and Glasgow plus most of London unis. Durham has its moments too but far from unique.

College system is superb, sport and activities are fab - DD got involved in uni newspaper and several societies.

Fruitygal · 02/07/2023 01:09

@lurchermummy glad you had a great time

chopc · 02/07/2023 09:47

I don't know if my DS Elzevir be if unique. He loved his College and got on well with everyone in year 1.
However as they had to pick flat mates within two weeks , he dithered and missed the boat in sharing with his fellow flat mates in his college and went with one of his old school friends in another college and his friends from the same college.

None of the year 1 friends kept in touch and he feels like a honorary me member of his current house's college rather than his original one ......

I feel a little sad as one of the main attractions of going to Durham was to have a sense of belonging to a college.

Plus he hardly knows anyone from his course as they hardly meet in person 🤷🏽‍♀️

chopc · 02/07/2023 10:47

Meant to say DS experience

SpamhappyTootsie · 02/07/2023 14:12

DS doesn’t feel much affinity to his College @chopc . It was somewhere to live for the first 2 years and certainly in the first year I think it was very supportive and helpful to all who needed that. It did rankle that there was no info on the likelihood (or not) of getting a place in Halls for the third year until March, which made it a mad dash to try and find somewhere to live, so I don’t think he feels any loyalty towards the College as underneath all the collegiate blether it’s just a business transaction,as the accomodation debacle showed.He may well go and visit his old flatmates who are staying on Halls next year, but he’s really looking forward to moving into a ‘proper’ student house for this year.

legosunqueen · 02/07/2023 14:28

Hello all, my DS is finishing year 12 at school & has set his heart on Durham for 2023 entry. He loved it at the Open Day & particularly likes the colleges system. I wonder if anyone has any feedback on the Business and Management BA? Thanks in advance

chopc · 02/07/2023 14:59

Glad it's not just mine @SpamhappyTootsie

Original poster
EwwSprouts · 02/07/2023 17:09

@Fruitygal Great to hear your DD has enjoyed the first year. So has DS. As ever you are quick off the mark! DS and one of his house mates are going to get house keys in a couple of weeks. I'll pop for a day to check the state of it.

@legosunqueen Sorry STEM here.

I asked DS the other day if he felt more part of the college or the university. He's been in a s/c college so no dining hall and not so much history. He said college which I think comes from having played quite a bit of college sport, though he has also played for one uni team. He is friendly with people on his course from other colleges and has a lab buddy etc but doesn't seem to socialise with them in the same way. @chopc I wonder if it's because those in catered halls are always dashing back to eat or with your DS is it because they had a covid start ?

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chopc · 02/07/2023 17:17

I think it’s because he is sharing with people from another college as opposed to anyone in his college. He said he made an effort to meet up in the first term and not one reciprocated his efforts so he realised they were not real friends.

As for the course I think his subject has very few contact hours and as most people watch the lectures online, he has hardly come into contact with people on his course which I think is a real shame

lastdayatschool · 02/07/2023 17:17

@legosunqueen it's worth having a look at www.durham.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/how-to-apply/undergraduate-admissions-statistics/ to get an indication of whether Durham favour international applicants vs UK applicants for this course.

My DS was very keen for the A&F course at Durham, but despite exceeding the typical offer, was rejected at the end of April, i.e. late in the cycle; the reason given being "course is too competitive"

Original poster
EwwSprouts · 02/07/2023 17:34

@chopc That's a shame when he has made an effort. DS goes to lectures but hasn't got into the habit of going to the library which I think would generate more opportunity for bumping into people and going for a coffee etc.

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Fruitygal · 02/07/2023 17:37

@EwwSprouts hiya ! glad he's ok and enjoying it! Didi he choose to do the ecology module x

legosunqueen · 02/07/2023 18:26

@lastdayatschool thanks, that makes interesting reading - is there an official policy of favouring overseas students for these courses? DS's UCAS predicted grades are higher than the minimum requirement but I can see that a huge percentage of offers are made to overseas students compared to UK. I think he will still want to apply but helpful in terms of managing expectations...

lastdayatschool · 02/07/2023 18:49

@legosunqueen I imagine no university would ever explicitly state they have a preference for international vs UK students.

It's good to be aware of these factors though - not only in terms of tempering enthusiasm of DC for one particular location, but also in researching other universities where international applicants don't appear to be favoured to UK ones.

theuniguide.co.uk is good as it gives a breakdown of gender ratios and international vs UK ratios for attendance on courses. A lot of universities also publish detailed admissions statistics like Durham

legosunqueen · 02/07/2023 18:51

@lastdayatschool thanks, that's helpful...

Fruitygal · 02/07/2023 21:04

Most London unis massively favour international students in certain courses

Original poster
EwwSprouts · 02/07/2023 22:18

Fruitygal · 02/07/2023 17:37

@EwwSprouts hiya ! glad he's ok and enjoying it! Didi he choose to do the ecology module x

Glad to hear your DD enjoyed the field trip. He did choose the ecology module but got fed up with the lack of communication so pulled out. He's tried to keep his year 3 options open as doesn't know which path he wants to follow except not biochemistry.

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Fruitygal · 02/07/2023 22:36

@EwwSprouts DD would agree re the biochemistry

grass321 · 03/07/2023 06:24

My son also enjoyed his first year, particularly uni hockey, but could do with reducing the alcohol consumption next year... I was looking forward to having him home for a long summer but pre-season training starts on 17 August so he's off again.

He picked a sporty college (Collingwood) but didn't end up playing any college sport which was a bit of a shame. He was hoping to play college cricket but the nets clashed with hockey gym sessions so he didn't manage it. I don't think he perhaps feels the college ties we had when we were there, although that was helped by living in college for all three years (in houses with en-suites which were great).

Ofcourse44 · 03/07/2023 07:34

Thanks everyone for this thread. My DD has firmed Durham for this September - so fingers crossed on results day she will have a firm place. She is already a bit worried about the dash to find year 2 accommodation within couple weeks of first term. Is this really the case? Seems so hard to have to find people to share with when you have only just arrived. Be great to hear people’s experience.