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Higher education

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Original poster

Bristol open day - can't see accommodation

56 replies

WobblyLondoner · 05/09/2023 20:59

My DS is going to this on Saturday and was booked to look at some accommodation in the East Village to get a sense of what is available. We just had a look online and they have cancelled any viewing of East or West Village 'for unforeseen circumstances'; the only other accommodation you can see is already over-subscribed (ie no more slots to go and have a look).

He's a bit disappointed; I can't say I blame him. Isn't giving people a chance to look around accommodation options a fairly standard thing to offer at an open day?

OP posts:
Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 05/09/2023 21:16

Accomodation in Bristol is a bit of a lottery anyway so you probably won't get to see the halls he will actually be in, some are not even placed in Bristol. There are generally lots of you tube clips of people showing off their rooms - e.g. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IwS591DMyOA .

Lola's guide to the East Village | University of Bristol Accommodation

Hear from Lola on what it's like living in the University of Bristol's East Village.Find out more about our other residential villages to find the right acco...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IwS591DMyOA

CheersToMe · 05/09/2023 21:24

I agree it's a total lottery. He can get the bus out to Stoke Bishop and have a wander around, or Clifton or into the town centre. Decide on preferred location, then the usual catered or not/shared bathroom or en-suite/ budget considerations etc.

Then fingers crossed he a) gets an offer b) gets the grades and c) gets accommodation in one of his preferred halls.

gogomoto · 05/09/2023 21:26

Halls are pretty much a lottery these days do probably not actually worth visiting as you can't really choose

Lamelie · 05/09/2023 21:29

Ha! Same thing happened to me…
35 years ago! As pp have said it’s a lottery anyway.

mumsneedwine · 05/09/2023 21:42

And they'll love it wherever they end up. It's a v fun city to be a student in.

Original poster
WobblyLondoner · 05/09/2023 22:22

Thanks all, that's helpful, and reassuring.

Still think it's pretty poor of Bristol to promote accommodation tours as something they'll do on the day and then cancel it.

OP posts:
YakChewCrumbs · 05/09/2023 22:23

Dodgy concrete maybe?

Bigfatsquirrel · 05/09/2023 22:42

There's always the offer holders day if you don't see stuff you want to see at an open day

CheersToMe · 05/09/2023 22:51

WobblyLondoner · 05/09/2023 22:22

Thanks all, that's helpful, and reassuring.

Still think it's pretty poor of Bristol to promote accommodation tours as something they'll do on the day and then cancel it.

If you think this is pretty poor, prepare your DS for the potential long wait to hear back from Bristol regarding an offer. They can be notoriously late (or occasionally amazingly quick).

pisspants · 06/09/2023 03:05

same position here @WobblyLondoner , we couldnt get a space on the subject talk my DC is interested in either so it will be a very superficial glance but I think knowing if it's a place you want to be for 3 years is important as dc has not been to Bristol before and will make a day of it and see some of the sights as well

PerpetualOptimist · 06/09/2023 06:43

It may simply be that the university has not got enough helpers to supervise the 'open house' for those accommodation tours. The logistics will be complicated and rely on a lot of goodwill.

I think for the likes of U of Bristol (and U of Bath, having its Open Day on the same day yet again), it is actually better to visit some of the accommodation (even if only on the outside) that DC think they might least want to be billeted in first year to make sure that aspect is not a deal breaker. The reality is that lots don't get first choice and quite a few don't get any on their preference list. If certainty concerning the nature and location of first year accommodation is a relatively important factor to a DC, then it might be that Bristol is not for them.

Obviously 'external' accommodation viewings don't have to be done on the crush of an Open Day and, time and money permitting, a DC can consider an informal visit at another time, perhaps also scouting out the main areas lived in by students in subsequent years. My DC have variously done this and it gives a more realistic and informed view of what the experience at a particular uni might be like (along with other info from Open Days, website, online chat function with students etc).

Nextlifestage · 06/09/2023 07:50

I can understand making the first of accommodation a factor in picking a uni.
I can't understand the appearance of the accommodation being a factor at all.
It's one year (for the majority) and whether it's palatial or tiny and cramped won't really make a difference.
Dc1 went in covid and hadn't even seen the uni before going.
Dc2 has been on open day to the uni and is starting next week but they only showed 2 different rooms and neither were remotely what dc2 ended up applying for.

stubiff · 06/09/2023 08:05

I'm not sure lottery is the correct word.
Someone in my extended family is starting this year, and put down (upto I think) 9 choices, in order.
They got their first choice.

Agreed, they can view one they really like, and think they would choose, but there is a chance they may not get it.

Nextlifestage · 06/09/2023 08:21

Cost not first.

Xenia · 06/09/2023 16:20

I had 3 at Bristol who all got Stoke Bishop and first choice of all. Even their relative who is going very shortly has got his first choice. So we seem to have a lot of luck in our family on this. We did no tours or even vists to Bristol or anywhere else before by the way although I appreciate some people like to do them.

mondaytosunday · 06/09/2023 20:38

We are going to the open day too. My daughter prefers a campus uni and Bath over Bristol, but the subject talk there was booked so opted to go for Bristol open day instead and may swing by Bath Uni on the way back just to get an idea of the campus. All the park and rides for Bristol are booked so was thinking if going to Trenchard public multi-storey lot. Good idea or miles away?? The subject talks are in Priory Rd.

mumsneedwine · 06/09/2023 20:56

@mondaytosunday v good idea. Trenchard car park is right next to Orchard Heights halls and a 10 minute walk to the Wills building.

mondaytosunday · 06/09/2023 21:23

Thanks @mumsneedwine. Have to say didn't think about parking til someone mentioned it in the Oxbridge thread!

clary · 06/09/2023 21:32

@Nextlifestage the cost of first-year accommodation is a big factor to a lot of us tho. My DC get a lowish loan and could not have afforded £8k+ for catered accomm (for example). So we had to consider if there was a self-catered shared bathroom option.

wrt Bristol - funnily enough, I accepted an offer there many many years ago without seeing it - I recall contacting them myself as they were somewhat above doing open days then ("you should be grateful to come here" was the feeling lol) and insisting I at least come to look round. They were quite shocked but agreed to let me speak to a lecturer from my two depts but I never saw the halls before going. Funny to see nothing's changed.

Agree with others, drive up to Stoke Bishop and have a look, gives you an idea of what's on offer and how far away it is (clue - quite far). And mosey over to Clifton to look at that too.

Superfood · 06/09/2023 21:35

I remember going to university open days on my own or with my boyfriend and being completely baffled by all the people who turned up with parents in tow wanting to see the accommodation.

I mean really, who cares? What does it matter?

And why are parents even going to these open days - it's not you applying for the degree!

HardcoreLadyType · 06/09/2023 21:35

Stoke Bishop is quite far, but they get free bus travel (or certainly did a couple of years ago). My DD loved being next to the Down. Clifton is also lovely, and the university is easily walkable from there.

mondaytosunday · 06/09/2023 22:09

That's true @Superfood but funnily enough my daughter trusts me and we have a good day out, can talk through impressions on the way home. She went with a friend to Bristol for the day before she was thinking of applying there. And at 17/18 they may not think about certain aspects.
I went to NY on my own for a uni interview and it would have been nicer to have gone with a friend or parent, but even then I would not have expected them to escort me to the building! At a few I've just been the taxi driver and she's done the campus tour on her own, and I expect parents will not be welcome at subject talks due to space.
I'm not that concerned about accommodation- plenty of videos online so it's just getting a feel for the location to classrooms, though for students themselves I can see how it can be an important consideration.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 07/09/2023 06:10

In my experience parents do go to subject talks too - made that mistake on our first trip! I think that as many parents are paying more they want to see where the money goes.

Fifireee · 07/09/2023 06:33

It was the same last year. This was the only uni out of all the ones we visited which did this. Awful. Really annoying.
I thought it was the worst open day of all of them.

boodlebeep · 07/09/2023 06:56

As others have said, probably will be useful to visit the various areas where the accommodation is sited throughout the city and then have a good look at the many many details and videos online. My son started last year, he wanted city centre accommodation with self catering so we did drive pasts of a few of the buildings to see location when we went down for offer holder day (we didn't do an open day visit).

Bristol was his firm and he got his first choice accommodation. It's been a fantastic year for him and he has fallen in love with Bristol. After moving himself into his new flat for year 2 he stayed through the summer to work and loved it. Best wishes to your young person for the year ahead.

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