Firm, insure or wait for Edinburgh?

[Donotgogentle]

DS has offers he’s happy with but as yet no response from Edinburgh. From lurking on this board it looks like he might not hear until May. Edinburgh is probably his top choice.

If he firms/insures on two of his offers does that mean he can crack on with applying for accommodation or is there no disadvantage to just waiting for a response from Edinburgh?

Depends on the other choices. Not all open accommodation applications before UCAS closes.

Thanks, hadn’t appreciated that. Will check the accommodation application deadlines by university.

Many guarantee accommodation for freshers anyway, even after results day, so while choice may become more limited it usually works out in the end

Yes, check the individual policies, but in all likelihood it’s worth waiting and almost certainly if E would be his top choice.

If Edinburgh was/is his first choice I’d hold firm. My DD had almost given up on her first choice (KCL) and talked herself round to preferring one of the other unis. She was on the brink of firming her second favourite just to put herself out of her misery… only for the offer to come in. Super relieved she held off!

If Edinburgh is his true first choice then wait.

Even if the other unis have opened their accommodation for booking it isn't usually on a first come first served basis and is allocated after results day when they know which students have met their offers. So check the situation for the offers he has and the ones he is waiting for.

This is all really helpful, thanks. Edinburgh is - on balance - his first choice but he might potentially be swayed to firm his second if accommodation could be sorted out early.

We’ll double check the timelines but it sounds like he’s fine to wait and see what Edinburgh says.

Honestly, wait. It’s very unusual for universities to offer firm accommodation at this stage and tbh it’s usually only the dodgier universities who are desperate for bums on seats. As others have said you can apply for accommodation at some unis (the portal isn’t open at others) but it won’t give you an advantage as nothing will be firmly allocated until after results day

Just wait. It’s too early to be panicking about accommodation.