DD still doesn’t have college or accommodation at Durham - should we panic and who do we call?

[Mommybunny]

DD is definitely confirmed to study at Durham this year but hasn’t received her college allocation (it was her firm choice and she’d been given a provisional allocation before A level results) nor an accommodation assignment. She can’t enrol until that’s all sorted and can’t pick her modules. All her friends who are going seem to be all sorted. Every time she has tried to phone or use their useless chatbot she is told to wait for the email with all the information about getting an email address.

She is really starting to stress about it and frankly so am I because I will need to take time off work and arrange a hotel to bring her up there - we are in the West Country. Does anyone know who we can call to find out what’s going on, or is anyone in a similar boat, or otherwise familiar with the process?

DD has just spent the last hour in a rabbit hole on the phone trying to get through to admissions and accommodation. Accommodation was busy every time she called, with no wait queue, but she finally got through to someone in admissions who apologised extremely ineffectually and said they’re “aiming” to have everyone allocated by Wednesday. She refused to guarantee DD that she would not be adversely affected in her module selection by their own disorganisation.

Thanks for the update.Why on earth can they not put something on their website?
They clearly know the angst, panic, fear and helplessness those waiting are feeling, and yet they do nothing to try to reassure.
PATHETIC

Sorry manic day yesterday but I wanted to update, DS went and saw the allocations team yesterday. He had to wait awhile but he said they were lovely and really helpful and supportive. They have had a huge task and are under pressure. They have said that they are trying to ensure that all allocations to colleges are done by Wednesday, again there will be some exceptions. But to please be patient. He had his email and password yesterday and can now enrol which is the part he was most concerned about as he wanted to do his module choice. He had his college allocation confirmed yesterday late and hopefully should hear about his accomodation today. He also got onto the live chat yesterday which was good and then saw someone. I think generally as a society we do miss having someone to talk to and maybe that could be an area that this process is improved for next year, man power to provide reassurance.
So fingers crossed for all those still waiting that the end is in sight.
As a side note the washing machines in halls are self dosing! So you don’t need detergent just the app to make it all work and some guidance on temps to wash and spin cycle speed! 😂

..the school is full of home counties, middle-class mum..

whatever sympathy I might have had for you just died with those words above @Mommybunny and the sense of entitlement they portray.

We just had college confirmed. Original college allocated.
So there is still hope for those hoping to get their allocated colleges.
Good Luck to all still waiting to hear.

Same! Much relief in this house; accommodation offer followed soon after and he has his choice for that too

Fingers crossed for more good news for everybody’s YPs today or very soon!

My YP's got into his preliminary (Collingwood), hopefully everyone gets theirs too!

It’s gone a bit quiet in here so hopefully lots of people have been notified today?

I just wanted to note that DS’s accommodation offer says he has to accept it by Thursday, or they will pass it on to someone else. So that probably relates to the “a small minority will hear after Weds” scenario - ie they are still expecting some movement then. Also that the college seems much more organised/contactable than the central teams and has progressed everything really quickly; we have gone from radio silence to loads of information, which is helpful

Good luck to anyone waiting; hope it works out the way they want it to!

Still waiting. Lost all hope of prelim offer college, just hope it’s not private or remote PG accommodation what’s left. So hacked off

Thank you very much for this thread. I have a DS who is looking at universities at the moment and was keen on Durham but is autistic and absolutely would not cope with this sort of messing around. It’s really useful to know now - thank you for publicising it.

Hang on in there. As of this morning we were in same boat and feeling all was lost, but suddenly got confirmation to allocated college. We were priority 2.
I imagine you will hear tomorrow

I think most Disabled students who were priority 1 and had filled in the disability forms (usually because they need a single room) and were Priority 1 (fulfilled their offer) got allocated quite quickly.

I wouldn’t rule Durham out for your DS but ask lots of questions on open days if they changing anything for next cycle - they may not be as this is the ‘Durham way’ and acceptable. To counter balance, there were firms/met grades still waiting as of yesterday. YP was insurance, so way down any list. We still waiting, and yes the majority might be sorted, but my YP has an offer of a place just like the others and to make them wait this long is a poor way to treat them. Don’t get me started on turning PG Ustinov into UG accommodation, eg Brackenbury (unless the YP wants it). Eyes wide open, if it’s worth the risk

Glad to hear it! I have been hearing a lot of similar updates over the past 48h.

I hope others still waiting take some comfort from this and hear from the uni today. Things got a little overly negative over the past few weeks, with some expecting re-allocation or outright NO accommodation based mainly on vibes.

I’m not saying the worst couldn’t ever happen, but when the uni has said they’re taking longer to get back to everyone than they’d planned and people with older students say Durham takes a while to confirm everyone but always does, it’s worth trying not to panic too early!

Agree, certainly they were faultless dealing with friend with pet hair allergy - even she was surprised how quickly! Very reassuring.

@Mommybunny Been thinking of you, any news for your DC?

My DD has still not heard about college allocation. It’s very stressful not being able to enrol and also she’s worrying now that she’s not even going to go, that somehow it’s gone wrong! Has anyone else still not heard? Thank you

There are still some others waiting to hear. They are working all weekend. There are definitely more students needing accommodation than they expected and a number of “extra sites” are being used.
People I know were on a “Live Chat” with accommodation this morning where one advisor was fielding 30+ people at once. It is stressful - but everyone says it is worth it once you get there.

Thank you so much for your reply. That’s reassuring.

But why is this necessary? Are they working it all out with abacuses and quill pens? Honestly, this sounds an incredibly slow process in an age when a decent computer programme could sort it all out within a few days at most.

I don’t know but I suspect two issues:

1. too many people accepted/firmed (every Uni over offers)
2. they are trying to honour their all freshers get Uni accommodation offer but very few are living at home. Of course they also need to accept as many people as possible for the fees. It is not only Durham that is having a problem accommodating everyone.

My YPs university doesn’t announce accommodation before 20th September, but like Durham, they start later.

This is so awful, sending good vibes of you to those who still haven't heard.

My dd was considering Durham as one of her choices but won't be now.

I hope the waiting ends soon for everyone and that they settle in well and can put this bad start behind them.

Crossing fingers for updates. I will not be recommending go for Durham!

How are you getting on @Mommybunny ?

Sheer curiosity - is your daughter sorted out and settled in, OP?