Uni is just over-sold and disappointing

[Greedybilly]

My lovely 19 year old has just finished Yr 1 of uni ( when did the courses end at Easter? What happened to term 3?)
She was unlucky with her flatmates who were awful to her and her course mates mostly commute.
Part time jobs are none existent and she's done umpteen trial cafe shifts only to be ghosted.
She had such high hopes and seems like a shadow of her former self. It does all feel like a massively over marketed business.
Anyone got any words of wisdom/happy endings??
Gutted for her and angry at all the hype and nonsense.

@Humptydumptysat had a quick google and:

Although Imperial does not release data regarding the age of incoming students specifically, the most recent statistical report (from the 2020-2021 academic year) identifies approximately 50 underage undergraduate students in total, the vast majority of which reasonably can be assumed to be in their first year of study. This number pales in comparison to the total number of incoming undergraduates, which revolves around 3000 yearly.

Obviously a higher proportion in Scotland, given the different school year cutoffs, but Scottish uni funding is also a bit different.

Student loans are on a year by year basis, so the 18 year old student could drop out without a £30k liability if they felt the 17 year old fresher had made the wrong call.

Semester dates are online, it ends 31/5. But I admit it hadn’t occurred to me that her last class or contact with a tutor would be 27/3. We did go to open and offer days. The actual timetables only come out at start of each semester.
Things like one module has been entirely online and online exam. She didn’t know that until January, it’s a compulsory module.
My dd doesn’t mind and is making most of it she’s up there revising, went to a society thing last night and a social last week.
It definitely is much lighter in terms of actual contact with a human than when I did same course 30 years ago at a different university.

Some, even in England, are 17 when they make the commitment, and the majority will be 17 when weighing up decisions around university and courses (in Scotland some may be only 15 when deciding courses to apply for). The total loan for a first year can still be over £20k for tuition fees and maintenance. 16 year olds in Scotland may get tuition fees paid at Scottish universities but they could still incur £11k of loans for living expenses.

Hmm. I think if English/Welsh kids decide against uni in August (eg don’t meet grades or take a gap year) then they haven’t made any irrevocable commitment to take a loan so they probably are 18 by the time £ is advanced.

We signed DS1’s accommodation contract towards the end of August IIRC.

It is of course on students (and parents) to decide if they feel a gap year would be beneficial if they are “young for their year”

But what’s the alternative? A post school year of national service? Deciding not to go to
uni is also an adult decision as that means looking for work, paying bills etc,

If a significant minority of students feel the experience is not what they expected then I think there needs to be some research into how courses are marketed at what is quite a vulnerable group in many ways. It should be considered if more needs to be done in schools and also by universities. The original question was ‘are universities oversold?’ and I think the ‘selling’ needs to carefully considered especially given age.

I would say the selling of university as a life stage comes more from schools and parents than from universities.

Of course there are open days and ucas listings and taster courses etc but that to me is more about unis competing with each other for students than about persuading people away from a job and into a degree,

ETA but we can’t get away from the fact that post-school at 18 or so IS a life stage

Universities are competing against each other and jobs, other training, volunteering, internships, etc for students. Certainly schools have a big responsibility but universities are hardly neutral.

This was the focus of my PhD.
Essentially my research found that the vast majority of students who are studying a level three qualification feel that university is the natural next step and 'just what you do'. This message comes from school/college who promote university as the preferred option and barely mention other options.

Universities don't really play a part in convincing young to people to enter higher education more generally.

When did you do your PhD?

18 months ago. This has been my area of professional practice and research for years.

@UnlikelyIntimacies

I loved reading your post and you sound amazing.

God op its hard isnt it. My daughter doing vetenary. She really loves it but all intern/unpaids as year 3. Bit work in her dads office. Sometimes I think college is so hyped up. I didnt go uni my sisters did. Then interviewers dont get back to u.

So many excellent posts from @HighLadyofTheNightCourt . Thank you for your patience.
Also from @SheilaFentiman today.

I’m not sure that universities view themselves as competing against a job, internship or volunteering. All of those things might mean a mature student (or a specialist Masters - kaching!) down the line anyway 😀

And all of those involve making an adult decision with longer term impact at 16-18 too.

Seconded.

Thank you

Universities don't really play a part in convincing young to people to enter higher education more generally.

That feels a bit like saying that McDonalds and KFC don’t persuade people to eat junk food, they just compete against each other.

That’s a cute line, but do you really think the two are the same? What parallels do you actually think there are?

Of course they are not the same 🙄Universities are generally beneficial, fast food is not. However the analogy stands in relation to marketing. Both universities and fast food companies market themselves individually, but in doing so contribute to the overall swaying of their target market.

Hardly.
You don't have Universities advertising themselves on TV
You don't have Universities advertising themselves on bus tickets
You don't have Universities putting coupons in newspapers.
etc
etc
You have to already be interested in going to University, and start looking in to which Universities you think you might be interested in, before you come across any of their marketing.

What uni was that ? Sounds awful !

One day a week is ridiculous ! What’s the point in that.

How would you know which have established good student experiences?

National Student Survey - NSS

Comments on the student room and other internet forums etc

OP my first year of uni wasn’t that great . I didn’t click wth those I was living with . Like your daughter lived with randoms second year ( one second year and two international third years ) and I had an amazing time . I also put myself out there helping at the uni and joining a casual sport society. Third year I lived with the housemate on my same year and one friend each from our courses in the same house and also had a great time . Don’t be discouraged by those who say that if you don’t make friends the first week you won’t at all .
my daughters had similar experiences, both moved student flats after Christmas ( when some drop out ) as they didn’t click with the first lot. Eventually found their friends and one was alright ( she preferred home even though she had a good time there so was always a little teary when she left but only ever came back Christmas, Easter and summer) and the other loved it . I’ve told my youngest she may not click with her flat mates that if they’re civil and clean it will be a bonus! And I’ve told her it will be hard that she will have to put the effort in , join societies and she may miss us. To mentalise herself to give it her best for one year and then decide whether it’s for her or leave with that qualification and look for another direction. I’ve told her she doesn’t have to go to uni but she wants to. I’ve made it clear that she will be herself wherever she goes. I know she’s scared. She’s got a lovely group of friends at sixth form . She’s loved sixth form despite struggling with the workload . She’s already said how much she will miss it . But they’re all going to uni or travelling and will be all over the place.
as for terms being short , m happy about that. Il be able to tell her September to end of April whenever she’s struggling. 7 months minus holidays , so it never feels like a whole year if she’s trying to get to the finish line .