The trials and tribulations of Uni Apps for 2018.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Just thought I'd start a wee thread for those with DC applying for uni for next year (or indeed applying for themselves) in ase anyone was up for sharing knowledge/support/venting etc.

I have DS1 applying for this year. Still doesn't know where to or what for .

Not done any open days yet and lots now clashing so can't do them all. He wont go alone and wont ask anything or tell us anything about it if he did, so looks like it might be family days out for the next month or so. Dragging DS2 with us as he is currently doing Highers and given his poor Nat 5 results, he needs some motivation to pull his finger out if he wants to go to Uni.

How is everyone else getting on?

My DS was torn between engineering and CS/Software engineering. He had two offers form Heriot watt to do Computer Science (one for 1st year and 1 for 2nd year which he didn't apply for). His Personal Statement ended up very geared towards IT type of stuff so he ended up ditching Mechanical/Civil and Pure Electrical and electronic engineering. He did apply for a couple of courses where electronics was combined with an IT subjcet but one of those was edinburgh which he also got a rejection from. I really liked heriot watt but he's decided he doesn't want to live away from home yet so that's out the running as it's a bit far to travel daily.

About SAAS ( I speak as a survivor whose child is now in first year uni ).

They need to apply now, even if they are not applying for a loan . It doesn’t matter that they don’t have an offer yet. Just complete the form online and it will all be changed once they have accepted an unconditional ( which they don’t have to do until early May ) or met the terms of a conditional ( in August ).

They are applying to get their fees paid to the Scottish uni by SAAS. So they must get it in, even if they are not applying for a loan. That way they will get an award notice in June and it’s one less thing to worry about.

It doesn’t matter if the award letter says mech eng at Strathclyde and they end up doing politics at St. Andrews.

You can help them or even do it for them ( depending on your own anxiety level ).

Sorry just realised that was unclear .

Kids need to apply to SAAS as soon as it opens - last year it was 10 April IIRC. The guarantee date last year was 30 June. If they get their application in by then SAAS will have their money for them by first day of term.

When I say “ apply now “ I mean “ don’t wait until they have offers”.

Your child can put you as a nominated person on their SAAS account so you can deal if there are Problems. DD also did this for her student residence account, so I could sort it out when they started sending her emails about being evicted because of not paying Hall fees ( it was a mistake) .

Apparently there are SAAS videos on YouTube which explain it all .

Thanks SOph1a that was very useful. I think i am going to take a chill pill for a few weeks until it's open for 2018/19 applications and then get DS to submit. We can apply for fees only and then if DS wants to borrow money on his own account then that's up to him and will be his debt to deal with.

Wax - haven't checked the actual forms but if your ds does decide to apply for a loan, you will need to get involved to a certain extent, as the size of the loan he can get is a function of household income.

prettybird i may have exaggerated for comic effect on the Rugby issue, I think it could be summed up with drinking to excess and embarrassing forfeits, so nothing too extreme, I just hate that side of male sporting culture and am not amused by the antics!

I hate dealing with forms, my waiting for offers anxiety has been replaced with admin and money anxiety!

yes, I've looked at that PB. he can only get the minimum, which isn't even enough to cover halls if he'd decided to go down that route. We've said we will pay for travel or halls if he changes his mind about where to go but that beer money etc is down to him. He has savings and could get a loan (which he'd be responsible for) but our preference would be for him to get a job.

The system is really flawed as they don't even take into account the amount you are already contribution for uni for your first child when you are applying for a 2nd child. As ours are only a year apart, we could easily be in the position of spending DHs entire post tax salary purely on uni accommodation!

And for some DC, whilst their parents could afford to help them, it doesn't mean they will and the DC can't borrow any more

The 31st March deadline is for students who didn't apply for their full loan amount.

Dh is particularly sensitive about it, after what he'd heard our senior club did to one of the former U18s who'd moved up to the senior club and went "on tour" with them. He won't even tell me what it was and I'm not a prude I agree with you that it's the less attractive side of male "bonding" culture and rugby club drinking culture

As it is, ds is fanatical about very committed to his rugby and complains about those in his team at his current club who (in his words) fanny about and don't take it seriously. He also doesn't drink much because he wants to be fit and clear headed for his rugby games - so the whole drinking culture at Uni rugby clubs will come as a big shock!

I'm not looking forward to filling in the forms either: we have complicated financial affairs (and have been living off savings for a year), so I suspect it is going to involve a lot of phone calls as we won't have the documentation that they require (neither self-employed, nor claiming benefits because of our savings ).

Wax - a friend's ds is in that situation: her dh refuses point blank to pay anything towards his ds' costs if he goes away from home (although he'd let him live in a buy-to-let flat rent free if he stayed in Glasgow ). It's causing tension

In respect to loans for Scottish students, all students are now allowed the non means tested £4750 loan if staying and home and a bit more (£1k If I recall correctly) if living away, so shouldn't need paperwork.

Even at the open days they say that it's not down to parents to fund university, it's for the students but if they take into account parental income in terms of how much they are entitled to borrow then students are caught between a rock and a hard place if parents say they have to fund it themselves

Wow, I've been off this thread for 2 days and there are loads of updates!

Firstly, really sorry to hear about your DS' news from Edinburgh, pretty, but I'm glad he's got over the initial disappointment. And yes, he has 2 fab unconditionals :). The offer day at Aberdeen sounds great, I'm sad we missed it. Pleased to say though that we had a drive around the Aberdeen campus today (following many late night conversations over the last few nights) and DS is now ready to go firm on his offer for there :).

Wiggly, very well done to your DS! I haven't dared to look at cost of halls yet... I'm with you on the "straight to panicking about funding" feeling though. Wax I think I'll be taking a similar approach to you - apply for fees then DS can do the rest as and when he needs it. I have savings to get him started but I doubt they'll stretch beyond 1st year.

Groovee that's great news for your DD too!

Happy thanks for the prompt re SAAS, I had begun to relax now that DS has all his offers in... what was I thinking?! ;)

Superjaggy - I've just been doing my sums on the accommodation. Ds has set his heart on New Carnegie Court (for which you need to apply early, so those who have Unconditionals have an advantage) because it has ensuite facilities. It is however, £142/week , as compared to Grant Court which is only £109/week but doesn't have ensuite facilities. The rooms are small in both though (the more old-fashioned residency type halls like Elphinstone Court have bigger rooms). New Carnegie has 3/4 "double" beds but a very small wardrobe - but a corner desk which ds liked (but very restricted floor space). Grant Court has bigger wardrobes but standard single beds. Wardrobe space is maybe more of an issue for girls than boys though (It was his cousin who commented about the wardrobe sizes - we wouldn't necessarily have noticed ) The kitchen/eating/sitting area is bigger in Grant Court than in New Carnegie.

Need to decide that if ds chooses New Carnegie and gets in, whether we reduce his weekly "spending money" because he chose the more expensive option

Ds' cousin showed us around (she lived in one of the Grant Court flats in her 1st year) in the afternoon. The accommodation tours had finished but the "show flats" were still open. The accommodation people did a very good talk - and said you can turn up any time and they will show you around (although it would helpful if you rang in advance )

Ah thank you for that - DS says he's researching accommodation tonight so I'll pass your info on to him . He's quite keen on the Unite flats on King Street (the old fire station) but I don't think that's based on any sort of evidence!

The Accommodation talk said that they encouraged (and guaranteed places for) 1st years to stay in the Hillhead campus. The price includes contents insurance as well as wifi, hearing, 24 hour security, laundry facilities, supermarket onsite (open 7am to midnight - more expensive than the Lidl nearby but it also sells stationary and kitchen bits 'n' pieces that students might needs at the last minute) as well as the Central hub (pub, food/cafe, games room, computers etc), so it seemed good from a safety and facilities perspective. Free parking too! (Maybe not so much of an issue for your ds but useful for you if you're visiting ). I know the way they encouraged people via Facebook groups to get to know each other helped my niece before she started there.

The walk to Uni is not far during the day and very pleasant through the park. At night it's 5 minutes further via the roads. The Lidl is just off that road.

The Unite flats are good in that they are half way between the centre if town and the Uni - and beside not just the fire station but also the police station (neice's flat is just round the corner). Maybe better for subsequent years?

I think it may have been the single beds that put DS off living out! :o

He is 6'3 - well he was a few months ago (could be 6'4 now for all I know!) and sleeps diagonally in a double bed. If it's single beds when we are on holiday, he sometimes sleeps on the floor unless it has no baseboard so he can overhang.

Oh - and niece said above all, don't go for North Court as it's 5 minutes away (in the wrong direction) from most of the accommodation at Hillhead and down the hill.

Wax - that's not an issue for ds!

Not that your ds is applying to Aberdeen but it sounds like he'd need the 3/4 double beds (guy said closer to a double than a single - and having seen them, I'd agree) in Carnegie Court

It's an expensive business being tall! I'm 5'9/10 and feel like a midget in my house. Getting a "wee" runaround car is also proving a "tall" order! :o

Wax have you looked at the Toyota Aygo - it’s small but definitely ok for 6’ 3” and is one of the cars that will not kill you for insurance (relative to other cars but is still hefty for a teen!!!!!)

Thanks celtie, he did manage to squeeze into one of those but it wasn't exactly comfy. The issue is that he is all legs so he struggles to get them round the steering wheel and many small cars don't have rake and reach steering wheels. His instructor just got a Toyota Auris and he liked that! :o DH is only an inch shorter but doesn't have the same issues and I suppose added to it that DS isn't an experienced driver yet so he likes to have the exact right position whereas once you drive regularly you can cope with more variety.

It was quite funny going with him and trying in loads of cars. Mostly I was having to go in first to shunt the seat back so he could actually get in and some he failed to even do that! His first instructor had a Fiat 500 and that wasn't actually as bad as some bigger cars though.

I'm just away to buy a car to fit my 6'4" son who's about to learn to drive. Which cars are the most suitable in your opinion? It's also the height of his eye level which is concerning as he's not got good all round vision.

We tried a Hyundai 120 which seemed ok space-wise and a Ford Fiesta. Anything smaller just did not work.

For a car for our DC1 we only looked at cars in insurance group 1 anything else is way too expensive to insure. Volkswagen Up was recommended but we eventually went with a Toyota Aygo - he is 6’2” and it works. Insurance took a while to sort out - cheaper when on provisional license! Phone round specialist insurance companies and don’t automatically go with your household names for insurance.

Good luck with everyone’s searches for their tall DC.

We are still looking Aurea so can't say for sure. So far the Aygo and the mini were the best of a bad bunch. he couldn't get in the smaller Kia's or the i10 at all. He has driven a Ce'ed and the Auris and he fits in my Note which has loads of headroom but doesn't find it ideal and again they aren't the smallest. To be honest there isn't millions of difference in terms of insurance. It was about £300 a year difference between an i10 which was the cheapest and my 1.4 litre Note. I'm struggling to remember now what else we tried.

I remember DH who is 6'2 struggling to see out of a laguna as the roof sloped down too far at the front but he was okay in the little Matiz I had at the time.

We just went to an area with loads of showrooms and just sat him in loads of different cars without really looking at price etc as you could then research the model later. But then we parked the project for a bit while waiting to see what he was doing about uni as it seemed pointless getting him a car if he was going to Edinburgh or something. Now it's back on the table as he'll need something to get to and from the train station so doesn't need to be completely ideal as he'll not be doing long journeys.