S5/S6 support thread.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I know I need it this year with Dd.
Everyone welcome to join in.

That's very true Lidl, mine didn't want to go on their own or with their friends but if they'd been happy to then I'd have done the same as you. Nothing more embarrassing than being with the 'rents when you want to hang with the tribe :o

Offer holder days definitely need the bill payer along I think. DS2 and I might be ready to kill each other by the end of the day next week though...

He is resisting going to speak to student support, doesn't want to stand out from the crowd or get the help he's going to need but I don't want to spend the entire day arguing about it. That might be a visit just for me maybe while he is in the subject talk but I'll feel like a fanny there without him too.

He thinks there might be people from his year going up as well so I might just split up from him for a while if he wants to look at stuff with them.

Late to the party and name change here. We've had a complete change of plan, however, in December 2017, Dd's statement and academic reference went to UCAS on the Friday and she had an unconditional offer from Stirling on the Monday. So maybe it depends on what course! Lidlfix I think I read elsewhere that your dd is doing an HND? What's the recommended "progression route" - (just picking up on your comment as I thought 2nd year was the recommended route, some Unis don't accept applications to 3rd year from an HND). Can you apply to 2nd year and to 3rd year of the same Uni course on UCAS? When we went to the Stirling open day in October, we were in the talk with a boy who was doing HND (not sure of which institution) and they were recommending applying to 2nd year NOT third year...

3rd year was recommended progression route for DD but she wanted 2nd year as she thought that making the change from one environment to another wasn't a great idea in 3rd year.

We shall see soon enough but like Wax I'm itching to get organised.

We went to the offer day for Dd. It meant we knew what to expect and the SAAS people were there for info too. We spent a bit of time sussing out the city too x

Lidlfix Wrong thread now because this should be on the Uni one but I think we'll be in the same position next year with dd. Was unable to take up her Uni place so ended up elsewhere and now it doesn't make sense for lots of reasons to not progress through the HND route. She too would prefer access to 2nd year after HND

Decisions ... decisions ! DS struggling to choose between Glasgow & St Andrews. The courses are pretty much the same so no concerns over that - it’s more does want to move away from home or not. Each will be a totally different student life (I think!). Any words of wisdom to help him choose ?

That depends. I loved St Andrews and friends for life . But it can be very intense and claustrophobic. As long as you recognise that it's not "real life", it's a fantastic experience.

I'm from Glasgow, but didn't apply to any home Unis as I very definitely wanted to leave home (and was encouraged to do so by my parents).

Niece had similar decision to make last year. StA is within commuting distance of her home. She was desperate to go away. Although my sister said she could stay in halls in first year, she chose not to go to StA. Fancied somewhere livier with wider subject options in first year. My sister went to StA herself a long time ago. Didn't love it socially - it was a bit too rah for her but she did comment that she was pleasantly surprised when she went to offer days last year with DN that science students seemed a pretty normal bunch although more US students than she remembers.

I agree with St Andrews possibly being a bit "Yah" (as we called them back in my time a loooooong time ago ) - but not necessarily

Some of the Halls were much more "upper class" than others. Mine (John Burnet Hall) very definitely wasn't

Ditto with some of the pubs

Thx all. DS is a home bird but think he feels he should try and spread his wings.... school assignments handed in now & holidays are here 🎉 so more time / less pressures to really think about it.

This is the first year in 4 years that our Easter Holidays are really late. Ds is feeling the pressure a bit over only having 4 days at school before exam leave starts x

We had a nice time at Aberdeen offer holders day and DS got rejection today from Stirling - still nothing from Dundee but that was always a filler anyway as we haven't been to see it at all and don't really know anything about the course. Stirling was always only going to be his back up I think anyway so he's not too disappointed. Looks like he just needs to knuckle down and get the grades now and he'll be off up to Aberdeen.

Lots of changes ahead @WaxOnFeckOff x

I know Groovee I'm missing him already and he hasn't even got the results to go yet. I'm excited for him though and he has said that he is a bit apprehensive but excited too

We had a really lovely day, just the two of us. I know he is mine, but I am so impressed by the thoroughly lovely young man he has become.

He was a bit worried that he'd go to Uni and we'd turn his room into a guest room and he'd no longer have his own place to be. He's also worried about missing the cat... :o

Aww bless him x

Susiewong, my DS2 is really enjoying first year at St Andrew's, so much so that he went back early from spring break. He's not bothered about posh kids, he doesn't seem to notice but is enjoying having international friends that share his interests. He likes the ease of everything being handy and the catered halls. He is a bit of a country mouse who's not bothered about exciting nightlife though!.

wiggly I’m glad to hear your son is really enjoying his first year at St Andrew’s. Hard to believe a year has passed since I started reading last years Uni applications thread. My daughter has yet to firm St A’s despite getting her unconditional in February and declaring for the last 4 years that it is her absolutely first choice! I am almost 100% certain she will but we are going to go down to the offer holders day next Saturday.
Accommodation is one of her big concerns and the whole not being able to select individual halls at St A’s making allocation pretty random - also the big cost differences from my perspective! She is keen to be catered for the first year and would probably prefer to be in town where all her classes would be. She is quite horrified by the thought of sharing and knows that there is a fairly high chance of this if she selects standard catered (cheapest!) accommodation
I know Accommodation opens on 1 April but I don’t think there is a chance she’ll firm until after we’ve been down again so I’ve not yet seen the online application form.
Am I right in thinking that your son was allocated a shared room this year and ask how that has worked out? Was it as awful as she fears! Think she is concerned about conflicting study habits - two reading heavy subjects and she likes her own space and plenty of quiet at the moment. Also just basic concerns over a general lack of privacy as well as differing room habits although she recognises the benefits of almost having a ready made friend if it’s a good match!
Would appreciate any advice based on your son’s experience 😄

susiewong I understand your son’s dilemma where they don’t have that overriding urge to leave home. My daughter is the same and has always said that St A’s is the only place she’d leave home for. She has unconditionals from all her choices but she was always ckear that it was St A’s or stay home for uni. I do think going away will be the making of her and we are quietly encouraging her although I know I’ll miss her dreadfully!

Wax I’m so pleased you both had a good experience at the Aberdeen offer holders day. I know that it is son’s first choice. Can totally empathise with the feeling of wanting them to do well and achieve their potential but knowing that you are going to miss them hugely 😔

Thx @hotgingerpudding2 that’s exactly the dilemma ... I also think it could be the making of him but will miss him terribly ! Trying hard to let it be his decision without overly influencing him for my own reasons! He too has all unconditionals so a great position to be in.
We were at StA offer holders day a couple of weeks ago with DS - it was fab! Really well set up for the subject, accommodation & sports/social tours. All the dept lecturers were there, DS met his tutor , lots of opportunities for questions. We were all really impressed ... DS said it would be perfect... if just nearer home.
He’s went to the Glasgow offer holder day himself - and also says he loved that too - hence the dilemma 🙈.
Accommodation is a worrry too but we’ve agreed he’ll apply for single room. I thought catered would be best but lots of friends with older DC say it’s a waste of money and would go for self catered ! Decisions decisions !! I’m not sure if applying early for StA accommodation matters as surely they need to wait for all so they can match ?

Depending on how sociable they are, catered really helps as you are "forced" (in the nicest possible way ) to mingle 2-3 times a day.

When I was there (a looooong time ago) iirc, you were able to apply for specific halls. However, that might have been becasue some were single sex. At that time, all first year rooms were shared. As it happens, my "sharer" (who had some MH issues) left not long after the start of term, so I go the room to myself . I did have to share for the summer (iirc) term with a French student who came across as part of her degree, but as I was studying French, that was actually really good . I ended up going and staying with her for a few weeks in the summer holidays

Most of my friends from that time are still close friends with those that shared with in 1st year.

There have been a lot of new residences built since them - some a lot more expensive that the one I was in (John Burnet Hall). I ended up staying there the whole time I was at Uni (except for my year in France ) - although I did have a single room from 2nd year onwards.

It’s a very exciting time for them all! Well done on all the offers! My ds is in 2nd year at St A and absolutely loves it. He was in DRA catered in 1st year which suited him. His flat was very sociable went to tea together most nights and all got on so well that they shared a house this year! For 3rd year lots have a year abroad and he is sharing with friends he has met from all over the world. The social life can be as busy or chilled as you like and his friends come from all walks of life. Feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer them or at least get ds to! Whatever university they choose it will be the right decision for them they will all have a fab time.xx

HotGingerPudding2 DS chose to share as ticking the willing to share box on the accomodation form dramatically increases your chance of getting into one of the central catered halls. dS is quite quiet, he has high functioning autism, but his thinking was that a room mate would help him mingle socially, at least at first, and it did help. He had shared with at least one brother for a lot of his childhood so had developed the skills to sleep with someone else in the room. He likes the food so catering has proved good value as he has hardly missed a meal (but his hall is virtually next door to his department), even getting packed lunches a few times. He's staying in halls next year, promoted to a single room and is planning traveling to visit new international friends this summer. His instinct that StAndrews would suit him proved correct, he's another one who didn't really want to go anywhere else, I had a half hearted attempt at getting him to apply to Oxbridge when we realised he was heading for very good exam results ( in case he regretted not trying later) but he didn't fancy them at all, too busy and somehow just not something he ever pictured himself doing.
So far all his peers at uni also seem to be getting on well at other Scottish unis, judging from the dreaded Facebook the girls at Edinburgh and Dundee seem to be having a particularly good time!

Oh and DS was only 17 when he started but this didn't seem to cause him much bother ( did keep him out of the worst Freshers drinking events which I was quite happy about).

susiewong thats great thanks - the offers day definitely sound worth going to then. We were hoping that it would be a bit more indepth than the visiting day and give an opportunity to suss out the other subjects on offer that she may not have considered as well as trying to make a decision on accommodation.
prettybird that was my thinking on catered as well. Mixing with others naturally at more scheduled mealtimes. Also she appreciates home cooked food and is not a ready meal fan and I think with the best will in the world she’ll not be up to cooking for herself daily. She’s more than happy with the catered option which I suppose limits the number of halls in itself. It’s just whether she ticks the shared room option. It does seem a bit archaic TBH. When it works well great but it must be nightmarish if it doesn’t. I think the shared bathroom facilities may be enough of a stretch for her!
Alittlewornout that sounds like the ideal, catered but with your own room guaranteed. From what I understand though that would exclude the halls in town. Were your son’s classes close to DRA? I think the newer accommodation is all further out beside the science/medical buildings whilst her classes will be in town. She does a fair bit of walking to school now but it would be more convenient (and cheaper) in the old halls. Hopefully we can find a few cut throughs and work out walking times at the Offers Day.
wiggly it absolutely sounds like your son’s instinct was spot on. I’m glad he’s had such a great first year. I can definitely picture my daughter there whereas I couldn’t at some of the other unis we visited.