Moving on up... Uni/CollegeS5/S6/S4/Work

[Groovee]

Hey everyone

It's that time of year... school returns within the next week or 2, others will be preparing to start college or uni. Some will be moving out. Some will start work... so here's the thread for those in that position.

For me Dd is going into second year at Dundee Uni. She did a fantastic first year. She's off to be a mentor to those starting uni this year. Ds has just gone into S6 and has the world to consider in the next year.

Me... I need to find a job after losing my job in June! Done in quite a callous way that I am taking my time to be kind!

That’s interesting Fluffy. Dd has applied for maths ( with top grades, apologies that’s not meant as a boast just as a context) so you would think Strathy maths department would be similar to physics. Might get her to check her junk mail just incase!!x

And a huge well done your Dd!!⭐️⭐️

I seem to remember Strathclyde Maths department taking much longer getting back to DD2 but she was looking for a conditional offer (Unlike DD2 who also has top grades) and sent her form off much closer to Christmas. They did get back before Stirling though and they said that if she achieved her offer she would be able to switch from straight Maths to any of the Maths options when she enrolled (assuming she met any other requirements).

Thanks for that fluffy very helpful to know. To be honest if she gets an offer she would be hoping to be offered the high flyer course. We will just have to be patient a little longer.x

Congratulations on the offers everyone!

We’re having a hellish time with DD(14) just now so I’m not around here much but DS’ application was finally submitted at the start of the week and he’s had two unconditional offers - Mathematics and Statistics MSc at Glasgow and Mathematics and Statistics (I think, if they offer the joint, if not it was just Maths) at Heriot Watt. A nice bit of good news for us and he is over the moon.

Congratulations to your son Wicked. I really liked the look of Heriot Watt and thought the maths course would suit Dd1 but she was already in love with Stirling. The lecturer theater they gave the maths talk in was state of the art (and actually comfortable!)

Brilliant news re the offers wicked. I bet he is chuffed and so he should be. Not such good news re your DD is there something particular going on or just general teenfuckery?

Well done to your son wicked, that’s fab news. 14 year old Dd can be tricky, we were lucky to escape any major dramas but I know from friends their patience was tested to the limit. We are all here to support you if you need to let of steam. We may not have any answers but we can offer you a virtual listening ear. 🤗.

Thanks everyone. Wax she’s had mental health problems for the last three years. She was seeing a child psychologist last year who felt strongly that DD has high functioning autism and that a lot of her difficulties stem from the inability to cope in various situations. DD agrees, but refuses to be formally diagnosed (which maybe doesn’t really matter, I don’t know). She’s currently going down a very deep dark rabbit hole and has refused to engage in therapy. It’s just kind of sucking out all of our energy right now which is a shame for DS!

Sorry to hear that about your Dd Wicked. Two of mine have had issues & been to CALMS; it’s worrying & exhausting I found. I hope she can find her way back out of the hole, and well done to your DS.

So sorry to hear about your daughter Wicked. It must be such a worry, but hold in to the fact that she is lucky to have a mum like you who is fighting her corner. She might not be able to recognise it now but in few years she will know just how much you cared. Hugs to you both.x

Sending you hugs @WickedGoodDoge

Congratulations to those with offers.

Thanks everyone. Hopefully DD will come through this OK. In the meantime, DS just got an unconditional for Mathematics and Statistics at Edinburgh. He’s still waiting to hear from his first choice (Edinburgh and PWC joint degree/apprenticeship) but says he no longer cares whether or not he gets into St Andrews.

Yay well done to your Ds! Hope he hears about the other option soon.x

Congratulations to you DS Wicked . Edinburgh must be busy tonight as Dd2 has had an unconditional as well for MSci Astrophysics. So just Dundee and St Andrews to go but she is still certain Glasgow is the one.

Good news all round

Ds is frustrated: after 4 good games in the (rugby) 2nds (including 2 man of the matches) and a couple of bad results from the 1sts (so the coach might be thinking of mixing it around a bit), he ended up in Minor Injuries after the game on Saturday and a seemingly minor injury (not being able to straighten his pinky) turns out to be a badly torn ligament (mallet finger?) and he has to wear a splint on the finger to keep it straight for eight weeks (and then another 2-4 weeks at night)

Although to give him his due, he's acknowledged that if he's going to be out from playing, this is the best time with the run up to exams and then Christmas.

He's discovered today in lectures that he can barely write (he's unusual in that he likes to hand write his notes) so is now worried about his exams. I told him that he needed to contact Student Services to make arrangements (eg computer, extra time). He followed his dad's advice and contacted his tutor....who's told him to contact Student Services

Eek @prettybird

Ds's last parents night tonight. Could see it far enough as it's a brownie night and it's gang show! But hey ho.

Oh a mallet finger is very annoying pretty, hope he gets support sorted for his exams.

To give the Uni its due, it's acted very quickly and has given him the option of either extra time (30 minutes) or the use of a computer. He's opted for extra time

He's down for a couple of days for his gran's funeral (MIL, who died last Wednesday) so we've had a chance to see the tiny but irritating injury - arrived last night and back up tomorrow morning. He came down because he felt he should, not because he was close to his gran - we'd said that there was no pressure. (She was a candidate for the Stately Homes threads here and even more coming out the woodwork - there was good reason why ds never had much contact with her).

Can I ask some advise here? Ds is in his finals year and wants to move out and rent with a pal.

1. Does he need to sign a lease for 6 or 12 months? I'm the guarantor and am wanting to know what to look out for.
2. What other bills will they pay apart from rent?
3. What should I look out for?

I haven't rented for 30 years!!!

Advice. Jesus.

If it’s a private let they will have electricity to pay. I think they may pay council tax too - I last rented 4 years ago but can’t remember! Whether it’s 6 or 12 months is up to you really; 6 might be better if he turns out to not enjoy living with that friend!

He doesn't need to pay Council Tax while he is a student - but will once he finishes his studies. But he needs to apply for the exemption.

Leases are usually for a minimum of 2 months - but if he only needs 6 months, he may be able to negotiate that.

You need to check that you are just being a guarantor for your ds' half of the rent and that you're not liable for the whole rent. I think some (indeed most ) rental agreements require the guarantors to be jointly and severally liable. We were fortunate in that ds' letting agent accepted the guarantors to be just liable for his half.

Also read through the rental agreement carefully. There is a Scottish Government template one (which again, ds' letting agency uses) which is straightforward and doesn't have sneaky loopholes.

Mostly they're then also responsible for utilities.

Thanks

We'd be jointly responsible as guarantors, but we trust the boy he's sharing with.
When does he apply for the council tax exemptions?

I think as soon as he moves in. It must be fairly straightforward as ds did it without whinging at us from a distance asking us for help