Starting Y13 (y12 support thread contd) - number 3

[Littleham]

Thread continued folks...

In the olden days when I had to empty my room at christmas and easter we used to put stuff in a big cupboard above the wardrobe that could be locked. I think there was a mysterious room behind the porters lodge if you had a lot of stuff to leave.

When my DDs were in halls they had their rooms over christmas and easter and had a leaving date at the end of the summer term.

Some halls are term time only and you vacate during Christmas and Easter but most are the full academic year - September through to the start of the summer hols.

When you apply for halls you will see each hall's description ie what type of set up it has eg. catered or self catered, ensuites, basins in rooms or shared bathrooms, bunks or singles, laundry facilities along with the occupancy period and price per week. Each university will be different and you base your choice on what you prefer and what you can afford.

The cheapest will be a bunk room in a self catering hall where you vacate during Easter and Christmas - the most expensive will most likely be ensuite catered single where you stay until the summer.

I used to store all my stuff in the basement over the holidays, as the rooms were let out to conferences. Good job, as I had to get home on the coach and couldn't have carried it otherwise!

The idea of an en suite student uni room is novel to me!

Bit late to the conversation but my DS was given an Exeter English offer at end of January/ early February last year for AAA with predictions of AAA (declined optimistic A predictions as was not particularly interested in applying for any A courses/ receiving A offers- Exeter was a late addition to fill the five choices). Fellow pupils from his, fairly high achieving, grammar school with A predictions at A2 received very early A*AA English offers from Exeter. I assume my DS was on the borderline of being given an offer or not. My DS did not put Exeter as first or insurance due to not wanting a campus university.

In August after results day DS received a number of emails from Exeter letting him know that despite him not choosing Exeter, he could still get in touch with a view to taking up a place even if he had not obtained his predicted grades (he achieved AAA but don't think Exeter would know this as he declined their offer in February).

From this I would hazard a guess that on results day they were short on numbers for Sept 2014 entry, perhaps due to being insurance choice for other A*AA universities. Giving out tough, early offers to high achievers may be to discourage using them as an insurance, but if 2014 is anything to go by they will be flexible regarding meeting offer grades on results day.

It is a rather dangerous tactic for them though and unfair to those who have to focus on meeting an inflated AAA offer.

Think you have to vacate rooms at Xmas & Easter at Durham. What a faff!

Thanks eatyourveg for answering my question as it has put things into perspective for us. looks like there are some hope for us, DH works full time I'm PT we are under 43k combined income. If grants/loans are calculated on a sliding scale it may be workable. Decorhate I think if I had to give dd £150 per week for London it will be us on instant noodles, living in the dark ???

By the sounds of it from you ladies, its true some have to vacate rooms cos of restriction on time limits, but is true they still have to pay for the weeks they have to vacate? As this seems very unfair especially if the uni is renting out to others whilst the students aren't there, they getting double rent. Oh by the way I wanted to say my dd got her first offer tonight Nottingham AAB this is local uni only 30mins away. Maybe this is a sign from the man above telling dd this is the one! I would have less of a headache if she firmed this one. Ah just wish it was unconditional think she would have been swayed. Her friend has got a unconditional from Nottingham for English.

Just looked at Durham accommodation - some colleges have 28 week lets, others 38 .Exeter accommodation page says their letting periods go from 32-44 weeks depending on which hall you choose. So you can vacate during Easter or choose a place where you can stay put.

Most if not all universities will have a variety of accommodation to suit tastes and budgets.

Thanks mumslife. Feel relieved that they only pay weeks they are there and they can choose the letting period by the looks of it too. Seems a hassle to have to bungle things in boxes and hope to get storage or parents to drive and fetch their stuff especially if the uni is far away. So I think if dd is going far she is going to have to learn to live light as I'm not doing two trips down to get her stuff and only to take it all back.

Thanks for the info Eatyourveg i forgot to add

Well done to your DD Polka, what does she want to study?

She wants to do neuroscience. To do with the brain she says

Nottingham is on DS's list too (Computer Science).

Congrats to polka dd on the Nottingham offer!

Well done, Polka's DD.

Thank you horsemad and ataio so relived she got Nottingham. Think for her subject, notts is a good choice as the queens medical centre hospital is next door will be a advantage. Its a lovely uni, i loved the parks and the well kept garden, shrubbery and scenery. Seemed like a grown up type environment. Whereas we been to some uni where its not too much different from the comprehensive school environment she's in now which she didn't want. She wants a complete change

Congrats to Polka's DD on the Nottingham offer.

Thanks Leeds :)

And circular :)

Yes, I didn't realise how close QMC is to the uni - I just happened to look up and there it was!

I was pleasantly surprised with how nice the setting notts uni is in. As I go up and down that dual carriage way alot and thought the uni would look like the QMC kind of 1970's concrete creation. Never did I think that behind the dual carriage way theres this tranquil oasis of space and well kept gardens with space age modern and hogwart looking buildings. Dd thinks it has its perks that Nando that chicken shop is within walking distance???

DS's course would be on Jubilee Campus, so we only saw a small part of the main uni campus, as we were transported by bus.
Loved the bit we saw though

Congrats to your dd Polka! We didn't go to look at Nottingham in the end as my dd decided she wouldn't have a good chance of getting in there. So visited Brum instead & it sounds very similar in terms of the campus.

Congrats to Polka's DD on the Nottingham offer.
DD has applied there but only an acknowledgement so far and the same with Brum.
3 interview offers elsewhere though.

Found Nottingham and Brum totally different.
DD loved Brum, never liked Nottingham, but she is a bit quirky lol.