Starting Year 13 (number 4!)

[Mindgone]

I just thought I'd get us started up again!

Hi little ham. Your dd could arrange a visit herself with the department?

Littleham, spoke to DD but unfortunately she is not ready to have the university conversation yet, she calmed up and said when I am ready to talk then I will let you know please respect my decision, I guess it will take time I just said when your ready I am here, she has a fancy dress party this weekend! So hopefully that we cheer her up! Hopefully in time we can all put cambridge behind us! Thank you again

MrsBartlet, wow that's wonderful that she has always wanted to become a writer, you must be very proud of her, DD was never too sure of what she wanted to do so I think that's why she did the IB, But she has always been more interested in humanities subjects, just didn't know what field to go into, she decided eventually on philosophy, the IB has it's positively in one way, the workload does give you a idea of university workload!

Good idea twentyten. There is a blanked out Exeter History offer day (not yet taking bookings) that we can make, so we are just hanging on in case that actually takes place. If it doesn't, we will follow your suggestion.

HasOsm97 - At least you have tried & in the meantime you can throw in the odd treat to cheer her up until she is ready. The whole process is unnecessarily harsh. Hope you are feeling a bit better too.

Dd and I turned up on spec at bath and ended up having a really good discussion with an admissions tutor- I'm sure if you contact them you could get a meeting with someone important. Lots of unis offer accommodation tours etc / student led tours on different dates too. My friends ds started at Exeter ( having missed grades for warwick) in October and is really enjoying it.
Might want to pick your brains on accom at bristol- dd's first choice. Not a clubber or pub fan- any ideas?

If she goes through as an insurance / clearing candidate, then she won't have as much choice, as all the more popular halls go to firm candidates.

If she firms Bristol she will get priority choice. First of all she needs to decide whether she want to go for city centre (close to departments) or Stoke Bishop (a free 10 minute bus ride away - more of a campus feel).

If city centre* - would avoid UNITE ones in city centre eg. The Rackay (pricier / not university run & a massive walk up a hill). Then it is a choice between the numerous smaller 'houses' such as Richmond Terrace (lovely, worth a look), St Michael's Hill or the three bigger halls close to the university which are

• The Hawthorns (self catering, swish, quite quiet, fall out of bed into lectures because it is so close),

• Goldney Hall (beautiful house featured in Sherlock, the wedding scene, but very oversubscribed, so risk of being bumped to Unite),
• Manor Hall (seems popular, catered)

- Clifton Hill House (catered).

If Stoke Bishop* - there are three self catered halls,

• Durdham hall (quieter as it is tucked away, large kitchens, en suite),

- University Hall (very cheap, more basic, cheerful, flats of four or five, small kitchens, tiny bedrooms, most don't have an en suite)

• Hiatt Baker Self Catered (just been built, large rooms, ensuite, swish).

or SB catered Halls (more of a catered boarding school feel, more recreation facilities such as tennis courts, games rooms, pricier) -
- Wills (looks a bit like an Oxford College, catered, formals),
- Churchill Hall
- Badock

There are a mixture of clubbers and quiet people in most halls . However, there is a box on the accommodation forms that you can tick to state if you want quiet flats / corridors. My dd ticked this and is in a flat in University Hall with quiet people. Another flat along a bit is the opposite and there seems to be a constant drinking party (which she would have hated). You can swap in the first term if you are unhappy. The free bus ride from Stoke Bishop to university departments is quick except in rush hour and buses come every five minutes. Can queue though.

Thank you so much! That's really helpful.Bristol is her firm choice- just deciding on insurance now from Sheffield,manchester and warwick. She loved the bristol course and the city.

Hope your dd is feeling better- but do arrange a trip to Exeter. And to you!

DD has announced she is planning a holiday with friends after the exams. I am keen to suggest a few places not too over the top (preferably not Ayia Napa or Faliraki!). I know they are going to start looking this weekend - any suggestions for somewhere that is quite lively but not the party capital of Europe? I know I am not going to have too much of a say in this (her money and will be 18) but thought I might give some helpful suggestions!

Hi there all, have been AWOL for a while just quietly lurking but popping back to say congratulations for all offers :)

Hells, not sure this is any use as I fear it's party central but DD is off to Zante, she's been on trips with her friends to Portugal before (Vale do Lobo) and had an absolute ball and not been in too shocking a state on her return but I fear this is in a whole different league (foam parties and the like < shudder>)

I've been crunching figures this morning for Uni finance ( crossing fingers that DD gets her grades) and was wondering how much you all think is a reasonable weekly amount to spend on everything (after paying for self-catered halls and fees with a loan) we're aiming for something realistic but not flashy!

I'd be interested in that figure too!

If DD does get the grades for Durham she's applied for catered and I'm trying to work out a fair amount for extras. I did mention 50/wk to her and got this face when I suggested that she won't need loads if she's being fed 3 times/day and there will be job opportunities to top it up.

I've looked back in my records, and DD1 (York 2007-11) spent c £10k from us on top of her (minimum) loan over the 3 years. DD2 (Lancaster 2011-14) spent c £8k on top of her loan (but she also used some other savings).

However, they were both fairly quiet types who didn't like clubbing, and both universities had relatively cheap self-catered accommodation.

DS is probably going to go to a southern uni with expensive halls, so will need more, I expect.

Hope this provides some guidance

Sorry, I thought DD2's figure looked low - she actually spent £11.5k + loans over 3 years

Hellsbells, DS1 at the same stage decided that he didn't want that kind of holiday (then heard how good it was, and now does fancy it!), so, he and a few friends went on the train to Amsterdam and Bruges, spending a few days in each. I was concerned, but they're quite sensible and had a fab time!
As far as finance goes, DS1 is in Leeds, self catering, and living on £60 a week, with a few top ups if needed. He's quite happy with that. He gets some extra pocket money by selling nightclub tickets to students for special party nights. He is a 'VIP' at this club now, and gets in for free and cheap drinks!

We were thinking around £100pw term time, so around £4k a year.
Hoping books would come out of that too.

Expecting to breed to top up loan to cover accommodation too.

DD went to visit a friend at Birmingham recently and he was living on about £40 a week self catered.

DD1 lives in self catering. She spends maximum of £60 a week (often less) and buys all her food / clothes / course stuff with this money, but she does have very cheap hobbies. She doesn't drink / dislikes clubs.

She has also saved a small portion of this money into an account for her year abroad (which will be expensive), so she is probably spending about only £45 a week.

Ok so my 50/ wk fully catered, on the the minimum loan and therefore we are topping that up quite a lot to cover accommodation, is actually quite a generous offer! I shall tell her what MN have said

DD1 is at uni at the moment (final year) and uses her loan (£3357??? - works out at £64.55 over 52 weeks)) for her living expenses which seems to just about work (she also has a part time job when she comes home) she has done a reasonable amount of clubbing on this (they drink - pre-lash - before they go out to save on expensive drinks)

I have paid for the accommodation side of things - either totally when she couldn't get a grant, or when she got one later on I paid and she paid me back as and when it came in. Of course her grant did not cover her accommodation/gas bills etc and we found it easier this way as agencies in 2nd and 3rd years ask for up front deposits/last months rent etc, and students simply don't have the funds at that point.

Re holidays - DD has been to Malia and Magaluf!!! Both party places I think DD2 is looking at Spain

Don't forget there are bursaries available at a lot of unis worth about £1,500 extra a year if parents income less that £25,000pa

Inter railing seems to be popular around here instead if a clubbing type holiday

Yes dd is planning inter-railing as she is not a party animal!

How does inter railing work these days? Is it still purchase a travel card for one month's travel on European trains?

Where will your DC be staying, as in hotel, youth hostel, with friends etc?

I think you can buy a 2 week ticket now & travel on a certain number of days (not every day). Dd & her friends were thinking of flying to somewhere like Budapest & interrailing their way home. Assume hostels yes