Nice people thread part 5 - nicely does it

chewmylegoff

Spirit wrote: »

I understand the current logistics but think it mad by design. My DD was taking a gap year so did not apply until after she had her results. Lots of certainty, no drama and a good choice of offers. Why give hormonal young people something else to worry about?

Trouble is you don't get your results until July, and you start uni in september if you're going straight away. Would be difficult for the universities to fit everything in in such a short time, and it's also in the middle of the summer holidays when a lot of the staff aren't actually there, and no undergrads around to help out with tours etc.

vivatifosi

CKhalvashi wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oaFORKOD6I&feature=g-all-c

Woah!

This feels good!

Well it's a great song. Can't remember the last time a Eurovision song was this successful in the UK though. Katrina and the Waves? I don't think Rybak was.

chewmylegoff

silvercar wrote: »

But there are no jobs and the government is intent on 50% of people going to university.

To be fair whilst that was the articulated aim of the Blair govt, I think the current govt had made it pretty clear it doesn't want 50% of people going to university by ramping up fees by so much.

zagubov

chewmylegoff wrote: »

I ended up at UCL which was my second choice, I was so sure I'd get the grades for Nottingham that I didn't bother visiting UCL at all and ended up going there 'blind' when I missed my nottingham offer by 1 grade. I'm still angry about that missed grade 15 years later!

I used to advise my students that if they miss a grade for Nottingham they'd be wasting their time phoning to negotiate- they never give an inch.

It's right in the heart of England and everyone from the North to the Home Counties sees it as accessible. It's about two hours drive from most of the population centres in England apart from Newcastle (three hours) and as a Russell group uni in an affordable city far from your parents it's a lot more popular destination than many people think.

UCL is nothing to be sniffed at or at any rate it isn't now. As a Plan B it's a lot better than most people's Plan As.

lostinrates

Spirit wrote: »

I understand the current logistics but think it mad by design. My DD was taking a gap year so did not apply until after she had her results. Lots of certainty, no drama and a good choice of offers. Why give hormonal young people something else to worry about?

I took a gap year, but not then, earlier, between gcse and a levels. The problem with gap years is ypu have to be able to afford them, which for many can just be a dead end job for a year...because long term employers don't necessarily want to hire for a year only. Otoh, more might find it a good solution if their parents home them for a year, to minimise the debt they graduate with by earning before hand.

Cottoneye jojo is blissfully happy, cheeky, the lame salveggtionist in with her looks confused but tolerant, and they have just been joined by attila the hen, who got lost outside tonight. ..

PasturesNew

chewmylegoff wrote: »

I'd say that most people can probably afford to pay for a pre-booked day returns to a couple of university interviews. 1/3 off with a young person's railcard. If you're tight for money get the megabus, stay in a travelodge and eat a pot noodle for dinner. Most people can probably get to most major towns and cities in the country and stay the night for around £50 if you've got enough advance notice.

I guess I am too used to being cut off from mainstream England. Oh - and Travelodge rooms are UBER expensive. Yes, you can see some headline cheap adverts, but try to book a room in a place you want and on a date you want and it's likely to cost £70/night.

Trains ... dunno about them, they're slow and expensive, so I just checked: here to Bristol next Wednesday (a random date pick): 5 hours each way, it can't be done in one day unless you arrive and get straight on the return train. Cost with a 16-24 railcard is £55 return. So, all in, it'd cost a minimum of £100 to get up, get there, eat chips, stay overnight, come home. I guess people/kids have a lot more money than I do though.... they certainly all have a lot more stuff and as stuff comes from money that's therefore maybe the answer.

PasturesNew

zagubov wrote: »

...Nottingham ...two hours drive from most of the population centres in England apart from Newcastle (three hours) ...

... and PN's house (5 hours by car)

chewmylegoff

zagubov wrote: »

I used to advise my students that if they miss a grade for Nottingham they'd be wasting their time phoning to negotiate- they never give an inch.

It's right in the heart of England and everyone from the North to the Home Counties sees it as accessible. It's about two hours drive from most of the population centres in England apart from Newcastle (three hours) and as a Russell group uni in an affordable city far from your parents it's a lot more popular destination than many people think.

UCL is nothing to be sniffed at or at any rate it isn't now. As a Plan B it's a lot better than most people's Plan As.

Nottingham was rated a lot higher back then than it is now, but actually UCL was above it in the league tables for my subject at the time.

I applied for biochemistry and genetics, which only had 10 places, and got a AAA offer. When I missed my one grade I assumed they would let me in but they wouldn't budge. At the same time I asked if they would accept me for straight biochemistry and they said no. Someone else from my school had a BBC offer for biochem, and got CCD and they accepted him. I am also still angry about that.

I really didnt want to go to London and wouldn't have gone to UCL except it was the last year of no tuition fees, so I decided tomorrow to take a gap year to avoid the extra debt.

misskool

i have to give a talk on Tuesday and I'm not all that bothered about writing it

chewmylegoff

PasturesNew wrote: »

I guess I am too used to being cut off from mainstream England. Oh - and Travelodge rooms are UBER expensive. Yes, you can see some headline cheap adverts, but try to book a room in a place you want and on a date you want and it's likely to cost £70/night.

Trains ... dunno about them, they're slow and expensive, so I just checked: here to Bristol next Wednesday (a random date pick): 5 hours each way, it can't be done in one day unless you arrive and get straight on the return train. Cost with a 16-24 railcard is £55 return. So, all in, it'd cost a minimum of £100 to get up, get there, eat chips, stay overnight, come home. I guess people/kids have a lot more money than I do though.... they certainly all have a lot more stuff and as stuff comes from money that's therefore maybe the answer.

Most people don't live in Cornwall though! Also if you book about 1 month in advance trains tend to be a lot cheaper.

I've stayed in travelodges, premier inns and ibises and stuff like that a lot and never paid £70 for the priviledge. I stayed in reading on a Saturday night a month ago, booked at 3 days notice and that was £29. If the travelodge is too expensive you can usually get a cheap room using laterooms.