Advice onstudent finance if you choose to leave University

mountainofdebt

One thing to consider OP is that if she reapplied next year, she may find herself in the same boat.

silvercar

If she is in Fallowfield then she can't have far to go to find like minded students.

Applying for a transfer to the most popular halls is less likely to succeed. Maybe she should consider somewhere less popular. What is more important, socialising or being self catered? Asking because a lot of the catered halls (like Owen's Park) are only catered part of the time and the students do have their own kitchens on each floor.

bouncydog1

Does the Uni have a mentoring service as it could really help her to talk things through with a 2nd year who has been through the same?

Please don't dismiss the International students - DD was in halls last year of 18, 12 boys and 6 girls and nearly all International. Had a great year, but took time to settle and found it very hard at first. Has your daughter tried to approach the others to see if they want to go out etc?

It is hard for them to stick it out if they are truly miserable, but she needs to think through the options - what will she do for a job etc? Have her friends moved on and formed other Groups?

Hopefully she will sort things out.

V_Chic_Chick

Hmm, I've heard some things lately which refer to Ashburne being one of the less sociable halls, so I don't think your daughter is the only one.

What accommodation did your daughter's friend apply for? Self catered en suite is the most oversubscribed sort, so if she was only willing to move into such a hall, then I wouldn't be surprised if she had to wait. Also, applications to move halls only opened on 1st October, so she wasn't actually waiting for four weeks from sending in her application before giving up and going home - I suspect you've only heard half the story, or the friend didn't understand the process.

Otherwise, I am almost certain that Owens Park has spaces, as they ended up shutting off one part of it (Little Court) this year due to lack of demand. I have also heard on the grapevine that Oak House has spaces too. Both of them are 'party' halls which are known to be really quite sociable (NB 'party' doesn't mean 'impossible to get work done'!). I have no idea if Richmond or Sheavyn have spaces left though. Of course, your daughter will still have to make an effort, as she will effectively be starting from scratch.

Socialising with your course isn't an absolute necessity - I'm on a course that is so large you never get to know anyone, and so there isn't a social side attached to it. It's still possible to have a fulfilling social life though.

Perhaps you could do a deal with your daughter whereby she stays until after exams in January, and then makes a decision on whether to stay or go? Obviously you'd need to cross reference with student finance about the implications, as I'm not entirely au fait with the system for those who drop out.

mintymoneysaver

silvercar wrote: »

If she is in Fallowfield then she can't have far to go to find like minded students.

Applying for a transfer to the most popular halls is less likely to succeed. Maybe she should consider somewhere less popular. What is more important, socialising or being self catered? Asking because a lot of the catered halls (like Owen's Park) are only catered part of the time and the students do have their own kitchens on each floor.

Fallowfiels is sociable, I totally agree, but if you're not mixing with the students in the first place because they're all being sociable with each other, when your hall has no social life whatsoever then it's not that easy. cSometimes it's easier to be lonely ina large place than a small one.

bouncydog1 wrote: »

Does the Uni have a mentoring service as it could really help her to talk things through with a 2nd year who has been through the same?

Please don't dismiss the International students - DD was in halls last year of 18, 12 boys and 6 girls and nearly all International. Had a great year, but took time to settle and found it very hard at first. Has your daughter tried to approach the others to see if they want to go out etc?

It is hard for them to stick it out if they are truly miserable, but she needs to think through the options - what will she do for a job etc? Have her friends moved on and formed other Groups?

Hopefully she will sort things out.

The hall she is in has no flats. It is not the fact that the students are international that is the problem, it is that the hall is made up of long wide corridors, with no rooms opposite each other, and prison like doors. The only time people meet is at dinner which is staggered anyway.

V_Chic_Chick wrote: »

Hmm, I've heard some things lately which refer to Ashburne being one of the less sociable halls, so I don't think your daughter is the only one.

What accommodation did your daughter's friend apply for? Self catered en suite is the most oversubscribed sort, so if she was only willing to move into such a hall, then I wouldn't be surprised if she had to wait. Also, applications to move halls only opened on 1st October, so she wasn't actually waiting for four weeks from sending in her application before giving up and going home - I suspect you've only heard half the story, or the friend didn't understand the process.

Otherwise, I am almost certain that Owens Park has spaces, as they ended up shutting off one part of it (Little Court) this year due to lack of demand. I have also heard on the grapevine that Oak House has spaces too. Both of them are 'party' halls which are known to be really quite sociable (NB 'party' doesn't mean 'impossible to get work done'!). I have no idea if Richmond or Sheavyn have spaces left though. Of course, your daughter will still have to make an effort, as she will effectively be starting from scratch.

Socialising with your course isn't an absolute necessity - I'm on a course that is so large you never get to know anyone, and so there isn't a social side attached to it. It's still possible to have a fulfilling social life though.

Perhaps you could do a deal with your daughter whereby she stays until after exams in January, and then makes a decision on whether to stay or go? Obviously you'd need to cross reference with student finance about the implications, as I'm not entirely au fait with the system for those who drop out.

Thankyou for this. I absolutely understand that some of this is my daughter's fault. She has drawn the short straw with accomodation, and with her course but I am also convinced that if things aren't handed to her on a plate she doesn't go out and search for them. This is what I need to try and get through to her during reading week. You start to question yourself.. maybe the fact that we always make things as easy as possible for our children doesn't stand them well in the real world. I want her to stay till at least Christmas, she knows this, but unfortunately I also know her. She is stubborn ( says the mum who got engaged at 19 even though her mum didn't want her to) and if she's determined then she will dig her heels in so much. Maybe this is the year that will make her realise people have to make an effort. If she does come home ( and that's in no way a done deal) she's going to find life isn't quite so easy any more.
The trouble however, with waiting till January is that if she is going to do this, then she neds to have as much time as possible to rethink her plans/ applications for next year. I'd almost rather, if she's given up on this, for her to get on with the next stage as quickly as possible.

V_Chic_Chick

That's a good point about reapplying through UCAS!

But, if she was to reapply ... What would be different? If she doesn't go out and talk to people, then she really will have the same problems anywhere. On the plus side, however, Oak House is arranged in flats of 8, 4 guys and 4 girls. There's a shared kitchen where she couldn't really avoid talking to other people.

Of course, if she does come home then life shouldn't be too cushy - rent payments even when she can't really afford them - because that's what the rest of us have to put up with (given back to her in certain circumstances eg if she gets through all of first year at another uni and returns for second year, or if she goes travelling, if you can afford to give it back), a necessity to find a (probably grim) full time job, a requirement to cook for the family a couple of times a week and do her own laundry. I'd also advocate making her go travelling towards the end of her mini gap year - going solo means sorting everything out for yourself (and it's a great confidence boost when you realise you *can* do it!) and it will mean she has to talk to others. After 6 months in hostels, I came back able to talk to people I had only met 5 mins earlier really easily, which I'm sure made my life as a fresher substantially easier!

Don't forget that if all her friends are off at uni then she won't have much opportunity to socialise at home.

mintymoneysaver

V_Chic_Chick wrote: »

That's a good point about reapplying through UCAS!

But, if she was to reapply ... What would be different? If she doesn't go out and talk to people, then she really will have the same problems anywhere. On the plus side, however, Oak House is arranged in flats of 8, 4 guys and 4 girls. There's a shared kitchen where she couldn't really avoid talking to other people.

Of course, if she does come home then life shouldn't be too cushy - rent payments even when she can't really afford them - because that's what the rest of us have to put up with (given back to her in certain circumstances eg if she gets through all of first year at another uni and returns for second year, or if she goes travelling, if you can afford to give it back), a necessity to find a (probably grim) full time job, a requirement to cook for the family a couple of times a week and do her own laundry. I'd also advocate making her go travelling towards the end of her mini gap year - going solo means sorting everything out for yourself (and it's a great confidence boost when you realise you *can* do it!) and it will mean she has to talk to others. After 6 months in hostels, I came back able to talk to people I had only met 5 mins earlier really easily, which I'm sure made my life as a fresher substantially easier!

Don't forget that if all her friends are off at uni then she won't have much opportunity to socialise at home.

You must have read my mind! She's going to have to live with her decision. And I plan on reminding her of that when she's on her 3rd McDonalds shift of the week! I wonder if she needs this year to grow up, and to do the things you suggest. Maybe even though she thought she was ready, she wasn't. I think she definitely needed that flat situation, and I am convinced she would have been alright if she'd had that. The other problem is that so many of her friends have stayed at home, either choosing local unis or re doing a year at school. And she's had the same set of friends pretty much from reception. Life's come pretty easy to her, good family, naturally clever, pretty, she's never had to make much of an effort at anything.However, she's soon going to realise that even if they're still here they're moving on. She's gonig to have to learn that life requires effort.

Dunroamin

mintymoneysaver wrote: »

Fallowfiels is sociable, I totally agree, but if you're not mixing with the students in the first place because they're all being sociable with each other, when your hall has no social life whatsoever then it's not that easy. cSometimes it's easier to be lonely ina large place than a small one.



The hall she is in has no flats. It is not the fact that the students are international that is the problem, it is that the hall is made up of long wide corridors, with no rooms opposite each other, and prison like doors. The only time people meet is at dinner which is staggered anyway.



Thankyou for this. I absolutely understand that some of this is my daughter's fault. She has drawn the short straw with accomodation, and with her course but I am also convinced that if things aren't handed to her on a plate she doesn't go out and search for them. This is what I need to try and get through to her during reading week. You start to question yourself.. maybe the fact that we always make things as easy as possible for our children doesn't stand them well in the real world. I want her to stay till at least Christmas, she knows this, but unfortunately I also know her. She is stubborn ( says the mum who got engaged at 19 even though her mum didn't want her to) and if she's determined then she will dig her heels in so much. Maybe this is the year that will make her realise people have to make an effort. If she does come home ( and that's in no way a done deal) she's going to find life isn't quite so easy any more.
The trouble however, with waiting till January is that if she is going to do this, then she neds to have as much time as possible to rethink her plans/ applications for next year. I'd almost rather, if she's given up on this, for her to get on with the next stage as quickly as possible.

Is there any way you could use this character trait to her advantage, perhaps by reverse psychology? Being stubborn and giving up so easily seem a bit contradictory to me.

dizzyrascal

She might want to think about how lonely it will be for her when her friends are all at university and she is no longer part of that scene.
Has she joined the gym? That might help, also many of the sports societies operate their groups around the gym/playing fields. They tend to meet up a lot and have lots of activity going on. Our university has endless dance societies and we also have a section of the Students' Union that organise a vast range of activities so there is always something going on. They have a diary of events that you can try and coach trips to local beauty spots etc.

mintymoneysaver

Taiko wrote: »

Had a read through, and it does seem that they've changed the regulations slightly. Wasn't aware of this though!

By comparison, The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009 states the following:



Whereas The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 state:



They have removed the 3 months clause for fee loans, and only applied it to fee contribution loans, which only applied to old-style students.

It's a change in the regulations that I wasn't aware of, probably from not working within the sector anymore. That said, I didn't see any publications of it, or SSIN notes, nor is there a reference in the SFE Guidance Documents for 12/13.

On that basis, I'd say that, even if she left now, she would be entitled to a fee loan.

Taiko, how would the maintenance loan/ grant work? She is due to receive a bursary too but not till 2nd Dec.