University Campus or Home?

debtfreeby30:S

From my experience I'd say she should go for halls and get a job near to the university. I'd also say the job she has while at uni could provide some great opportunities, I worked my way up the career ladder when I started as a part timer at Uni and I'm still there now as the company's Project Manager. Never treat a job as a "stop-gap" just for money. Employers can see that attitude a mile away.

Although saying that, given the chance I wouldn't go to university if I went back - there are numerous paid Apprenticeships out there where you get paid for training plus a guaranteed job when you finish (as long as you pass your exams etc). My younger sister is on a 20K+ same salary and she's only in her second year of the apprenticeship. Look at management in Network R@il, Doos@n B@bcock etc etc as they have some pretty amazing prospects. Her six form colleges actually tried to talk her out of applying. I didn't know such things existed when I applied, it seems schools just want kids to go to uni and not consider other options.

Person_one

stebiz wrote: »

She does have lots of local friends. I'm not disagreeing with you but is it really worth her (or in your case him) being saddled with so much debt.

Yes.

Its not real debt anyway, don't let it be the deciding factor in her/your decision.

I've probably studied in every way under the sun except OU. I stayed at home while I did a foundation course at a local uni, I moved away for my first degree, I studied abroad for a year of that, and now I'm a mature student living in my own place and studying locally again!

Just trust me, she should at least try halls/moving out. If it doesn't work out she can come home, but she can't ever be a fresher again, with everybody all in the same scary boat and learning/making mistakes together. I made friends for life, travelled, spread my wings, learned to cope on my own and wouldn't change it for the world even if it meant 100K of debt.

With so many young people struggling to find jobs after uni, she may well be living with you well into her twenties, so better to at least have a taste of independent living now when she can.

securityguy

stebiz wrote: »

1 in 4 at Uni now live at home.

For some value of "uni" and some value of "1 in 4". Mature students live at home, almost by definition. People doing post-graduate courses often live at home. People doing access courses, foundation degrees and part-time degrees usually live at home. Essentially, places where if you've got the entry qualifications, you've got a place, and you're there to just do the work.

But the OP is talking about an 18 year old doing a (presumably) academic degree at a redbrick (ie, presumably Russell Group or equivalent) immediately following on from A Levels. There's usually a handful per course doing that, not 1 in 4. The department I'm a mature postgrad in is seen as having a very high rate, to the point that we run a special event for them during Freshers, and I think it's still only about 1 in 15.

Think of the practical problems. You're gambling on there being one magic application on your UCAS form which you have to get or, alternatively, you apply to multiple local universities, irrespective of course and quality. What happens if your local redbrick turns you down? Are you then going to take your local ex-Poly? (OK, there are some cities where it's not as stark a choice as that: not many, though). What happens if you miss your offer? What happens if you go to the departmental open day and find out that the course just doesn't do what you want?

If you happen to want the particular course, the fact that it's your local shouldn't stop you. But to restrict your applications to your local universities, if you don't absolutely have to, seems a shame.

The debt's funny money, but Martin Lewis has explained all that, and if people aren't convinced, then they won't be convinced, so there's no point in rehearsing that argument.

lostinrates

stebiz wrote: »

But you could quite easily say that about travelling in a gap year or by buying a house and moving in with a boyfriend.

What did you learn (outside of education) at Uni digs that you won't learn anyway at 18.

Already she's starting to use a debit card. Getting familiar with bank accounts. I've asked her to help sort out the family holiday as she's off school now until Sept. She's also doing some volunteering.

Her main gripe is that concerts etc that she'd like to go on she can't because most of her mates are skint. Not something that is likely to change when she gets to Uni.

The hugely important thing you learn is how to live with people who don't always love you more than they love themselves. This is a good learning experience for flat sharing in fully fledged adult life, but also for relationships and probably for parenting :eek: but is transferable to sharing space with people in high stress close confines of many graduate jobs.

Learning how to make allowances for others without the bonds of family love, of coming to dispute resolution with a laugh, of being able to shift modes of interactions all withou the bonds of family love and previous friend ship are incredibly useful skills.

I don't still use my degree, but I use those skills often. Lots of people at my uni had been to boarding school and we had a sort of head start but even we had to relearn these things with more adult boundaries and responsibility and I really believe they stand us in good stead in relationships and life.

I do not believe they are absolutely fundamental necessities of human life experience but I do not believe that about university either, but I believe both are desirable experience at about that age for lots of us, and the majority of people going to university certainly I feel benefit from that time in halls, then in flat share, and I think that majority of people who don't go to university benefit from some time flat sharing between home life and adult independent living or cohabiting.

Ultimately, what ever your daughter decides, sh e is lucky you care so much and I'm sure she will do well in life.

thorsoak

This is the first decision of your daughter's adult life - and she should be allowed to chose WHAT IS RIGHT FOR HER NOW!

Friends putting pressure on her to move out, because they are; you pointing out how sensible it will be not to incur additional debt -these are all points for her to consider, but I would suggest that she discusses all these points, her fears, her ambitions etc with her VIth form counsellor - or maybe the admissions tutor from your local university.

I would suggest that you emphasise that whatever she decides will have your full backing, and that if she decides to go into halls for the first year it does not mean that she would have to stay there for the second and third years if it doesn't work out - and similarly if she were to stay home that she would have the same freedoms that a student staying in halls would have.

stebiz

securityguy wrote: »

For some value of "uni" and some value of "1 in 4". Mature students live at home, almost by definition. People doing post-graduate courses often live at home. People doing access courses, foundation degrees and part-time degrees usually live at home. Essentially, places where if you've got the entry qualifications, you've got a place, and you're there to just do the work.

But the OP is talking about an 18 year old doing a (presumably) academic degree at a redbrick (ie, presumably Russell Group or equivalent) immediately following on from A Levels. There's usually a handful per course doing that, not 1 in 4. The department I'm a student in is seen as having a very high rate, to the point that we run a special event for them during Freshers, and I think it's still only about 1 in 15.

Think of the practical problems. You're gambling on there being one magic application on your UCAS form which you have to get or, alternatively, you apply to multiple local universities, irrespective of course and quality. What happens if your local redbrick turns you down? Are you then going to take your local ex-Poly? (OK, there are some cities where it's not as stark a choice as that: not many, though). What happens if you miss your offer? What happens if you go to the departmental open day and find out that the course just doesn't do what you want?

If you happen to want the particular course, the fact that it's your local shouldn't stop you. But to restrict your applications to your local universities, if you don't absolutely have to, seems a shame.

The debt's funny money, but Martin Lewis has explained all that, and if people aren't convinced, then they won't be convinced, so there's no point in rehearsing that argument.

Thanks. I can agree with most of that except one thing. Your opinion of Universities. Except for the big two, I think they are ALL equal and only the snobs think of it in any other way - and there are a lot about. If I was interviewing for a job and the two prospective employees had a 2:1 Hons - it wouldn't make any difference to me if they were Bath, Warwick or Manchester.

stebiz

thorsoak wrote: »

This is the first decision of your daughter's adult life - and she should be allowed to chose WHAT IS RIGHT FOR HER NOW!

Friends putting pressure on her to move out, because they are; you pointing out how sensible it will be not to incur additional debt -these are all points for her to consider, but I would suggest that she discusses all these points, her fears, her ambitions etc with her VIth form counsellor - or maybe the admissions tutor from your local university.

I would suggest that you emphasise that whatever she decides will have your full backing, and that if she decides to go into halls for the first year it does not mean that she would have to stay there for the second and third years if it doesn't work out - and similarly if she were to stay home that she would have the same freedoms that a student staying in halls would have.

Well said. Sadly her VIth form counsellor doesn't exist and that is left with us as her parents.

Dunroamin

stebiz wrote: »

Thanks. I can agree with most of that except one thing. Your opinion of Universities. Except for the big two, I think they are ALL equal and only the snobs think of it in any other way - and there are a lot about. If I was interviewing for a job and the two prospective employees had a 2:1 Hons - it wouldn't make any difference to me if they were Bath, Warwick or Manchester.

Choosing three reputable, established universities as examples isn't a fair comparison. Anyone who thinks that there's no difference between, say, Durham, Bolton and Lincoln would need their head examining!

thorsoak

stebiz wrote: »

Thanks. I can agree with most of that except one thing. Your opinion of Universities. Except for the big two, I think they are ALL equal and only the snobs think of it in any other way - and there are a lot about. If I was interviewing for a job and the two prospective employees had a 2:1 Hons - it wouldn't make any difference to me if they were Bath, Warwick or Manchester.

You've mentioned three excellent unis in your comment on comparisons ....some of the newer "local ex poly" unis are not viewed as highly by large employers - the subject for which the degree is awarded is as important as the university that awarded it. Some subjects are not valued as highly as others - and a 2:2 degree in one subject from one uni might be considered more favourably than a 2:1 in a different field from another uni.

Spendless

My husband's Godson is in the same position. The course he wanted to do at a Uni which would have meant living away from home isn't running this year and the only other place doing it is the 'local' one. It's in the nearest city to us, but Godson lives 10 mins walk away from a direct train route that will drop him off opposite the Uni. Him and his parents have had the discussion about whether it is then worth adding to your debt for something that is on your doorstep and commutable. The compromise they have come up with is that he stays at home for his first year,finds his feet and a part-time job and gets to know people and then makes the decision about whether he wants to live away for the other 2 years.

Just something to throw in the pot for you to consider as others have suggested doing it the other way round, living in halls of residence for first year then back home.