Cost of looking around universities on Open days

Prothet_of_Doom

Grrrr.

So Child 2 is on a mission to attend as many university open days in as many far off places as she can, and insists that if possible both parents attend. We are based in Miseryside.

So far it is costing me:

1) Cardiff, started at 9am, no way to arrive on time, without leaving house at 5am, so we go the day before, and stay in B&B.
Because I work away, I have 2 days off work £250 a day minus tax and NIC (I'm self employed).
Dog in Kennels, 2 nights £30
Diesel £60
B&B £95
Meals £50

Call it £700 ?
2) Aston. Started at 9am, I chose not to attend so wife and child 2 go on train. Apparently they can't get there on time, so stay in holiday inn. £65 B&B £30 food, and one way train £45
Say £140?
3) I pick them up at the end and take them to Bath.
2 days off work £250, £60 diesel, £210 B&B, £60 food, £45 looking around roman baths, £8 parking
Call it £900?
4) Manchester 1/2 day off work £125, £48 train fares, £35 food.
Call it £200 ?
2,3,4 all in a week, requiring 5 night stay for dog £60.

So far, then £2200.

Next

6) Wife and child 1 heading to london, luckily I persuaded them that I am not needed, and that it starts at 11:30, they can get a latish train, return price advance with rail card £176. They will spend £40 on Food. MIL will take dog for walk mid day.
7) Nottingham. I am working nearby, and renting a one bed cottage, so they will get train, and stay with me for 1 or 2 nights,
£250 lost pay, £60 train fare
8) Norwich the day after - depending on start time, we might stay in Norwich, but if not : Deisel £70 (return home to Miseryside), add £250 lost pay

In total that's another £900

So in total That's close to £3000.

Okay if I take off my lost earnings (You have to take holidays sometime) of £1650 it's "only" £1350

Oh wait. They went to LJMU last week, at a cost of £6 train and £20 food.

I don't want to be churlish, I know it could be done cheaper, but do these kids know what an investment thier parents are making in them.

As an aside, I'm yet to see or hear anything that either isn't on the internet, or isn't almost the same as every other university.

Once you've seen one student halls of residence and typical room, you have seen every single one in the country. They are all the same.

And the most pointless bit ? The welcome talk. You can't all be number one, and top of every league table. Yes you all think you are the best.

jacques_chirac

Who is insisting that the parents attend, or that you need to be there at 9am? Next time offer to take daughter to train station and let her go on her own/ with friends!

TheEffect

Let her go on her own. I did. Think of it as initiation into student life/growing up/becoming an adult.

flea72

I agree it can be expensive, but with planning you can get it cheaper. Most unis have an open day at least once a month if not more, so you can book hotel rooms well in advance and get them cheap.

Take food with you, so you arent buying expensive meals, or just accept that mcds or sarnies are all you will have whilst away

Yes all rooms might have a similar feel, but facilities and costs vary. Dont just look at the total cost for the year, work out the weekly rate and see what you get. Some offer catered for the same price a different uni is offering self catered for. Or 50wks compared to 39. You dont get this info without attending the open days, nor a feel for the place. most unis info just gives the headlne figures, not any breakdowns

I have spent the last year doing much the same as you. One uni we were in for about an hour, before DD decided it wasnt for her. It was a 600 mile round trip, but well worth the expense as if she'd ended up studying there, would most likely have dropped out.

It also starts again once they have offers as they then need to reconsider their choices. DD had a top 3 in her head from the first visits, but when we went back again, her views changed and shes now going to one that was way down her list.

I think kids know the costs involved in attending uni, so dont want to make the wrong choice. You soon know what you do and dont like, so the more you see, the easier it is to knock some off the list

Have fun while you can. Dont think of the cost. think of it as spending time with your DD before she flies the nest

rosalie-lavender

This year I looked at universities with my youngest child. In addition to the initial visit she then had to attend auditions. It is third time round for me as I have already been through it with her brothers. Luckily both her brothers chose the same subject and also finished up at the same university which did make life a bit easier.

I consider it money well spent visiting the universities. With the fees at the level they are, choosing the wrong place can be a very expensive mistake. The university we hated the most was one of the best in the country.

Unless there was a talk that we needed to attend we didn't need to be at any of ours for 9 am. Most of the open days run for most of the day so perhaps some of them can be attended later?

Has your daughter got a railcard? If not it would be a good investment. Our railway company sells group save tickets that gives a substantial discount if three or four people travel together. It might be worth looking into whether something like that is available.

Take a picnic to cut down food costs, use a bite size card to cut down the cost of any food bought in stations. Look for vouchers for places like the Roman Baths. Could your daughter join forces with anyone else who is going to some of the universities she wants to look at and drive up together to cut costs?

I am inclined to agree about the welcome talk, we gave up going to them in the end and focused our attention on the departments.

I hate to say it but it doesn't end when they finish looking. There will be departmental open days, the cost of traveling to and from university if your daughter chooses a far flung university, cost of accommodation etc.

I am off to my eldest son's graduation on Monday. More cost for transport and hotel fees but I don't begrudge a penny. He has worked very hard, matured a huge amount through living independently and come out with a First in a Masters degree. Do I think he realises the investment we have made in him over the last four years? Yes, I know he does and I hope in three/four years time you will, like me consider it money well spent.

bambinaUK

Got to agree with one of the replies above, why the need to be there for when the doors opened?

Students really need to get the 'feel' for a University Campus, my child rejected at least 3 on the grounds that it didn't feel right. She visited two via her college who ran trips, two on the train and I drove her to one that was several hundred miles away and had no intention of arriving before lunchtime.

Helix

When I was looking at Unis some would offer to help cover the costs of attending their Open Days. Not sure if any do this now, it might have been part of some widening participation initiative.

welshbookworm

I'm stunned at the costs!
When my dd was looking round uni's she went from London to
Manchester by coach (£10 return for 2) and staying in a Premier Inn type place for £24 for two for 2 nights. Food was mickey D's and chippy.
Cardiff by coach , £10 return and a night in a Premier Inn type place was about £12.
Both were booked well in advance and SHE PAID for them.
She felt that I could get any info I needed from the internet but, she needed to get the 'atmosphere' (shopping and nightlife:) )

flea72

bambinaUK wrote: »

Got to agree with one of the replies above, why the need to be there for when the doors opened?

Students really need to get the 'feel' for a University Campus, my child rejected at least 3 on the grounds that it didn't feel right. She visited two via her college who ran trips, two on the train and I drove her to one that was several hundred miles away and had no intention of arriving before lunchtime.

All unis i have visited have had a strict itinery for the day, which have lasted from about 9am-3pm. If you rock up when you want, you miss out on things or disrupt everyone else who turned up on time.

Now i see why so many students arrive late to class. I just thought it was natural, but it seems its nurtured.

Mojisola

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

So Child 2 is on a mission to attend as many university open days in as many far off places as she can, and insists that if possible both parents attend.

I don't want to be churlish, I know it could be done cheaper, but do these kids know what an investment thier parents are making in them.

The child is telling the parents what they have to do? :eek:

Have you told her what her expectations are costing you?

Prothet_of_Doom

Mojisola wrote: »

The child is telling the parents what they have to do? :eek:

Have you told her what her expectations are costing you?

Not so much telling us what we have to do as being given the opportunity to tell us what she thinks she needs from us.

Child is wanting at least one of us to come and join in the experience, so she can see how her opinions compare to ours.

We both had very hands off parents who never got involved, never expressed an opinion, never gave any advice, and neither of us found the lack of encouragement a great thing. My wife's parents much worse in that respect, not even coming to the station 200 yards from their house to wave her off to Nurse training some 120 miles away.

I think my wife is probably over compensating, and I'm just blindly letting it happen.