University Challenge x 2

enthusiasticsaver

Hope your daughter sorts out a transfer to a local university onto a course she likes. The first term is always tough on most of them. My elder daughter told me years after she graduated the reason she never phoned home in the first term is because she felt so homesick and could not cope with hearing our voices. I am glad she didn't tell me then as I would have done as you are doing and suggest she move home. By the second term she loved it but it is a personal choice and so long as your DD2 is happy that is the main thing.

lashie

Hi PJ
Long term lurker here. I just wanted to offer some advice in respect of your DD and the Uni issue. I work for a top 25 University in a relevant department. I am sorry to say that I suspect DD is to late to transfer to year 1 at another institution now (UCAS will confirm this), we stopped taking new students 3 weeks after term started as students are to far behind to catch up. However if she can stay for the year at Bath she can apply for year 2 entry at another Uni and provide she passes her 1st year with a certain percentage and the course syllabus matches Bath she will eligible for a transfer. If she really can't stick it out then she can leave and start applying now for year 1 2018 entry. She should get an unconditional offer ready for 2018 as she has taken her AL's or equivalent.
I am really sorry to hear she is having a tough time. It must be awful for you. I deal with many students in the first few weeks who are unhappy for many reasons.
UCAS are really helpful and would be happy to advise her.
Also please speak to Student Finance England as she will need to check if she is able to have a 4th year of finance.
Wishing you all the best for it. These things have a habit of working out even if it doesn't seem like it at the time.
x

Plain_Jane

Thanks all for your kind replies.


We did try and persuade her to tough it out but her mind was made up. I do agree with you though Enthusiastic if she could have got through past Christmas she may have loved it.


Mudbath - I did relax yesterday but, oh what a mistake, the pile on the to do list just doubled up! Back in the office today though.




Lashie thanks so much for your advice - she phoned our local Uni (Northampton) and they do a very similar course but, like you said, she cannot start until next year. I will ask her to get onto SF as I didn't know there would be an issue with a 4th year - I presume her maintenance loan will stop now for this year anyway?


She has applied via UCAS today and just put down all the variations on her course that she could so I am hoping she gets an unconditional offer - she has the grades ready. It is just another year on top of everything.


Catch up with you all tomorrow.

System

Just caught up with DT's , am sure DT2 will get sorted and will be much happier being nearer to home . Both of mine stayed at home during university years , mainly for financial reasons. They both got where they wanted. Staying in halls is not for everyone.

Lashie has given you sound advice so she should get sorted with the transfer. If she can get a transfer with her job, she may start next year with some savings of her own . That will be a big help to you both.

Kitten868

You haven't failed. She tried and she stuck it out long enough to be sure in her own mind. Yes she will blame you years from now but I think you've done 100% the right thing and being a supportive mum. Crack on with cancelling things like accommodation so you won't have to pay for the next two terms hopefully.
Fingers crossed this should help you out on your budgeting one of them earning full time means she can contribute x

Plain_Jane

Thanks Cumbria Lass and Kitten,

She is going to have to find someone to take her accommodation herself but the company have given her an advert to use so it's out there. We could get a month's worth back if she gets someone fast.

I think we will have to give back some of her maintenance loan which is a laugh as it didn't cover the accommodation so any money we may get back will go back to them I presume.

Yes Kitten it will help with the budgets and hopefully a bit more coming in than going out.

It all seems up in the air at the moment, we need to just get her back home on Sunday and go from there.

greent

I left uni in my first term - hated my flatmates, hated the cold - wished I'd stuck it out though. My DD had a horrible first term too - most of her flatmates in her hall ganged up against her (apart from the short term internationals & 1 guy who was out all the time) - 1 girl took against her and she's one of those types whom other girls follow. Could have been really horrid for my daughter - and she told us none of this until this summer. Thankfully she found a lovely boyf and spent a lot of time with his flatmates instead.

It's hard for them. Hopefully DT2 can get a course closer to home for next year - and will have the boost of a decent amount of money behind her at the same time x

Plain_Jane

So it's been a few weeks since I posted last and I can tell as my head has been firmly in the sand.

DT2 came home from uni two weeks ago and is glad to be home. She is busy applying for jobs and has some interviews this week. She is looking at going down the apprenticeship route as she is not sure Uni is for her.

Our house is an absolute state as we have had a few jobs done that were well behind such as a floor laying in our bedroom (we already had the flooring it just had to be laid), and a new hall and stairs carpet. I'd forgotten what an upheaval things like this are and all our furniture and clothes etc are all in different rooms of the house. They can't go back until we have freshened up the painting. But this weekend both myself and DH are under the weather with lurgy type coughing illnesses and just don't have the energy.

So, I have written it off and we have decided to get these jobs done in the evenings this week so we can get our Christmas Dec's up next weekend and hopefully be in a better place. DH will paint and I will clean. Then I can wrap present next Sunday.

This does mean we have added a tiny bit of debt to pay for those 2 things to be done.

My main worry right now is that DT2 hasn't yet got a taker for her room at uni and if one hasn't been found by the beginning of January then the next term's rent becomes due of £2700. I think this isn't helping me at the moment with my motivation. The company who run it say that usually international students come in in January so we are keeping our fingers crossed. She didn't chose, but was given, one of the more expensive flats so that isn't helping at all. She is advertising it everywhere she can think of and I'm going to put it on gumtree as well.

Anyway to do lists this week for DH and myself are:

Monday - paint one wall in bedroom, clean bathrooms
Tuesday - finishing painting bedroom, clean bedroom floor and Hoover upstairs
Wednesday - move stuff back into bedroom cleaning it first
Thursday - finish paining hallway, my Christmas party at work
Friday - clean floors downstairs and clean lounge
Saturday - DH to sort out his wardrobe - I have a day out with friends (I seem to have all the jollies :rotfl:)
Sunday - wrap presents and put Dec's up

In the meantime, DT2 can do the washing, empty dishwasher, feed the dogs and cat etc etc.

It's a tall order but needs must as I feel as though we are sinking.

I'm hoping by then my mind will be clearer and I will be able to function!!

We have DH's birthday next week too and I always make him a pumpkin pie so I will fit that in somewhere. I could do with a week's holiday to catch up on myself!

It always makes me feel better posting on here but sorry for waffling on :cool:

louby40

Wow you sound so busy!

My son is doing an apprenticeship. He’s 18 next week and I frankly can’t believe I’m going to be the parent of an adult. I don’t know where the last 18 years have gone and it makes me feel very nostalgic.

Anyway - apprenticeships are good. The money is rubbish but my son is enjoying it and it’s giving him tons of life skills.

Florence_J

That's a right racket about the possible rent situation. How can anyone in all fairness justify those costs and those conditions?

I know it's all business, business, business, but still.

I really hope the situation improves, it is true about international students, there are a lot of courses that start in January, and they often have a large intake of international students because outside the UK there are different structures in education terms and timetables. I used to work in the admissions department at a University, so my knowledge will be a little out of date but it should be generally the same.