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Old 26 May 18, 11:15 PM  
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Originally Posted by AlisonB View Post
Both our girls went to uni and after doing the rounds with both of them one key thing I would suggest is to take a notebook and make notes! With our first we didn’t do that and quite often we said to each other afterwards ‘which one was it that offered the (insert whatever)?’ And we couldn’t remember!
With youngest dd we had a set list of questions that we asked each uni, main one was contact hours (you’d be shocked at some courses offering 8 hours tuition a week!). Obviously we often asked other questions but at least we had something to compare later on, especially if there was quite a gap.
Our dd’s were quite different - Dd1 wanted to be no more than about 2.5 hours from home, had to be on a campus uni (everything on one site - accommodation, teaching, sports etc) and wasn’t too bothered about the course content. Dd2 didn’t care about anything other than the course - it had to be the perfect one for her!

All worked out well in the end - both girls got their number one choices (DD1 did geography at Loughborough and DD2 did musical theatre at Chichester
Thank you, great tip about the notebook. I am sure we won't remember everything, so that will be useful.

My DD is only looking at the course as your DD2 did, so I think it will be down to me to check everything else. Pleased that your DDs were happy with their choices
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Old 31 May 18, 09:22 PM  
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Preparing for our first visit to Exeter on Saturday, we have been looking at accommodation on offer at some of her chosen open days.

We are amazed at the price of some and the differing standards. Exeter seems quite good, Birmingham seems to have a lot of reasonably priced, clean good rooms available. Bristol, on the other hand, is a lot more expensive and the cheaper rooms (which are not as cheap as the other two we have shortlisted) are very poor. The beds are camp beds, not proper beds, the showers/bathrooms look ancient, the kitchen appliances look filthy and unsafe. We were really put off by them. If we hadn't already bought train tickets I think DD would be changing her mind before we even look at it. We will go as the University is classed as a very good one and of course, accommodation isn't the only consideration but we were shocked at how poor the rooms appear. Anyone with experience of good/bad uni rooms?
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Old 31 May 18, 09:27 PM  
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Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil View Post
Preparing for our first visit to Exeter on Saturday, we have been looking at accommodation on offer at some of her chosen open days.

We are amazed at the price of some and the differing standards. Exeter seems quite good, Birmingham seems to have a lot of reasonably priced, clean good rooms available. Bristol, on the other hand, is a lot more expensive and the cheaper rooms (which are not as cheap as the other two we have shortlisted) are very poor. The beds are camp beds, not proper beds, the showers/bathrooms look ancient, the kitchen appliances look filthy and unsafe. We were really put off by them. If we hadn't already bought train tickets I think DD would be changing her mind before we even look at it. We will go as the University is classed as a very good one and of course, accommodation isn't the only consideration but we were shocked at how poor the rooms appear. Anyone with experience of good/bad uni rooms?
Look at private student accommodation as well. Often cheaper and better quality. And they are dedicated blocks just like university housing. A friend of mine markets them and I’m constantly amazed by what’s on offer for the money compared to DDs.
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Old 31 May 18, 09:35 PM  
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Originally Posted by BevS97 View Post
Look at private student accommodation as well. Often cheaper and better quality. And they are dedicated blocks just like university housing. A friend of mine markets them and I’m constantly amazed by what’s on offer for the money compared to DDs.
I hadn't considered this for first year. I know that they usually rent with friends privately after the first year but presumed they waited until then as it gave them a chance to make friends they want to move in with.

This may be a good option, particularly if DD does love Bristol. Thanks again Bev ☺
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Old 31 May 18, 09:51 PM  
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The sort I am thinking of are very similar to uni accommodation just run by other company’s. Liberty living is one I’ve seen.

In second year I think it tends to be ‘real’ flats and houses as opposed to dorm style.
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Old 31 May 18, 09:57 PM  
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Originally Posted by BevS97 View Post
The sort I am thinking of are very similar to uni accommodation just run by other company’s. Liberty living is one I’ve seen.

In second year I think it tends to be ‘real’ flats and houses as opposed to dorm style.
Thank you, I will check this out.
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Old 31 May 18, 09:59 PM  
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In Wales there is no longer a tuition fee grant - it's a loan for the full fees now like in England (Welsh unis fees are slightly cheaper at £9000). There is a maintenance grant for living costs - from a minimum £1000 for students whose parents are higher earners with the rest to be made up by way of a maintenance student loan (max combined maintenance grant / loan circa £9000)! In contrast, the lowest income household students get more of a maintenance grant an possibly need no maintenance loan but they will still have the full tuition fee element to repay. For everyone in between, it's a sliding scale.

The info on these changes has been rubbish with just a couple of videos on Student Finance Wales - I do think it's probably a fairer system now but I think many going to uni this year still think they are going to get a fee grant from W.G
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Old 31 May 18, 10:01 PM  
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Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil View Post
Preparing for our first visit to Exeter on Saturday, we have been looking at accommodation on offer at some of her chosen open days.

We are amazed at the price of some and the differing standards. Exeter seems quite good, Birmingham seems to have a lot of reasonably priced, clean good rooms available. Bristol, on the other hand, is a lot more expensive and the cheaper rooms (which are not as cheap as the other two we have shortlisted) are very poor. The beds are camp beds, not proper beds, the showers/bathrooms look ancient, the kitchen appliances look filthy and unsafe. We were really put off by them. If we hadn't already bought train tickets I think DD would be changing her mind before we even look at it. We will go as the University is classed as a very good one and of course, accommodation isn't the only consideration but we were shocked at how poor the rooms appear. Anyone with experience of good/bad uni rooms?
Hi, here are my thoughts, perhaps not terribly helpful other than for context!

I live in Exeter and have friends who work at the Uni; went to the University of Birmingham (a million years ago) and have friends who work at Bristol Uni (and UWE).

Exeter has massively invested in student accommodation over the last five years or so and continues to do so. Because there is a lot of new (and still being built) accommodation it has not yet has the chance to "age" if that makes sense.

There were lots of options in Birmingham when I was there and you could cut your cloth according to your means, believe it's still the same albeit the numbers are a lot higher.

Bristol has become an expensive place to live, work and study. My friend got a new job at Bristol Uni and despite earning 20% more her quality of life was much worse due to high rent and relatively poor quality accommodation (compared to Exeter). My sister went to UWE a couple of years ago, and stayed in a shared house in Clifton which was a bit grotty but quite expensive.
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Old 31 May 18, 10:11 PM  
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Originally Posted by KarenG View Post
Hi, here are my thoughts, perhaps not terribly helpful other than for context!

I live in Exeter and have friends who work at the Uni; went to the University of Birmingham (a million years ago) and have friends who work at Bristol Uni (and UWE).

Exeter has massively invested in student accommodation over the last five years or so and continues to do so. Because there is a lot of new (and still being built) accommodation it has not yet has the chance to "age" if that makes sense.

There were lots of options in Birmingham when I was there and you could cut your cloth according to your means, believe it's still the same albeit the numbers are a lot higher.

Bristol has become an expensive place to live, work and study. My friend got a new job at Bristol Uni and despite earning 20% more her quality of life was much worse due to high rent and relatively poor quality accommodation (compared to Exeter). My sister went to UWE a couple of years ago, and stayed in a shared house in Clifton which was a bit grotty but quite expensive.
Your observations exactly mirror what we have seen. Lots of affordable options in Birmingham, decent priced, newish halls in Exeter but Bristol really seem to be struggling with providing decent quality student housing at anywhere near a decent price.

DD is also visiting Aberystwyth and Worcester in September. We haven't looked at their accommodation yet, it will be interesting to see how they all compare
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Old 31 May 18, 10:18 PM  
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Hi my DS has just finished his course at Solent Southampton & my DD is off to Nottingham in Sept.
I took lots of notes but also took photos of each uni’s accomodation - photo of halls name then inside each room, kitchen, bathroom & communal areas. We looked at 6 uni’s for DD & being able to look back when they’d all merged together in our memory was really helpful.
Good luck all x
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