University halls stay or go?

[ozzyowl1]

Aww thanks RachaelC, and yes things will get better and we’ll always remember this year!

[Lesley Cassidy]

Looks like my dd is very lucky as her flatmates are all on her course and they all have decided to stay there in lockdown. And she is having some lessons online and in uni and she says they all get on well.

[Hopefulholiday]

My ds went at beginning of September and has had one in person session, the rest online. His accommodation is about £140 per week so less than yours but still enough. I was a bit worried about him as he was spending so much time in his room and going to the gym when the others were socialising.
He’s not got to know any one else on his course yet but has made friends with his flat mates and those in the other flat on the floor and they have already sorted accommodation for next year. Whilst not perfect he has had to become more independent so a good experience. We knew this year would be different but had he not gone he may not have got a job so would have spent all day on his Xbox, so hopefully this year will be good preparation for the rest of the degree. Hopefully by the Summer term next year they will have a more normal student experience.

[duchy]

Originally Posted by ozzyowl1

We were well aware it would be a strange year yes. As for persuading him to defer - what would he have done with the year then? A meaningful gap year would have been impossible with travel restrictions in place and getting a job at the moment is also difficult with little experience, so he would just be wasting the year IMO!
Things could be a lot worse so I’m trying to look on the bright side but think I’m entitled to have a moan occasionally as he’s not getting the experience he deserves but is still paying a huge amount of money for it - or rather I am!

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Having observed first hand uni more recently I’m a bit of an advocate of kids not going straight from what is quite a lot of hot housing nowadays with a levels to uni but to do something useful for a year , whether that’s travelling (obviously not an option this year) , volunteering (definitely was this year) or gaining some kind of experience of work . I found the ones that had done this were far more focused about why they were at uni having had that “breather” and reset time compared to those who came straight from A levels . Dropout rates were definitely different too , partly because the “gappers” had time to think and often switched courses with more time to consider so I wouldn’t have regarded it as a wasted year . I think (and hindsight is a wonderful thing) a lot of expense , disappointment and stress would have been avoided if Unis had been a bit more honest about what was likely to be feasible beforehand .

[vanlou]

My daughter took this year as a gap year. She was working in a salon and looking to earn money all year and gain experience. Then covid came along, the salon shut, she was furloughed then let go as they just weren’t getting enough clients. Now she can’t get a job and is stuck in the house on her own most of the time. Yes great experience.

There is no right or wrong with this year.

[Guest]

My DD started but opted to stay at home. So not paying out I guess is a benefit, but still is finding the somewhat limited uni provision online and the lack of social contact really challenging. There are no jobs locally at all or volunteering opportunities not are we allowed far from.our house so very limited. So at least the 4-5 hours a week is filling her time a bit. It's so hard whatever you do this year. My niece is in halls. The only person in her flat out of 8 and cannot get home if she wanted to. It's not fun there either.

[novocastrian]

Originally Posted by duchy

I think anyone who didn’t defer must have known this year was going to be a strange one .
I honestly think had I had a child due to start this year I’d have done anything I could to persuade them to defer if staying in halls.

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but if the vast majority defer then that would impact the 2021 intake?

its a right mess either way...

[123]

Originally Posted by duchy

I think anyone who didn’t defer must have known this year was going to be a strange one .
I honestly think had I had a child due to start this year I’d have done anything I could to persuade them to defer if staying in halls.

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Deferal isn't a right though, it's an allowance that a number of university's make (but not all). So it isn't a given that you can defer and your place will be there.

Our child started at Oxford, they were told explicitly (on the Univeristy website) that as the University planned to be open and teaching deferal would not be an option (as it isn't in any other year) except for a very narrow set of circumstances.

This meant anyone who had actually got in to Oxford would lose their place if they didn't go. They could apply for the next year, but there are only approx 3000 places each year and this years Upper Sixth would also be fighting for those places.

Applying again for a place you've already won is demoralising, and how would you feel if you then didn't get the place, knowing you gave it up. They'd have to do the entrance test again and the interview, all without the support of their teachers (whilst those in this years U6 are still actively in education) - it just wasn't worth the risk.

As others have said if they did defer what would they do with the year? There aren't any jobs, there isn't any travel and if they go and do some other learning they may as well be at University anyway

[123]

Originally Posted by FamilyGWales

My DD started but opted to stay at home. So not paying out I guess is a benefit, but still is finding the somewhat limited uni provision online and the lack of social contact really challenging. There are no jobs locally at all or volunteering opportunities not are we allowed far from.our house so very limited. So at least the 4-5 hours a week is filling her time a bit. It's so hard whatever you do this year. My niece is in halls. The only person in her flat out of 8 and cannot get home if she wanted to. It's not fun there either.

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Her uni course should be taking much more than 4-5 hours a week.

For each hour of taught time she should be doing at least 3 hours of additional work (reading, essays, exercises).

Not all this supporting work will be set by the lecturers though, they are expected to read around the subject and be inquisitive about what they have learnt

[Guest]

Originally Posted by 123

Her uni course should be taking much more than 4-5 hours a week.

For each hour of taught time she should be doing at least 3 hours of additional work (reading, essays, exercises).

Not all this supporting work will be set by the lecturers though, they are expected to read around the subject and be inquisitive about what they have learnt

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I know. But it's not being set - they are "easing them in" whatever that is supposed to mean. She has had two assignments since the start of term. And is doing her own reading around. But still...

All personal tutorials and small group learning canceled. Only the large group lectures running. Staff shortages.