University Choices

[Trinity]

When I was at Uni in the 1980s noone took parents with them to open days or anything else.

Nowadays it is very common to see parents at open days an I would say that at Heriot-Watt as many as 50% of prospective students come with parents.

Google parachute parents and look at the articles on BBC news.

I am not going to express an opinion on whether this is a good trend or not, but you have to cut the apron strings sometime.... If your parents take you to the open days and go on the tours, fair enough. But FGS - don't take them into your interviews with you - it doesn't look good at all.

[Katy]

i went to the open days alone, also there are second chances for open days after april, i know Bangor does its more in depth. I know i went to a couple with my dad and some with my friends and i went to Chester by myself!

In answer to an earlier question Abbie, i am Bangor studying Law.

In Bangor its 50% students so when the students are there the poplation doubles and it is not a campus uni but everything is walking distance, its quite a small place but you always know someone where walking about.

My advice is go to as many open days as you can and visit as many unis before you make up your mind.

[Abi]

I went to Open Days with my Mum. Everyone did. I had a couple of interviews which i needed a lift to, but she didn't come to the uni for those, she hung around in town untill i was done. Sure, you've got to cut the apron strings at some point. But theres no harm in your parents knowing where you are going, and helping you decide. If they didn't see your uni at all it would be a bit like buying a house and not letting them come see it.

[Abbie]

Everyone in my college goes to open days with their parents!

[di marco]

I am not going to express an opinion on whether this is a good trend or not, but you have to cut the apron strings sometime.... If your parents take you to the open days and go on the tours, fair enough. But FGS - don't take them into your interviews with you - it doesn't look good at all.

I went to Open Days with my Mum. Everyone did. I had a couple of interviews which i needed a lift to, but she didn't come to the uni for those, she hung around in town untill i was done. Sure, you've got to cut the apron strings at some point. But theres no harm in your parents knowing where you are going, and helping you decide. If they didn't see your uni at all it would be a bit like buying a house and not letting them come see it.

i agree abi. my parents came to the open days with me, mostly cos they were miles away and it would have been difficult to get there by myself. i also think its good to get someone elses opinion on the place as they might see some good/bad points which you didnt pick up on. my parents drove me to most of my interviews, as again they were too far away, but they didnt come into them with me. most people i know and saw at open days took their parents

[Trinity]

I went to Open Days with my Mum. Everyone did. I had a couple of interviews which i needed a lift to, but she didn't come to the uni for those, she hung around in town untill i was done. Sure, you've got to cut the apron strings at some point. But theres no harm in your parents knowing where you are going, and helping you decide. If they didn't see your uni at all it would be a bit like buying a house and not letting them come see it.

I think if you read my post you will see that I said that if they give you a lift and go on the tours then fair enough. I am sure that I will do the same with my son next year when he is going to open days.

My point was that it is not a good move to take them into interviews with you - and believe me, there are many, many parents who expect to attend interviews with their offspring (again this is an observation from 10 year working in a University).

[Tori]

My mum came with me to them all, purely because I knew I wouldn't remember things and because I wasn't really well enough at the time to be able to go to these places alone and remember anything there!

My mum, however, would never come to an interview! I can't understand people who's parents do that, to me it seems really strange and I'd be going mad like get away!

[di marco]

i cant understand why anyones parents would go into an interview with them either! my parents didnt even wanna go to my 6th form interviews with me (not that i wanted them too!) so i cant understand why parents would think it was a good idea to go to the interview?

[Trinity]

You wouldn't believe some parents - phoning up asking for their adult kids results (not given out - data protection and students are ADULTS).

I have heard of parents phoning up and asking if their kids are attending lectures.

Perhaps it is desperation because the kids don't communicate enough - but really!

[Tori]

At Kent Uni apparently they send timetables to your parents. I'd hate that!