Appying for 3rd Level Accommodation

J

JP1234

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My son has applied to 6 different 3rd Level Institutions (including Belfast) We have received a number of emails regarding applying now for campus accommodation, which is fine, except they all want a deposit paying on application, averaging €300 each. I understand why they are asking for the deposit but now am just wondering if it's worth applying for the accommodation now or just wait to see where he gets in. €1800 is a lot of money to stick on the credit card, I know we get the money back if he doesn't need the accommodation but we would be paying interest on it until then.

Is it worth taking the risk of waiting until the course offers arrive?

The places he has applied for are
Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Maynooth, Galway and Dublin, if it makes a difference.

(note to mods - I wasn't sure if to put this in the Education forum or not as it's not strictly about courses, feel free to move if necessary!)
 
I can see why you wouldn't want to chance it, but paying six deposits seems like a lot. I would consider paying deposits for his top 2 or 3 that he has a reasonable chance of getting offered and that he definitely would accept. You could risk it then on his 'safty net colleges.'

You could also try asking students on the boards.ie university section what the demand is like for campus accommodation in their respective colleges. Some might be booked out well in advance but some might have plenty of vacancies then it wouldn't be such a gamble.
 
I had a quick look at boards.ie, it's such a confusing site! I know Belfast still had campus places as late as January so should be ok if that's where he ends up.

I will have to talk to him tonight as I still don't think he has any idea of where he actually wants to go!
 
JP1234 - welcome to modern Irish parenthood. Believe me, your life is just beginning. I would bet that your heirs/heiresses received the best of upbringing and did not want for anything. Nothing wrong with that.

However, "Junior" seems to be betwixt and between on what happens next. Time for a heart-to-heart conversation, I think. Don't forget the question "What do you wanna do son/daughter?

Oh and if "Junior" wants to travel away to university, perhaps it is time for you to take a part-time job in some pub to finance the four years? I am presuming yours will not be entitled to an accommodation grant.
 
Leper - I am not sure what I have typed to provoke such a sneering sarcastic post from you:confused:

I would bet that your heirs/heiresses received the best of upbringing and did not want for anything. Nothing wrong with that.
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Wanted for lots actually - got everything he needed however. As for being a heir, ha ha ha, the only thing he is getting from us is his education. He's far from the spoilt child you appear to be suggesting!


What do you wanna do son/daughter?
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He knows exactly what he wants to do, the courses are all for the same subject but the points required for each vary quite a lot and he just wanted to have a good chance of getting in somewhere for his chosen subject.

perhaps it is time for you to take a part-time job in some pub to finance the four years?
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I find this quite offensive, I have worked for 25 years and find myself unemployed now since March, the longest time I have been out of work ever, not for the want of looking, writing, applying, begging for work. For the record we have saved hard over the last 10 years to pay for his college education, don't drink, smoke, bought trophy house/cars/holidays. I know, what an old fashioned pair we are, actually saving up for what we want/need.


I am presuming yours will not be entitled to an accommodation grant
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Correct, my husband has the nerve to have a reasonably paid job and we are not swimming in debt. How bold of us trying to pay our own way in life !
 
That was a very odd post from Leper. And not answering your question at all.
Here in Cork there seems to be plenty of student accommodation, and the CIT and UCC are fairly close together, so that doubles the availability.
I would say wait until you can be sure where your son is going; I'm sure many other parents are waiting too.
 
Wow Leper - a lot of issues there I'd say!!! Back to the original question JP I would say leave it at least until the results come out and then he will have more of an idea of what places he will be offered plenty of places to select from I now have my 4th and last child at 3rd level and things have improved so much with accommodation. since my first daughter started all those years ago. I had people advising me to pay deposits and be prepared to lose them I didn't do it and we were never disappointed in accommodation.
 
PS. I would also like to wish him the best of luck - despite some of the comments by leper - treat him with kid gloves for next few weeks plenty good food and Lots of junk too what a tough time it is now for all those exam students & parents I'm glad to have left that behind so hopefully things wont be too stressful for you over the next few weeks.
 
JP1234 said:
My son has applied to 6 different 3rd Level Institutions (including Belfast) We have received a number of emails regarding applying now for campus accommodation, which is fine, except they all want a deposit paying on application, averaging €300 each. I understand why they are asking for the deposit but now am just wondering if it's worth applying for the accommodation now or just wait to see where he gets in. €1800 is a lot of money to stick on the credit card, I know we get the money back if he doesn't need the accommodation but we would be paying interest on it until then.

Is it worth taking the risk of waiting until the course offers arrive?

The places he has applied for are
Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Maynooth, Galway and Dublin, if it makes a difference.

(note to mods - I wasn't sure if to put this in the Education forum or not as it's not strictly about courses, feel free to move if necessary!)
Click to expand...

we had similar dilemma. Daughter paid deposit for UCD, then changed her mind when she was offered QUB. Lost deposit in UCD but she got accommodation in QUB as a priority as she was EU student. As far as I know, Galway is the only place where it is advisable to pay a deposit early and then cancel (by early I mean last March for next september!). Son also got Maynooth and had no problem getting student accommodationon campus. It is not guaranteed though but we live far from Maynooth. Slim
 
Thank you for your help!

He has a conditional course offer from Belfast and they have also accepted his accommodation application without a deposit. Though the chances of him getting the very high grades in every subject they want is remote.
His preference would be for Dublin but I think it more likely he will get Maynooth or Cork - I know nothing is certain though until the results and offers come out but going off previous years points and his ability. a friend of mine daughter went to Maynooth and she had an awful time getting a place to stay, though she did leave it until about a week before her course started before she looked for digs.!

Hans - yes he is getting pretty stressed at the moment, I don't remember being as bad! He refused to go the the Graduation service last week saying it was a waste of study time! He has supervised study at the school until Thursday, then 5 days until the first exam...I just keep reminding us all that it will all be over in 3 weeks!

I think we will just wait to see what offers he gets as it doesn't seem to be as difficult as I imagined getting a place to stay.
 
This time last year we were'nt sure where our daughter would be accepted. We waited until the exams were over, and then went to view student accommdation at her 1st choice. We paid the deposit there and then (July) as we knew there were no upsets with the actual exams, and based on her pre's, we felt she should get in (which she did).

We paid the deposit in July, but did have a window of about a week from the date the results were out, then the CAO offers, which left only a few days to make contact to retrieve our deposit had she not been accepted.

We thought we were being very presumptious going down early, but we had forgotten that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students often re-book for the following year! She has done this now for 2nd year so realistically I won't see my deposit back for 4 years!!

I'd go with his 1st choice accommodation - bearing in mind what his points were in the pre's - if it is realistic that he will be accepted.

Good luck with it!
 
just to clarify, I received a lovely PM from Leper explaining what he had meant. A case of crossed wires.

No harm done and thanks for all the advice.
 
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