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accommodation 08 - emails

Has anybody else been getting these panicky emails from Edinburgh about their accommodation woes? Anybody done anything about it yet?

Reply 1

Meg_Lili

9

I got one this morning, I think they must only have been sent out to people who have Edinburgh as insurance?

But does seem a little odd saying that if we do end up at Edinburgh, we'll either have to accept twin/bunked accommodation at Pollock or get nothing, when just a few months ago they were going on about anyone who applied for self-catering being pretty much guaranteed to get it, whereas if you applied for Pollock it wasn't certain you'd get it because it was oversubcribed. :s-smilie:

Meh, if I do end up at Edinburgh I guess I'll just try to get transferred to self catered asap, since they say themselves that vegetarians should try to avoid Pollock. :s-smilie:

I think I'm just going to ignore the email, since it says if you don't reply, they'll assume you accept it.

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Reply 2

grovichik

9

I got this...it's a bit worrying to be honest. I don't think I'm going to reply to it.

Reply 3

yossarianlives

7

Can I be nosy and see what it says?

Reply 4

Meg_Lili

9

I'm assuming everyone else who got it was the same as mine:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH - ACTION REQUIRED

Currently you are holding a Conditional Insurance offer for study at the University of Edinburgh commencing September 2008 and you will know in due course whether you have met the criteria for that place.

This year the University of Edinburgh has been even more successful than usual in attracting new students and, whilst this is very positive indeed, it does place some strain on the accommodation we have available for first year undergraduates.

The University provides a guarantee of accommodation to all first year students normally resident outside the City of Edinburgh boundary. This year we have no choice other than to allocate a larger number of students to shared twin accommodation - a mixture of twin bedded and bunk bedded rooms.

As a result, and with some regret, we have to advise you that, if you are successful in obtaining a place at the University of Edinburgh for September 2008 which you then accept and you have already applied for University Accommodation or intend to do so before the deadline of 16 August 2008, then you will ONLY BE MADE AN OFFER OF TWIN OR BUNK BEDDED CATERED ACCOMMODATION AT POLLOCK HALLS.

We understand that this might influence any decision you make in respect of Edinburgh and so felt you would appreciate early notice of this inevitable situation.

Having considered this information very carefully, we need you to take the following action before Friday 25 July 2008:

A: If you have already applied for accommodation, or intend to do so before 16 August 2008, and the allocation of the twinned accommodation as outlined above would be acceptable, then please reply to this by clicking here and sending or reply to this email by typing 'ACCEPT' and your full name in the subject line.

B: If you have applied for University accommodation but do NOT wish to accept this type of twinned accommodation, please reply to this email by clicking here and sending or reply to this email by typing 'DECLINE' and your full name in the subject line. We will assume that in doing so, you have withdrawn your accommodation application. This will NOT affect your application to study at the University of Edinburgh.

If, for whatever reason, you do not respond to this email by 25 July 2008, we shall assume you understand that any application you have already made for University accommodation, or may make in due course, will only result in an offer for twin catered accommodation.

It is of course possible that the decision required above may impact upon your decision to come to the University of Edinburgh this year. You are strongly recommended to discuss any such non-accommodation concerns with the appropriate College admissions office as soon as possible.

Thank you

Allocations Department
Accommodation Services
The University of Edinburgh

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Reply 5

LieDown

OP

Yeah that was it. Ir eally don't know what to do. Definitely doesn't make them look good in my estiamtion, it's a bit of a blackmail situation.

If we don't reply, it says:

If, for whatever reason, you do not respond to this email by 25 July 2008, we shall assume you understand that any application you have already made for University accommodation, or may make in due course, will only result in an offer for twin catered accommodation.

!!!! They're really pushing it!

I love Edinburgh and everything, but they've actually made me want to get into durham (my firm) EVEN MORE now, and even more scared of having to go there instead!

Reply 6

Becky7337

I replied saying Decline...I know I probably won't be going there anyway as it's my insurance and the grades for it are the same as my firm.

Reply 7

grovichik

9

It's not really fair telling us this now AFTER we've put it as insurance. That would have affected my decision at the time. I would really dislike having to share a room, actually I've pretty much decided I'll not be going there.

Reply 8

Meg_Lili

9

grovichik

It's not really fair telling us this now AFTER we've put it as insurance. That would have affected my decision at the time. I would really dislike having to share a room, actually I've pretty much decided I'll not be going there.

Also, bunkbeds? I thought they were largely the domain of people under the age of 12 and youth hostels, not university accommodation :s-smilie:

LieDown

Yeah that was it. Ir eally don't know what to do. Definitely doesn't make them look good in my estiamtion, it's a bit of a blackmail situation.

If we don't reply, it says:

If, for whatever reason, you do not respond to this email by 25 July 2008, we shall assume you understand that any application you have already made for University accommodation, or may make in due course, will only result in an offer for twin catered accommodation.

!!!! They're really pushing it!

I love Edinburgh and everything, but they've actually made me want to get into durham (my firm) EVEN MORE now, and even more scared of having to go there instead!

I think it's beyond pushing it really, they've made the decision for us, since we've put them as insurance over firm, we're pretty much at the bottom of the food chain in terms of accomodation, so it's get what you're given (i.e. what no-one else wants) or get nothing. Ah well, like you said, it just makes me want to go to my firm (UCL in my case) even more!

C-

Reply 9

LieDown

OP

Yeah, I know we're not their glowing firm students, but we still inclined to want to go to the uni! *sigh* yeah Im just going to have to hope and pray i get into my firm!

And you're right....bunkbeds?! :s-smilie:

imagine how hellish that would be

Reply 10

Becky7337

LieDown

And you're right....bunkbeds?! :s-smilie:

imagine how hellish that would be

A few years ago my brother had Edinburgh as his firm...a few weeks before he went he was told they had over-estimated the number of freshers so he had to share a room.

It was bunk-beds. Although neither of them could stick it and the other boy moved into other uni accomodation after about 4 months.

Reply 11

nightfallquartet

2

I got it too. feeling slightly panicky and scared I won't get into my firm. edinburgh's my insurance but I didn't know you were supposed to apply for accommodation for your insurance.....were we definitely supposed to?

Reply 12

nearlyheadlessian

15

nightfallquartet

I didn't know you were supposed to apply for accommodation for your insurance.....were we definitely supposed to?

Well if you come to Edinburgh without having applied you won't have anywhere to live...

grovichik

It's not really fair telling us this now AFTER we've put it as insurance.

You're looking at it from the opposite way round to me :p:

The way I see it, this email is a direct result of a disproportionately high number of people selecting Edinburgh as their Insurance this year. Accommodation Services could hardly inform you before you made your choice because they didn't know what you were going to choose (if you get me).

It's not a great situation but it was pretty much like this last year too, and you could have taken the opportunity to swot up on the system in this forum a while back so that you were clued in. Not much comfort now, I know - but that's how it's liable to go if you select a popular university as your insurance. S

(I would apologise on behalf of Accommodation Services except that I think they're complete muppets anyway...)

Reply 13

Meg_Lili

9

I think they advised it at the open day thing I went to, but I don't remember them ever saying it was compulsory - most places I've come across you don't seem to apply for accommodation pre-results at if they're your insurance.
You can still apply now I believe, here.
But the whole choosing several different places that you like and all the rest of it seems a tad pointless as if we do end up there, they've already kindly decided where we'll be.

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Reply 14

Charlurr

12

Im not going there but that seems completely unfair/unrealistic.

The only thing I can suggest is maybe theyre hoping this will put some people off/make them stay at home?

Good luck to you guys anyway.

Reply 15

Meg_Lili

9

nearlyheadlessian

You're looking at it from the opposite way round to me :p:

The way I see it, this email is a direct result of a disproportionately high number of people selecting Edinburgh as their Insurance this year. Accommodation Services could hardly inform you before you made your choice because they didn't know what you were going to choose (if you get me).

It's not a great situation but it was pretty much like this last year too, and you could have taken the opportunity to swot up on the system in this forum a while back so that you were clued in. Not much comfort now, I know - but that's how it's liable to go if you select a popular university as your insurance. S

(I would apologise on behalf of Accommodation Services except that I think they're complete muppets anyway...)

Isn't that a bit of a contradiction - there were disproportionately high numbers choosing Edinburgh as insurance this year so they couldn't have warned people, yet there was a similar situation last year :s-smilie:

Wouldn't have been hard to put a sentence or two on the website/brochures saying that there would be a risk of getting bottom of the heap (for want of a better way of putting it!) accommodation if you choose them as insurance, rather than encouraging people to apply for accommodation like normal even if Edinburgh was their insurance. (Not criticising you personally, but the muppets at the accommodation services as you put it!)

(Oh, and some of us didn't have a choice in regards to putting a popular university as insurance! :tongue:

)

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Reply 16

FTC199

13

they sent out an email to the firms a few weeks ago asking if any of them would consider having a twin room as obviously not many people have applied for them so they probably got a low response and are now worried. this probably means i am unlikely to get into pollock as i live in edinburgh :frown:

Reply 17

FTC199

13

Becky7337

A few years ago my brother had Edinburgh as his firm...a few weeks before he went he was told they had over-estimated the number of freshers so he had to share a room.

It was bunk-beds. Although neither of them could stick it and the other boy moved into other uni accomodation after about 4 months.

this happened 2 years ago, they have now changed the system so the people who already live in edinburgh get told last instead of when everyone else with a conditional or unconditional is told so there are fewer problems

Reply 18

nearlyheadlessian

15

Meg_Lili

Isn't that a bit of a contradiction - there were disproportionately high numbers choosing Edinburgh as insurance this year so they couldn't have warned people, yet there was a similar situation last year :s-smilie:

Well sort of; last year's situation was far more a case that everything was oversubscribed - so that nobody really ended up quite where they expected. In truth I think it's largely a result of Accommodation Services' incompetence. I think it makes sense for everybody to apply straight away (even if it is only insurance) - that way they are at least aware of what their worst case scenario is. It does seem a little unfair that insurances go to the bottom, but on the other hand so many people say that they're not even coming to their insurance.

I didn't choose an insurance option, saved myself the bother of worrying.

Reply 19

Flexy Lexy

I've changed my insurance to sheffield now as i think sharing would be hell! it's pretty easy to do if you call up ucas. they will advise you how to phone the 2 universities.

accommodation 08 - emails

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