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Bankside Accom

Hi guys,

A quick question as I have been placed in my second choice accom. after High Holborn apparently due to some random selection (which I dont actually think it is the case). But just in case I really do not get HH I have a couple of questions to ask as I don't know much about Bankside.

1) Does it actually take 25 mins to walk? (and what would the route entail)?
2) How are the transport options? I heard the 'nearest' tube is Southwark which isnt even close at all!
3) Are the singles a better bet or the shared bathrooms?
4) Hear say the kitchen facilities are pretty limited. Can anyone clarify?

Sorry for so many questions!!

Cheers

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Reply 1

Quetia20

I walked from Tate Modern (which is right nxt to Bankside) to LSE and it took 20 mins, so yeah, I'd say that's pretty accurate. It's quite a nice walk over the river though :smile:

...not that that really matters when you're stumbling off to lectures in the mornings I suppose. :rolleyes:

Reply 2

K.O.S

gizmoleeds

The walk is basically a stroll over the Millenium footbridge. It doesn't involve any rough areas or anything at all - it is a nice route.

And while 20-25 mins may be accurate frankly that doesn't seem like much at all to me - it will be some nice exercise in the morning, and it is not uphill.

Bear in mind "shared" bathrooms are only shared with 1 other room, which is really good compared to most shared facilities at university. However, with 50% of rooms en-suite there must a good chance you will get one of those if you ask for it.

I have been debating in my head whether or not an en-suite is worth an extra £9 a week. At the moment, I'm thinking it isn't.

I would also like to know this.

Also, how easy is it to park temporarily outside Bankside? I am not one of those nutters who is considering bringing a car or anything, I'm just wondering because my mum will take me down the first time with all my stuff and neither me nor her are optomistic about how we will get the car (with my stuff) near to Bankside, stop and manage to park up for a while while I get settled - it seems impossible (she is an ex-Londoner and knows what London parking is like).

I also have an offer for Bankside but HH was my first choice. Does this mean it is either Bankside or nothing and I won't get an offer for HH

Reply 3

jakatak

hey
when did you all apply for accomm.? i applied early april... HH first and bankside 2nd... no reply yet.. thats why i was wondering... perhaps they're biding the time tryin to get me the best room in the city? :tongue:

Reply 4

Quetia20

gizmoleeds

This page explains how it works (http://www.lse.ac.uk/accommodation/info/allocation.htm). :smile:

I applied in mid-January and only got my offer on Thursday.

Hey, thanks for that link. I'd skimmed through it before but I just checked it out again and noticed that 'offers of accommodation for London students are generally held back until all other offers have been processed'. Great. :mad:

I live in London atm but I'll be moving at the end of June - looks like I've got some emailing the accommodation office to do!

Reply 5

ROCKMYPANTS

gizmoleeds

This page explains how it works (http://www.lse.ac.uk/accommodation/info/allocation.htm). :smile:

I applied in mid-January and only got my offer on Thursday.

That doesn't really make sense to me.

So they randomly allocate a number to each applicant and then deal with the applications in order of numbering. but surely ALL potential applicants have to have applied for that system to work?

Say for example,

You apply in january and get assigned the random number 300. They give you an offer for your 1st choice before 31st May (which is what I understand has happened with a lot of people).

I apply on May 31st and get the random number 5. This means that by the ordering system I should get my preferred choice. but surely if they're giving out offers before the 31st, they could have potentially given out all the places at my 1st choice.

Do you think they conservatively estimate up to which number and which place they can give out offers to before all the applications are in?

or do you think it seems bit dodgy? I do.

Reply 6

Quetia20

ROCKMYPANTS

Do you think they conservatively estimate up to which number and which place they can give out offers to before all the applications are in?

or do you think it seems bit dodgy? I do.

That's what I assumed at first. But some people have been offered their 3rd choice already, which doesn't make sense at all...how do they know that people's 3rd choices will be available and their first 2 won't be?

I think it seems pretty dodgy...

Reply 7

ROCKMYPANTS

gizmoleeds

Goodness knows. I think that website tells you the "theoretical" version, not the "actual" version of how it works. The whole system does seem slightly disorganised, particularly as my original email said I would be given a firm decision within 28 days. :confused:

The fact that they give out offers before everone has applied for accomodation means there must be an element of FCFS - which is why I decided to apply so early.

Yer...i only applied today, after forgetting about it for about three months...

I'll probably end up sharing a squalid shoebox 50mins out of LSE with some gringo that never washes. I can't wait.

Bankside's was my first choice though!
what you studying?

Reply 8

simply_me_

Well I have been offered a shared room at bankside THERE ARE ONLY 40!! What are the chances of me not getting a single :frown:

Anyway, been put on a 'waiting list' for a single. I think the sharing form thing is really weird and not very comprehensive. So it matches you up with someone on the grounds of cleaning...... great :rolleyes:

Sharing, so is it literally two beds, in one room, yikes what if someone wants to watch one TV channel, and the other person another channel!!?

Reply 9

simply_me_

ARRHHHH lol omg. Yet, seriously, there should be MORE options on the sharing form JEEZ I still wonder what would happen if they wanted to bring someone back for example......

Reply 10

Quetia20

ROCKMYPANTS

Yeah. Maybe they use a mathematical model to project up to which interval of numbers will have to end up having their 2nd or 3rd choice, using previous data on number of total applicants, applicants to each hall etc. to estimate.

oooorrr

Maybe it's a sham.

It's pretty **** either way.

Lol. Yeah, I bet they've got a whole team of mathematicians working day and night on it. :rolleyes:

Or they're just pulling names out of a hat...

Reply 11

e11even

simply_greg

Sharing, so is it literally two beds, in one room, yikes what if someone wants to watch one TV channel, and the other person another channel!!?

They have televisions inside the rooms? :confused:

Reply 12

e11even

gizmoleeds

No but you can bring your own - or get a TV card for your PC (which is what I'm gonna do). :smile:

Ahh, for a moment there I thought shared rooms have televisions inside them and that I was missing out on something. However, TV or no TV, I'd still rather have my privacy. :smile:

I'm still debating on whether to get a Windows or a Mac. Any suggestions?

I read that you've got an offer at Bankside House. I was wondering about the kitchen facilities myself.

Reply 13

caramello

gizmoleeds

No but you can bring your own - or get a TV card for your PC (which is what I'm gonna do). :smile:

What are TV cards?

Reply 14

caramello

gizmoleeds

Things you stick in your PC which allow you watch TV on it. :smile:

You can get ones which fit inside your PC (good if you have a proper tower PC) or USB ones (useful for laptops and people who aren't confident about fiddling around inside their PC).

Have a look here: http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/search/index.html?rb=18845497630&strSearch=&intSubcatUID=715&intPage=1&bolShowAll=true

Although bear in mind the very cheapest ones shown there are only for inputing video feeds - only those from £30+ are "TV tuners". You can get them with built-in digital as well.

Thanks for the info. Sounds interesting. :smile:

Reply 15

fluffyduckling

gizmoleeds

I don't know - Bankside was my first choice. I think there is a form you can fill in to offer to swap your room - if someone else goes on and says they have HH but want Bankside then you could swap, but I wouldn't count on it. HH is the most popular and there not enough rooms for everyone who puts it as 1st choice to get in. That's life, unfortunately.

Oh, and if anyone from Bankside reads this - can you tell me how the bathroom shared with 1 other room works? Is it like an ensuite but with doors to 2 rooms, or is the door to the bathroom on the corridor but only people from 2 rooms are allowed to use it? Thanks. :smile:

I know this thread is quite old, but I'm reviving it because I'm curious about the answer to the question by gizmoleeds which I have as well. how does the shared bathroom work?

Also, is it possible to install a mini fridge in rooms at Bankside? :p:

Reply 16

Who?

fluffyduckling

I hope so about the fridge :biggrin:

As for the shared bathroom- you share it with one more person :rolleyes:

Reply 17

fluffyduckling

I want a mini fridge! :p:

But is the shared bathroom ensuite-like, with doors to 2 rooms, or is the bathroom door facing the corridor so you'll have to exit your room and then re-enter the bathroom again?

Reply 18

drs1357

man that is lame, how can you find out your number? :|

Reply 19

Who?

fluffyduckling

I want a mini fridge! :p:

But is the shared bathroom ensuite-like, with doors to 2 rooms, or is the bathroom door facing the corridor so you'll have to exit your room and then re-enter the bathroom again?

I would assume the first... However I am not sure- either way, I do not think that there should be anything to worry about in terms of that, other than having to share a bathroom with someone sick :s: