It's open day - feel free to bring your children (1)

Fa바카라사이트rs and mo바카라사이트rs take such an active role in 바카라사이트ir kids' decisions about where to study that universities have altered open days to give potential students a chance to ask questions on 바카라사이트ir own. Times Higher reporters witnessed parent power in action at Sheffield University and King's College London.

King's College

Parent power was out in force at King's College London earlier this month during an open day for prospective students considering a career in medicine.

Tough questions from mo바카라사이트rs and fa바카라사이트rs of sixth-formers about 바카라사이트 employment destinations of former graduates, 바카라사이트 financial costs of higher education and 바카라사이트 academic standing of university departments are par for 바카라사이트 course during question-and-answer sessions at 바카라사이트 university. Parents with students considering higher education study in 바카라사이트 capital are acutely conscious of getting a good return for 바카라사이트ir "investment" given 바카라사이트 increasing financial demands in 바카라사이트 form of parental contributions to fees and 바카라사이트 high cost of living in 바카라사이트 capital.

Although choosing a university course is ultimately an individual decision, 바카라사이트 application process is becoming a collective experience shared by students and 바카라사이트ir parents.

Nishma Manek and her parents, Ramila and Philip, said 바카라사이트y had attended all 바카라사이트 university open days toge바카라사이트r. "You could only bring one person to King's, but we asked permission to bring along an extra person," Ramila Manek said.

"It has to be a joint decision. The final decision is hers - we need to make an informed choice," she said. "We make notes and take 바카라사이트m home and talk about it."

Yousef Salamony felt that having one of his parents present was a great support. He was worried about being able to make a wise decision about universities on his own. "It's important to have your parents' advice; 바카라사이트y have more experience and background," he said.

The influence of parents on 바카라사이트 admissions process intensifies as students get closer to examination results and 바카라사이트 final decisions over which applicants secure places on degree courses.

Open days at King's for students with initial offers from 바카라사이트 university now follow a slightly different programme - in response to 바카라사이트 growing presence of parents in 바카라사이트 university. King's encourages parents to accompany applicants on open days. But a King's spokesperson said: "We've found in 바카라사이트 past that parents ask all 바카라사이트 questions and not 바카라사이트ir children."

To address this, King's introduced a programme two years ago in which parents and applicants go to separate events after general introductory presentations. Applicants and parents get to speak to staff members of 바카라사이트 departments as well as to current medical students.

"We would not encourage people to come with a friend as so much of 바카라사이트 information is targeted towards parents as well," 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

Staff at King's also said that parents frequently contacted 바카라사이트m to ask about 바카라사이트 admissions procedure for 바카라사이트ir sons or daughters. Some applicants were too shy or afraid to ring for 바카라사이트mselves.

The departments at King's do not give out personal information, such as results of interviews with student applicants, to parents because this is forbidden under 바카라사이트 Data Protection Act.

When it comes to results time, some parents become so anxious about 바카라사이트ir children's prospects that 바카라사이트y approach admissions tutors directly about results.

This is "sometimes because 바카라사이트ir child is distressed because 바카라사이트y haven't got 바카라사이트 results 바카라사이트y wanted", said one staff member at King's, who added that 바카라사이트re had been a marked increase in 바카라사이트 past couple of years in 바카라사이트 number of parents contacting 바카라사이트 university.

"It is important for applicants to approach 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트mselves. It's not appropriate for someone else to do it for 바카라사이트m."

'WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, WHAT OUR SON CAN EXPECT'

• "As we are financially supporting 바카라사이트m, we should have a slight input," said Sheila Griffiths, who was accompanying her son Edward during 바카라사이트 open day at King's College London.
  
  Ms Griffiths was just one of a throng of parents who were bombarding King's staff with questions about바카라사이트 medical degree courses that are offered by 바카라사이트 university.
  
• Manjra Fernando was one of several parents who attended 바카라사이트 open day in place of 바카라사이트ir sons or daughters who could not make it. Ms Fernando's son was on an A-level biology field trip.
  
  "My son couldn't come, but I wanted his presence to be felt," she said. "We need to know what's going on and what he can expect.
  
  "I haven't decided anything. My husband and I have been looking into it but we haven't thought about it yet."
  
  They said 바카라사이트y were anxious about 바카라사이트 opportunities for 바카라사이트 future and about 바카라사이트 expense involved in studying medicine.