I'm at Sheffield University and I really couldn't speak any more highly of it. I study Management and Computer science and just finished my first year.
If he has any friends/family at uni's he is interested in tell him to go and spend a night with them. Every university open day tells you the same thing: "the uni is fantastic, the course is fantastic, the nightlife is fantastic." Actually let him go and experience the place without someone ramming how great it is down his throat every 5 seconds.
Also let him get on the train and look around the place. He's the one that will be living there for 3 years, not you, at the end of the day at 17/18 these are the type of decisions he should be making for himself.
Also don't be put off if a place has a bad reputation. I ended up going through clearing and ending up in Hull. At the time I was a little upset about the whole thing, now I've got one year left of my four year course and I'm trying to work out how I can save up enough money to do a masters.
Great advice - I was at York last year and dropped out after 4 months because amongst other things I just really didn't like living there especially on a campus a long way from a city which hasn't got much going on itself . Currently at UCL and although it is expensive to live and study in London it is enjoyable. But as jolly Robin said definitely check out the city a lot more and make sure you enjoy living there as that for me was the major thing - the teaching etc is nearly the same
I went to Bristol University, and the whole experience was just awesome. The University itself is top notch & the city of Bristol is great for students & student life. I would thoroughly recommend it.
For me, the whole thing about going away was 'learning to have a life' away from my parents... I went to Coventry Poly from 89 - 93 and can quite confidently say that a) the place was a shit hole and b) I had little interest in the course (Economic Development), but I made some great friends (we all still meet up at least twice a year), learnt how to look after/live by myself and ended up getting a 2.1 (goodness knows how)... The degree I studied has absolutely nothing to do with any of my career choices since (I've always worked in music/lifestyle/games public relations) but it is possible it was easier to get a job back then...
My neighbour's son is just completing his first year at Sheffield...he struggled for the first term but since Christmas has absolutely flown and the change in him has been amazing. Wherever your son ends up, I hope he has the absolute time of his life, as it all gets a bit serious afterwards....
I have just finished my first year at Kent (Architecture), Canterbury is a lovely place, easy enough to get to charlton or the kent coast. Canterbury has the highest student density in western europe so is full of pubs and clubs. Economics and accountancy are quite popular and everybody I know that does it enjoys it. There is a lot of support for anything that is easy to find.
Most of my year group went to Southampton or Kent. So I have visited friends as Southampton and it is great for students. Can't really help tell you about courses in detail but I had fun whilst I stayed round there.
Oh and don't base your university choice on being able to see Charlton play. I end up going to far more away games and visiting places I'd never have considered of visiting back when I was a season ticket holder.
When you've got that amount of time on your hands and your loan has just come in a 10 hour bus journey to Yeovil will be a great adventure...it's the journey back after we haven't got a win that'll drive you mad.
If you are off to Reading, take a look at Royal Holloway College, University of London. Its in Egham in Surrey, close to the M25 and on the train line into Waterloo (i think, its been 25 years ) Close to Windsor, Ascot, Staines
It combines a campus life with a University of London degree. Beutiful place to study and visit, main building is based on a French Chateux and they have invested a lot in accomodation and sports facilities since I was there. Loved every minute of it whilst I was there. Feels like you are in the county but very close to London for football or nights out. Got a 3rd in Physics (hic)
I can recommend both Birmingham Uni and Bristol Uni based on my experience (30 years ago) and my daughters (starts 3rd year in October). A good site to look at uni reviews is The Student Room. Open day visits are a must...get to as many as you can...you can tell a lot from the day. Good Luck, time at uni will be amongst the best three years of anyone's life (and the education is good too!)
My youngest is just finishing his first year at Reading. He lives on campus but next couple of years he will be in a house in the local area. He absolutely loves it - too much if I am honest as he is draining the bank of Dad far too quickly:)
Easy to park on campus which is really beautiful. It has its Lake and bar/restaurants etc.
Really worry about the value of Uni for youngsters these days given the three years they spend there and the huge debt they (or you) incur unless they are studying something vocational or are at one of the top ten venues.
Many of my friend's kids graduated and then just went back to their holiday jobs in bars and shops full time. Great for customer service at PC World and Wetherspoons but not always great careers after three years of study.
Both little Grumpys are in London. It's expensive but easy for the Valley and they have loved living in the big city.
Have you considered just giving him £30K in cash and an airline ticket?
I couldn't agree more. My son had a place at Westminster (dont think thats anything to write home about) but he chose work over the debt and the chance of getting/not getting a job. He hasn't looked back since. He is the only one in his office who has no degree but he's earning the same money as the ones that have and my son is the youngest there by about 6 years.
I wont knock anyone who wants to go down the higher education route but for me there must be something real at the end of it not just doing it to pass 3 years and end up doing a job a 16 year old with half a brain could do.
I don't want to upset anyone but I've heard a few stories like this. Three things come to me, 1) Your son eventually hits a ceiling and gets over taken by those with a degree and/or 2) He is significantly more competent than those around him and if that's the case he would have achieved more if he'd had a degree and, with all due respect, 3) maybe he is in a career that the graduates alongside him have 'settled' for when, in reality, they should be doing something else. It is not terribly difficult to outshine a Graduate that ends up, for example, flipping burgers in a McDonalds. It says more about the Graduate than the education they received.
With so many teenagers going to University these days the quality of Graduates has been significantly reduced. There are still those that are able to 'rule the world' but with 40% of the age group going to University, they are not all going to be in the top 2% of careers. In fact, I would argue that there are those that are wasting their time because they are just not capable of holding down a Graduate position, never mind getting one in the first place.
charltonkeston, I'm not, for one second, suggesting that your son is anything other than very talented and in a good career, but I'm always weary of those that suggest that it is better to avoid University. Apart from anything else, for most, it is the greatest time of their lives and they make friends that they keep until they die. It is an opportunity to meet large groups of people that are your age, have a desire to study the same subject and probably follow a similar career path. It is also an opportunity to leave home at 18 without any of the pressures that come with it and all the benefits.
I will be devastated if my son doesn't go to University, because I think it is an amazing thing to do and a great opportunity to both learn and party while someone else picks up the tab, and you don't end up with a three year gap on your CV that you can't justify.
A few random points to add to the heaps of good advice above:
- one of my daughters felt somewhat ripped off in her 2nd year (at Birmingham) because the contact time was really low. "feels like i'm paying tuition fees just to use the library" was her quote at the time
- one of my kids also enjoying Reading, but has admitted that if you're from the South East (we live in Surrey) you don't benefit as much when you go to live/study in a town that's like dozens near where you live. Whereas her sister in York has enjoyed being somewhere with a different feel/environment
- foreign options like Maastricht not to be overlooked. Friend's daughter enjoying it a lot and it's good value vs UK fees
- yes the loans/debts are big, and maybe not worth it if you end up doing bar work.... but that's not the majority outcome, and i'd still advise going if you can. All of my 3 have benefited from going and are glad they did (though admittedly squeezed in @ lower fees before they were hiked up)
There will be plenty of parking when you visit Reading, there always are on the open days, they dont want to upset prospective students or their families. Reading is a fairly nice campus, but a bit of a boring town. I have visited about 30 Unis in the last few years as I work in the sector, at Kent.
Apart from Kent (Canterbury is very lively, walkable from the campus, near to the coast and London) if I was looking to study now and was looking for nightlife and a decent campus, I would consider Kent (obviously), Exeter, Bath or Southampton.
Sussex has only really dropped down the rankings due to poor student satisfaction scores and there is a single reason for this, they are doing a major outsourcing contract for their catering FM and some other areas and it has not gone down well with their leftie lecturers or students. It is otherwise a very well rated Uni, but is a bit far from town centre to walk to the nightlife, as is Reading.
But the most important thing would be to look at rankings for individual subjects (as someone mentioned earlier)3as a good uni overall may have weaknesses in certain areas of study, which is likely to be known by employers in those sectors.
Warwick Uni is very good, but a bit of a distance from nightlife and that nightlife is Coventry.
St Andrews is nice, but the town is a bit tame (though beautiful) and there are too many scottish about.
Leeds is not bad, it is near Headingley, which has its own student nightlife. The cost of living is going to be cheaper further north.
Liverpool/Manchester/Birmingham/Sheffield etc, if city centre is an attraction then these are ok, but the campuses tend to be split on multi sites so you dont get that campus feel.
Foreign Unis are ok, even a lot of the french unis now teach some subjects in English, in some countries, Finland for example, all courses are taught in English. The problem is if you are looking to do some work whilst you study, without the local language you are at a big disadvantage obviously.
A lot will depend on whether your teenager wants to experience city centre, or the quiet life, but choosing the right uni for the course is the most important thing, even Greenwich is above halfway in the rankings for some of its courses.
Most unis tend to offer on campus accomodation for the first year and then you have to sort your own for the other two years, normally with approved landlords.
I went to Bristol University, and the whole experience was just awesome. The University itself is top notch & the city of Bristol is great for students & student life. I would thoroughly recommend it.
I went to Bristol as well. Great Uni and great City
The first concern in university choice should be the repute of the individual university in the given subject area as in a host of job cvs or further study applications later such things can (no guarantees of course) help lift you from the crowd.
All three of mine have been and the youngest, and thus most relevant for this thread, attended the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich and absolutely loved it up there. She finally finished within the last 12 months so views are reasonably topical and up to date.
Norwich is a pleasant relatively safe city and (assuming reasonable proximity to The Valley) far enough away for a youngster to feel they've "gone away" but near enough to return home relatively easily.
I'm at Sheffield University and I really couldn't speak any more highly of it. I study Management and Computer science and just finished my first year.
Studied Chemistry at University of Bristol but that was 1991-1994, so a little while ago.
University education tuition fees are free in Poland, Denmark and possibly Netherlands and Seth states that in Maastricht, the courses are taught in English.
Can't recommend University highly enough, it opens a lot of doors for interesting work.
Do go, it's 3 years of state funded fun. Yer you have to pay it back when you're earning enough but who cares. This generation will be working into their 70s to pay back the mess previous generations have left them. Take what you can now.
And to pay off their £10k a year student fees! Work for a few years and travelling the world when you're still young, it may not have the epic night life of Southampton but if I had £10k to spend on a year at uni or a year back packing I know which would give me the better memories and experience.
as some one who's "unemployed"/self employed 12 months after finishing uni... Do it, wouldn't have changed what i did, where i went and who i met for the world. Met some life long mates, some life long enemies, learnt some life lessons, got high a lot, got drunk a lot, got with loads of birds and learnt a little about what a studied.
I went to a shitty old poly (uni of west london) and did film production, still had an awesome time.
If your son is doing 4 A (not AS) levels he must be seen as a high flier so he should aim for a Russell Group university, the top 25 or so in the UK and the ones most favoured by employers. Google Russell Group. And with those subjects he could choose from a vast range of courses so that is something to consider very carefully.
Don't place any weight on accessibility to the Valley! Just focus on the long term and what is most important for the future. Having seen lots of games from 8-18, and then few between 18 and 21 when I was at university, I've still seen plenty (probably too many) over the past 47 years since then.
I went to Roehampton. It wasn't my first choice as my A-Level results were well under what I had hoped. Leeds and Cardiff were my first choices. Roehampton has changed a lot since I was there and is now on one main campus rather than divided over four. The facilities were fairly poor but again they have improved drastically over the years. It's the people that make University such a great experience. I obviously enjoyed my studies but it was the friends and social life and the life experience in general, that have made it memorable. I was glad that I was far enough away from the East Kent coast but not too far away that I could go back to my parents for the weekend. Roehampton is now considered one of the best Universities for teaching and obtaining a PGCE. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and consider it the best time of my life. I met my wife in 1995 and we are still happily married. I chose to study Sport and Exercise Science as I was and still am really into my sport. But it was so competitive trying to get a job after I had graduated that I took an altogether different career path and have never used my degree, which is a shame. It's an important decision to make for an 18 year old to make straight after school as to what University to go to and what to study. The decision can shape your whole life. Reflecting back on it I wish I had chosen a subject that may led me directly into a career.
At Reading now. Self contained campus. No real personality. Obviously picking a top uni with a well taught course is key but today my daughter is just deciding if she would like to spend three years of her life here.
At Reading now. Self contained campus. No real personality. Obviously picking a top uni with a well taught course is key but today my daughter is just deciding if she would like to spend three years of her life here.
We looked at Reading six years ago now! Was it really that long?
The Campus was fine but in the end my daughter chose UEA which is also a campus but easy access to the city. The courses were comparable if anything UEA had and has a better reputation in her subject area.
Norwich has more going for it than Reading in her (and my) opinion.
Course consideration should come top of your list, but there's lots of info out there, student ratings and survey that The Times does which will give you an insight into student life, which is as important as the course. Daughter is just finishing her first year at Durham (I'm driving up to get her today) and though Exeter was her first choice for Anthropology (whatever that is) she rates the uni and the town highly. she's been in halls the first year but is sharing a town centre place with two good mates next year. She's a doer, and joins almost everything, but she's got lots out of this first year.
Oxbridge, Durham Bristol Exeter - if your lad can get in then excellent. Real experience, will be the best days of his life.
Notts, leeds, sheffield...good
Dont stay in London if you are from the area. Costs permitting for accomomdation, you need to fully immerse yourself in the Campus to get the most out of it.
Durham was a wonderful experience for me. Really is a wonderful 3 years, stepped in history, great sport and wonderful academics.
Definitely visit a pre-fab campus and also a traditional durham or Oxford style....he can see what he wants be making a comparision.
Course consideration should come top of your list, but there's lots of info out there, student ratings and survey that The Times does which will give you an insight into student life, which is as important as the course. Daughter is just finishing her first year at Durham (I'm driving up to get her today) and though Exeter was her first choice for Anthropology (whatever that is) she rates the uni and the town highly. she's been in halls the first year but is sharing a town centre place with two good mates next year. She's a doer, and joins almost everything, but she's got lots out of this first year.
Course consideration should come top of your list, but there's lots of info out there, student ratings and survey that The Times does which will give you an insight into student life, which is as important as the course. Daughter is just finishing her first year at Durham (I'm driving up to get her today) and though Exeter was her first choice for Anthropology (whatever that is) she rates the uni and the town highly. she's been in halls the first year but is sharing a town centre place with two good mates next year. She's a doer, and joins almost everything, but she's got lots out of this first year.
The study of people and cultures
That's a much clearer explanation than she's ever given me - thanks!
Well that was an interesting & long day at Reading's open day , me and my son were both a bit nervous as it was our first one to visit , nice weather , students seem very relaxed and friendly , whether it will be the same at each uni i don't know.
My son liked the look of the Henley Business School , digs looked basic , ie not as nice as the brochure , perhaps thats the norm , and a reason to move out after a year , but i think thats all part of it, didn't have time to check out the town , might do if we go back for a 2nd visit.
Looked at the London School Of Economics website , but the wife informs me that the open days already booked up , sounds ultra competative?
I live about 5 miles from Reading so can tell you a bit about the town. Great rail links, and it's a big town - has applied for city status but been knocked back. Architecturally unremarkable, but lots going on in the centre - eg Hexagon theatre. The Oracle shopping centre isn't bad for a modern development and full of place to eat by the river. Reading has plenty of pubs/bars/clubs and although its not a student town as such the Uni has a reasonable presence. It has a strong economy, must be one of the best places in the country to find employment or part-time work. Surrounding countryside is fabulous if that's your thing - Thames, Henley, Goring, Chilterns, West Berkshire etc.
Comments
I study Management and Computer science and just finished my first year.
Honestly - take your son there to look at it!
My neighbour's son is just completing his first year at Sheffield...he struggled for the first term but since Christmas has absolutely flown and the change in him has been amazing. Wherever your son ends up, I hope he has the absolute time of his life, as it all gets a bit serious afterwards....
Economics and accountancy are quite popular and everybody I know that does it enjoys it.
There is a lot of support for anything that is easy to find.
Most of my year group went to Southampton or Kent. So I have visited friends as Southampton and it is great for students. Can't really help tell you about courses in detail but I had fun whilst I stayed round there.
When you've got that amount of time on your hands and your loan has just come in a 10 hour bus journey to Yeovil will be a great adventure...it's the journey back after we haven't got a win that'll drive you mad.
It combines a campus life with a University of London degree. Beutiful place to study and visit, main building is based on a French Chateux and they have invested a lot in accomodation and sports facilities since I was there. Loved every minute of it whilst I was there. Feels like you are in the county but very close to London for football or nights out. Got a 3rd in Physics (hic)
Easy to park on campus which is really beautiful. It has its Lake and bar/restaurants etc.
With so many teenagers going to University these days the quality of Graduates has been significantly reduced. There are still those that are able to 'rule the world' but with 40% of the age group going to University, they are not all going to be in the top 2% of careers. In fact, I would argue that there are those that are wasting their time because they are just not capable of holding down a Graduate position, never mind getting one in the first place.
charltonkeston, I'm not, for one second, suggesting that your son is anything other than very talented and in a good career, but I'm always weary of those that suggest that it is better to avoid University. Apart from anything else, for most, it is the greatest time of their lives and they make friends that they keep until they die. It is an opportunity to meet large groups of people that are your age, have a desire to study the same subject and probably follow a similar career path. It is also an opportunity to leave home at 18 without any of the pressures that come with it and all the benefits.
I will be devastated if my son doesn't go to University, because I think it is an amazing thing to do and a great opportunity to both learn and party while someone else picks up the tab, and you don't end up with a three year gap on your CV that you can't justify.
- one of my daughters felt somewhat ripped off in her 2nd year (at Birmingham) because the contact time was really low. "feels like i'm paying tuition fees just to use the library" was her quote at the time
- one of my kids also enjoying Reading, but has admitted that if you're from the South East (we live in Surrey) you don't benefit as much when you go to live/study in a town that's like dozens near where you live. Whereas her sister in York has enjoyed being somewhere with a different feel/environment
- foreign options like Maastricht not to be overlooked. Friend's daughter enjoying it a lot and it's good value vs UK fees
- yes the loans/debts are big, and maybe not worth it if you end up doing bar work.... but that's not the majority outcome, and i'd still advise going if you can. All of my 3 have benefited from going and are glad they did (though admittedly squeezed in @ lower fees before they were hiked up)
Apart from Kent (Canterbury is very lively, walkable from the campus, near to the coast and London) if I was looking to study now and was looking for nightlife and a decent campus, I would consider Kent (obviously), Exeter, Bath or Southampton.
Sussex has only really dropped down the rankings due to poor student satisfaction scores and there is a single reason for this, they are doing a major outsourcing contract for their catering FM and some other areas and it has not gone down well with their leftie lecturers or students. It is otherwise a very well rated Uni, but is a bit far from town centre to walk to the nightlife, as is Reading.
But the most important thing would be to look at rankings for individual subjects (as someone mentioned earlier)3as a good uni overall may have weaknesses in certain areas of study, which is likely to be known by employers in those sectors.
Warwick Uni is very good, but a bit of a distance from nightlife and that nightlife is Coventry.
St Andrews is nice, but the town is a bit tame (though beautiful) and there are too many scottish about.
Leeds is not bad, it is near Headingley, which has its own student nightlife. The cost of living is going to be cheaper further north.
Liverpool/Manchester/Birmingham/Sheffield etc, if city centre is an attraction then these are ok, but the campuses tend to be split on multi sites so you dont get that campus feel.
Foreign Unis are ok, even a lot of the french unis now teach some subjects in English, in some countries, Finland for example, all courses are taught in English. The problem is if you are looking to do some work whilst you study, without the local language you are at a big disadvantage obviously.
A lot will depend on whether your teenager wants to experience city centre, or the quiet life, but choosing the right uni for the course is the most important thing, even Greenwich is above halfway in the rankings for some of its courses.
Most unis tend to offer on campus accomodation for the first year and then you have to sort your own for the other two years, normally with approved landlords.
I went to Bristol as well. Great Uni and great City
All three of mine have been and the youngest, and thus most relevant for this thread, attended the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich and absolutely loved it up there. She finally finished within the last 12 months so views are reasonably topical and up to date.
Norwich is a pleasant relatively safe city and (assuming reasonable proximity to The Valley) far enough away for a youngster to feel they've "gone away" but near enough to return home relatively easily.
University education tuition fees are free in Poland, Denmark and possibly Netherlands and Seth states that in Maastricht, the courses are taught in English.
Can't recommend University highly enough, it opens a lot of doors for interesting work.
I went to a shitty old poly (uni of west london) and did film production, still had an awesome time.
Don't place any weight on accessibility to the Valley! Just focus on the long term and what is most important for the future. Having seen lots of games from 8-18, and then few between 18 and 21 when I was at university, I've still seen plenty (probably too many) over the past 47 years since then.
The Campus was fine but in the end my daughter chose UEA which is also a campus but easy access to the city. The courses were comparable if anything UEA had and has a better reputation in her subject area.
Norwich has more going for it than Reading in her (and my) opinion.
I agree with a post above - go to a Russell group university if possible. It really does make a a very big difference.
The feel of the place is very important too, so make sure you view the unis on the open days
Daughter is just finishing her first year at Durham (I'm driving up to get her today) and though Exeter was her first choice for Anthropology (whatever that is) she rates the uni and the town highly. she's been in halls the first year but is sharing a town centre place with two good mates next year. She's a doer, and joins almost everything, but she's got lots out of this first year.
Notts, leeds, sheffield...good
Dont stay in London if you are from the area. Costs permitting for accomomdation, you need to fully immerse yourself in the Campus to get the most out of it.
Durham was a wonderful experience for me. Really is a wonderful 3 years, stepped in history, great sport and wonderful academics.
Definitely visit a pre-fab campus and also a traditional durham or Oxford style....he can see what he wants be making a comparision.
My son liked the look of the Henley Business School , digs looked basic , ie not as nice as the brochure , perhaps thats the norm , and a reason to move out after a year , but i think thats all part of it, didn't have time to check out the town , might do if we go back for a 2nd visit.
Looked at the London School Of Economics website , but the wife informs me that the open days already booked up , sounds ultra competative?
Great rail links, and it's a big town - has applied for city status but been knocked back. Architecturally unremarkable, but lots going on in the centre - eg Hexagon theatre. The Oracle shopping centre isn't bad for a modern development and full of place to eat by the river. Reading has plenty of pubs/bars/clubs and although its not a student town as such the Uni has a reasonable presence. It has a strong economy, must be one of the best places in the country to find employment or part-time work.
Surrounding countryside is fabulous if that's your thing - Thames, Henley, Goring, Chilterns, West Berkshire etc.
Good luck with your search.