Yay I've found a forum!
I'm thinking about applying in 2013, maybe 2012 still undecided.
Heres my conclusion and I've spend ages doing my research.
What University offers the best course for you?
I play Bass guitar Grade 8 standard and I've spend ages looking at University, I'm more performance based so overall I wanted to chose a conservatoire over a university but fortunately Goldsmiths caters for both.
I play piano and double bass just started but been playing Bass Guitar since I was 12.
Anyway..
All the Royal Conservatoire are meant to be really snobby, private educated people. I'm not saying public secondary pupils don't go there but I have heard they've literally laughed at some people compositions.. great university aye?
That was for the Royal College in London.
Anyway the course which offer bass guitar as a first instrument and to study popular music performance are;
1st Choice;
Goldsmith. ( Looks great, they've high entry requirements but they also have common sense, my GCSE's were poor. I went to college and did a BTEC in music and I'm working really hard should be able to achieve D* D* D* which make it perfect for me to get into. They shouldn't be too bothered about the past)
They're fairly high up on the league table and seem to be producing better graduates every year.
Also there performance course is very wide range, it's not set in stone like other university.
So I can cover Jazz and popular music rather than just one or the other.
They're situated in London as well which is a big factor for me. ( Also I can imagine many of the graduates being fairly normal and not too up their own ass, which you would expect from one of the royal conservatoire.
LIPA
Very hands on, you get lots of chances to perform and especially with bands outside of college. You seem to get to know everyone really quickly and the facility are the best in the country without a doubt.
Leeds College of Music.
I've heard great things about Leeds College of Music especially for the Jazz course however they're slowly falling down the league table. Every year, I don't think partnering with Bradford was a good idea at all.
These are the three options i've chosen so far.