Uni Choices Help - Do I chose the better education or the more affordable university?

Hi all, next year I want to study Geology at university, however it's less than a month till the deadline for choices and I am still torn as to what to pick. When I was applying I was considering going into minerals and mining but now I'm looking more towards the environmental side.

Currently, my top choices are:

Imperial London
+Excellent teaching/resources+Specialises in basically everything +Language and business models available
-Have heard it is a very intensive and competitive course
-I will be receiving the near minimum loan with little help from my parents so won't even come close to covering the accommodation costs.

Exeter (Cornwall campus)
*It's an Environmental campus and by the sea
+I'll most likely be able to join more clubs and societies
+If put as my firm I can apply for the aspirational grant and it's generally cheaper living-wise
- Specialises mainly in mining
-It's a very small campus (is there much to do?)
-Unsure of the resources available i.e.Libraries, study areas, computers.

If you know anything or have your own opinions/experiences of the courses and campuses feel free to say and let me know what you think.
Thanks :smile:

.

Current offers (all Msci):
Leeds - A*AA
Southampton - A*AA
Imperial London - AAA
Exeter (Cornwall) - ABB
Leicester - Unconditional

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Tiger Rag

You need to look at absolutely everything when it comes to deciding where to study. I wouldn't just pick one uni because it's cheaper. You have to live there for the next 3-4 years. You should be able to get a part time job alongside studying to help you out.

Reply 2

nulli tertius

Original post by Alibubba3

There is no point in doing a course you cannot afford. You are more or less bound to drop out.

If you are going to have to work to pay for your studies wherever you go, then remember that there are a lot more jobs in London than in Falmouth. Cornwall is an area of relatively high unemployment where most casual employment will be during the summer vac.

Reply 3

♥Samantha♥

I would go to Imperial. When I visited there I spoke to a girl doing Chemistry who said she wished she'd done Geology. Yes it is expensive but it really is only 3-4 years and you get larger student loans for being in London. Having gone to Imperial will greatly improve your graduate prospects, the prestige attached to the uni is immense it's basically the best outside Oxbridge. You can put Exeter as your insurance at it has a lower offer.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 4

Alibubba3

Thanks for the responses guys :smile:

I plan to call up Exeter and ask about a couple of Geology modules and also about taking modules from other subjects like environmental sciences. Generally though I've seen that Imperial has a greater range and more in-depth modules.

Also I do plan on getting a job during uni, the only problem is Geology has quite a few trips for fieldwork. But otherwise I would try and get a lifeguard position.

Reply 5

nulli tertius

Original post by Alibubba3

Thanks for the responses guys :smile:

Do you think there is much demand for lifeguards on the beaches of Cornwall in January?

Reply 6

Alibubba3

Original post by nulli tertius

Do you think there is much demand for lifeguards on the beaches of Cornwall in January?

To lifeguard on a beach I'd have to do another qualification so I'd look at pools and leisure centres instead.

Reply 7

Nameless Ghoul

Original post by nulli tertius

Do you think there is much demand for lifeguards on the beaches of Cornwall in January?

Don't forget the swimming baths.

Reply 8

nulli tertius

Original post by Alibubba3

To lifeguard on a beach I'd have to do another qualification so I'd look at pools and leisure centres instead.

Original post by Nameless Ghoul

Don't forget the swimming baths.

There is only one public swimming pool in Falmouth. Hotel pools rarely have lifeguards.

Reply 9

HannahI

I don't know much about your course or the uni's, but here's my opinion based on other factors and experience.

I don't think it's a good idea to do a course you can't afford. Stressing over money is the last thing you're going to need - it will highly affect your time at uni and your overall experience (speaking from personal experience). Uni can be quite stressful as it is and you don't want added pressure of lacking money and then possibly having to get a 10-16+ hour contract job to cover costs which will detract attention from your coursework/exams (although a Saturday job is a good idea for extra pocket money). Remember, it's not just accommodation, but you have to pay for everything from food and drink down to toilet paper and toothpaste, you're also going to want some disposable income for when you just want some down time to go to the cinema or on a night out (which you'll need!)

Although Imperial London sounds better to you education wise, you've mentioned it's quite intense, is that something you'll want on top of the added pressure of financial issues? even though the course may be "better", it matters how well you do, and I know if it were me I wouldn't be able to manage that sort of stress, I wouldn't be happy at uni and that's not what you want, you're there for the next 3/4 years so your happiness is very important. Exeter sounds like a good option for you based on the points given. Small campus' are sometimes better and easier to settle into and have more of a homely vibe, it just depends on your personal preference, but just because the campus is small doesn't mean it's a bad thing :smile:

At the end of the day, no university is completely ideal for anyone, you just have to make a choice based on where you think you'd be happiest, and what points are more important to you. Go with your gut feeling, that usually works :smile:

Once again, this is just my personal opinion and how I'd look at the situation if I were in your position. Hope this helps!

Reply 10

Nameless Ghoul

Original post by nulli tertius

There is only one public swimming pool in Falmouth. Hotel pools rarely have lifeguards.

Yeah, because there's about 12 people who live there. How many of those 12 people are budding lifeguards, do you suppose?

Reply 11

unprinted

Original post by Alibubba3

If you stayed with mining as an interest, Exeter is the obvious first choice. It probably still should be.

Having '(almost) anything you want on tap' in London is a mixed blessing. You can do lots of things, but often expensive in terms of money and time, and you may only see your course-mates in class, for example, because they're off doing different stuff somewhere. The things it doesn't have include much variation in geology near by...

In Cornwall there is less choice of things to do, but you will Know who you went with university with: that's got implications for your future careers. If it's the campus I am thinking of, I've stayed there. It is a much more pleasant place to wake up in than anything allegedly 'affordable' in London. There is a bus service into town, but you will benefit from having / being good friends with someone with a car. The library looked great.

As a university, Leicester is fine and has various 'environmental' things going on.

If it were me, I would go 1. Exeter, 2. Leicester.

Reply 12

unprinted

Original post by ♥Samantha♥

Having gone to Imperial will greatly improve your graduate prospects, the prestige attached to the uni is immense it's basically the best outside Oxbridge.

Depends on the subject.

Reply 13

♥Samantha♥

Original post by unprinted

Depends on the subject.

Imperial only does STEM-based subjects and generally Imperial is the best for STEM outside Oxbridge. So universities which are seen as better for any of the courses it does are few and far between.

Reply 14

username2459871

I don't know much about geology but I thought I'd chip in a bit about money. There are usually quite a lot of charities that give out bursaries to students in financial need, if you fit in with their specific criteria.
From a simple google search I discovered I could get an extra £600 per year from a charity just because of the field of employment my dad is in combined with his yearly salary!
Give the imperial website a good look through for links to charities, and also search "student bursaries" or "London student busaries" in Google.

Good luck!

Reply 15

Maid Marian

I would say Exeter, I get the feeling you'll be happier there.

Reply 16

username638250

Original post by Alibubba3

.

Current offers (all Msci):
Leeds - A*AA
Southampton - A*AA
Imperial London - AAA
Exeter (Cornwall) - ABB
Leicester - Unconditional

At Imperial, you can be eligible for up to 6k bursary year. You're eligible for a bursary if your household income is <60k, which is actually the most generous system in the country.

Original post by Bezoar

Imperial actually have their own bursary system for Home students whose household income is less than 60k.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 17

username638250

Original post by unprinted

Exeter obvious first choice?... I don't agree with your point about 'friends off doing other things' - they will be staying in halls in first year and that's where most students make their friends anyway. Imperial's right next to (free) museums like the V&A, Science Museum and the Natural History Museum and it's also next to Hyde Park and lots of shopping so I wouldn't say everything to do there is expensive.

South Kensington is pretty much the nicest area in London and one of the nicest in the UK which is where Imperial is. Not too shabby. Career prospects will be better at Imperial anyway because it's more sought after. Considering the fact that they also have a very generous bursary scheme for home students, I wouldn't hesitate to choose...but I am attending Imperial right now haha.

The con of attending Imperial is the lack of females which can be disadvantageous to both sexes...

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 18

unprinted

The 'obvious' remark was in relation to mining where it's the Camborne School of Mines - now part of Exeter - that has the global reputation.

A few years ago, I did something that involved walking around the whole of Kensington. There was a very definite dividing line between the areas and South Ken is... interesting. You'd be lucky to afford anywhere outside halls there - it's after the first year that you get scattered far and wide - and because of the number of rich people for whom it's a 'place in town' rather than their real home, much of it is dead: whole posh apartment blocks where there's no-one in at certain times of the week or year.

Ah yes, the gender imbalance issue. Is there a worse one in anywhere that's supposed to be mixed?

Reply 19

username638250

Original post by unprinted

RSM ranks higher than Camborne and also has a global rep.
As I lived out in West London (Notting Hill) for first year, I'd disagree strongly. West Kensington isn't great but Earl's Court, Fulham, Chelsea, Notting Hill etc are all nice places to live...
Actually, while prices ARE higher in London because big cities are more expensive, when students do move out, they can find anything between 100-250pw depending on their budget and the proximity to College. Living in London means you get more loan and I mentioned the bursary above already. Most people live around Fulham, Earl's Court, High Street Ken and Hammersmith after first year and manage completely fine; many cycle to College which takes about 10-15min anyway.
I didn't clarify that the gender imbalance is pretty much 50:50 for the Geology course. Was just pointing out the imbalance as Imperial is obviously a STEM uni.