University of Leeds
Leeds
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So disappointed with Leeds.
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I'm biased because I've lived near Leeds all my life.
Leeds is way better than Sheffield. Sheffield is a boring hole. It's more a big town than a city. There's nothing to see and nothing to do. Good university, nice Peak District nearby and that's just about it tbh.
Leeds is way better than Sheffield. Sheffield is a boring hole. It's more a big town than a city. There's nothing to see and nothing to do. Good university, nice Peak District nearby and that's just about it tbh.
University of Leeds
Leeds
Meekle72
Gunchester 
Manchester is not that bad. you aren't going to get shot unless you take a wrong turn and end up in hulme/longsight/moss side and most of the time they aren't that bad. I have friends from Moss Side. People seem to fear it when it is mentioned.
Manchester is not that bad. you aren't going to get shot unless you take a wrong turn and end up in hulme/longsight/moss side and most of the time they aren't that bad. I have friends from Moss Side. People seem to fear it when it is mentioned.Not even that. As long as you don't go there and start acting like a badboy/girl and start dealing drugs, twoc'ing cars, getting involved in gangs and all that jazz then you'll never witness gun crime. You only see it reported in the local newspapers. Manchester is full of yoot who are all talk and doing petty crime such as shoplifting anyway.
Passing by or shopping in these 'bad areas' (e.g. at Asda Longsight) there's nothing to fear, but what would someone be doing hanging round a council estate? That's just asking for trouble. You only hang round somewhere like that if you have business there.
Gissing
Here are a few of my thoughts about your experience today:
Building work is fairly standard at any University out of term time. The builders just finished the re-furb of the Terrace bar and the main entrance of the SU last week, so it could have been worse. The re-paving work is a much needed improvement if you ask me and has created a nice public space outside the SU.
The Union building is quiet because term hasn't started. Having said that, I was around the Union today at lunchtime and it felt really vibrant, with prospective students and their parents milling around or sat out on the pavement tables and chairs in large numbers.
As for the Union building itself. Cheap art deco not your thing?
Sheffield Hallam University has the iconic national centre for popular music as its SU building, but it's actually pretty soulless inside. Leeds SU is busy and labyrinthine. Maybe you didn't get down to the lower levels where the bars and clubs are?
I think the Uni people made a bit of a gaffe opening up Lyddon, because it isn't necessarily reflective of the type of accomodation you will get - shared bathroom or not.
Henry Price does overlook a main road - but it also overlooks St. George Fields on the opposite side which is a quiet, pleasant park.
Of course, if you're not feeling LU is right for you it might be better to look elsewhere. However, from your account of the day, I can't help feeling that you've not had a proper impression of the Uni. If your entry is 2011/12, why not come back on a Wednesday during term time to get a proper feel for the place. Maybe get up to Headingley n'all?
Building work is fairly standard at any University out of term time. The builders just finished the re-furb of the Terrace bar and the main entrance of the SU last week, so it could have been worse. The re-paving work is a much needed improvement if you ask me and has created a nice public space outside the SU.
The Union building is quiet because term hasn't started. Having said that, I was around the Union today at lunchtime and it felt really vibrant, with prospective students and their parents milling around or sat out on the pavement tables and chairs in large numbers.
As for the Union building itself. Cheap art deco not your thing?
Sheffield Hallam University has the iconic national centre for popular music as its SU building, but it's actually pretty soulless inside. Leeds SU is busy and labyrinthine. Maybe you didn't get down to the lower levels where the bars and clubs are?
I think the Uni people made a bit of a gaffe opening up Lyddon, because it isn't necessarily reflective of the type of accomodation you will get - shared bathroom or not.
Henry Price does overlook a main road - but it also overlooks St. George Fields on the opposite side which is a quiet, pleasant park.
Of course, if you're not feeling LU is right for you it might be better to look elsewhere. However, from your account of the day, I can't help feeling that you've not had a proper impression of the Uni. If your entry is 2011/12, why not come back on a Wednesday during term time to get a proper feel for the place. Maybe get up to Headingley n'all?
This.
You cant judge the 'vibe' of a uni out of term time.
I live about 20 minutes away from Leeds and it is a fantastic city - however, my best friend also went to the open day and was extremely disappointed. If you feel this strongly about it, don't apply there, there are many more good universities for you to choose from. What I would say, though, is that it's not term time at the moment so that will explain why it was so empty. As for accommodation, there is usually plenty on offer, I'd imagine a city like Leeds has a wide range too. You don't need to stay in accommodation owned by the university, there are many privately owned halls/accommodation buildings that you could have a look at 
Good luck with everything x
Good luck with everything x
Aramiss18
haha pipe down you idiot.
To be fair though Leeds is a city of two halves.
On one half you have the incredibly posh and cosmopolitan city centre. Home to ITV Yorkshire. Full of designer shops, yuppie flats and offices that are owned by some of the most powerful banks in the country. Beautiful people in designer garb in upmarket coffee shops and shopping in Harvey Nichols and Debenhams. Beautiful suburban villages with the beauty of Harrogate nearby. No one but the middle class and rich can live here.
On the other half you have 'The real Leeds'. The Leeds the city council tries so hard to hide. Places like Beeston, Gipton and Seacroft. Full of prostitutes, gangs of youth, single teenage mothers, druggies, drug dealers and poor ethinic groups in an enivironment full of smashed glass, drugs, council flats and burnt out cars. No one in their right mind wants to live here.
You also have your dirty student dives such as Headingley where the demand for housing by students and buy to let houses has driven up prices and driven local people out of the area. They're also put off by the presence of rowdy students.
jblackmoustache
To be fair though Leeds is a city of two halves.
On one half you have the incredibly posh and cosmopolitan city centre. Home to ITV Yorkshire. Full of designer shops, yuppie flats and offices that are owned by some of the most powerful banks in the country. Beautiful people in designer garb in upmarket coffee shops and shopping in Harvey Nichols and Debenhams. Beautiful suburban villages with the beauty of Harrogate nearby. No one but the middle class and rich can live here.
On the other half you have 'The real Leeds'. The Leeds the city council tries so hard to hide. Places like Beeston, Gipton and Seacroft. Full of prostitutes, gangs of youth, single teenage mothers, druggies, drug dealers and poor ethinic groups in an enivironment full of smashed glass, drugs, council flats and burnt out cars. No one in their right mind wants to live here.
You also have your dirty student dives such as Headingley where the demand for housing by students and buy to let houses has driven up prices and driven local people out of the area. They're also put off by the presence of rowdy students.
On one half you have the incredibly posh and cosmopolitan city centre. Home to ITV Yorkshire. Full of designer shops, yuppie flats and offices that are owned by some of the most powerful banks in the country. Beautiful people in designer garb in upmarket coffee shops and shopping in Harvey Nichols and Debenhams. Beautiful suburban villages with the beauty of Harrogate nearby. No one but the middle class and rich can live here.
On the other half you have 'The real Leeds'. The Leeds the city council tries so hard to hide. Places like Beeston, Gipton and Seacroft. Full of prostitutes, gangs of youth, single teenage mothers, druggies, drug dealers and poor ethinic groups in an enivironment full of smashed glass, drugs, council flats and burnt out cars. No one in their right mind wants to live here.
You also have your dirty student dives such as Headingley where the demand for housing by students and buy to let houses has driven up prices and driven local people out of the area. They're also put off by the presence of rowdy students.
I'm not going to deny Leeds has its bad parts but only say that every big industrial town/city will have the same run down areas. The important thing is how much that affects students like the OP and as students you never see anything other than hyde park, clarence dock, headingley, the city centre and campus. I'm about to start my second year in Leeds and I love it and thats after moving up from middle-class Wiltshire. And the housing price increase in Headingley is not going to be uncommon and is likely to be present in every city with a large student body. I just dont get the hate
jblackmoustache
To be fair though Leeds is a city of two halves.
On one half you have the incredibly posh and cosmopolitan city centre. Home to ITV Yorkshire. Full of designer shops, yuppie flats and offices that are owned by some of the most powerful banks in the country. Beautiful people in designer garb in upmarket coffee shops and shopping in Harvey Nichols and Debenhams. Beautiful suburban villages with the beauty of Harrogate nearby. No one but the middle class and rich can live here.
On the other half you have 'The real Leeds'. The Leeds the city council tries so hard to hide. Places like Beeston, Gipton and Seacroft. Full of prostitutes, gangs of youth, single teenage mothers, druggies, drug dealers and poor ethinic groups in an enivironment full of smashed glass, drugs, council flats and burnt out cars. No one in their right mind wants to live here.
You also have your dirty student dives such as Headingley where the demand for housing by students and buy to let houses has driven up prices and driven local people out of the area. They're also put off by the presence of rowdy students.
On one half you have the incredibly posh and cosmopolitan city centre. Home to ITV Yorkshire. Full of designer shops, yuppie flats and offices that are owned by some of the most powerful banks in the country. Beautiful people in designer garb in upmarket coffee shops and shopping in Harvey Nichols and Debenhams. Beautiful suburban villages with the beauty of Harrogate nearby. No one but the middle class and rich can live here.
On the other half you have 'The real Leeds'. The Leeds the city council tries so hard to hide. Places like Beeston, Gipton and Seacroft. Full of prostitutes, gangs of youth, single teenage mothers, druggies, drug dealers and poor ethinic groups in an enivironment full of smashed glass, drugs, council flats and burnt out cars. No one in their right mind wants to live here.
You also have your dirty student dives such as Headingley where the demand for housing by students and buy to let houses has driven up prices and driven local people out of the area. They're also put off by the presence of rowdy students.
I live about 20 minutes away and i agree, though it is a far better than most cities in the UK and is the second largest.
The city centre is divine, very big and everything black mustache said. One you get to the suburbs however, things do decrease, Armley and Beeston being horrible places, though like London, once you get past the suburbs, there are some nice places such as Morley or Pudsey.
Just look at the accomodation near the train station if you want somewhere nice.
I went to the open day today as well...I left feeling exactly the same as you! I was so excited about leeds; everyone raves about it being such a vibrant student city but i just didn't get that feeling at all.
I saw the henry price accommodation, and yes the location is fantastic, which i'm assuming is what you're paying for, because the rooms weren't great and the shared bathroom thing was just weird! (I definitely think it was made worse for me by having seen how nice accommodation in Sheffield is).
Added to that the history talk didn't exactly blow me away. 6-7 contact hours a week!? Seems very little teaching time to me, especially considering how much going to university actually costs.
There were some pros; the city centre seemed nice and was close to the 'campus'. Plus everyone at the open day was helpful approachable and friendly.
But I didn't get a 'I really want to come here' feeling
All in all, I came away quite disheartened and generally was quite disappointed by the place
I saw the henry price accommodation, and yes the location is fantastic, which i'm assuming is what you're paying for, because the rooms weren't great and the shared bathroom thing was just weird! (I definitely think it was made worse for me by having seen how nice accommodation in Sheffield is).
Added to that the history talk didn't exactly blow me away. 6-7 contact hours a week!? Seems very little teaching time to me, especially considering how much going to university actually costs.
There were some pros; the city centre seemed nice and was close to the 'campus'. Plus everyone at the open day was helpful approachable and friendly.
But I didn't get a 'I really want to come here' feeling
All in all, I came away quite disheartened and generally was quite disappointed by the place
I think what makes uni is the people, you really have to go during term time when everyone's about to get a feel for it. If you like the course, go for it - your more likely to get on the course than you think.
yes?
I went to the open day today as well...I left feeling exactly the same as you! I was so excited about leeds; everyone raves about it being such a vibrant student city but i just didn't get that feeling at all.
I saw the henry price accommodation, and yes the location is fantastic, which i'm assuming is what you're paying for, because the rooms weren't great and the shared bathroom thing was just weird! (I definitely think it was made worse for me by having seen how nice accommodation in Sheffield is).
Added to that the history talk didn't exactly blow me away. 6-7 contact hours a week!? Seems very little teaching time to me, especially considering how much going to university actually costs.
There were some pros; the city centre seemed nice and was close to the 'campus'. Plus everyone at the open day was helpful approachable and friendly.
But I didn't get a 'I really want to come here' feeling
All in all, I came away quite disheartened and generally was quite disappointed by the place
I saw the henry price accommodation, and yes the location is fantastic, which i'm assuming is what you're paying for, because the rooms weren't great and the shared bathroom thing was just weird! (I definitely think it was made worse for me by having seen how nice accommodation in Sheffield is).
Added to that the history talk didn't exactly blow me away. 6-7 contact hours a week!? Seems very little teaching time to me, especially considering how much going to university actually costs.
There were some pros; the city centre seemed nice and was close to the 'campus'. Plus everyone at the open day was helpful approachable and friendly.
But I didn't get a 'I really want to come here' feeling
All in all, I came away quite disheartened and generally was quite disappointed by the place
This is exactly how i felt
Did you see the state of the bathroom in HP? me and my brother just kinda backed away slowly when we saw it.... hahaIt was just a complete let down if I'm honest. Yes it's not term time so it won't have the usual buzz or atmosphere it usually does, but the same went for Sheffield and it was great there! Its a shame really, if I could somehow pick up Sheffield student union and Endcliffe Village and put them in Leeds, it would probably be my perfect uni...
OP: Pick a uni that is right for you, when i was doing the open days thing last year i had similar experiences to you. I saw Notts and thought it too big and the people arrogant and i got lost (more than once). I visited Cumbria and liked it and was going to choose it as my 1st choice was gna put Edge Hill (having not visited at the time) as my 2nd choice, then i went for an Interview at Edge Hill and the second i stepped out of the car in front of the main building i knew it was the place for me, the people were so helpful and friendly, the Forest Court accomodation was small and cosy, the union had everything a student could want, Liverpool is a great city near by on the train. Ormskirk the nearest town reminded me alot of my home town. I'm looking forward to starting next week, if you don't like Leeds find somewhere else, there's plenty of unis i'm sure you'll like.
Well if you want a success story, here it is! I applied to UCAS to study English with 4 A's at AS, great GCSE's and 4 A predictions at A2 (this was before the A*) and the only university I got into (of five) was Leeds. While I had liked it on the Open Day I was obviously really disappointed I'd only got one offer but that's the way it can be for English I'm afraid. I was really torn as to whether to take a gap year and reapply or not but in the end I accepted and I went last September and now I love it!
The course is pretty fantastic, challenging enough without being too intense (well in first year at least...). As others have mentioned the Union is being totally done up and in term time it is always PACKED. The bars and cafe's are always rammed during the day and there are always people in having a drink in the evening, so I really wouldn't consider what you got today to be a true impression of Leeds...I returned a few weeks ago to collect some stuff from my old flat and the city was totally different without the students in it-really empty and if I'm honest, slightly depressing! So I really don't think you've seen the best of it by going today. As for the accommodation, the on campus sites are pretty horrible and really oversubscribed. I lived in James Baillie and while it is expensive it's in a really nice location and feels very green and 'leafy' compared to Henry Prince and some other halls. As for the mould I wouldn't take much notice of that as normally when you have a problem in halls such as mould it gets sorted pretty quick.
It's totally up to you of course and if your gut feeling is wrong then don't put it down, but as an English student who to be quite honest didn't really want to go to Leeds I have really been pleasantly surprised and I wouldn't change anything about my decision! English courses are always competitive and the best strategy to take is to apply to five institutions with varied entry requirements which match your ability and to hope for the best. Good luck!
The course is pretty fantastic, challenging enough without being too intense (well in first year at least...). As others have mentioned the Union is being totally done up and in term time it is always PACKED. The bars and cafe's are always rammed during the day and there are always people in having a drink in the evening, so I really wouldn't consider what you got today to be a true impression of Leeds...I returned a few weeks ago to collect some stuff from my old flat and the city was totally different without the students in it-really empty and if I'm honest, slightly depressing! So I really don't think you've seen the best of it by going today. As for the accommodation, the on campus sites are pretty horrible and really oversubscribed. I lived in James Baillie and while it is expensive it's in a really nice location and feels very green and 'leafy' compared to Henry Prince and some other halls. As for the mould I wouldn't take much notice of that as normally when you have a problem in halls such as mould it gets sorted pretty quick.
It's totally up to you of course and if your gut feeling is wrong then don't put it down, but as an English student who to be quite honest didn't really want to go to Leeds I have really been pleasantly surprised and I wouldn't change anything about my decision! English courses are always competitive and the best strategy to take is to apply to five institutions with varied entry requirements which match your ability and to hope for the best. Good luck!
kim1234567
Yeah I think the problem is that I keep comparing it to Sheffield, which I absolutely loved!
Go to Sheffield, love. There's always one that's just /right/ for each person.
kim1234567
This is exactly how i felt Did you see the state of the bathroom in HP? me and my brother just kinda backed away slowly when we saw it.... haha
It was just a complete let down if I'm honest. Yes it's not term time so it won't have the usual buzz or atmosphere it usually does, but the same went for Sheffield and it was great there! Its a shame really, if I could somehow pick up Sheffield student union and Endcliffe Village and put them in Leeds, it would probably be my perfect uni...
Did you see the state of the bathroom in HP? me and my brother just kinda backed away slowly when we saw it.... hahaIt was just a complete let down if I'm honest. Yes it's not term time so it won't have the usual buzz or atmosphere it usually does, but the same went for Sheffield and it was great there! Its a shame really, if I could somehow pick up Sheffield student union and Endcliffe Village and put them in Leeds, it would probably be my perfect uni...
Yeps the bathroom was gross and you couldnt lock it both sides which was quite odd! But at least it didnt smell, i have seen worse!
I think I'm going to apply Sheffield; i loved the endcliffe village and the su was pretty amazing. Im still considering leeds though (:
Good luck with your choices and application!!
kim1234567
Yeah I think the problem is that I keep comparing it to Sheffield, which I absolutely loved!
If you've fallen in love with Sheffield, it's best to apply there, or at least put it higher on your list than Leeds. The problem with Leeds Uni is that the entry requirements are really high whereas Sheffield's will be lower. Which means less stress about getting in!
Saying that, I live in Leeds and the nightlife is pretty good and it's a lovely place! And it's a great place to shop!
I absolutely loved it! But OP, if you didn't like it then there's no point in wasting a UCAS space. Obviously it depends on your other choices and maybe you will eventually like it... Maybe weigh them all up and ask yourself what you really want out of your uni experience. By th way, I went to the English talk too... the number of applicants was a bit of a panicky moment for me too!
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