So what is Durham really like?

There are some "posh" people everywhere. If you're defining posh as people who pronounce the letters t and h in them then yes, you'd probably say Durham students are posh. But if you're meaning posh as holiday on a yacht every year, then you're definitely wrong! Yes there are more middle class students than the average uni - but that's the same for all top 30 unis. People whose parents don't have loads of money are hardly going to wear t shirts advertising that fact - how can you tell who's posh and who isn't when someone with a very low household income would receive £7500 a year grants/loans and therefore have more money than the majority of other students?

Aren't you that biomed student at Sunderland who lives in Durham? I'm sure I've spoke to you before. If it is you, you should know exactly what I mean!

If you want an objective analysis, push.co.uk have the percentage of independently-schooled students at Durham at 46%, the third highest in the country.

Durham's official statistics put the number at 38%, with a further 8% from grammar schools. Less than a third come from a comprehensive school.

Like I said, they're not all bad, but IMO there is no denying that Durham has a sizable proportion of wealthy students. Most are lovely, some are utter planks.

Nice campus, amazing catered food but nightlife aint great! Well varsity and llyods thats bout it, nice kebab shop though

Nice campus, amazing catered food but nightlife aint great! Well varsity and llyods thats bout it, nice kebab shop though

Nope not that person, sorry! I'm at the Durham city 'campus'.
I'm not saying it's not middle class, just that it's not like everyone is millionaires or anything and nobody I know has experienced any snobbery. Tbh I've seen more inverse snobbery than the other way round, but I haven't seen enough of that to think it's an issue iether!

As someone who went to an independent school on a scholarship, I know those figures really don't mean that 46% (or 38%) are really rich. Also, how does 46% + 33% + 8% = 100%?! Dodgy stats there by push! There are ***** from every social class, but it's pretty easy to avoid them.

The work intensity... meh. Not really. At least in first year (and first term), I've found the workload to be really small. What with first term mostly being formative things that don't count toward your mark in a year that doesn't count toward your degree. Sure, some people do do a lot of work and get stressed out about it, but I'm a massive procrastinator and I get by just fine. :P You'll find people at Durham who spend all day, every day at the library and people who never open a book - and the healthy folk in between.

Don't know about the GCSE thing, but I quite like the nightlife. The thing is, Durham isn't a city. It may officially be defined as one but that's just because of the cathedral. And because it isn't really a city, it doesn't have very many clubs and things - but people still find a way to have fun. A lot goes on in colleges, and I for one like going to the clubs that we do have. People who don't go here keep saying that Durham is boring, but I'm never bored. But Newcastle isn't very far away - there's a 10 minute train there and a night bus back (or the first train is at 4:30 if you stay out late). So if you want more of a nightlife, it really isn't difficult to go there.

And I haven't really met many people who are uptight and stuck up... at least not more than you'd meet anywhere else. Sure, there'll be some of them, but not disproportionately many to anywhere else, I don't think. Durham is, however, predominantly white, southern and middle class - though you can find exceptions.

I love Durham. I love the place, I love the college system, I love the people I've met here. It might not be the best for everyone - if you prefer big cities or want a lot of diversity, it won't be. But for me, at least, it's absolutely perfect.

Push's stats put it at 46% independent, 54% state.

Durham's own put it at 38%.

The minimal amount of students who attended an independent school who aren't actually really well-off would barely alter the stats, IMO. Even if it took 3% off, 35-43% privately educated is a big thing, IMO.

My English teacher's daughter left Durham because she was bullied for her 'common Northern accent'. Seriously, I swear down. She left and went to Edinburgh. Hardly a typical example, but a big thing, I think.

There are times when I walk through Durham and all I hear is Southern accents

But the students I come into contact with at work are really nice. Except when they say 'Barth' for bath. That's my pet hate

Thing is I'd like a bit of both preferably i know I'm being picky :/ I like the closeness of the college system but I'd also like to be surrounded by a large and diverse student body, bumping into new people every few days etc.

I've been to London several times, love the place but could not imagine going to uni there.

Which is why I'm looking at quieter places e.g York, Nottingham. You have all the basic necessities nearby you but the city and nightlife, theater etc. are all within driving distance. Variety of restaurants etc.

And Durham looks absolutely jaw droppingly lovely. But it also looks a bit dead. Sorry if I come off as a bit small minded, but I'm not British and am a city boy. I want a change from that but also want to do the things I was not able to do in a city because I was too young, but not every week. And I know that I've never been there, but I cannot get the idea that Durham is a little village where you can walk from one end to the other :/ I know it's stupid...

And on top, there's more driving opportunities there. I know it sounds stupid, but when I'm finally old enough to drive, I don't want to have to give it up as soon as I get the freedom of uni because of everything is within walking distance.

I suppose it's one of those situations where I'll have to go to the place to see if I like it.

Thing is I'd like a bit of both preferably i know I'm being picky :/ I like the closeness of the college system but I'd also like to be surrounded by a large and diverse student body, bumping into new people every few days etc.

I've been to London several times, love the place but could not imagine going to uni there.

Which is why I'm looking at quieter places e.g York, Nottingham. You have all the basic necessities nearby you but the city and nightlife, theater etc. are all within driving distance. Variety of restaurants etc.

And Durham looks absolutely jaw droppingly lovely. But it also looks a bit dead. Sorry if I come off as a bit small minded, but I'm not British and am a city boy. I want a change from that but also want to do the things I was not able to do in a city because I was too young, but not every week. And I know that I've never been there, but I cannot get the idea that Durham is a little village where you can walk from one end to the other :/ I know it's stupid...

And on top, there's more driving opportunities there. I know it sounds stupid, but when I'm finally old enough to drive, I don't want to have to give it up as soon as I get the freedom of uni because of everything is within walking distance.

I suppose it's one of those situations where I'll have to go to the place to see if I like it.

Aren't you that biomed student at Sunderland who lives in Durham? I'm sure I've spoke to you before. If it is you, you should know exactly what I mean!

If you want an objective analysis, push.co.uk have the percentage of independently-schooled students at Durham at 46%, the third highest in the country.

Durham's official statistics put the number at 38%, with a further 8% from grammar schools. Less than a third come from a comprehensive school.

Like I said, they're not all bad, but IMO there is no denying that Durham has a sizable proportion of wealthy students. Most are lovely, some are utter planks.

This could be said about people from any background.

Definitely visit and see before you make up your mind - and make sure you do so in term-time so you'll see what it's like when the students are all there. Honestly, Durham isn't as empty and tiny as I think you have the impression. There are a LOT of students, and you're not going to meet most of them - so you can still get the experience of frequently meeting new people, if you're friendly and social and make use of events and societies. I really don't see Durham as "dead" - calm, sure, because yes, it's small. The city centre has about three streets and if you're there as a tourist you'll be "done" with Durham in a day. But if you're living there, it's different.

I wouldn't say it's a place for everyone. If you're really not one for small cities/towns, then you might not enjoy Durham. For me it's perfect because I'm not a big city person and it has everything I need while still having the possibility of going to Newcastle or somewhere else by train if you need a change of scenery. Also, it's a really beautiful place. Do have a look before you decide, if you have a chance.

What do you mean by diverse? A lot of my white, middle class friends have grown up in countries all over the world (because their parents have been sent to work there, not because they're millionaires who sailed there on yachts). Everyone I've met at Durham has something cool and unique about them, whether it's that they're really involved with Greenpeace or lived in another country, or play an unusual sport, or play an instrument to a really high standard, or worked for an engineering company for their gap year (through YinI not a nick clegg style internship!). So you really can't tell people by their appearance.

Durham's definitely not a village. yes it's small for a city, but then if you look at a lot of cities , most of the city is houses. Why would you ever visit all the houses? I was in Birmingham last week, England's 2nd biggest city, and obviously it's a lot bigger than Durham but you could walk around that if you wanted to. I'd much rather be in Durham, where so, so many of the buildings are colleges/uni buildings/etc than a big city which is mainly random people's houses! Plus, walking is free - you really do save £100s a year by not having to get the bus to lectures! York as a city isn't that big either, and you probably wouldn't want to walk around all of Nottingham (lol) :P. Also, 99% of students don't have cars so won't be driving anywhere! Durham has a theatre - and at least one very high quality student play on each night of term, if not more; a cinema, and everything you'd need on a day to day basis. If you want to go to a big theatre or cinema, get a 12 minute train to Newcastle. If you want to go walking in jaw-droppingly beautiful countryside, you can walk out of Durham or get a bus and do one of 100s of published routes. If you want to go to the beach, that's only a short bus/car ride away. If you want to visit your friends in another college, it's a short walk rather than a 20 minute wait for a bus and then a paid bus journey.

I absolutely love London too, and I'm dead set on working then when I graduate, I'm not even looking at jobs located anywhere else. But I really wanted to explore a different part of the country before then, and Durham was so different for me that I really wanted to study there.

By diversity I'm not so bothered about cultural diversity, I get a lot of that here (Though it would be nice if there was some?) but more social diversity.

So it's not a bunch of kids whose mums and dads have basically covered their whole university education and don't have to worry about paying back student loans etc?

What about Sunderland? Do a lot of students go there for a night out/change of scene, what with it being closer than Newcastle?

I know 3 people here without student loans, and 1 of them isn't even from a very rich family (not poor but probably in the 'squeezed middle' politicians are always on about), they just saved up for years rather than going on big holidays/paying school fees. It's all about priorities I guess. And anyway, they all have smaller budgets than people with grants and I only know they don't have loans because I was talking about the finance system with them for some random reason.

I've never heard of anyone ever going to Sunderland for a night out! I don't even know how you'd get there, I guess the bus? People don't go to newcastle for nights out often unless they like a specific type of music; 99% of my friends go out up to 5 nights a week in Durham. Newcastle's definitely quicker to get to, 12 mins on the bus and 25 mins in a taxi back. I'm not sure how long the bus to Sunderland is but definitely more than 12 minutes! Newcastle's got a much bigger nightlife reputation anyway.

Terms are only 9 weeks (except the 11 week Autumn term) anyway so you don't really need a change of scene much in 9 weeks. Most colleges do Newcastle trips (coach there and back and club entry for about £5, really good value!) once a term, or in the first term at least. There was a trip to Manchester or something organised but only about 50 people went on it!

On the diversity thing, there's definitely an Islamic society, I'm not sure how many Muslims there are but there will definitely be some! I know some Asian students from Muslim countries but they aren't religious so can't help much sorry...but if you go on the student union website then you'll find the Islamic soc's contact details.

Thanks, you've been a lot of help.

Don't know how much you know about the subject, but I'll give it a shot. Do you think a Pakistani would feel left out there? I know there's less in the North East than in other parts of Britain, but in terms of the student population and city do you think I'd feel left out?

and 14 college bars and 4 clubs :P

haha i dont go to durham , stayed at durham uni for a week as part of my course for my degree, go to QMUL ...... haha if I were to boast how many bars and clubs..... well I honestly don't know in London ha