[ByronicHero]

University of Essex

"Thought the harder, heart the keener"

Introduction

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Hello everyone,

There are a few current and previous students of the university on the site and, as such, to ensure we are able to see questions you may have that we can answer I thought it prudent to create this thread.

I will try and update it with responses to questions that I feel many people will have an interest in knowing the answer to and various information over time but don't shoot me for taking my time with this.

I, and the others, can't promise to provide subject-specific information (although I can recommend books for most Arts/Humanities subjects that I've read if this is what you're after) but we will do our best.

If you want to ask a question in private then feel free to also PM me and I will get back to you when I can.

General Information

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Useful Links

Accommodation Information: Here.

Wikipedia article: Here.

Links to Faculties and Departments: Here.

University information on UniStats: Here.

TSR Student Guide: Here.

Pictures

Bird's eye view

The Library

SU/Square

Ivor Crewe Lecture Theatre

Accommodation Information

Types of Accommodation

North Towers

The North Towers (of which there are four), are situated at the end of the campus near to the Teaching Centre and, and this common to all campus accommodation, are close to the squares and thus the clubs, shops and food outlets. You generally share with 13 other people and the flat is arranged as two wings of 7 people (each with a toilet and shower room) with the kitchen being central. Rooms are cheap, perfectly liveable sizes and contain everything you need by way of furniture except shelving is inadequate for anyone who has a lot of books.

Kitchens contain four fridges and four freezers (a shelf and a freezer drawer each give or take) and more than enough storage space. There is plenty of seating for gatherings and two ovens so it is rare (never seen it happen) that all hobs and oven spaces are taken. People will leave their crap everywhere though but such is life.

William Morris Tower is better quality than the others.

South Towers

Similar to the North towers except you share with more people and the kitchen facilities are not as good as William Morris Tower.

They are situated nearer to the main Lecture building and the sports facilities, and are also close to the main squares. Cheaper than the North Towers, much of a muchness really.

South Courts

The rooms are not dissimilar to those in towers except that the wardrobe is built in from what I've seen and the rooms are possibly a little larger. Kitchens are quite small and the rooms are en suite. decent atmosphere but generally inferior to the towers of course. Further away from the squares than either set of towers but still within easy walking distance. Expensive option and not worth it in my opinion but if you have the money and really want an en suite....

Quays

Nobody cool lives there. A good ten minute walk from campus across a swamp . Good quality rooms, en suite and they are closer to Tesco though. I don't know much more about them so if anyone has lived there PM me

The Houses

Written by Bathwiggle:

Made up of 3 floors, with three flats on each floor. Between 42 and 46 people in each of the 6 houses. Quieter than south courts, and slightly further away than the towers, still only 5min from lectures max. Sturdier shower rooms than south courts/quays. Cheaper than south courts, less social, but reasonable sized kitchen. The disabled room is enormous, my room was bigger than the towers, probably on a par with south courts. 6 people to a flat maximum. One fridge and a freezer, but there wasn't a problem with space, plenty of cupboards.

Off Campus Options

Avon Way House

A 48 week tenancy. from £89.50 a week. They aren't en-suite, but have parking for your car. 15 min walk from campus, a shared kitchen and common room. I think there are up to 6 people per a flat, and always a mix. Sky in the common rooms from 2011. The rooms here are nicer than forest road house.

Forest Road House

6 rooms to a flat, some flats are en-suite, but cost more.

the room types are:
Single Room
Single Room with en suite Bathroom (Toilet and Shower)
Double Room with en suite Bathroom (Toilet and Shower)
Single Room. Flat Includes Communal Lounge.

Parking on site, and bicycle storage. The cleaners do clean, but won't be doing your washing up. A mix of students and years.Rent (in 2010) ranged from £280.00-£450.00pm. 20 min from campus in greenstead. It's an 11 month contract, and you can arrange to have virgin installed apparently

Greenstead House

It's awful, dark, dingy, 20 seconds from tescos and has parking. 15 min from campus, flats take 5-6 people.
£320.00-£450.00pm

room options are:
Single Room
Single Room with en suite Bathroom (Toilet and Shower)
Bigger Single Room with en suite Bathroom (Toilet and Shower)
Double Room with en suite Bathroom (Toilet and Shower)

Right on the bus route, so you can get a bus to and from campus, which is more than you can do with the other houses. 11 month contract.

All 3 come with internet and bills included.

Questions

When do I apply for accommodation?

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You apply when a link appears on your Essex Applicants Portal, this is usually in early June or around that time. You need to apply before the deadline which, this year (2011/12) is 26th August.

What if Essex is my insurance or clearing choice?

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The same guarantees apply as long as you apply before the deadline. As soon as Essex becomes your firm choice the link will appear. I was personally a clearing applicant and applied before the deadline and thus was offered a place in university accommodation.

Am I guaranteed a place in university accommodation?

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Yes, if you apply before the deadline, are a new student and do not live too close to the university.

Which is the best accommodation?

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There is no "best" accommodation. You need to consider a number of factors when making the decisions. For example:

- Where the accommodation is on campus.
- Who and how many people you will be sharing with.
- Whether or not you need/want an en-suite.
- How much you wish to pay per week.
- Do you want a lively or quiet experience.

Will I get my first choice?

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Usually, yes. Of course the reason they ask you to rank your preferences though is because - due to demand, and other preferences you declare on your application form - it may not be possible to accommodate you where you wish to be accommodated. You should note though that a vast majority of people do get their first choice or something very similar and those that don't are usually happy with the place they are allocated.

Can I have someone over?

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Yes you can. There are university regulations but realistically nobody observes them. As long as your guests are not dickheads, and you don't make a load of noise () generally people won't mind at all. If they are or you do then someone may report you and obviously this will lead to complications with future visits.

Is there a limit to how much I can use the internet?

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Yes there is, but unless you are downloading many films or complete games with far more regularity than a normal person should you are unlikely to reach the limit. You get a warning the first couple of times you do anyway so it isn't too much of a big deal. The internet is reasonably fast and, in my experience, very reliable.

How are the rooms furnished?

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This depends on what type of accommodation you choose, whether you have a bathroom, a washbasin etc. Generally speaking each room has the following in it (certainly true of towers):

- A bed (these are not the best beds ever, but they are fit for purpose)
- A Desk (good size, no complaints)
- Some shelves (most people don't bring many books but if you have hundreds, as I do, these are inadequate)
- Comfy chair (which is pretty comfy)
- Desk chair (you know what that is)
- A Wardrobe (big enough for lots of clothing and other bits and pieces)
- Small draw unit (small but good for underwear and the like)

Certainly in the towers there is space under the bed for whatever you wish to put there. In my case this was the boxes of books and DVDs and the like that I couldn't fit elsewhere.

Are the communal areas/rooms cleaned?

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It is the responsibility of the student to keep their personal rooms clean and tidy and to empty their bins. There is a daily cleaner (set to be weekly from next year [2011/12]) who cleans the kitchen, corridors and bathrooms but they will refuse if it is too messy (and so they should). They will not do the washing up for you, unless you get a particularly lovely cleaner - of which there are a few.

Other regularly asked questions

If I miss my offer, are they likely to accept me anyway?

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This depends on a variety of things including: how many people received offers for the course, how much you missed it by, how well you did in relevant subjects, how many other people missed the offer, how much they liked you and if they think they have a better chance of finding a quality applicant in clearing. This year (2011/12) competition is likely to be higher than in previous years but is certainly not uncommon for people at Essex to be admitted with lower grades than were asked for.

How do I get to the Campus from the train station/town?

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You can get the bus, get a taxi, or walk. You want to get the number 61 bus from outside the station and it will cost a couple of quid - it will take 30/40 minutes or so. A taxi will be between 5 and 10 pound depending on which company you get and is obviously a lot faster. Walking isn't a good plan at first but the distance is doable when you know the way.

Where can I do my shopping?

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Three main ways.

1) There is a campus shop. The range is limited and the price not exceptionally good but it isn't too bad all things considered and it's fine for the day to day things. They also stock a variety of daily newspapers and a variety of popular magazines.

2) There is a Tesco 2 minutes away on the bus and around 15 minutes away by foot. This is where the majority of people do their main shopping.

3) You can get ASDA to deliver.

The Times Good University Guide

League tables are a novelty, and should be taken with a pinch of salt. I wish they would be removed completely to be honest but I understand some people like to know for whatever reason so may as well include them while I can - as you need to pay otherwise (). I've missed out various things I couldn't be bothered to check.

What they have to say about Essex University:

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Essex will charge £9,000 fees in all subjects from 2012, but is promising to invest significantly in scholarships and bursaries to preserve the breadth of its intake. It will make the change from a position of strength: the 24 per cent increase in applications in 2010 was one of the biggest at any pre-1992 university and the start of 2011 saw another 8 per cent rise. The university has acquired a reputation for high-quality research, especially in the social sciences, which led to a strong set of results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Essex has also been doing well in the National Student Survey.

There are little more than 11,000 full-time students, about a fifth of whom are post-graduates. The student population is unusually diverse for a traditional university, with high proportions of mature and overseas students. More than a third of the undergraduates are from working-class homes and almost 96 per cent went to state schools or colleges – both higher figures than the subject mix would suggest.

Sociology and politics led the way in the latest RAE where almost two thirds of the work submitted by the university was found to be world-leading or internationally excellent. Both politics and sociology produced the best results in the country, while the newly formed Essex Business School ranked second in the UK for accounting and finance. Philosophy achieved a 100 per cent approval rating in the 2010 National Student Survey, while biology, economics, drama, linguistics and politics were all in the top ten in their field. An overall satisfaction rate of 88 per cent represented a big improvement on the previous year and placed Essex among the top 20 universities.
The university has been building up its science departments – the biological sciences department is now one of its largest. Computer science is also strong and a BSc in computer games and internet technology shows Essex keeping pace with changing demands in graduate employment. But improvements in the university’s academic performance could not disguise the fact that the glass and concrete campus, set in 200 acres of parkland on the outskirts of Colchester, was showing distinct signs of wear and tear. The university has been carrying out major refurbishments at the same time as expanding student facilities.

The incorporation of the East 15 Acting School, in Loughton, enhanced the university’s provision in theatre studies, and was the university’s first venture beyond Colchester. There has been heavy investment in a third campus, in Southend, which opened in 2007, offering courses in business, health education and the arts. It also includes health and dental facilities, the latter staffed by senior dental students from Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. The Gateway Building has become a focal point of the town centre, while a £5-million church restoration produced rehearsal space and a theatre.

Another regional project sees Essex collaborating with the University of East Anglia on University Campus Suffolk, which offers courses in Ipswich and at smaller centres across the county. Essex degrees are also taught at Writtle College, near Chelmsford, the Colchester Institute and South East Essex College, in Southend.

Essex announced a capital development programme in excess of £200-million in the lead-up to its 50th anniversary in 2014. A new teaching centre and gym opened on its Colchester Campus last year and student accommodation was expanded at Southend. A new Student Centre and library extension at Colchester and a new library and learning centre at Southend are planned for coming years. The Colchester library has already been extended once and is open for over 84 hours a week, with the Large Reading Room open all hours, Monday to Thursday, and seven days a week in the summer term. Sustainable energy and technology are being used whenever possible, with recent projects featuring ground source heat pumps and a wind turbine. Work is set to start on the £10-million transformation of the historic Wivenhoe House into the UK’s first country house hotel to be run and staffed by students, supervised by industry professionals.
Essex champions academic breadth, and students follow a common first year before specialising. They may take four or five different subjects before committing themselves to a particular degree. Social and sporting facilities are good, following a £1.4-million extension of the Sports Centre, as well as the refurbishment of the students’ union bars and nightclub. Some 40 acres of land are devoted to sports facilities.

First years new to Colchester are guaranteed university accommodation, which in 2009 won the “best halls of residence” category in the National Student Housing survey. All university accommodation is now networked to the IT system and equipped with telephones giving free access to the internal phone system. Some ground-floor flats have been adapted for disabled students.

Overall:

Rank: 41
Student satisfaction: 78
Research quality: 2.1
Entry standards: 307
Student-staff ratio: 15.6
Services & facilities spend: 1,594
Completion: 86.7
Good honours: 59.3
Graduate prospects: 58.6
Score: 607

--- Subjects ---

Maths: 53/67
Philosophy: 10/47
American Studies: 14/22
Politics: 11/71
Accounting and Finance: 40/77
Economics: 15/68
Linguistics: 9/25
Law: 48/95
Computer Science: 37/105
Biological Sciences: 48/87
Psychology: 32/104
English: 42/101
Sociology: 12/87
History: 24/99
Business: 59/116

Most Importantly

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Rugby is much better than football.

And Bathwiggle is a man.

[Vrooo....oops]

Paddy you are brilliant.

If any one wants help on biomedical science 4 year course with placement, bathwiggle will reply. or the houses.

[ByronicHero]

Thanks.

It will probably be the next cycle before many people have questions but it's good to have this here for them if they do

[tray]

You're the best in terms of University informations, ask Essex to pay you for this

[ByronicHero]

(Original post by tray)
You're the best in terms of University informations, ask Essex to pay you for this

Haha thanks, when you get there sort out a petition for them to hire me

[Boo!xx]

Ok, quick question, not actually about the university but about Colchester. Just what is a 'squaddie'? Like an army person or something? Whenever I read about the university 'squaddies' seem to get complained about alot :/

[ByronicHero]

(Original post by Boo!xx)
Ok, quick question, not actually about the university but about Colchester. Just what is a 'squaddie'? Like an army person or something? Whenever I read about the university 'squaddies' seem to get complained about alot :/

Yes, pretty much. There is a garrison in Colchester.

[Boo!xx]

huh, fair enough :]

[Xhotas]

This is a pretty useful topic, I have Essex as my insurance but after visiting the university I really really want to go haha! But I'm still working hard to reach my firm though.

But my raging question is, what is the likelihood of myself getting completely wasted and, for whatever reason, end up slightly annoying a squaddie then being beaten to an inch of my life?

[Vrooo....oops]

(Original post by Xhotas)
This is a pretty useful topic, I have Essex as my insurance but after visiting the university I really really want to go haha! But I'm still working hard to reach my firm though.

But my raging question is, what is the likelihood of myself getting completely wasted and, for whatever reason, end up slightly annoying a squaddie then being beaten to an inch of my life?

They generally stick to the town, so you shouldn't have a problem. There are military police who keep squaddies in line, and bouncers in clubs both on campus and in town. it's not slightly annoying them thats the problem, it's really annoying them.

So not very likely

[ByronicHero]

(Original post by Xhotas)
This is a pretty useful topic, I have Essex as my insurance but after visiting the university I really really want to go haha! But I'm still working hard to reach my firm though.

But my raging question is, what is the likelihood of myself getting completely wasted and, for whatever reason, end up slightly annoying a squaddie then being beaten to an inch of my life?

Most of them aren't especially big so this depends on how able you are to look after yourself, lol. The issue is they will be in groups but even then the chance is no higher (indeed the chance is smaller) than pissing off any other group of people so you shouldn't be worried. They have added motivation to exercise restraint: their military career.

[Vrooo....oops]

That is true, if you upset one of them, they normally go out in large groups so back each other up. Although i have met some lovely groups of squaddies and they've protected me/others from other drunks

[ByronicHero]

It's important to remember they are normal people, albeit in a very male - and therefore masculine, characterised by competition - environment. There will be lovely people amongst them, and dickheads much the same as in any other group of people they will just be a little rowdier is all.

[Xhotas]

I wasn't being deadly serious, but thanks anyway for the advice Looking forward to maybe heading off there in September

[ByronicHero]

(Original post by Xhotas)
I wasn't being deadly serious, but thanks anyway for the advice Looking forward to maybe heading off there in September

What's your firm?

[Xhotas]

(Original post by paddy__power)
What's your firm?

Leicester for AAB and Essex for ABC (With the AB being in History/Theatre Studies)

V100 History. I'm eager for the Essex for a year abroad they offer in Russia, it sounds immense! Plus I love the whole layout of the campus and the Towers look like amazing accomodation haha.

But what's the nightlife like in Colchester? Do most students stay on campus for drinking and such or is it still pretty good there? Seemed a bit, well, suburban from what I saw :P

[ByronicHero]

(Original post by Xhotas)
Leicester for AAB and Essex for ABC (With the AB being in History/Theatre Studies)

I would rather go to Leicester really but each to their own: Essex will probably let you in with less than that as well tbh.

V100 History. I'm eager for the Essex for a year abroad they offer in Russia, it sounds immense! Plus I love the whole layout of the campus and the Towers look like amazing accomodation haha.

The towers are the best of the accommodation options.

But what's the nightlife like in Colchester? Do most students stay on campus for drinking and such or is it still pretty good there? Seemed a bit, well, suburban from what I saw :P

A mixture really. There is stuff going on pretty much everyday on campus and there are a few clubs in Colchester but they are not great really. The night-life is generally fine but obviously isn't going to be as good as in big cities.

[Vrooo....oops]

(Original post by Xhotas)
But what's the nightlife like in Colchester? Do most students stay on campus for drinking and such or is it still pretty good there? Seemed a bit, well, suburban from what I saw :P

There are nights out on campus for most tastes, you've got flirt on friday which is cheese and easy dance, sports fed which is marginally cheaper if you are a member of the sports fed

In town you've got the bars (v bar plays rock music, vodka bar, after office hours does nice cocktails) , pubs (yates, o'neils, hole in the wall, the play house) plus the clubs (liquid envy, route, and sky... i think, escape's shut i think) I'm not really a fan of the clubs of and the gay club i've not managed to find.

[DLJ]

I've got a silly question that paddy_power can ponder over . What was your first day like? Can you talk me through what happened? As detailed as you please .

Thanks in advance matey.

[ByronicHero]

(Original post by DLJ)
I've got a silly question that paddy_power can ponder over . What was your first day like? Can you talk me through what happened? As detailed as you please .

Thanks in advance matey.

The first thing I did was collect the key, which is actually very fast and easy, and take all my stuff up to the room. Because I have a lot more stuff than most people (a lot more books etc) this took a fair few trips. When I had put all my stuff in the room, and had checked a few other basic things (and randomly sang fields of athenry) the people who had brought me took me to the local Tesco where I purchased a variety of food for the coming week or so. I had already purchased a few boxes of beer (four I think) the night before in my local Tesco as they had a deal and these were sitting in the fridge.

We then came back, I put the food away and said goodbye to the aforementioned people before arranging the basic things in my room: I got my laptop out, put my clothes away and some other bits and pieces. After this I went into the kitchen and there were a few people there talking and getting to know each other and such so I joined in and over the next few hours we were gradually joined by more people as I drank more and more of my beers.

Come the evening, we had been to the shop (working out how to get there from accommodation: it is so simple but when you don't know you don't know) and has talked a lot. The general conversation when you first meet. I'm pretty sure we talked about what we were studying, our applications, what we were interested in etc. The night consisted, for me and for most people, of going around to various flats and sitting around talking/arguing and being drunk and stupid. This is pretty much the whole of the first week aside from introductory lectures. There was an event on the first night (and a whole freshers programme of events) but I had no interest in going to these.

I think that is pretty much the case. I also met a few people I had talked to before hand. It is generally just conversation with the flat, and then being drunk and stupid. During the week you also need to go and enrol and enrol at the health centre (they say you have to but I didn't bother) and there are various other things you can do. You make a lot of your friends and acquaintances during the first couple of nights but these are not necessarily your good friends months later of course (often they are not).

At least one person recognised me from TSR because I had mentioned having Hello Kitty shoelaces and as wearing them, lol.

If you have any specific questions then feel free to ask.