[Naami]

Hi there,

I've compiled a list of potential universities I want to go for a Chemistry degree. Here is my list:

York
Bath
Birmingham
UCL
Exeter
Edinburgh
St Andrews
Southampton
Warwick
Sheffield
Manchester

I have been booking Open Days but there's no way I can go to all of them due to work, dates clash and I don't want to visit any Uni's after Oct as that is when my school sends of the UCAS applications.

I just need some advice on my university choices. I want a university that is not in the middle of nowhere - I prefer the city. Also, I want a university where the student demographic is mixed and diverse, like how it is at Manchester Uni.

Opinions?

[Joinedup]

Pros and cons list?
Also have a think about where about in the country your family are... Eboro's a long way from Soton

[Skeppy]

Dont let uni stress u out take it from a graduate...its not worth the money and time i wasted all those nights doing assignments to find that a degree doesnt make me anymore employable

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Wildfire S A510e

[Quick-use]

(Original post by Naami)
Hi there,

I've compiled a list of potential universities I want to go for a Chemistry degree. Here is my list:

York
Bath
Birmingham
UCL
Exeter
Edinburgh
St Andrews
Southampton
Warwick
Sheffield
Manchester

I have been booking Open Days but there's no way I can go to all of them due to work, dates clash and I don't want to visit any Uni's after Oct as that is when my school sends of the UCAS applications.

I just need some advice on my university choices. I want a university that is not in the middle of nowhere - I prefer the city. Also, I want a university where the student demographic is mixed and diverse, like how it is at Manchester Uni.

Opinions?

If you prefer the city, then the ones that stand out for me the most are: Birmingham, UCL, Edinburgh and Manchester. With regards to pros and cons and university ratings, I couldn't tell you. Although, you can't go wrong with those to be honest. Warwick and St Andrews are fantastic but I hear that they're not city-like at all - quite secluded and isolated albeit near a city.

[yakuzakitty]

(Original post by Naami)
Hi there,

I've compiled a list of potential universities I want to go for a Chemistry degree. Here is my list:

York
Bath
Birmingham
UCL
Exeter
Edinburgh
St Andrews
Southampton
Warwick
Sheffield
Manchester

I have been booking Open Days but there's no way I can go to all of them due to work, dates clash and I don't want to visit any Uni's after Oct as that is when my school sends of the UCAS applications.

I just need some advice on my university choices. I want a university that is not in the middle of nowhere - I prefer the city. Also, I want a university where the student demographic is mixed and diverse, like how it is at Manchester Uni.

Opinions?

Have a look here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/...uide-chemistry

But in case you can't be bothered, (hehe) from your list, the top three in order of their placing on the Guardian 2013 league table for Chemistry are St Andrews, York and then Manchester. Though tbh it's all about which unis you like best! And check out the entry requirements

Also some other unis have a better rep than those overall, such as UCL. Though UCL is mega competitive... But is is an international Uni in the middle of London, so is very diverse. Good luck choosing! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful :P

Edit: Why the neg?! I'm trying to be helpful, and the Guardian league table is a recognised table with good information!

[Naami]

(Original post by yakuzakitty)
Have a look here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/...uide-chemistry

But in case you can't be bothered, (hehe) from your list, the top three in order of their placing on the Guardian 2013 league table for Chemistry are St Andrews, York and then Manchester. Though tbh it's all about which unis you like best! And check out the entry requirements

Also some other unis have a better rep than those overall, such as UCL. Though UCL is mega competitive... But is is an international Uni in the middle of London, so is very diverse. Good luck choosing! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful :P

I've already checked Uni requirements, and dependant on my results in Aug I should be able to meet entry requirements of most of them (hoping for the grades!)

University league tables really confuse me. I used this site to help me:
http://www.thecompleteuniversityguid...gs?s=Chemistry

and it's giving very different views from the Guardian's one...?

[Norton1]

(Original post by Naami)
x

With regard to St Andrews, how do you think you'd enjoy studying in the late 18th Century?

[Naami]

(Original post by Quick-use)
If you prefer the city, then the ones that stand out for me the most are: Birmingham, UCL, Edinburgh and Manchester. With regards to pros and cons and university ratings, I couldn't tell you. Although, you can't go wrong with those to be honest. Warwick and St Andrews are fantastic but I hear that they're not city-like at all - quite secluded and isolated albeit near a city.

Well I heard Warwick is quite close to Birmingham, any idea of travel time between the two?

Would St Andrews/Edinburgh/Warwick's student range be diverse? As a Muslim it would help that there would be some halal places about!

[Naami]

(Original post by Norton1)
With regard to St Andrews, how do you think you'd enjoy studying in the late 18th Century?

Is that supposed to be indicitave of the teaching styles there?

[yakuzakitty]

(Original post by Naami)
I've already checked Uni requirements, and dependant on my results in Aug I should be able to meet entry requirements of most of them (hoping for the grades!)

University league tables really confuse me. I used this site to help me:
http://www.thecompleteuniversityguid...gs?s=Chemistry

and it's giving very different views from the Guardian's one...?

Ok well that's good

The Guardian one is updated yearly, and factors in not only grades, but also student satisfaction and teacher/student ratios

[Naami]

(Original post by Joinedup)
Pros and cons list?
Also have a think about where about in the country your family are... Eboro's a long way from Soton

Hmm, never really considered this. Thanks for the tip.

[AdamskiUK]

(Original post by Naami)
Well I heard Warwick is quite close to Birmingham, any idea of travel time between the two?

Would St Andrews/Edinburgh/Warwick's student range be diverse? As a Muslim it would help that there would be some halal places about!

Warwick is practically next door to Birmingham - IE 45 minutes drive.

There'll always be a Halal butcher wherever you go. They're usually incorporated in those amazing little Asian fruit markets

My best mate's elder brother left A-Levels with 3 As and his best mate got A*AA and they both went to Sheffield for Chemistry. As far as I know they both love it. Good student life, but good lecturers.

You need to visit these places!

[Naami]

(Original post by yakuzakitty)
Ok well that's good

The Guardian one is updated yearly, and factors in not only grades, but also student satisfaction and teacher/student ratios

thecompleteuniversityguide is also yearly updated and includes student satisfaction though not the ratios (does a low ratio mean smaller classes btw?) I'm assuming the link I sent might be a bit more reliable because it's independant but I'm not really sure. Both have quite conflicted views on the best universities for chem.

[Norton1]

(Original post by Naami)
Is that supposed to be indicitave of the teaching styles there?

It was more a reference to how tiny St Andrews itself is, like stepping back into the past. It's probably the most traditional of the Scottish ancients, if you have a look on Wikipedia there are quite a lot of strange customs there, whereas at Glasgow or something there's just remnants like agreeing to the sponsio academica or singing the graduation song in Latin.

[Reformatsky]

Well, if you want to be in a city, then you can pretty much rule out St Andrew's and Warwick full stop, and then potentially Exeter, York and Bath if you want to live in a big city. They're all very good Universities for Chemistry, and so I don't think there's much point splitting hairs between them reputation wise.
Also, are any of them clear favourites in your eyes? Because chemistry really isn't that competitive a subject, so, realistically, as long as you have grades that comfortably satisfy the entry requirements, then getting offers should be fairly straightforward for the majority of those, so, say, if it's a case of being set on 4 that you'd definitely like to go to, and then worrying a little about the rest which you don't like as much, then it's probably not that big an issue.

[seanfromtheblock]

(Original post by Naami)
Well I heard Warwick is quite close to Birmingham, any idea of travel time between the two?

Would St Andrews/Edinburgh/Warwick's student range be diverse? As a Muslim it would help that there would be some halal places about!

I live in Edinburgh, there's no difficulty finding halal stuff here.

What someone said about edinburgh-soton being difficult, it's a lot easier if you're able to fly. I got a return flight from edinburgh-soton for £40. (I don't know if this is actually an issue, just saw it mentioned).

St Andrews is a very small town, and you may find it difficult to find halal stuff there (although I doubt it would be impossible). I think it tends to have a bit of a love-hate thing because it's so small and far away from anything. I went on an open day and really didn't like it, but I've got a friend there who loves it. It's important to remember that you'll have to live in these towns/cities for at least three years (four in Scotland) so the location is really important.

[Naami]

(Original post by AdamskiUK)
Warwick is practically next door to Birmingham - IE 45 minutes drive.

There'll always be a Halal butcher wherever you go. They're usually incorporated in those amazing little Asian fruit markets

My best mate's elder brother left A-Levels with 3 As and his best mate got A*AA and they both went to Sheffield for Chemistry. As far as I know they both love it. Good student life, but good lecturers.

You need to visit these places!

Oo that's quite helpful thank you I'll try to go to as many Open Days as I can though I'm quite limited on time and money!

[yakuzakitty]

(Original post by Naami)
thecompleteuniversityguide is also yearly updated and includes student satisfaction though not the ratios (does a low ratio mean smaller classes btw?) I'm assuming the link I sent might be a bit more reliable because it's independant but I'm not really sure. Both have quite conflicted views on the best universities for chem.

Yeah, it may mean small classes, smaller tutorials or perhaps a more varied range of specialists available.

To be honest it's all up to which uni you prefer. Though as I said, UCL is in the middle of London and is international, with a very diverse student base.

But I'm a bit biased as it's my top choice for uni in September

[Naami]

(Original post by Norton1)
It was more a reference to how tiny St Andrews itself is, like stepping back into the past. It's probably the most traditional of the Scottish ancients, if you have a look on Wikipedia there are quite a lot of strange customs there, whereas at Glasgow or something there's just remnants like agreeing to the sponsio academica or singing the graduation song in Latin.

That actually sounds quite interesting. I know that the University itself has quite an old and grand building, never knew it was such a traditional town.

(Original post by Reformatsky)
Well, if you want to be in a city, then you can pretty much rule out St Andrew's and Warwick full stop, and then potentially Exeter, York and Bath if you want to live in a big city. They're all very good Universities for Chemistry, and so I don't think there's much point splitting hairs between them reputation wise.
Also, are any of them clear favourites in your eyes? Because chemistry really isn't that competitive a subject, so, realistically, as long as you have grades that comfortably satisfy the entry requirements, then getting offers should be fairly straightforward for the majority of those, so, say, if it's a case of being set on 4 that you'd definitely like to go to, and then worrying a little about the rest which you don't like as much, then it's probably not that big an issue.

Well when I say city, it doesn't have to be a massive one like London or Manchester. I just don't want it to be empty/rural. I'm not into clubbing/nightlife so there's no need for a city with great nightlife.

I'm quite partial to UCL atm though that would be quite competitive to get into (I predict an AAB at results day). Thanks for your imput! I might cross Exeter off the list

[Reformatsky]

(Original post by Naami)
(does a low ratio mean smaller classes btw?) .

It can do, but not necessarily given the lack of indication of how those staff spend their time and whatnot. e.g. I seem to remember in one table seeing Oxford do quite badly on that measure, despite the amount of small group teaching being more and with smaller groups than most Universities.