The Student Room Group
Mappin Building
University of Sheffield
Sheffield

Fresher at the University of Sheffield. Ask me anything!

I've just stumbled across this site after months of inactivity due to being extremely busy at university. I remember how would have loved to see a thread like this when I was applying, so thought I may as well make one!

A bit about myself: I'm a first year studying mechanical engineering, and currently living in Endliffe accommodation in a mixed sex flat of 10. I took a gap year before i came here, as did many of the people in my block, and I absolutely love it here! I am also doing some accommodation tours at the moment so if you get a tall skinny guy showing you around it may well be me!

If you have any questions about the application process, accommodation, uni-life, living on your own, taking a gap year or anything else related just ask and I'll do my best to answer. :smile:

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Original post by dmccririck
I've just stumbled across this site after months of inactivity due to being extremely busy at university. I remember how would have loved to see a thread like this when I was applying, so thought I may as well make one!

A bit about myself: I'm a first year studying mechanical engineering, and currently living in Endliffe accommodation in a mixed sex flat of 10. I took a gap year before i came here, as did many of the people in my block, and I absolutely love it here! I am also doing some accommodation tours at the moment so if you get a tall skinny guy showing you around it may well be me!

If you have any questions about the application process, accommodation, uni-life, living on your own, taking a gap year or anything else related just ask and I'll do my best to answer. :smile:


What's your opinion on the engineering department? What's your timetable like, lots of 9ams? Planning on doing Civil Engineering. Also do you know much about catered accommodation or about the ski club?

Thanks
Mappin Building
University of Sheffield
Sheffield
Original post by dmccririck
I've just stumbled across this site after months of inactivity due to being extremely busy at university. I remember how would have loved to see a thread like this when I was applying, so thought I may as well make one!

A bit about myself: I'm a first year studying mechanical engineering, and currently living in Endliffe accommodation in a mixed sex flat of 10. I took a gap year before i came here, as did many of the people in my block, and I absolutely love it here! I am also doing some accommodation tours at the moment so if you get a tall skinny guy showing you around it may well be me!

If you have any questions about the application process, accommodation, uni-life, living on your own, taking a gap year or anything else related just ask and I'll do my best to answer. :smile:


What were your A-level grades if you don't mind me asking? :smile:
Reply 3
Original post by Lads on Touré
What's your opinion on the engineering department? What's your timetable like, lots of 9ams? Planning on doing Civil Engineering. Also do you know much about catered accommodation or about the ski club?

Thanks


The engineering dep is great, the different engineering disciplines are pretty separated so take whatever I say with a pinch of salt though! There's also a massive £30million new engineering building currently being built which looks epic, to be finished 2016/17.

My timetable currently has three 9ams, a 10am and an 11am, but most of the afternoons are free so it's not too bad! We have 3 hours of lab work each week, plus 8 hours of theory lectures, 2 hours of maths seminars, 2 hours of tutorials, and a 2 hour design session and I feel like yours would be very similar.

A lot of people I spoke to regretted getting catered accommodation, mainly because it's situated a 5 minute walk from the place where you get your food, they only have a microwave and a kettle in their "kitchen" and dinner is served only 5-7pm so if you miss it then you go hungry. You get a £42 eatwithNUS card included but anyone can get that anyway. Each to their own I guess though!

There's a uni ski trip every January that's great value, the people I know who went said it was amazing, I plan to go next year. Not sure about a ski 'club' though.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by adamsmithqm
What were your A-level grades if you don't mind me asking? :smile:


I got A*A*AA but after you get into uni noone cares about them and they're not ever mentioned by academic staff.
Original post by dmccririck
I got A*A*AA but after you get into uni noone cares about them and they're not ever mentioned by academic staff.


Those are some amazing results, can I ask where did you apply and what made you choose Sheffield?
Original post by dmccririck
The engineering dep is great, the different engineering disciplines are pretty separated so take whatever I say with a pinch of salt though! There's also a massive £30million new engineering building currently being built which looks epic, to be finished 2016/17.

My timetable currently has three 9ams, a 10am and an 11am, but most of the afternoons are free so it's not too bad! We have 3 hours of lab work each week, plus 8 hours of theory lectures, 2 hours of maths seminars, 2 hours of tutorials, and a 2 hour design session and I feel like yours would be very similar.

A lot of people I spoke to regretted getting catered accommodation, mainly because it's situated a 5 minute walk from the place where you get your food, they only have a microwave and a kettle in their "kitchen" and dinner is served only 5-7pm so if you miss it then you go hungry. You get a £42 eatwithNUS card included but anyone can get that anyway. Each to their own I guess though!

There's a uni ski trip every January that's great value, the people I know who went said it was amazing, I plan to go next year. Not sure about a ski 'club' though.


Thank you for all the info. I know its a strange question but can I ask how many internationals are on your course? I ask this because I have a friend who's doing Maths at Manchester and he says about 80% of people on his course are internationals and he has found it difficult to make friends on his course and I know engineering can be a high international student intake. Also do you have a tutorial for each module you do?

Thanks
Reply 7
Original post by Lads on Touré
Those are some amazing results, can I ask where did you apply and what made you choose Sheffield?


Thankyou. :smile: I'm a bit of a funny one, I applied to 3 medical schools and 2 engineering schools, Cambridge and Sheffield. Was outright rejected by Cambridge (probably due to the medicine PS) but got an unconditional at Sheffield. The work-life balance at Sheffield I think is perfect, there's a large amount of work to do, yet you can still 'afford' to go out quite a bit.

Sheffield just had the best accommodation, the nicest campus and just general atmosphere of all the places I went to really, and a great nightlife! Can't really put a finger on it.
Reply 8
Original post by Lads on Touré
Thank you for all the info. I know its a strange question but can I ask how many internationals are on your course? I ask this because I have a friend who's doing Maths at Manchester and he says about 80% of people on his course are internationals and he has found it difficult to make friends on his course and I know engineering can be a high international student intake. Also do you have a tutorial for each module you do?

Thanks


In mechanical engineering it's nowhere near 80%! I'd say about 40-45%, and a lot of those are still easy to get along with and make good friends with! I'm good mates with a guy from germany, poland and pakistan. It sounds bad but it really is just the asians that don't really talk, and also tend not to contribute much in group work. If you put yourself out there (and especially go on the mechsoc bar crawls) you'll have no trouble making loads of friends.

We get assigned one tutor in a group of 5/6 who we meet with twice a week for an hour, who helps us with anything we're stuck on. Most lecturers also have 'office hours' where you can go and get help too.
Reply 9
Hi. Am an international student. I got an offer from Sheffield for MPH as well as Leeds Msc International Heath. Which is better of the two universities in terms of academic excellence, quality of teaching, accomodation, student life, employment opportunities and all that? And how is the school of public health at Sheffield? Am confused.
I'm thinking of going for the city accommodation because it's closer to uni, but do you think I'd get a lesser experience when it has fewer people and is maybe a bit less social? I'm a bit stumped as to where I want to stay and applications open in a month or so

Original post by vis.mir

I'm an International student (Spain) and I'm seriously consider firming sheffield, but their grade requirements are unbelievably highing days? was it worth it?

Mine are extremely high as well, I think it's like that for most international students in more serious degrees. They want an almost perfect grade, actually as much as Oxford want, for me, so I'm working my ass off.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 11
Hi! I recently recieved an offer from them for Mech eng too!
I'm an International student (Spain) and I'm seriously consider firming sheffield, but their grade requirements are unbelievably high,( they don't seem to value the Spanish Baccaularate), do you know if they are lenient?
Also did you go to their UCAS visiting days? was it worth it?
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 12
Hey,

Do you anything about the Electrical Engineering dep?
Any people you know doing EE and how they find it?
Reply 13
Original post by Nigerian Knight
I'm thinking of going for the city accommodation because it's closer to uni, but do you think I'd get a lesser experience when it has fewer people and is maybe a bit less social? I'm a bit stumped as to where I want to stay and applications open in a month or so


Mine are extremely high as well, I think it's like that for most international students in more serious degrees. They want an almost perfect grade, actually as much as Oxford want, for me, so I'm working my ass off.


Yeah, Its odd that they only ask for an AAA in the UK, and high everywhere else, while Southampton ask for an A*AA and much less internationally, and in fact, Oxford have lower requirements for me than sheffield
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by dmccririck
In mechanical engineering it's nowhere near 80%! I'd say about 40-45%, and a lot of those are still easy to get along with and make good friends with! I'm good mates with a guy from germany, poland and pakistan. It sounds bad but it really is just the asians that don't really talk, and also tend not to contribute much in group work. If you put yourself out there (and especially go on the mechsoc bar crawls) you'll have no trouble making loads of friends.

We get assigned one tutor in a group of 5/6 who we meet with twice a week for an hour, who helps us with anything we're stuck on. Most lecturers also have 'office hours' where you can go and get help too.


Hey, thanks for all the info! :smile: Was wondering how do you spend a typical weekend and do you think there's enough to keep you occupied, besides work, on a weekend in Sheffield?
Reply 15
Hi, I've firmed sheffield for civil engineering :biggrin: being a girl I was just wondering how many girls are on your course?
Reply 16
Original post by Didiqwoba
Hi. Am an international student. I got an offer from Sheffield for MPH as well as Leeds Msc International Heath. Which is better of the two universities in terms of academic excellence, quality of teaching, accomodation, student life, employment opportunities and all that? And how is the school of public health at Sheffield? Am confused.


Leeds and Sheffield are pretty much on the same level in terms of academic excellence and teaching. They're also both brilliant uni's for student life, I can't really tell you much about Leeds but Sheffield's student union has been voted best in the UK each year, and it really is fantastic!

In terms of employment opportunities they'll also be roughly the same, it doesn't particularly matter where you go to university within the Russel group.

Sorry I can't be of more help! I don't really know anything about the public health department here!
Reply 17
Original post by Nigerian Knight
I'm thinking of going for the city accommodation because it's closer to uni, but do you think I'd get a lesser experience when it has fewer people and is maybe a bit less social? I'm a bit stumped as to where I want to stay and applications open in a month or so


Mine are extremely high as well, I think it's like that for most international students in more serious degrees. They want an almost perfect grade, actually as much as Oxford want, for me, so I'm working my ass off.


International students tend to fill the city accommodation, who are generally more studious and quiet. I know someone who was put there after not getting into ranmoor or endcliffe and he says noone really goes out at all and he ends up going to endcliffe all the time for parties. So yes, city is a LOT quieter than everywhere else, and if you want to socialise a lot I would not recommend going there. The walk to uni really isnt that bad! :smile:
Reply 18
Original post by vis.mir
Hi! I recently recieved an offer from them for Mech eng too!
I'm an International student (Spain) and I'm seriously consider firming sheffield, but their grade requirements are unbelievably high,( they don't seem to value the Spanish Baccaularate), do you know if they are lenient?
Also did you go to their UCAS visiting days? was it worth it?


Good work! They're lenient in the sense that if you get slightly lower than what they ask you'll get put on the bachelors course instead of the masters, and if you get 60% in the first year you can switch to the masters course anyway. Also if they don't fill their course with enough students they'll lower their boundaries further so, yes they are a bit lenient.

I did, and they were quite useful but if you're in Spain then I would say don't bother. :wink:
Reply 19
Original post by KoolKapasi
Hey,

Do you anything about the Electrical Engineering dep?
Any people you know doing EE and how they find it?


I'm afraid I don't know anyone who is on that course, all I can say is that all the engineering disciplines are brilliant here.

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