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Birmingham or Sheffield???

I'm applying for history and can't decide between these 2. I've heard their academic reputations are quite similar and Birmingham has the nicer campus. However Sheffield seems to be very popular.
Nightlife and good accommodation are also important factors, so any advice would be appreciated thanks.

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Reply 1
Avatar for DavidCo.
DavidCo.
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If night-life and good accommodation are important for you then you might want to consider the fact that Sheffield's students' union, overall student experience and accommodation have been ranked number 1 in the UK.

http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/why/number-one-student-experience
subscribed. I'm making this exact decision.
Academically they are quite similar as you stated. They are in the same bracket as SOAS, Exeter and Manchester with regards to 'reputation' and 'prestige'. Visit both and see which you like.
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3309will
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Original post by KingStannis
subscribed. I'm making this exact decision.



Original post by Yellow Messiah
I'm applying for history and can't decide between these 2. I've heard their academic reputations are quite similar and Birmingham has the nicer campus. However Sheffield seems to be very popular.
Nightlife and good accommodation are also important factors, so any advice would be appreciated thanks.


Memories.. I was torn between the two. A trip to the headmaster (who helped me decide) and also a bit of agonising myself and I decided Sheffield (now studying Law with German). I prefer the city and the nightlife is good -- not to mention the SU is fantastic.
I was in a similar situation. Ended up choosing Sheffield because of their higher student satisfaction rate amongst other things. Hold an offer for history from them now
My freinds are going to Birmingham....which factors in.
Original post by SmaugTheTerrible
Academically they are quite similar as you stated. They are in the same bracket as SOAS, Exeter and Manchester with regards to 'reputation' and 'prestige'. Visit both and see which you like.


Interesting you mention SOAS, as I find this uni very hard to put into any tier, mainly because it is extremely well regarded in a particular field (african/asian studies) so that kind of skews it.

My advice, OP, is to just go with your gut. I've spent time in both cities and know people at both the unis, and I've heard overwhelmingly positive things. Really I would just think about which one you get a better 'vibe' from and go with that, or see which course appeals to you more (underestimated by a lot of people how important this is!). You'd probably have a great time at both these places.
Original post by Wahrheit
Interesting you mention SOAS, as I find this uni very hard to put into any tier, mainly because it is extremely well regarded in a particular field (african/asian studies) so that kind of skews it.

My advice, OP, is to just go with your gut. I've spent time in both cities and know people at both the unis, and I've heard overwhelmingly positive things. Really I would just think about which one you get a better 'vibe' from and go with that, or see which course appeals to you more (underestimated by a lot of people how important this is!). You'd probably have a great time at both these places.


You're right it is pretty niche in its courses. I mentioned it because it also does History and has one of the most interesting course of any University.

I guess you could say its specialism means it cannot be compared directly to the other Universities that teach more mainstream courses. SOAS does do law, history and politics which are a bit more mainstream and its very well regarded for them.
Original post by SmaugTheTerrible
You're right it is pretty niche in its courses. I mentioned it because it also does History and has one of the most interesting course of any University.

I guess you could say its specialism means it cannot be compared directly to the other Universities that teach more mainstream courses. SOAS does do law, history and politics which are a bit more mainstream and its very well regarded for them.


Yeah I was/am considering applying there for Economics but you kind of get the impression that EVERYONE there has some kind of strong interesting in african/asian culture and if you don't mention it in your PS or something they might wonder why you would choose SOAS over other London unis. I don't really know, though, because I haven't looked into it so much!
Original post by Yellow Messiah
I'm applying for history and can't decide between these 2. I've heard their academic reputations are quite similar and Birmingham has the nicer campus. However Sheffield seems to be very popular.


Not much in it really. B'ham slightly higher in UK and World Rankings but not by much. Perhaps more to do in Birmingham as well?

Original post by Wahrheit
Interesting you mention SOAS, as I find this uni very hard to put into any tier, mainly because it is extremely well regarded in a particular field (african/asian studies) so that kind of skews it.


I wouldn't have said SOAS is as good as Birmingham or Sheffield, but it's more niche so if you're going for a specialist course, might be the one.
Original post by Yellow Messiah
I'm applying for history and can't decide between these 2. I've heard their academic reputations are quite similar and Birmingham has the nicer campus. However Sheffield seems to be very popular.
Nightlife and good accommodation are also important factors, so any advice would be appreciated thanks.


Original post by KingStannis
subscribed. I'm making this exact decision.


choose Birmingham for its academic reputation or Sheffield for its pubs, night life, newer campus buildings, excellent sports facilities and somewhat sunny weather. you might also want to see if your chosen course of study's department offers any scholarships and the quantum of it. every penny helps. don't you think?
If you go to Sheffield you won't have to put up with that awful accent.
Original post by Maura Kat
choose Birmingham for its academic reputation or Sheffield for its pubs, night life, newer campus buildings, excellent sports facilities and somewhat sunny weather. you might also want to see if your chosen course of study's department offers any scholarships and the quantum of it. every penny helps. don't you think?


u thought Sheffield was ranked slightly higher
Original post by KingStannis
u thought Sheffield was ranked slightly higher


was that a question? No i do not rank sheffield higher than birmingham. that would be plain silly.
From Sheffield. Nice chilled city.
Original post by Maura Kat
was that a question? No i do not rank sheffield higher than birmingham. that would be plain silly.


Well, it seems like you're saying that Birm is ranked higher than Sheffield. I find this hard to believe. Doesn't factor in to my decision anyway, the difference is minimal at best, i doubt an employer gives a ****.
Do not come to Birmingham if your social life means anything to you. It's a dirty ****hole, absolutely vile place bar the town center which pretty good.
Leaning towards sheffield atm because it's probably the better city
Although you're not considering us, i felt i could pitch in some information about the Birmingham nightlife. Personally there is a wide array on offer. The more mainstream clubbing circuit is located on Broad Street with places such as Gatecrasher, Mechu and Risa catering to you're typical superclub styles of music also places such as Pop World and Reflex play all the cheese from your childhood and before it. For more indie tastes nights such as Propaganda and Snobs are in place.

There is a healthy alternative scene with Eddies and Uprawr catering to hard rock and heavy metal fans, for the pub fan, rather than the club fan there are a number of cool bars on John Bright street, Brew Dog, Turtle Bay and The Victoria.

There is also a healthy live music scene with places such as the O2 Academy, HMV Institute, Barclay Card Arena (NIA), Asylum and Oobleck.

Any questions about Birmingham, just give me a shout, i've lived here all my life.

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