Chemical Engineering at Edinburgh
Hi guys,
I only just signed up to TSR to tell you about my experience of chemical engineering at Edinburgh. I have been here for 1 year and unfortunately have decided to switch uni's and courses.
Guys guys guys, please if you're going to choose a university DO NOT ONLY LOOK AT İTS REPUTATİON. This is a terrible mistake that I have done. I thought by studying this course here I'm going to make bucket loads of money in the petroleum industry in the Middle East. What you have on mind for in 10 years time will not come until after 10 years. SO what you gonna do about the whole 10 years or even after that??
Uni life is the most enjoyable part of someone's life (perhaps). If you're doing a course just for the money I URGE YOU TO THİNK AGAİN. Infact I BEG YOU. It's not worth it. You will not enjoy what you're studying and will not enjoy you're job. Even in the end if you do earn 70000 pounds a year it won't bring you happiness. I need you to resist this temptation. I know its hard as a teenager but plz do.
Chemical engineering is a very different subject. It has almost nothing to do with chemistry and is indirectly related to maths. It is like a completely new topic that you have never come across during you're A-Levels. You have to be truly passionate about the manufacture of everyday objects and chemicals on a large industrial scale. It is not possible for me to define what Chemical Engineering is like as a subject in just one thread.
If you are thinking of studying chemical engineering I urge you to watch lectures on YouTube and try to understand the material covered and see if you enjoy it. This goes for any subject.
However let me be terribly honest. Chemical Engineering is not a subject which most people tend to enjoy studying. Look up student satisfaction for chem eng on different websites and then compare them to Mathematics and you'll see what I mean. Only very few uni's have high student satisfaction for Chem Eng.
If you do conclude that you're going to study chem eng; Please study it in a uni which has high student satisfaction for it because it is not a subject to be easily liked. I'm not saying its a bad course, it might be perfect for you and that's great but all I'm saying is that if you don't get excellent support and satisfaction it might be highly likely you will regret you're choice. For example (for me) even if math is taught at a moderate teaching quality level I could cope with it. However to truly get the grips with chem eng you need enthusiastic and engaging lecturers as well as excellent support.
Sorry guys it's very hard to explain and sorry if I drag on a bit. All I'm saying is that if you're going to study chem eng I suggest you go to Imperial, Bath, Sheffield or Surrey etc. REPUTATİON OF THE UNİ DOES NOT MATTER THAT MUCH AND WİLL NOT GREATLY AFFECT YOU'RE INCOME İN THE FUTURE TO A TREMENDOUS SCALE (unless if it's Oxbridge and Imperial- for Engineering).
Chemical Engineering at Edinburgh was a horrible experience. The lecturers lacked all motivation for their subject and failed to convey their enthusiasm and passion. 90% of them were cold and not approachable. The lab part of chem eng was even worse, where no proper instructions were given then expecting perfect lab reports. (There was once a case where no safety had been taught with liquid nitrogen. The demonstrator poured it into an insulated cup where we measured the change in temperature of the cup over time. I asked one of the demonstrators "Why shouldn't I put my hand in there right now?" and he said "You should know why not" and I said "No. I don't" He then kept silent. They said "Safety first" at the start of the labs. That was a joke.
Totally irrelevant- Edinburgh is an absolutely beautiful city.
The mathematics and chemistry department at Edinburgh are brilliant as far as I can tell so if you're going to study Maths or Chemistry I suggest you go for it! The Maths lecturers especially are one of the best teachers I have ever had. Even in a 120 person class!
If you do have friends thinking of studying Chemical Engineering (or any other high paying degrees which they are skeptical about) plz tell them to read this. I hope you guys will help me spread the word because I don't want you to go through what I've been through.
If you are a shy person that has a hard time socializing (like me) I do suggest (if you live in the UK) to go to a uni close to your parents. Just in case if you feel down and have no shoulder to cry on, they will be close by to provide you support and a driving force to keep you going.
So as a wrap up things to consider for a uni in order of priority (in my opinion)
1=low 5=High
Campus/City University 2
Student Satisfaction 5
Reputation 4
Proximity to parents (your choice) 4
Small friendly city/Active large city 2
If friends already at that uni 4
A balance of all these factors enabled me to decide to study Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham.
Thanks so much reading!! Plz spread the word and I really appreciate you giving your time to read my post. Good luck to all of you guys with your uni applications!!
I only just signed up to TSR to tell you about my experience of chemical engineering at Edinburgh. I have been here for 1 year and unfortunately have decided to switch uni's and courses.
Guys guys guys, please if you're going to choose a university DO NOT ONLY LOOK AT İTS REPUTATİON. This is a terrible mistake that I have done. I thought by studying this course here I'm going to make bucket loads of money in the petroleum industry in the Middle East. What you have on mind for in 10 years time will not come until after 10 years. SO what you gonna do about the whole 10 years or even after that??
Uni life is the most enjoyable part of someone's life (perhaps). If you're doing a course just for the money I URGE YOU TO THİNK AGAİN. Infact I BEG YOU. It's not worth it. You will not enjoy what you're studying and will not enjoy you're job. Even in the end if you do earn 70000 pounds a year it won't bring you happiness. I need you to resist this temptation. I know its hard as a teenager but plz do.
Chemical engineering is a very different subject. It has almost nothing to do with chemistry and is indirectly related to maths. It is like a completely new topic that you have never come across during you're A-Levels. You have to be truly passionate about the manufacture of everyday objects and chemicals on a large industrial scale. It is not possible for me to define what Chemical Engineering is like as a subject in just one thread.
If you are thinking of studying chemical engineering I urge you to watch lectures on YouTube and try to understand the material covered and see if you enjoy it. This goes for any subject.
However let me be terribly honest. Chemical Engineering is not a subject which most people tend to enjoy studying. Look up student satisfaction for chem eng on different websites and then compare them to Mathematics and you'll see what I mean. Only very few uni's have high student satisfaction for Chem Eng.
If you do conclude that you're going to study chem eng; Please study it in a uni which has high student satisfaction for it because it is not a subject to be easily liked. I'm not saying its a bad course, it might be perfect for you and that's great but all I'm saying is that if you don't get excellent support and satisfaction it might be highly likely you will regret you're choice. For example (for me) even if math is taught at a moderate teaching quality level I could cope with it. However to truly get the grips with chem eng you need enthusiastic and engaging lecturers as well as excellent support.
Sorry guys it's very hard to explain and sorry if I drag on a bit. All I'm saying is that if you're going to study chem eng I suggest you go to Imperial, Bath, Sheffield or Surrey etc. REPUTATİON OF THE UNİ DOES NOT MATTER THAT MUCH AND WİLL NOT GREATLY AFFECT YOU'RE INCOME İN THE FUTURE TO A TREMENDOUS SCALE (unless if it's Oxbridge and Imperial- for Engineering).
Chemical Engineering at Edinburgh was a horrible experience. The lecturers lacked all motivation for their subject and failed to convey their enthusiasm and passion. 90% of them were cold and not approachable. The lab part of chem eng was even worse, where no proper instructions were given then expecting perfect lab reports. (There was once a case where no safety had been taught with liquid nitrogen. The demonstrator poured it into an insulated cup where we measured the change in temperature of the cup over time. I asked one of the demonstrators "Why shouldn't I put my hand in there right now?" and he said "You should know why not" and I said "No. I don't" He then kept silent. They said "Safety first" at the start of the labs. That was a joke.
Totally irrelevant- Edinburgh is an absolutely beautiful city.
The mathematics and chemistry department at Edinburgh are brilliant as far as I can tell so if you're going to study Maths or Chemistry I suggest you go for it!
The Maths lecturers especially are one of the best teachers I have ever had. Even in a 120 person class! If you do have friends thinking of studying Chemical Engineering (or any other high paying degrees which they are skeptical about) plz tell them to read this. I hope you guys will help me spread the word because I don't want you to go through what I've been through.
If you are a shy person that has a hard time socializing (like me) I do suggest (if you live in the UK) to go to a uni close to your parents. Just in case if you feel down and have no shoulder to cry on, they will be close by to provide you support and a driving force to keep you going.
So as a wrap up things to consider for a uni in order of priority (in my opinion)
1=low 5=High
Campus/City University 2
Student Satisfaction 5
Reputation 4
Proximity to parents (your choice) 4
Small friendly city/Active large city 2
If friends already at that uni 4
A balance of all these factors enabled me to decide to study Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham.
Thanks so much reading!! Plz spread the word and I really appreciate you giving your time to read my post. Good luck to all of you guys with your uni applications!!
Later on down the line could you give an update on how mechanical engineering is at Nottingham? something a I'm considering studying and would be great to know someone's first hand experience?
Original post by remixer514
Later on down the line could you give an update on how mechanical engineering is at Nottingham? something a I'm considering studying and would be great to know someone's first hand experience?
Sure thing!
I'm really hoping it would be better since mechanics seemed to be what I was destined to do. I really loved it at A Level and Notts seemes like the best place for me. Thanks for reading my post! Original post by Burhan12624
Sure thing! I'm really hoping it would be better since mechanics seemed to be what I was destined to do. I really loved it at A Level and Notts seemes like the best place for me. Thanks for reading my post!
I'm really hoping it would be better since mechanics seemed to be what I was destined to do. I really loved it at A Level and Notts seemes like the best place for me. Thanks for reading my post! Yaaay!! Notts ftw.
(I'm a CompSci firmer).
Posted from TSR Mobile
Thanks for the post op
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Posted from TSR Mobile
Thanks for posting
I'm currently going to an chemical engineering summer school for about 6 weeks and ur totally right. It's nothing like what you've learnt at a levels but it's still extremely interesting. I don't know what it's like when you're working tho so it's something I have consider.
Posted from TSR Mobile
I'm currently going to an chemical engineering summer school for about 6 weeks and ur totally right. It's nothing like what you've learnt at a levels but it's still extremely interesting. I don't know what it's like when you're working tho so it's something I have consider.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by remixer514
Later on down the line could you give an update on how mechanical engineering is at Nottingham? something a I'm considering studying and would be great to know someone's first hand experience?
I haven't forgotten u m8. I've been here 3 weeks now and as far as I can tell it's a pretty nice place. Everybody is very helpful and it seems that tutors and lecturers are warm and want u to enjoy ur uni life. (I haven't yet met any tutor, lecturer or demonstrator that was cold or unapproachable yet). (unlike Edinburgh).
I have to say this but I think Edinburgh is considered to be the "snobby" uni of Scoltand, just like Oxbridge in England. Their attitudes are similar. (I've been to a Cambridge interview.) Learning in Edinburgh is impersonal and not engaging in anyway for my course imo.
I have no complaints whatsoever in notts. I mean mech eng is a great subject for me and Notts uni has a beautiful campus with every facility u can imagine so I'd definitely recommend it.
(edited 8 years ago)
Dude, what are you talking about? I've just started an Engineering Doctorate at Edinburgh and I have to say (having been to other 4 Universities in the UK and around the world), the professors here are all of them really passionate about what they are doing, you can tell that they love their field of research and in terms if following the lectures, I think these guys are really good at explaining what they are doing. You should be really biased against this place for an unknown reason, calling them "snobby". I am telling you having been for a beer with 3 professors up until now...
I saw this character: İ
are you a turk by any chance?
are you a turk by any chance?
Original post by Aideenfay
Hi guys i havent received my reply from Edinburgh yet for Chemical Engineering, but i have attended interviews and got offers for nottingham and birmingham and waiting for decisions from Imperial and Manchester, has anybodyreciebed an offer yet ? thank you !!!
I have and I have firmed it....Now I am not so sure after reading this
I was just about to firm Edinburgh for chemical engineering before I read this. I'm not so sure anymore, especially after you said go to Bath because that was going to be my insurance. I don't even live in England or Scotland so the uni is nowhere near close to home and I'll be skipping first year. Really don't know what to do now!
Original post by Devvo666
I was just about to firm Edinburgh for chemical engineering before I read this. I'm not so sure anymore, especially after you said go to Bath because that was going to be my insurance. I don't even live in England or Scotland so the uni is nowhere near close to home and I'll be skipping first year. Really don't know what to do now!
I don't think is especially sensible to change your decision based on the experience of one person...Sure, if there are other factors which are also making you uncertain, but every department and degree course at every university in the world will have people who have had poor experiences, so don't base your decision based on what one person says. Choose wherever you feel you would be happiest/where would suit you best.
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Devvo666
I was just about to firm Edinburgh for chemical engineering before I read this. I'm not so sure anymore, especially after you said go to Bath because that was going to be my insurance. I don't even live in England or Scotland so the uni is nowhere near close to home and I'll be skipping first year. Really don't know what to do now!
Original post by Labrador99
I don't think is especially sensible to change your decision based on the experience of one person...Sure, if there are other factors which are also making you uncertain, but every department and degree course at every university in the world will have people who have had poor experiences, so don't base your decision based on what one person says. Choose wherever you feel you would be happiest/where would suit you best.
100% this.
OP joins TSR in 2015 makes a few posts and then disappears... probably not a reliable basis on which to make a decision.
Note the current student satisfaction for ChemEng at Edinburgh is 90%
https://unistats.ac.uk/subjects/satisfaction/10007790FT-UTCHENMMENG/ReturnTo/
Bath is a good choice too though... have you visited both universities?
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