Voting for TSRs Ultimate Study Playlist is NOW OPEN >>

Manchester Met or South Wales?

Hi!

I'm a mature student, hoping to study music and audio production in September 2023 - I currently have clearing offers from both Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of South Wales, and I'm not sure which one to pick.

MMU seems to generally perform better in league tables, have higher entry standards, and have a better reputation than USW.

However, it does feel as though USW have taken an approach that is, for lack of a better description, more invested? Although I possess qualifications to meet UCAS tariff requirements at both unis, none of them are specifically music related - USW specifically challenged me on this on the clearing hotline. I brought up my long-term hobbyist background, and so my application was referred to the department. The course leader specifically arranged a video chat with me to discuss the course, asked for some of my work, and listened to some tracks from my portfolio, all before ultimately making an offer - it feels as though I'm being viewed as a potential student rather than just a bum on a seat, and - as previously mentioned - it simply feels like their approach is invested.

MMU, on the other hand, simply asked for proof of one of my qualifications, and then made an offer after a couple of days. Relative to the USW approach, I can't help but feel it seems somewhat apathetic.

I originally went in with the plan of having MMU as my main choice, and USW as a back-up, but the differences in approach is causing second thoughts.

I like the look of both courses, and Manchester and Cardiff are both cities that I'd be happy to live in, so neither of these factors are too useful as tiebreakers.

Any advice?

Thank you!