How to narrow down history course?

I've got 3 unfilled spaces on my top 5 unis I'm applying for (the other 2 are Queen Mary and Cambridge which I both loved on open day). I've narrowed it down to 6 other unis, but I've got no idea how to differentiate between them:
1. LSE
2. Manchester
3. Warwick
4. UCL
5. Sheffield
6. Exeter

How can I filter through the noise of the marketing and choose which ones to apply for? I've only got the chance to visit 2 of them (Warwick and Manchester) between now and the application deadline. How should I go about discerning between them, both course-wise and more generally?

Reply 1

ageshallnot

21

Original post by Christopherlus

I've got 3 unfilled spaces on my top 5 unis I'm applying for (the other 2 are Queen Mary and Cambridge which I both loved on open day). I've narrowed it down to 6 other unis, but I've got no idea how to differentiate between them:
1. LSE
2. Manchester
3. Warwick
4. UCL
5. Sheffield
6. Exeter

How can I filter through the noise of the marketing and choose which ones to apply for? I've only got the chance to visit 2 of them (Warwick and Manchester) between now and the application deadline. How should I go about discerning between them, both course-wise and more generally?

Imagine you're attending each of them. Go through the modules available and choose which ones you would take, assuming they're all on offer should you go there. Do any of them stand out? Do you dislike any of the courses for not having interesting options? Or making you study periods or regions or types of history you're not interested in?

Another factor to consider is environment. London is very different to, say, Exeter.

Lastly, you don't have to fill all your choices in when you submit for early entry. You can go with just Cambridge and QMUL initially and add the others later (but before the equal consideration deadline).

Original post by Christopherlus

I've got 3 unfilled spaces on my top 5 unis I'm applying for (the other 2 are Queen Mary and Cambridge which I both loved on open day). I've narrowed it down to 6 other unis, but I've got no idea how to differentiate between them:
1. LSE
2. Manchester
3. Warwick
4. UCL
5. Sheffield
6. Exeter

How can I filter through the noise of the marketing and choose which ones to apply for? I've only got the chance to visit 2 of them (Warwick and Manchester) between now and the application deadline. How should I go about discerning between them, both course-wise and more generally?

Hi @Christopherlus

It sounds like you’ve made some really great progress in narrowing down your choices so far! I’m currently in my third year at the University of Exeter (studying History), but I remember just how difficult it was to make a decision, especially when there is so much information being thrown at you at this time!

First, I would definitely consider taking a closer look at the modules on offer at each university. Think about the areas of study you’re most interested in – is it medieval history, early modern, American, European, etc.? Additionally, what type of assessments do you prefer? For me, Exeter was ideal because all assessments were coursework based, meaning I didn’t have to do any timed exams. Of course, this is subject to change each year, but is something worth keeping in mind. Other areas to consider are contact hours (how often you will be attending lectures and seminars), and staff specialties. Really think about what it is you want to get out of your course, and this should help you narrow your choices further. Here is the link if you want to take a closer look at the modules on offer at the University of Exeter.

In addition to your studies, you might want to take a closer look at the societies and extra-curricular activities on offer. Personally, I’m involved in film society and running society, both of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. These have been the perfect way to escape from academics, and make friends. There might be a particular sport or hobby you take part in – have a look and see if this is something on offer at the universities you are considering. You might also have preferences about studying on a campus or in a city – think access to nature, nightlife, etc.

If you’re applying to university this year, I would definitely recommend attending Open Days where you can. I’ve attached a link here if you want to have a look at the Exeter Open Days coming up this month. You can also find more information about Online Open Days and Campus Tours should they be of interest to you.

I hope this has helped in some way! Please do feel free to ask any further questions about the University of Exeter more specifically, or student life in general!

Kitty
University of Exeter Student Ambassador

Reply 3

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Christopherlus

I've got 3 unfilled spaces on my top 5 unis I'm applying for (the other 2 are Queen Mary and Cambridge which I both loved on open day). I've narrowed it down to 6 other unis, but I've got no idea how to differentiate between them:
1. LSE
2. Manchester
3. Warwick
4. UCL
5. Sheffield
6. Exeter

How can I filter through the noise of the marketing and choose which ones to apply for? I've only got the chance to visit 2 of them (Warwick and Manchester) between now and the application deadline. How should I go about discerning between them, both course-wise and more generally?

Course content. A really big difference for example is UCL covers history from the ancient near East (3rd millennium.BCE or so I think) to modern day, covering all regions across that time period, vs LSE which is very heavily skewed towards modern international history and focuses much less on anything before the early modern era (and nothing before the medieval era as far as im aware) and emphasis is less on "internal" histories of regions and countries vs the external placing of them in their international/global context. I'm sure you can find significant differences among the others as well

How to narrow down history course?

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