Undergrad Durham or Manchester

Help! I have gotten all my offers from the unis I applied to. Durham has given me a sweet deal of BBC and Uni of Manchester has offered me ABB. (I want to study Ancient History and Archaeology) I know what I want as my insurance, but I am unsure what my firm should be?! Manchester.... or Durham..? Both have great courses I am just worried about everyday life, Manchester has some accommodation issues I have heard of which worry me and Durham will be super far away and has a bit of a.... posh reputation and I don't feel like is my vibe :frown:

what do people think? advice would be so helpful thank you all! <3

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Look at the courses and see what options are available on each, and see which you prefer on an academic front. Manchester has some Egyptology options, notably.

Durham University

Durham

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Reply 2

McKitty

I have children studying at both Durham and Manchester. They are both great cities and both Great universities but they are VERY different- pretty much polar opposites.

I would visit both cities and think carefully about what is important for you. Manchesters clubs are wide and varied - open till 7am and many are cutting edge and alternative. Durhams are open until 2 and aren’t. Manchester is a massive city Durham is very small. What sort of environment are you looking for? The Durham collegiate system is amazing but equally not for everyone.

My suggestion is to really dig deep into what is important to you - not just in terms of a Uni but the city. What do you enjoy doing socially and which best meets your needs.

Reply 3

Durham Students

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Original post by Anonymous #1

what do people think? advice would be so helpful thank you all! <3

Hiya

Congratulations on receiving the offers, that's a big feat!

To answer your questions, Durham and Manchester are quite different cities, with Durham being more of a small town than offering a big city vibe like Manchester. I come from a big city so Durham was a nice change of scenery for me as it's so pretty and close to nature. If you prefer that too, Durham will be a good option. It's a very walkable city because it's so small and you'll often end up running into people you know, like on campus or in the market place.

Durham also has a collegiate system which Manchester doesn't. I always mention how this gives you an additional layer of support in terms of finance, mental health and general student welfare. Colleges also have societies, common rooms and bars where you can socialize and make new friends- this way you don't just have to depend on your course to meet people.

Not to mention that you have a lower entry requirement from Durham which will be much easier to meet than Mancheter's.

I understand your concern regarding the posh reputation and won't say it's unfounded. Firstly, I wouldn't judge somebody's behaviour by their economic status and I have friends who are rich but down to earth. Secondly, not everybody is like that. Most people I have encountered here have been very nice, friendly and welcoming. It can take a while to make friends who you feel a connection with but it's definitely possible. Just try to engage with societies, extracurriculars, and your college events as much as you comfortably can.

Hope that helps :smile: