Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

What course/uni sounds best for me.

Well today i've decided to apply through Ucas by myself, as i am no longer at school.

I'm currently doing an Electrical & Electronic Engineering foundation year at Man met, but finding that the teaching here isn't great - Because of this i feel i am not enjoying the course and have selected another course along side it.

I'm looking for a city with a vibrant nightlife, but also presents diversity through the day too.

After looking through the league tables i have decided to pick the following courses and universities due to their rank, city and cost of living there.

Liverpool John Moores - Architectural Technology
Liverpool John Moores - Electrical Engineering
Northumbria - Electrical and Engineering
Northumbria - Architectural Technology
Sheffield Hallam - Electrical and Electronic Engineering
*Manchester Metropolitan - Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

* I also have a Guaranteed place at Manchester Metropolitan doing Electrical and Electronic Engineering if i pass, therefore 6 choices. ( Due to the Foundation year and do not need to apply to it through Ucas)

A levels
D,D,D. Maths , Business, Product Design.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 1

oxymoronic

Given you've narrowed it down to 5 choices, you may as well apply to them all and get their decisions back before you make any decisions. This gives you time to go to some open days and visit the departments. In terms of the cities, you've chosen universities which are all located in major UK cities so therefore the actual city locations will be relatively similar. Your main decisions will be based on location (is Liverpool, Sheffield or Newcastle better for you?) and the actual course, as given the course names, they will have very different content. Take a look at the course content, optional modules etc and see which one suits you better. You also need to work out whether you'd still like to study EEE at university despite your experiences at Manchester Met this year.

Reply 2

Alison1992

Why are you leaving it until april to apply through ucas?

Reply 3

Becca-Sarah

If you're trying to start uni in September, you need to ring each of those 5 uni's as soon as possible and clarify that they a) still have places on the course you want and b) would be willing to consider you with your grades.

Reply 4

seannf

Original post by Becca-Sarah

Hi i have done this and they said i still have a good chance of being accepted.
As for the the courses i've been to a open day to northumbria and shefflied hallam to see about architectural technology as it was my initial choice, and was quite interested in it, how ever i think i will try and go to all the open days and look at the course units in more details today. What city do you think is more diverse and vibrant in terms of social and nightlife? Also i have to bear in mind that the further south i go the more expensive it is to live - the accommodation at sheffield seems very good value, as does northumbria.

Reply 5

oxymoronic

Original post by seannf

Also i have to bear in mind that the further south i go the more expensive it is to live - the accommodation at sheffield seems very good value, as does northumbria.

You're considering Sheffield as your most southern place. It isn't exactly in the south, is it?!

I really can't imagine the cost of living to differ that much between your 3 locations. They're all northern English cities. Its not as though you're considering one of those and then somewhere like Canterbury.

Reply 6

seannf

Original post by oxymoronic

Ha true, guess im wrong in saying that , Manchester seems quite expensive in terms of rent ( i am living purely of student loan/grant and part time job ) there just seems better for value accommodation floating in the other cities

Reply 7

seannf

I have just been on the phone to all the different universities i listed above and they said i am eligible, and that i could apply for the 2nd year. I was wondering why this is - doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of a foundation year? They also said if i struggle with it i could be moved back down to the first year, if i decide fast enough. However i have already applied for entry into the first year.

Also how likely is it that i would be able to cope , i am pretty doubtful as a friend on the course said i would be able to cope but said i would have to learn about arduino boards, engineering maths , and AC generators - how would i go about doing this?