I need some help in deciding insurance choice

Original post by FigLeaf

No-one’s said it yet but I will. Don’t say “tossing”, it means w@nking, so “I’m w@nking between Exeter and Kent” brings a whole different image to mind [gee thanks], ok?!

To be fair, he/she probably meant it as in 'heads or tails' (i.e. tossing a coin), but yes, it's a slightly disturbing image. :s-smilie:

Reply 3

What are the entry requirements for Exeter and Kent?
and what're you predicted?

Choose the one which has lower entry requirements than your firm.

Reply 4

TheSownRose

Original post by FigLeaf

Actually, it means 'throwing' and more specifically refers to a casual, light throw. So OP is using it correctly and you're the one who has butchered the English language.

Reply 5

Original post by TheSownRose

Actually, it means 'throwing' and more specifically refers to a casual, light throw. So OP is using it correctly and you're the one who has butchered the English language.

If the OED is to be believed, the earliest usage in that sense dates back to 1592. Just saying...

Reply 6

Original post by Emmargh

Choose the one which has lower entry requirements than your firm.

I am sure I will more or less meet my predicted grades. I care more about the course content.

*Nervously glances at all the responses* Wow, English really is the most controversial language I've ever come across! I apologize if I disturbed anyone.

I still haven't got a very helpful answer yet :frown:

Reply 7

Original post by FigLeaf

What’s up with Nottingham? I’m thinking of applying there next year. Do you mean the Shottingham thing? That’s old news.

Haha! Shottingham! No, it's not that. Trust me, I come from a city that is almost one hundred times worse, so I have no issues with the level of safety. I just heard that its standards had dropped a little; moreover, when I checked the brochure, the course seemed a tad inflexible. I didn't like the content very much.

Reply 8

Original post by lithium20

I am sure I will more or less meet my predicted grades. I care more about the course content.
Well, the point is that you'll only actually need your insurance choice if you miss your Bristol offer. So ideally it should be lower than your firm choice, to give you a bit of a leeway, otherwise you may end up getting rejected by both your choices - and English isn't the easiest of subjects to find places in Clearing for.

If you've been given the same conditions for all of your offers, Exeter probably won't make much sense as an insurance choice, because they're quite oversubscribed. So if you fail to meet your offer conditions that normally means you're out (although I suppose there's a chance that they may be inclined to be more lenient with overseas students). I'd say Kent would be a wiser backup choice, from a purely practical point of view.

If you want to base your decision on course contents, the obvious question would be how badly you want to do creative writing and/or American literature, but only you can answer that, really. :dontknow:

Reply 9

Original post by hobnob

If you want to base your decision on course contents, the obvious question would be how badly you want to do creative writing and/or American literature, but only you can answer that, really. :dontknow:

Haha. I think I messed up my sentence there (BIG oops!). What I want to know is the quality of teaching at both the schools.

Reply 10

Original post by lithium20

No, this is just TSR, people are so pedantic on here. I just ignore it.

Here's some advice :smile:

1. Look at both of the courses again, look closely at the content and the modules VERY closely, find the course with the most modules that seem the most interesting/appealing to you

2. See if you can go abroad (it's attractive to employers to find that you've got some balls and are brave enough to take the plunge and visit somewhere new)

3. Look to see if they offer work placements, employers love to see this on CV's.

If they're both 50-50 after all of this, then try UniStats and have a look at the reviews :smile:

here's the link
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/

Hope I helped :smile:

Reply 11

Original post by Emmargh

2. See if you can go abroad (it's attractive to employers to find that you've got some balls and are brave enough to take the plunge and visit somewhere new)

Erm, but we're still talking about English degrees here, right? :erm:

I mean, how much of a brave plunge is it to go from one English-speaking country to another?

Reply 12

Original post by Emmargh

2. See if you can go abroad (it's attractive to employers to find that you've got some balls and are brave enough to take the plunge and visit somewhere new)

I've already been to England :tongue:

In fact, I'm going again next week, but I only have time to visit two universities. Bristol is one of them. That's why I need to know whether I'd like Kent or Exeter better. I haven't seen either, and frankly I just want to know which has a better repuation (in general) for English.

Thanks a lot, everyone!

Reply 13

Original post by lithium20

I've already been to England :tongue:

I absolutely despise the league tables because I think that they're inaccurate (in my optinon) some people on TSR absolutely swear by them, I'll find the link and you can have a look for yourself. Just check out UniStats as well (i gave the link before, or you could just google it), they have information on there too about student experiences ect. I'd reccommend it.

Here's the link to the times league tables but they don't have one for individual subjects, however, the guardian does, have a look;

http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/stug/universityguide.php

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2010/jun/04/university-guide-english

Reply 14

Original post by hobnob

Erm, but we're still talking about English degrees here, right? :erm:

I mean, how much of a brave plunge is it to go from one English-speaking country to another?

You CAN go to universities in other countries which don't speak English, you know. I can't name them because 1. There's too many and 2. I couldn't possibly name some if i wanted to :P It gives you a chance to travel and learn about a different culture ect, i find it really exciting :smile:

Reply 15

Original post by Emmargh

Ah OK, I may have misunderstood you there. I thought you were referring to the English and American Studies course, for which the obvious destination for a year abroad would be the US.

Reply 16

Original post by Emmargh

Thank you, but they both show very different opinions about the two unis :tongue:

Either way, I think I'm leaning towards Kent, since it IS my safety. Has anyone been there and got some firsthand experience as to how good the teaching is?

Reply 17