Would you recommend Aberystwyth?

Shop wise, are there more like independent shops or big chain stores? (asda, tesco, etc)

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i just started in september and i'm really happy i chose here-heres some answers...
how isolated is the town? - its a pain to get home cos the trains are only every 2 hours but i dont feel particularly isolated... - actually there are plans in the works to get that to a 1 hour service as of end of 2015, and in the far future (probably 10-15 years off) they are thinking of reopening the line to South Wales.
How is the night life? -one of my friends who likes clubbing sometimes gets a bit fed up sometimes but if you're more into pubs than clubs you'll be fine - the clubs do have a tendency of playing the same songs. I cannot count how many times Gangnam Style has been played over the years - or the Lonely Island and Akon
where would you go to see someone on tour? - the nearest place for bands is birmingham to be honest - I don't know we do get comedians like Jimmy Carr regularly. But for music, yeah, Birmingham / Manchester are safer bets.
how are the shops, is there anywhere to buy CDs and stuff like that or will you have to order it online? -theres a game and 'andys records' that i've seen so far . There are these places, but for most Amazon is our friend. And Netflix.
is it a friendly place to be? i started in september and loving it so far-there is quite a community feel just cos it is so small and theres such a large proportion of students Yes, and you get to know people very quickly
How many of the students are from wales?-apparently its about a third but i havent really noticed-you definetely won't feel in the minority or anything if you're not welsh more than that, it's about 1/2. 1/2 Welsh, 1/3 elsewhere in the UK and 1/6 international (for the most part from European Union, but we do have our fair share of Americans and people from the far East).
is there any kind of lgbt scene? -cant help you on that one sorry though i think theres a lgbt soc. There is. 2 meetings a week - 1 at night (Thursdays) and 1 in the day (Sundays), and 1 Tuesday night a month there is an LGBT disco night called Scene at the Union

hope this helps

Hey dude, I've been offered a place at Aberystwyth and I was wondering the same. I know a bloke who is in his second year there he absolutely loves it. It's a nice town by the Sea which can have its perks in summer. The night life is good, there's like 3 clubs and over 50 pubs. Due to the small nature of the town you'll always know people because in term time the students make up about 30% of the population of Aberystwyth. I read this in the reviews and on their site. The lectures are apparently rather good and same for the accommodation if you know where to look. I'm legitimately looking at it as one of my options. Hope this helps!

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I'm thinking of applying to Aberystwyth however I was wondering what current students think about studying there. My main questions are how isolated is the town? How is the night life? I'm from Manchester, and although I'm not expecting the nightlife to be anything like it is here, do you ever get bored? or run out of stuff to do? what about concerts? I'm assuming there's no stadium, so where would you go to see someone on tour? how are the shops, is there anywhere to buy CDs and stuff like that or will you have to order it online? is it a friendly place to be? How many of the students are from wales? is there any kind of lgbt scene? the last one isn't of great importance, but i wouldn't really want to go 3 years without having 1 date haha :') I know this is a lot but I can't find any of this in the prospectus and I'd rather have honest opinions from students who are there :-) Thanks!

Hey dude, I've been offered a place at Aberystwyth and I was wondering the same. I know a bloke who is in his second year there he absolutely loves it. It's a nice town by the Sea which can have its perks in summer. The night life is good, there's like 3 clubs and over 50 pubs. Due to the small nature of the town you'll always know people because in term time the students make up about 30% of the population of Aberystwyth. I read this in the reviews and on their site. The lectures are apparently rather good and same for the accommodation if you know where to look. I'm legitimately looking at it as one of my options. Hope this helps!

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OK as a current finalist student - prepare for answers


We have a Morrisons in Llanbardan Fawr (small village right next to Aber), 2 small spars, 1 big 24 hour spar, and the recently opened (on TUESDAY!) Tesco extra (yes, the one with that cash machine outside with the dodgy translation!). More convenient is CKs, where everyone goes. Big Spar on Great Darkgate Street is only 24 hour shop.





- Just added my answers to yours, sorry.





You tend not to see many of the locals in term time. The night life is OK, but it's nothing on the scale of the bigger cities; if you like nightclubs then Aber really is NOT the place for you. We do have 2 nightclubs with cheap entry and cheap enough alcohol, but there really isn't the competition you get in places like Liverpool, Newcastle, Birmingham, Portsmouth etc. Students make up about 50-70% I believe. The accommodation - NEVER go private for second year. ALWAYS apply for uni accommodation. I have not heard many good things at all about the private sector here, and have always been fortunate enough to live on campus. For campus choices I would heavily (and biasedly) say Pentre Jane Morgan before anywhere else. It has such a community feeling and is by far the best campus accommodation. I would advise against Brynderw in town; spent some of my time there in first year, and honestly, I'd be here all night if I was to tell you what I found problematic about it - if you live on the top floor, I sympathise for you as that's where I was. No elevator to take you up with your shopping, nor laundromat facilities in the building - best of luck with that bro!





First thing's first; what is your subject choice? Second of all you never really notice the isolation ... until you return home ... unless that's isolated, then by comparison Aber will be the equivalent of London. The nearest major town is Shrewsbury, which is 1 hour 50 minutes by train, otherwise Aber is the nearest major settlement for miles - and we're only a population of about 25,000. So yeah, if you're from Manchester, it will be a massive shock to the system, unless you're a regular visitor to the Pennines and/or the Dales, which will give you some sort of accurate image. The nightlife is ok - better for pubs, but not a club place at all. We have 2 cinemas, but only 1 screen in each and the releases are about 6 weeks behind the rest of the UK, BUT half the price of a standard odeon ticket - £4.50, which tbh is pretty good. To see someone on tour, you either need to return home to Manchester or head directly to Birmingham Airport where the NEC is (only direct train from Aber, which takes 3 hours 16 minutes to get to). CDs there is Andy's records, and a small selection in Morrisons, but other than that order online. DVDs are much more Order online. It's friendly but if you fall out with someone, there's no avoiding them really, it is a small town. Everyone knows everyone. There is an LGBT society which often runs events and socials - I've been to the events myself, they're pretty good and cheap to get into, the socials, I can't comment on because I've never been. I would say dating apps could be the best way forward when you get into Aber, if you struggle to find someone after first term, say.

Oh and you never get sunsets like you do in Aber. Everyone has a whole Facebook album full of them. And avoid the seagulls - they WILL take your food! And avoid Liplicking Chicken after a drunken night out ... Everyone gets dominoes or McDonalds anyway, but just making the point ...

Thanks for the info! I'd probably be studying German/Spanish if I do go ah so you've found the dating scene okay then? I kinda had this mental image it'd be an only gay in the village scenario like off Little Britain haha

My mate who goes there says there's a good mix of girls and guys of all orientations, which is awesome

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There was a young maid of Aberystwyth,

Ah cool, I'm a French student so I can give you some info on the European Languages department if you want?
I've not really bothered with it if I'm tbh. Aber is such a small town that if things go wrong in relationships - they find a way of becoming known by a fair percentage of people.

Yeah that'd be great how have you found it? Are you in lessons/seminars many hours a week? is the actual teaching any good? ah, it's that sort of place haha would you say it was easy to make friends? On visiting other bigger uni's open days it felt really overwhelming and there were so many people you kind of felt lost.

I don't think it's purely down to the grade requirements, but rather the negative press attention the university has received. But your point about Physics and Business is really snobbish if I'm tbh. Go to another British university and you'll find many courses which people will perceive as mismatched. Aber is NOT alone on that. People wouldn't associate my two courses, but they are offered at plenty of universities in the rest of the UK. Campus, we've had scaffholding on for the last 2 years, so it's become the norm for me to see it all the time particularly on the Hugh Owen, however it's an even more common sight in town itself. They are fixing the accommodation with Penglais Farm, and despite the delays (was supposed to open this year, now postponed until next year earliest - I think defo finished by 2016 though). Brynderw, I would not recommend anyone to stay in, if you end up on the town or seafront residences that is the one you don't want. However, despite the floods, the barriers are generally safe and do well to protect from flooding. The events from January 2014 and June 2012 are EXTREMELY rare! In fact the last major storm Aber had endured was before the second world war (the winter of 1938). PJM all the way for accommodation. Rosser is more expensive, but not worth the money for the ensuite - it is extremely compact, and if you're claustrophobic, best of luck!

There was a young maid of Aberystwyth,
Who went to the mill to get grist with,

If you are basing your opinions on our rankings, then it shows how much you actually know. Step aside and let the actual students tell you what's really going on here.

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Quite honestly, do not believe everything you are told. Come and see it for yourself because Aber is a great uni that deserves a better reputation.