The Student Room Group
Waterfront bar, King's College
King's College London
London

Current King's student willing to answer any questions any 2015 applicants have

Hi offer holders/future King's students :smile:

I am currently a first year undergraduate student at King's College London, studying English Literature & Language.

I remember for myself what it was like this time last year, not knowing which university to choose, what had the best social life, best accommodation, whether this university was for me etc. and not really having anyone to go to to ask questions regarding the university! So I am here to help with any questions you may have to the best of my ability. Note: my expertise is quite limited, particularly regarding courses as I'm unsure about other courses/specifications etc. apart from my own.

Any general questions you may have just pop them down on here and I'll try my best to get back to you as soon as I can, and hopefully be able to reply with an insightful response!
Hi, what halls were you in? And what halls are the most social to your knowledge? Thanks
Waterfront bar, King's College
King's College London
London
What is the social life like?
Reply 3
Would you happen to know which accommodation is closest to the strand campus? And if you live out of uni do you miss out on a lot?
Reply 4
Original post by patricksbx
Hi, what halls were you in? And what halls are the most social to your knowledge? Thanks



Hello, I'm currently at Moonraker Point - one of the most expensive yet nicest accommodation in my eyes. In my opinion, there is no one accommodation that can be considered the most "social". It's all down to pot luck, depending on how many flatmates you get, the ratio of international students to UK students and how sociable they are. Every body has had different experiences at each of their accommodations. Therefore it doesn't really matter which accommodation you choose, it can be as social as you want it to be. There are many many opportunities to meet new people in your accommodation and if you get lumped in a bad flat, as long as you're nice and friendly and willing to socialise, you will always make friends elsewhere. If I were to pin point the two most sociable, I'd probably say GDS and Stamford Street Apartments - but again Wolfson House etc. are all said to be quite sociable as well.
Thank you. Another question - I'm from a fairly rural/suburban part of England. Was the change difficult? Obviously London is a huge city but I feel it also has a reputation for being one of the most lonely cities, especially to live in. I know you will make friends and what not but I worry that I'm risking my "university experience" just because I love London as a city.
Reply 6
Original post by dufsufie
Would you happen to know which accommodation is closest to the strand campus? And if you live out of uni do you miss out on a lot?


Closest accommodation to Strand Campus is Stamford Street Apartments. Moonraker Point isn't that far behind, it takes about a twenty five minute walk which isn't too bad - from Moonraker. There are also options to take a bus. I'd advise you not to go off picking your accommodation in terms of how close it is, unless it's very very far away like Champion Hill, (which is a very very nice residence) just quite far and you have to travel a long way. All in all, SSA, GDS, Wolfson House and Moonraker Point are probably the closest to The Strand. But I have heard people haven't been satisfied with the quality of SSA and would have rather paid a bit more and been a tad further away and be prepared to travel if they could live somewhere nicer.

You can check out more options of accommodation here...

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/accom/kings/kingsresidences/index.aspx

And on each of the options it should tell you how far each one is from each campus and so forth.

Also on the Open Days, if you're attending, you should be able to preview some of the accommodation.

Unless you live within the M25, I'd very much advise you to live in at university. However, even if you do live in suburban London, I'd definitely still advise you to live in. I know it seems silly, as the cost of accommodation is so expensive and you may already have a place to stay, but a big part of the university experience is living in halls/residence - which is very much where most of the socialising takes place. People who just come to university for the course may struggle to have a good of a social life as those who live in residencea - as naturally you become more closer to people there and just meet a lot more people easily.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 7
How did you find accommodation? Which would you say is the best place to live in? Also, how much free time do you have? Could a student get a small job like 10 hours per week?
And do you miss that campus feeling?
Are there student clubs and societies? And sports teams?
Reply 8
Original post by patricksbx
Thank you. Another question - I'm from a fairly rural/suburban part of England. Was the change difficult? Obviously London is a huge city but I feel it also has a reputation for being one of the most lonely cities, especially to live in. I know you will make friends and what not but I worry that I'm risking my "university experience" just because I love London as a city.


The perception of London as a 'lonely city' is a strange one. I come from quite a quiet town in the North of England, and personally I didn't find the change difficult. But then again, every body is different and it depends what kind of personality you have and how much you want to live in London. I'd say definitely you have to be quite independent to live in a city like London, it is very big and at times you can feel like a small fish in a big pond. In my opinion, London is the best city in England. There is so much going on and so many different people that it's hard to feel lonely. If you love London as a city, that's a good start as it shows you'd appreciate living here, it's all about maximizing what you are given and using it to the fullest. It is up to you what you make out of London, every body has the potential to make their university experience "great". And I'd say London is very much the best place which would gives you everything you'd need and more to make your university experience amazing. There are so many different opportunities here and different things to do that you'd never ever get bored or sick of living here.

As Samuel Johnson said,

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

Don't be afraid of being lonely, King's has such diversity and a variety of people that you could be friends with any body. If you are going to live in halls, which I presume you are, your flatmates will become your new family. If anything, you feel like you are not alone enough! I know sometimes I feel like I don't get enough time to myself sometimes!


(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by solshards
What is the social life like?


Like any university you may go to, the social life has the potential to be great for any body. But at King's, there are so many societies, sports teams, events and such a variety of people that you can have a great social life here. It is what you make of it. London in particular offers a great social life, there are many chances to meet lots of different people, particularly on your course through society events etc. and so forth - but I'd say if you were looking for the "campus student experience", King's is quite different to that due to the way the accommodation is separated.
Hi,
I'm currently deciding whether to study politics at kcl or york. I've not been to kcl yet but I'm planning to have a look around. My main worries with living in london would be the cost, particularly of 2nd year accomodation (could you tell me how that works and if you have to move out of your halls after the 1st year?), and another worry is being in such a big city which make me feel lonely and isolated. I would be greatful if you could shed some light on these issues and tell me of your experience of kings :smile:
Reply 11
I had an interview at Kings today for mental health nursing and I really would like to go there. However, the cost of everything is worrying me, like would I get a better student experience and more out of my money in a more Northern city? I like to go out alot and socialise and I'm worried that the cost of a night out will limit me having a good time at uni if its super expensive. Also how much does travelling around London cost? I'd need to commute to placements quite a bit and I think they are based all around London.
So in general, do you feel you still get the same student experience as you would of up north where the living and costs of things would be less?
Hello, I recently got an offer for postgraduate study at King's and I'm looking into the closest affordable studio to the waterloo campus. Does anyone know any? I'm considering Moonraker Point, Great Suffolk House, Pure Bankside, Brittania South bank and Orchard Lisle. Are they any good? Urbanest also seems pretty nice but is expensive. It also seems pretty close. What are your thoughts? Thanks
Reply 13
Original post by Annaisobel97
Hi,
I'm currently deciding whether to study politics at kcl or york. I've not been to kcl yet but I'm planning to have a look around. My main worries with living in london would be the cost, particularly of 2nd year accomodation (could you tell me how that works and if you have to move out of your halls after the 1st year?), and another worry is being in such a big city which make me feel lonely and isolated. I would be greatful if you could shed some light on these issues and tell me of your experience of kings :smile:



Hello, apologies it has taken me such a long time to reply. I think your main concern should be first year accommodation, for me in particular, second year accommodation is going to be a lot less expensive than where I'm currently living. However, I am living at one of the most expensive accommodation KCL has to offer, which is Moonraker Point. The cost of accommodation in second year is down to you. If you are willing to travel, and live a bit further out from campus, then you are bound to get something that is relatively cheap. Again, if you willing to compromise on the niceness of a flat/house, then you will easily find something that's affordable. Occasionally, there are some cheap gems out there! My best advice would be is to work out how you are going to budget your money at the beginning of the year and see how much you will have throughout and stick to that budget.

London can be a lonely city, but as said on one of my earlier thread comments, it is what you make it. There are hundreds and thousands of students in London, all in the same position as you and wanting to be friends. My best advice would be to join as many societies as possible when you first come to King's, and make a huge effort with your flatmates and people in your accommodation and course - making sure you go to all of the events and just be as friendly as possible! I found a lot of the friends I made in Freshers are now my best friends now.
Reply 14
Original post by em-mitch
I had an interview at Kings today for mental health nursing and I really would like to go there. However, the cost of everything is worrying me, like would I get a better student experience and more out of my money in a more Northern city? I like to go out alot and socialise and I'm worried that the cost of a night out will limit me having a good time at uni if its super expensive. Also how much does travelling around London cost? I'd need to commute to placements quite a bit and I think they are based all around London.
So in general, do you feel you still get the same student experience as you would of up north where the living and costs of things would be less?


Hi there. I'm going to be honest, a student experience up North is far different than one you will have in London. Generally, things in London are more expensive, for example alcohol and nights out - I had a massive shock when I first moved here and refused to pay anything more than I would for something up North. But you do adjust. You won't necessarily need to compromise how often you go out, you just need to be careful with how you budget your money and what you prioritise. However, naturally you will get more out of your money up North, like £1 shots and things don't really exist down South. But don't forget, in London, you're paying for location and to study at one of the best universities in the country.

In terms of money for travel, it will depend where your accommodation is situated. For example, I live a 20 minute walk from my campus so I walk to and from uni every day. Therefore I have a standard student 18+ oyster card, which I only top up if I'm going somewhere on a night out or on some kind of excursion. I'd say £10-£15 a week for travel is all you need if you are able to walk to and from uni every day. However, if you live further out you might be better investing in a travelcard, which will be slightly more expensive.
Reply 15
Original post by Zulaykha
Hello, I recently got an offer for postgraduate study at King's and I'm looking into the closest affordable studio to the waterloo campus. Does anyone know any? I'm considering Moonraker Point, Great Suffolk House, Pure Bankside, Brittania South bank and Orchard Lisle. Are they any good? Urbanest also seems pretty nice but is expensive. It also seems pretty close. What are your thoughts? Thanks



If you can afford it, I'd recommend Moonraker Point. However, it is quite expensive for a studio. But, the accommodation is incredibly nice, as I live there myself. I can't really offer much advice on the other properties. Moonraker Point is only a ten minute walk from Waterloo campus. I'd recommend looking at UNITE student properties, they have a lot of accommodation in the Southwark area which is an ideal location if you want to be close to King's.
Original post by srhtaylor
If you can afford it, I'd recommend Moonraker Point. However, it is quite expensive for a studio. But, the accommodation is incredibly nice, as I live there myself. I can't really offer much advice on the other properties. Moonraker Point is only a ten minute walk from Waterloo campus. I'd recommend looking at UNITE student properties, they have a lot of accommodation in the Southwark area which is an ideal location if you want to be close to King's.


Thanks a lot for your response. It was very helpful. I have checked the unite website but I could only see the moonraker in the southwark area. Are there any in particular you might recommend? Also I'm really considering applying for moonraker point but I read on this forum that unite accommodation usually has small rooms and some facilities don't function well. Is this true? I also wanted to know does it really matter that the moonraker studios don't have any tvs because at that price I expected more like the orchard lisle studios which have tvs in them. That's why I'm leaning more towards the orchard lisle. I have also never seen a picture of the moonraker studio, I wonder why they don't have any on the website. Sorry for all my questions. Lol. It's just really difficult when you're halfway across the world and you have to make such important decisions over the Internet.
Reply 17
Original post by Zulaykha
Thanks a lot for your response. It was very helpful. I have checked the unite website but I could only see the moonraker in the southwark area. Are there any in particular you might recommend? Also I'm really considering applying for moonraker point but I read on this forum that unite accommodation usually has small rooms and some facilities don't function well. Is this true? I also wanted to know does it really matter that the moonraker studios don't have any tvs because at that price I expected more like the orchard lisle studios which have tvs in them. That's why I'm leaning more towards the orchard lisle. I have also never seen a picture of the moonraker studio, I wonder why they don't have any on the website. Sorry for all my questions. Lol. It's just really difficult when you're halfway across the world and you have to make such important decisions over the Internet.



Hello, it's no problem.

I've attached the only photo I have of a studio at Moonraker Point, which is my friend's studio but it's quite limiting. The studios aren't very big, also what is unfair is that they vary in size. Some students have bigger studios than others and/or a balcony. They are decent in size, however the bathroom adjoins to the kitchen, which then adjoins to the bedroom and it's all quite open in its plan. They are very nice though! None of the accommodation at Moonraker has a TV within its room, we have a big common room downstairs which has one TV but they don't offer anything else. It is a shame, as it is so costly so you would expect at least some form of a television. But hey ho! To be honest, it's probably a blessing in disguise that we don't have TV's.

Regarding other accommodation...http://www.unite-students.com/london

This has the accommodation I was talking about. I know a few friends of mine who are going into second year but not wanting to live with friends from their course and so forth are going to Wellington lodge. All of the properties on here are rather central, however ideally you should be looking for something in the Southwark/Waterloo/Elephant & Castle area.
I am also interested to know if the Britannia South Bank is a good accommodation…The price is awesome, but I want to be sure about any trap! Is there anyone who can share opinions about that? thank you!!
Original post by srhtaylor
Hi offer holders/future King's students :smile:

I am currently a first year undergraduate student at King's College London, studying English Literature & Language.

I remember for myself what it was like this time last year, not knowing which university to choose, what had the best social life, best accommodation, whether this university was for me etc. and not really having anyone to go to to ask questions regarding the university! So I am here to help with any questions you may have to the best of my ability. Note: my expertise is quite limited, particularly regarding courses as I'm unsure about other courses/specifications etc. apart from my own.

Any general questions you may have just pop them down on here and I'll try my best to get back to you as soon as I can, and hopefully be able to reply with an insightful response!

Hello,
I have an offer for Spanish and English at KCL which I strongly consider to accept. If you could share your impression about the teaching in the English department , that would be great ( is it strong enough / interesting ?etc). Also, do you know anybody studying Spanish at KCL ? I also have an offer at UCL for Spanish and Art History , but would prefer KCL because of English.Many thanks in advance.

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