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Places like Cambridge?

I have visited Cambridge a lot over the last year as my brother goes, and was really wanting to go there for uni too. This is mainly due to my admiration of the city.

Unfortunately I did not do well enough in my AS's (AAB/Dist) to attend.

I'm trying to think of other universities that are set in cities similar to Cambridge, with good reps?

Anyone got any ideas, I was thinking maybe Exeter, York?

Thanks.

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Reply 1

jonathanemptage

Original post by Cal-lum

Angla Ruskin has a campus in Cambridge other than that Oxford and brooks looks quite nice or you could look in London sorry that's not much help

Reply 2

Cal-lum

Original post by jonathanemptage

Angla Ruskin has a campus in Cambridge other than that Oxford and brooks looks quite nice or you could look in London sorry that's not much help

Sorry I was looking for RG unis.

Reply 3

citydeer

glasgow, edinburgh are also options?

Reply 4

ewil

Warwick and a couple of the top London ones (e.g. LSE) are pretty up there ranking-wise. I do know of someone who got in with AABB at AS though so there may be hope! Also look at Oxford, perhaps, if you have very strong GCSE's - I have heard that they put less weight on AS grades than Cambridge.

Reply 5

Carnationlilyrose

Warwick is not set in a city like Cambridge, regardless of its other virtues.

Reply 6

Klix88

Durham has a college-based system and is in an historic city. Exeter city centre is a mix of medieval and pretty ugly post-war buildings but the two main campuses are within walking distance of the city centre. York has a college system, with the main campus off to south-east of the city (website suggests a 20 min drive from the railway station).

Reply 7

cherryred90s

Original post by Cal-lum

If it's not Oxbridge, what is the point of uni? Whats the point of life?

Reply 8

gutenberg

York is a lovely city, but the university for the most part is not located there - it's in a modern campus outside the city. Same with Norwich and UEA, and Exeter, although as Klix said I think it is walkable to the city centre from Exeter, although apart from the cathedral & a small area around it, it's not especially historic.

Durham could be an option for you, as the university is located within the city (although it would depend on which college you got). Maybe Edinburgh? Or St Andrews? It's located in a small university town, has a college system (sort of), and it's very historic.

Reply 9

Yellow2914

Its thestudentroom, in their eyes its RG or you are wasting your time lol.

Reply 10

Noodlzzz

You could still have a chance with the AS grades.

Reply 11

almostmaybe

In terms of a high ranking university based in the centre an old, smallish city, Durham is probably your best bet in England (although scientists will spend the majority of time 'on the hill' to the South of the city centre). In Scotland you have St Andrew's and maybe Edinburgh if you stretch your definition of small.

There are plenty of good* Universities in historic towns (e.g. Bath, Exeter, Kent, Lancaster, York, Surrey, Stirling), but these are mainly plate-glass Universities on campuses on the outskirts (or even a short distance away). Most RG Universities are in or near the centres of larger regional cities and London for historic reasons.

Bear in mind that that, while pretty buildings are nice to have, their presence or absence is unlikely to be the defining element of your time at university.

(*Good is obviously a matter of opinion)

Reply 12

callum_law

Original post by Klix88

I agree. I'd not really compare the city centre of Exeter with Cambridge. Cambridge is on another level. York is much closer in its "historicity" and is a much nicer looking city than Exeter.

Original post by almostmaybe

There are plenty of good* Universities in historic towns (e.g. Bath, Exeter, Kent, Lancaster, York, Surrey, Stirling), but these are mainly plate-glass Universities on campuses on the outskirts (or even a short distance away). Most RG Universities are in or near the centres of larger regional cities and London for historic reasons.

Exeter is not plate glass, thank you very much. We got our royal charter a whole 6 years ahead of those plate-glass scum.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 13

the bear

Original post by Cal-lum

Heidelburg is even prettier than Cambridge

Reply 14

almostmaybe

Original post by callum_law

Exeter is not plate glass, thank you very much. We got our royal charter a whole 6 years ahead of those plate-glass scum.

Fair enough but they have similar architectural, err.. 'influences'.

Reply 15

callum_law

Original post by almostmaybe

Fair enough but they have similar architectural, err.. 'influences'.

I'd have to agree.

Even large parts of the accommodation at Cambridge is plate-glass and ugly as well. You can't escape it in Britain.

Reply 16

Cal-lum

Original post by cherryred90s

If it's not Oxbridge, what is the point of uni? Whats the point of life?

Exactly...what hope do I have now?!!!

Spoiler

Reply 17

Cal-lum

Original post by almostmaybe

I was considering Durham, the course for me isn't great though, the same with Edinburgh and St Andrews. Exeter and York are definite choices for me though. I visited York and the campus is quite out of the way, but a very nice city nonetheless. I haven't had the opportunity to visit Exeter though :frown:

I wasn't referencing the buildings directly, more the size and feel. I couldn't live somewhere 'ugly' for 3 years.

Thanks though :smile:

Reply 18

Cal-lum

Original post by callum_law

I agree. I'd not really compare the city centre of Exeter with Cambridge. Cambridge is on another level. York is much closer in its "historicity" and is a much nicer looking city than Exeter.

Exeter is not plate glass, thank you very much. We got our royal charter a whole 6 years ahead of those plate-glass scum.

I don't think I'll have the opportunity to visit exeter before I apply so can you let me know what it's like? Pros/Cons that would be fantastic.
:jebus: :yay:

(RG status achieved)

Reply 19

callum_law

Original post by Cal-lum

I don't think I'll have the opportunity to visit exeter before I apply so can you let me know what it's like? Pros/Cons that would be fantastic.
:jebus: :yay:

(RG status achieved)

It's generally good, if you're OK with not living in a big city.

It has a nice rural feel around campus (lots of trees and ****), Forum is nice and sexy (was the police station in Broadchurch, if you saw it), city centre is relatively close to campus and it has all the decent shops one would expect on a highstreet (has a Nando's as well, so your culinary desires will be most assuredly met), it's academically decent as it's part of the RG masterrace (WAHOOOO!111!!!), and it's got decent connections to the biggish city of Bristol and also access links to beaches in Exmouth (beaches which I have never visited, but people like to bang on about). 2 hours from London, if you need to see Big Ben or something. There is a very nice quay with lots of nice cafes and things like that which is definitely worth seeing.

Bad side, if you're used to London, Exeter might come as quite a shock.

It has about 5 nightclubs which are OKish (if that's your scene), has a fair amount of hobos (which I sincerely do not know why considering it's a small city—if you're a sociologist, maybe this could be your dissertation thesis), has a largely white student body (with a third internationals), and a lot of posh students (but most RG unis have a large portion of 'em anyway). Some of the buildings are very ugly and just absurd (Amory being a hellhole where anyone with less than a PhD in quantum mechanics is definitely going to get lost; physics building looks like a Soviet prison). It has a monstrous hill called cardiac hill which one must ascend to gain entry to most of the uni buildings—I am ambivalent about this because it is torture but one cannot help but feel triumphant once one has reached the top.

Generally quite good. They're investing a lot so things like the old buildings are being replaced by more modern ones. Get yourself on Google Streetview.