The Student Room Group

Cardiff or Leeds?

Hi,

Okay - so I am literally the most indecisive person in the world. I can't decide where I want to go for uni and I keep changing my mind. I'm torn between Cardiff and Leeds at the moment (however in previous threads I've been torn between others).

I have an offer from Leeds for BA Chinese and Japanese (5 year course with 2 years abroad - however the workload is intense (24 hours a week) and I'm not sure if I want to study Chinese for any reason other than it would look good on my CV. I like the uni campus but I've not been too keen on the city itself the times I've visited. Due to the intense workload I'm worried I wouldn't have (much) free time for extra-curricular activities and societies, which I know employers also look at.

I also have an offer from Cardiff for Japanese and Spanish. I really love Spanish at A-level and I don't think I want to give it up. Also I prefer Cardiff as a city (however that might be because I know it better as I have family there). However I know Cardiff isn't as good in the rankings, but this doesn't bother me so much as I'm turning down an offer from Durham (most likely) for these universities. Also lots of people study Spanish at degree level so I'm not sure whether I'd be favourable to employers - I'm worried I'll be doing the wrong thing by not doing Chinese and Japanese as it's such a unique degree and it would be an opportunity.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

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Original post by reenie.stp
Hi,

Okay - so I am literally the most indecisive person in the world. I can't decide where I want to go for uni and I keep changing my mind. I'm torn between Cardiff and Leeds at the moment (however in previous threads I've been torn between others).

I have an offer from Leeds for BA Chinese and Japanese (5 year course with 2 years abroad - however the workload is intense (24 hours a week) and I'm not sure if I want to study Chinese for any reason other than it would look good on my CV. I like the uni campus but I've not been too keen on the city itself the times I've visited. Due to the intense workload I'm worried I wouldn't have (much) free time for extra-curricular activities and societies, which I know employers also look at.

I also have an offer from Cardiff for Japanese and Spanish. I really love Spanish at A-level and I don't think I want to give it up. Also I prefer Cardiff as a city (however that might be because I know it better as I have family there). However I know Cardiff isn't as good in the rankings, but this doesn't bother me so much as I'm turning down an offer from Durham (most likely) for these universities. Also lots of people study Spanish at degree level so I'm not sure whether I'd be favourable to employers - I'm worried I'll be doing the wrong thing by not doing Chinese and Japanese as it's such a unique degree and it would be an opportunity.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.


Choosing to study a subject you don't enjoy is always a bad idea. For languages (and especially for Chinese) you really need to love it to do it at degree level - if you don't, you will almost certainly end up dropping it or dropping out of university altogether.

Go to Cardiff. You prefer the location and the course, and it certainly isn't a bad university. Not sure why you think Leeds is better than Cardiff, it isn't.
Reply 2
Original post by Snufkin
Choosing to study a subject you don't enjoy is always a bad idea. For languages (and especially for Chinese) you really need to love it to do it at degree level - if you don't, you will almost certainly end up dropping it or dropping out of university altogether.

Go to Cardiff. You prefer the location and the course, and it certainly isn't a bad university. Not sure why you think Leeds is better than Cardiff, it isn't.


Hi,
Thank you for your reply! I'm not saying that I necessarily wouldn't enjoy Chinese but I'm not sure as I don't know much about it and I know I definitely love Spanish as a language.

Do you think my CV wouldn't look as impressive to an employer with a degree in Japanese and Spanish as apposed to a degree in Chinese and Japanese? I don't want to make the wrong decision by turning down Leeds. Also in the Complete University Guide rankings, Leeds is a lot higher than Cardiff both overall and with regards to Iberian languages.
Original post by reenie.stp
Hi,
Thank you for your reply! I'm not saying that I necessarily wouldn't enjoy Chinese but I'm not sure as I don't know much about it and I know I definitely love Spanish as a language.

Do you think my CV wouldn't look as impressive to an employer with a degree in Japanese and Spanish as apposed to a degree in Chinese and Japanese? I don't want to make the wrong decision by turning down Leeds. Also in the Complete University Guide rankings, Leeds is a lot higher than Cardiff both overall and with regards to Iberian languages.


I don't think Chinese and Japanese looks more impressive, especially when you consider the fact that you won't actually be fluent in either language after only four years of study. Fluency in Spanish is more impressive, and ultimately more useful than being at an intermediate level in two Asian languages. Don't trust rankings, they're nearly always wrong.
Reply 4
Original post by Snufkin
I don't think Chinese and Japanese looks more impressive, especially when you consider the fact that you won't actually be fluent in either language after only four years of study. Fluency in Spanish is more impressive, and ultimately more useful than being at an intermediate level in two Asian languages. Don't trust rankings, they're nearly always wrong.


At Leeds they expect you to be fluent in both languages at the end of the course, as you spend a year in Japan and a year in either China or Taiwan in the 2nd and 3rd years of study, and then return to Leeds for another two years to learn further.
Original post by reenie.stp
At Leeds they expect you to be fluent in both languages at the end of the course, as you spend a year in Japan and a year in either China or Taiwan in the 2nd and 3rd years of study, and then return to Leeds for another two years to learn further.


You still won't be fluent, whatever they say on their website. I know someone who has literally been learning Chinese for a decade and still isn't fluent, and he lives in China!
Reply 6
Original post by Snufkin
You still won't be fluent, whatever they say on their website. I know someone who has literally been learning Chinese for a decade and still isn't fluent, and he lives in China!


Oh I see... well I'd definitely rather be fluent in at least Spanish in that case. Do you think it's worth me emailing Leeds to find out if they actually mean fluent when they say fluent or not?
Original post by reenie.stp
Oh I see... well I'd definitely rather be fluent in at least Spanish in that case. Do you think it's worth me emailing Leeds to find out if they actually mean fluent when they say fluent or not?


You can ask them if you want, but email the language tutor - only they can give you a fair estimation of what level students reach.
Reply 8
Original post by Snufkin
You can ask them if you want, but email the language tutor - only they can give you a fair estimation of what level students reach.


I will - I've already emailed them regarding keeping up with Spanish if I do decide to go there, so I'll ask them about proficiency once they get back to me.
Reply 9
Ohhh really not fluent? When someone tells you that you can't do smth actually says "I can't do it". I have been at Leeds and met a girl who has been studying Arabic and Chinese. She is last-year student and she said that she is absolutely fluent in both language. She has also been studying Japanese. She said also she needs 2-3 months to learn new dialect in both langauges. There is nothing so impossible! Also a friend of mine has spent one year in China and now he teaches Chinese in Denmark at one university.
Original post by Darilinna
Ohhh really not fluent? When someone tells you that you can't do smth actually says "I can't do it". I have been at Leeds and met a girl who has been studying Arabic and Chinese. She is last-year student and she said that she is absolutely fluent in both language. She has also been studying Japanese. She said also she needs 2-3 months to learn new dialect in both langauges. There is nothing so impossible! Also a friend of mine has spent one year in China and now he teaches Chinese in Denmark at one university.


Either she is lying, or her definition of fluency is different to mine. Some things are impossible, life is not a movie, wake up.
Reply 11
Original post by Darilinna
Ohhh really not fluent? When someone tells you that you can't do smth actually says "I can't do it". I have been at Leeds and met a girl who has been studying Arabic and Chinese. She is last-year student and she said that she is absolutely fluent in both language. She has also been studying Japanese. She said also she needs 2-3 months to learn new dialect in both langauges. There is nothing so impossible! Also a friend of mine has spent one year in China and now he teaches Chinese in Denmark at one university.


I think I met that student when I went to visit. I can't remember her name though. I didn't ask her proficiency level when I talked to her but she was nice - I probably should have asked her how she felt her language skills were. Thank you for your message!
Original post by reenie.stp
I think I met that student when I went to visit. I can't remember her name though. I didn't ask her proficiency level when I talked to her but she was nice - I probably should have asked her how she felt her language skills were. Thank you for your message!


Btw when I was there I was not so sure about Chinese too. Let's say I loved it 90% but I met one of the Chinese teachers and she just jumped and started teaching us some common words and now I can say my name and how many brothers or sister I have. :biggrin: And this even before going to uni. I love Leeds.
Reply 13
Original post by Darilinna
Btw when I was there I was not so sure about Chinese too. Let's say I loved it 90% but I met one of the Chinese teachers and she just jumped and started teaching us some common words and now I can say my name and how many brothers or sister I have. :biggrin: And this even before going to uni. I love Leeds.


I had the same experience when I went there! The lecturers at Leeds all seem really enthusiastic about their jobs, which is great. When did you go there? Are you doing a joint honours in Japanese and Chinese too?
Original post by reenie.stp
I had the same experience when I went there! The lecturers at Leeds all seem really enthusiastic about their jobs, which is great. When did you go there? Are you doing a joint honours in Japanese and Chinese too?


2nd of March. I am hopefully doing Arabic and Chinese 😅😆😀. But I saw three girls who applied for Chinese and Japanese. Btw I am an international student. ( Bulgarian)
Reply 15
Original post by Darilinna
2nd of March. I am hopefully doing Arabic and Chinese 😅😆😀. But I saw three girls who applied for Chinese and Japanese. Btw I am an international student. ( Bulgarian)


I was there too! I remember you!! I was the one sat right over the other side of the room from you (with short hair haha)
Original post by reenie.stp
I was there too! I remember you!! I was the one sat right over the other side of the room from you (with short hair haha)


Phahaha it is so cool. I cant believe. 😅😆
(edited 7 years ago)
Btw I was not 100% sure for Chinese too. I was considering Russian or Japanese. But I speak Bulgarian and forme it is very easy to learn Russian if I really want and Japanese is not spoken like Chinese and Chinese doesnt have gender, tenses etc. Also Chinese government gives a lot of scholarships and funding at all for studying Chinese and a friend of mine told me about going to China and study Chinese for free in the summer. And come on 1'000'000'000 people speak it 😆
Reply 18
Original post by Darilinna
Btw I was not 100% sure for Chinese too. I was considering Russian or Japanese. But I speak Bulgarian and forme it is very easy to learn Russian if I really want and Japanese is not spoken like Chinese and Chinese doesnt have gender, tenses etc. Also Chinese government gives a lot of scholarships and funding at all for studying Chinese and a friend of mine told me about going to China and study Chinese for free in the summer. And come on 1'000'000'000 people speak it 😆


It is so cool that you commented on my thread - what are the chances!?! So you think I should go to Leeds and study Japanese and Chinese? I think I should too but I just feel such a connection with Spanish so I'm not sure. I want to become fluent at Spanish and I don't know if I can do that without studying it at uni.
Original post by reenie.stp
It is so cool that you commented on my thread - what are the chances!?! So you think I should go to Leeds and study Japanese and Chinese? I think I should too but I just feel such a connection with Spanish so I'm not sure. I want to become fluent at Spanish and I don't know if I can do that without studying it at uni.

Yeah I will be happy to see you at Leeds. (to see myself at leeds too :biggrin: ). I have been studying spanish also .. I like the language. I have passed two levels A1 and A2 ( according to European Language Framework). I wanted to continue with B1 but I have to prepare for Ielts now :frown: I can feel the struggle. I just think that spanish is not very difficult language and I can learn it without uni degree. Btw in my hometown there are two girls from Spain came here thanks to EVS and they organized smth like Spanish speaking course and it was easy to understand them but when I was in turkey and met spanish guys from the north part of Spain I could not get anything. :biggrin: These girls here said that "even we can not understand them". So spanish language is not difficult at all but there are a lot of different dialects you can may be learn during your uni degree. You should check. Actually I want to continue studying spanish too. I think of going to summer school in spain or workimg there during the summer. I can go with programmes could Aisec, Global Citizent or Erasmus plus and spend some months there. That is of course my own choice. If you really want to go and study Spanish. Do it.

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