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I'm comfortable at Hull but I've got an offer from Nottingham

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Reply 20
Original post by Decaffeinated
I agree. That does make a big difference. Also the words you use about Hull, comfortable and convenient sound as if you're in your comfort zone but are asking for someone to pull you out of it. You sound like you actually want to move to Nottingham but you're scared.


That is so spot on!!? :O

That's exactly how I feel, I feel that I am scared to leave the comfort zone I have built up in Hull. But on the other hand this is my best and probably my only chance to transfer without consequences and I am scared that if I don't do it now, I will regret choosing to stay in my comfort zone over building a new comfort zone in Nottingham?
I had to make the decision whether to stick with my insurance university or to retake my A levels and try again for a place at the university that had been my firm choice.

A college tutor recommended that thing where you flip a coin and if you're disappointed with the result, you do the opposite. The coin flipped in favour of the insurance. I felt devastated so took that as a sign to try again for my first choice. It worked out well for me, especially as they offered me a deferred place for the following year without having to retake any exams.

Go with your gut instincts, make a decision and stick with it.
Reply 22
Original post by Decaffeinated
I had to make the decision whether to stick with my insurance university or to retake my A levels and try again for a place at the university that had been my firm choice.

A college tutor recommended that thing where you flip a coin and if you're disappointed with the result, you do the opposite. The coin flipped in favour of the insurance. I felt devastated so took that as a sign to try again for my first choice. It worked out well for me, especially as they offered me a deferred place for the following year without having to retake any exams.

Go with your gut instincts, make a decision and stick with it.


So far, I've accepted my offer from Nottingham, but I still feel scared to make the move and leave my friends? I think it's mainly the friends I made that make me feel like staying at Hull?

Basically I feel that Hull is quite homely, while Nottingham feels like a big, massive uni where I might not feel at home?
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 23
Original post by jneill
If you are in a foundation year then that's a very different scenario. There will be a significant change in your cohort at Hull with many new students joining and some foundation students leaving.

In that case maybe it's a good option to go to Nottingham.

It would have been helpful to mention this in your OP :wink:

Posted from TSR Mobile


Hey, I also forgot to mention, that even though there will be a lot of change in my cohort at my foundation year, I am sort of counting that my friends would be there next year at Hull (most of them passed, so they would be there next year)?

But I feel that it's "wrong" to base my uni decision on friends, rather than the "best uni" possible?

So far I've accepted my Nottingham offer and I've applied for accommodation, but I still feel scared to leave Hull and my friends behind?
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by tinyflame
Hey, I also forgot to mention, that even though there will be a lot of change in my cohort at my foundation year, I am sort of counting that my friends would be there next year at Hull (most of them passed, so they would be there next year)?

But I feel that it's "wrong" to base my uni decision on friends, rather than the "best uni" possible?

So far I've accepted my Nottingham offer and I've applied for accommodation, but I still feel scared to leave Hull and my friends behind?


There is no way you can deal with this situation without experiencing some sense of loss. You will either lose the life you have already made for yourself in Hull or the life you can imagine making for yourself in Nottingham. It's tricky because although Nottingham appears better, your future life there is an unknown at the moment. You'd be taking a risk but elsewhere you say you think you might forever regret not taking that risk. You might. You might also regret leaving Hull. You are just going to have to make a decision and see where it takes you.

I don't think friends are always a bad reason for choosing a university and I don't think prestige is always a good one. It depends on what's right for you.

Just editing to add that if you've made good friends at one university you can probably make more good friends at another - especially as you'll be starting in the first year of a course.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 25
Original post by Decaffeinated
There is no way you can deal with this situation without experiencing some sense of loss. You will either lose the life you have already made for yourself in Hull or the life you can imagine making for yourself in Nottingham. It's tricky because although Nottingham appears better, your future life there is an unknown at the moment. You'd be taking a risk but elsewhere you say you think you might forever regret not taking that risk. You might. You might also regret leaving Hull. You are just going to have to make a decision and see where it takes you.

I don't think friends are always a bad reason for choosing a university and I don't think prestige is always a good one. It depends on what's right for you.

Just editing to add that if you've made good friends at one university you can probably make more good friends at another - especially as you'll be starting in the first year of a course.


Thank you so much for helping me out again, really appreciate it.
And I think it's very spot on what you said, I will experience loss either way :frown:

The thing is, I felt that I shouldn't base my decision on friends, because I could always fall out or lose friends and that I "might as well" go to the best university possible, but I just don't feel that Nottingham has that same homely, relaxed vibe I get from Hull?

I mean the campus is nice and big, but just doesn't feel relaxed or homely, just feels like a giant park. But maybe I feel like that because I've lived in Hull for a long while now and I will probably start to feel at home in Nottingham after I live there for a while too.

It's so weird, this is my "one" chance to go Nottingham, but also my once chance to experience the "hidden gem" that is Hull?

Honestly, objectively Nottingham uni is better, but Hull just feels a lot more relaxed and like home...
Reply 26
Original post by tinyflame
Thank you so much for helping me out again, really appreciate it.
And I think it's very spot on what you said, I will experience loss either way :frown:

The thing is, I felt that I shouldn't base my decision on friends, because I could always fall out or lose friends and that I "might as well" go to the best university possible, but I just don't feel that Nottingham has that same homely, relaxed vibe I get from Hull?

I mean the campus is nice and big, but just doesn't feel relaxed or homely, just feels like a giant park. But maybe I feel like that because I've lived in Hull for a long while now and I will probably start to feel at home in Nottingham after I live there for a while too.

It's so weird, this is my "one" chance to go Nottingham, but also my once chance to experience the "hidden gem" that is Hull?

Honestly, objectively Nottingham uni is better, but Hull just feels a lot more relaxed and like home...


It's clear from your posts you actually do know which one to choose.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 27
Original post by jneill
It's clear from your posts you actually do know which one to choose.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Which one, you mean Hull?

I'm so stressed out, every time I think about cancelling Nottingham, I just feel that it's a massive waste of an opportunity and at the same time I get the slight blues about leaving Hull which actually turned out to be lovely after living here for a while.

I also quite feel that Hull is quite tiny, the campus is pretty much the library, which can be good because it's convenient and there's less walking, but can feel small at times.

Nottingham is big and has loads of buildings, but just can feel a bit uncomfortable and I will do loads of walking in contrast.

It's like the two unis are polar opposites
Reply 28
Original post by tinyflame
Which one, you mean Hull?

I'm so stressed out, every time I think about cancelling Nottingham, I just feel that it's a massive waste of an opportunity and at the same time I get the slight blues about leaving Hull which actually turned out to be lovely after living here for a while.

I also quite feel that Hull is quite tiny, the campus is pretty much the library, which can be good because it's convenient and there's less walking, but can feel small at times.

Nottingham is big and has loads of buildings, but just can feel a bit uncomfortable and I will do loads of walking in contrast.

It's like the two unis are polar opposites


It does sound like you want to stay at Hull. So do that, get your First in your BEng and then consider an MSc at Nottingham (or Imperial/Cambridge or anywhere...) :wink:
Reply 29
Original post by jneill
It does sound like you want to stay at Hull. So do that, get your First in your BEng and then consider an MSc at Nottingham (or Imperial/Cambridge or anywhere...) :wink:


I honestly don't know :frown:

I've accepted my offer about two/three weeks ago and I have an offer for accommodation at Nottingham. I feel like I'm pushing myself in Nottingham's direction because I don't want to waste my chance at going to such a "top" uni.

I feel content at Hull, but it's like I'm trying to rip the "umbilical cord" of attachment right now and start over at Nottingham, but it's such a massive decision to choose where I'll be for the next 4 years :frown:

Even though Hull is pretty nice, I am worried it will be too small of a place for me to spend 4 years at? Which is why I thought Nottingham would be better, because it's bigger as a uni and as a city. But yeah, I don't know if I will feel at home there at all from what I saw on open day, Even though Nottingham looks really nice, it just doesn't have that homely vibe

I am seriously scared of getting painful regret if I choose to stay in Hull, because there's pretty much no going back on my decision if I do
Reply 30
Original post by tinyflame

I am seriously scared of getting painful regret if I choose to stay in Hull, because there's pretty much no going back on my decision if I do


3 years at Hull, then a year at Nottingham...

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Reply 31
Original post by jneill
3 years at Hull, then a year at Nottingham...

Posted from TSR Mobile


I know what you mean, it would roughly be 4 years though, because of my year in industry.

I'm just scared I'll regret staying because the Hull campus did feel very small at times, I don't know if I will regret not going to Nottingham now while I still can. I'm sorry if I seem to keep going in circles and if I involve you in my stress, I'm really terrified of making the wrong decision :frown:

Either decision will lock me at one place for the next 4 years.

I mean I could transfer after my first year, but there would be no point as I would lose out on student finance and I would have to repeat a year.

I think I'll definitely visit Nottingham again very soon before I make a final decision
Reply 32
Original post by tinyflame
I know what you mean, it would roughly be 4 years though, because of my year in industry.

I'm just scared I'll regret staying because the Hull campus did feel very small at times, I don't know if I will regret not going to Nottingham now while I still can. I'm sorry if I seem to keep going in circles and if I involve you in my stress, I'm really terrified of making the wrong decision :frown:

Either decision will lock me at one place for the next 4 years.

I mean I could transfer after my first year, but there would be no point as I would lose out on student finance and I would have to repeat a year.

I think I'll definitely visit Nottingham again very soon before I make a final decision


You may be able to transfer after Year 1 at Hull into Year 2. Ask them when you visit.

There's no 100% wrong or right decision. Life is full of complex compromises. As is successful engineering actually... :wink:

Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 7 years ago)
I see you are looking to repeat at Nottingham the foundation year you have already done at Hull.

I wouldn't do this. Your problem is this. You are bound to find yourself "ahead of the class" in Nottingham. You will be with a group of students without first rate academic backgrounds being prepared for 1st year engineering at Nottingham. You have already been prepared for 1st year engineering at Hull. The difference between Hull and Nottingham will be much less than the difference between not having already done a foundation year and having already done a foundation year.

I do not know the stats for the number of people that complete an engineering degree at Nottingham having undertaken a Nottingham foundation year. By guess is that there are quite a lot of drop outs along the way.

Your problem would be that if you hit an academic wall, it will be at the beginning of your second year at Nottingham, when you go onto the true first year of the BEng course. By that point, you will have stopped coasting from your Hull knowledge; the other Nottingham foundation year students will have caught up and people with far better academic records who obtained direct entry will have joined the course. By then you will have used up your "free" year. You won't easily be able to change course if it is all too much for you.

I would say, as others have, get a good degree from Hull and then look to move elsewhere for a masters.
Reply 34
Original post by jneill
You may be able to transfer after Year 1 at Hull into Year 2. Ask them when you visit.

There's no 100% wrong or right decision. Life is full of complex compromises. As is successful engineering actually... :wink:

Posted from TSR Mobile


Yeah Nottingham would allow me to transfer after year 1 in Hull into year 2 at Nottingham, I called them about it about a couple of weeks ago.

But I wouldn't want to transfer by then because I would be too attached to Hull and I wouldn't want to go into second year while everyone's already made friends in first year and lose out on that.

Are you an engineer? :P
Reply 35
Original post by jneill
You may be able to transfer after Year 1 at Hull into Year 2. Ask them when you visit.

There's no 100% wrong or right decision. Life is full of complex compromises. As is successful engineering actually... :wink:

Posted from TSR Mobile


Yeah Nottingham would allow me to transfer after year 1 in Hull into year 2 at Nottingham, I called them about it about a couple of weeks ago.But I wouldn't want to transfer by then because I would be too attached to Hull and I wouldn't want to go into second year while everyone's already made friends in first year and lose out on that.Are you an engineer? :P
Reply 36
Original post by tinyflame
Yeah Nottingham would allow me to transfer after year 1 in Hull into year 2 at Nottingham, I called them about it about a couple of weeks ago.But I wouldn't want to transfer by then because I would be too attached to Hull and I wouldn't want to go into second year while everyone's already made friends in first year and lose out on that.Are you an engineer? :P


No, I'm a parent.

People transfer fairly frequently.

Again, it sounds like you will be happiest at Hull, and then do an MSc elsewhere (if you want an MSc/MEng).
Reply 37
Original post by nulli tertius
I see you are looking to repeat at Nottingham the foundation year you have already done at Hull.

I wouldn't do this. Your problem is this. You are bound to find yourself "ahead of the class" in Nottingham. You will be with a group of students without first rate academic backgrounds being prepared for 1st year engineering at Nottingham. You have already been prepared for 1st year engineering at Hull. The difference between Hull and Nottingham will be much less than the difference between not having already done a foundation year and having already done a foundation year.

I do not know the stats for the number of people that complete an engineering degree at Nottingham having undertaken a Nottingham foundation year. By guess is that there are quite a lot of drop outs along the way.

Your problem would be that if you hit an academic wall, it will be at the beginning of your second year at Nottingham, when you go onto the true first year of the BEng course. By that point, you will have stopped coasting from your Hull knowledge; the other Nottingham foundation year students will have caught up and people with far better academic records who obtained direct entry will have joined the course. By then you will have used up your "free" year. You won't easily be able to change course if it is all too much for you.

I would say, as others have, get a good degree from Hull and then look to move elsewhere for a masters.


No, no hold on :biggrin:

I'm transferring into Nottingham's 1st year, not their foundation year, so I wouldn't lose out on one year's student finance by repeating a foundation year.
Reply 38
Original post by jneill
No, I'm a parent.

People transfer fairly frequently.

Again, it sounds like you will be happiest at Hull, and then do an MSc elsewhere (if you want an MSc/MEng).


I think what happened is that I've just gotten attached to Hull because of living here for a year.

The same thing happened before uni when I was working and I started to get attached to the place and the job, I actually started to consider not going to uni and just stay there as a permanent staff. But I decided to go to uni and now I think it was a very good decision I made despite going against how comfortable I felt at that job.

I feel this situation right now is the same thing, I feel comfortable here, but I am scared of leaving this comfort and taking my chances :frown:
Reply 39
Original post by tinyflame
I think what happened is that I've just gotten attached to Hull because of living here for a year.

The same thing happened before uni when I was working and I started to get attached to the place and the job, I actually started to consider not going to uni and just stay there as a permanent staff. But I decided to go to uni and now I think it was a very good decision I made despite going against how comfortable I felt at that job.

I feel this situation right now is the same thing, I feel comfortable here, but I am scared of leaving this comfort and taking my chances :frown:


You sound very level-headed to me, so I'm sure you'll end up making the right decision.

Honestly, right now Notts may seem less home-y compared to Hull because it doesn't have the same connotations to you. In the same way that if I went to visit your home neighbourhood, it probably wouldn't feel like home to me.

I was worried about switching from school to sixth form, where most people stayed on at the school's sixth form, but changed to a sixth form with better teaching in the end. It was great to have a new set of friends, for me, and I really enjoyed the change in the end.

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