Choosing the correct uni!

OP

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Hi, I have got all my university offers to study Fashion design, and need to select my firm and back up between Leeds, Nottingham Trent and London College of fashion. ( I have also applied to CSM but the application process isn't through UCAS.)

I was just wondering about peoples opinions on where is best as i'm really not sure.
No doubt LCF has the best reputation but worried that I wont get the real 'uni experience' and might be slightly isolated and female dominated. Whereas Leeds and Nottingham have that campus feel but might be harder and more generalistic career path as LCF is Fashion Embroidery which is not my perfect course but am very creative and its a niche.

Reply 3

PQ

21

Original post by kath.simmons

Hi, I have got all my university offers to study Fashion design, and need to select my firm and back up between Leeds, Nottingham Trent and London College of fashion. ( I have also applied to CSM but the application process isn't through UCAS.)

I was just wondering about peoples opinions on where is best as i'm really not sure.
No doubt LCF has the best reputation but worried that I wont get the real 'uni experience' and might be slightly isolated and female dominated. Whereas Leeds and Nottingham have that campus feel but might be harder and more generalistic career path as LCF is Fashion Embroidery which is not my perfect course but am very creative and its a niche.

Have you watched their shows at GFW? that might reassure you (or confirm your suspicions) about the quality of the courses/industry links.

Neither Leeds or LCF had a show in 2018 but NTU did https://vimeo.com/276203658

And Leeds students did have a stand/win some awards http://www.graduatefashionweek.com/gfw18-winners-so-far

Reply 4

OP

I hadn't thought about looking at this! Thank you,
It's such a hard decision as I don't want to regret it in a years time and drop out.
I feel pulled in both directions and don't want to feel like i'm letting myself down with an opportunity but equally hate the uni life and therefore hate the course and everything about it.

Original post by PQ

Have you watched their shows at GFW? that might reassure you (or confirm your suspicions) about the quality of the courses/industry links.

Neither Leeds or LCF had a show in 2018 but NTU did https://vimeo.com/276203658

And Leeds students did have a stand/win some awards http://www.graduatefashionweek.com/gfw18-winners-so-far

Reply 5

OP

This is true! Nottingham Trent is out of accommodation so It slightly takes it off the list..
This is the main thing pulling me away from LCF, I study art and textiles so hence very creative and my teachers think ' Leeds' Fashion design is not going to be creative enough for me.. so i'm stuck.

Original post by chelseadagg3r

If fashion embroidery isn't for you then I honestly wouldn't go for it. You'll have to get through three years of it and you won't do as well as you would have done if it was something you genuinely loved and enjoyed. I study at Trent, though not fashion, and it is honestly a great uni. Perhaps speak to the course teams and see if you can chat to some current students on the courses you're considering so you can ask them some more specific questions?

Reply 6

Keikei123

10

If you’re looking for NTU accommodation, go on CRM student accommodation and for Nottingham there are 3 two mostly gone but there is ‘Medici’ brand new modern, only like 10 minute walk from campus.

I booked there and know that others have too, worth looking at. £1 booking fee.

It sounds good similar to Russell view

Original post by kath.simmons

This is true! Nottingham Trent is out of accommodation so It slightly takes it off the list..
This is the main thing pulling me away from LCF, I study art and textiles so hence very creative and my teachers think ' Leeds' Fashion design is not going to be creative enough for me.. so i'm stuck.

Reply 7

i assume you're talking about uni of leeds?? because there are 5 unis here haha

if so, i went through this exact situation a year ago, so i know how you feel - i was torn between lcf and leeds and i chose leeds and it was the best decision i ever made. not only is the fashion scene in leeds amazing anyway, it's one of the best places in the country to be a student - massive student population, nightlife is amazing, rent is cheap, everything is generally cheap, parties on every corner, people are way more fun. the girls here are so easy to make friends with, especially in the design/media schools, and there isn't really a sense of "competition" which i've heard is very prominent at uni's like ual, as everyone is fighting for the best internships and status and whatnot. i found when i went to visit lcf it felt extremely isolated and a lot more "grown up" and i knew as soon as i got there that it wasn't the place for me, and neither was london whatsoever at this stage of my life - it's not a nice place to be a student and it definitely isn't as glamourous as it's made out to be, especially for students. after speaking to some of the girls at lcf, they did tell me they felt as though a lot of their friends were more so just acquaintances because everyone goes to uni in london to get their head down and that's it - they said it's a lot more rare for people to go out as everything is so expensive so a lot of people just stay in. the 3 years at uni are years you'll remember forever and i just wanted to have fun and not take anything TOO seriously like it is in london, and leeds is exactly that. don't get me wrong, there's a lot of work and it's extremely stressful sometimes but i know someone who went to lcf who tells me she didn't feel pushed or challenged and wished she had more work, which is something that i would of hated. leeds also has a really cool fashion society, there's a r&g fashion show each year which is incredible and takes months of planning which would also look great on a cv if you could help out with that, and the course offers some amazing work placements, i've had the best time of my life here so far and couldn't recommend it enough. also leeds is an incredible uni, extremely well respected in all fields of work, not just solely fashion - a degree from leeds would be respected from a lot of employers. if you prioritise having fun and all the other pros i've listed, if they're important to you, over maybe having more of a "mature" lifestyle then go for leeds, not saying you wouldn't have fun in london but i just can't imagine it being very fun for a student. i instantly felt at home the first time i visited campus and knew it was the right fit.

hope this helps!!!

Reply 8

OP

Omg this is the best response I’ve had! Thank you sososo much, Yeah the partying and social aspect Is really important to me and I feel like uni is some of the best years of your life so I want to enjoy it and have fun - - I did mean uni of Leeds. :smile:

That all sounds great and I think I’m going to select Leeds as my firm! So I might see you around next year potentially!! It’s really great to hear from an actual student there so thank you! are you doing fashion design? Yes when I visited I felt so relaxed and like I fitted in at Leeds - my brother and sister both went to Leeds aswell. Thank you so much for your detailed response- it means a lot

Reply 9

i'm a fashion marketing student because i actually prefer the business side of things, but 3 of my housemates do fashion design and they love it - all 4 of us volunteered at fashion week together which was incredible so living in a fashion situated city like leeds is amazing because there's so many likeminded people and good opportunities, literally leeds student culture is wearing the most out there and weird clothes and no one even gives you a second glance, especially if you're coming from a small town where not much goes on. glad i could help!!!!! will probably see you in september!! Xx

Reply 10

OP

Aww! That's so good to hear, so exciting!
Do you know what accommodation is the best, most sociable etc? x
My sister stayed at Leodis but that was about 10 years ago so i'm sure things have developed and changed now!

Original post by bhxxx

i'm a fashion marketing student because i actually prefer the business side of things, but 3 of my housemates do fashion design and they love it - all 4 of us volunteered at fashion week together which was incredible so living in a fashion situated city like leeds is amazing because there's so many likeminded people and good opportunities, literally leeds student culture is wearing the most out there and weird clothes and no one even gives you a second glance, especially if you're coming from a small town where not much goes on. glad i could help!!!!! will probably see you in september!! Xx

Reply 11

it depends what your budget is/what kinda vibe you're after. i'd recommend henry price which is where i was, james baillie park, leodis or lupton overall. henry price was v social, nice rooms, right on campus and not TOO expensive, and you only shared a bathroom with one other person, but it's v oversubscribed so it's luck of the draw. james baillie is also v social, almost everyone's into drugs if u don't mind that but the halls are rly fun, it's further away but more expensive which doesn't make much sense to me but yeah popular choice. leodis i think depends on who you're in a flat with, because my friends flat was extremely social but other friends flat just didn't speak whatsoever so she'd spend her time with the first friend, rooms are small but aesthetically pleasing, en suite, and not too far away. lupton is really fun bc majority of the people in there were put there because they didn't get their first choice so it's a mix of everyone, but everyone there was always so friendly because they all had a mentality of "we're all in this together", one of my best friends was there and loved it but it obviously is far away but cheap, and there's a bus to uni which is frequent. overall it just really depends who's in your flat so weigh up the rent prices, what you can afford and distances and go from there. don't bother applying for oxley, sentinel towers, north hill court, the tannery or the plaza - either too far or just really boring. heard mixed reviews on the others like dev hall, monty b and central village.

Reply 12

i went through this exact situation a year ago, so i know how you feel - i was torn between lcf and leeds and i chose leeds and it was the best decision i ever made. not only is the fashion scene in leeds amazing anyway, it's one of the best places in the country to be a student - massive student population, nightlife is amazing, rent is cheap, everything is generally cheap, parties on every corner, people are way more fun. the girls here are so easy to make friends with, especially in the design/media schools, and there isn't really a sense of

Reply 13

leftblankagain

9

Idk if you've already made your decision yet but I was in a similar situation a while ago where I was deciding between Nottingham Trent and lcf. I'm obviously biased because in the end I chose lcf as my firm but here are my reasons. I went to both open days and lcf seemed a lot more sure of themselves and kind of like they were aware of their excellence which might be a turn off for some people but that appealed to me because it was the interested me. At the interviews and applicant days they kept saying things like 'well done for making it this far because there were a hell of a lot of applications' and the general message being that having gotten into lcf is quite an achievement. Like I said this kind of approach might appear to some as a somewhat pompous attitude from the uni but to me it demonstrates their confidence in the quality of what they do.
It's also worth noting that aunt went there in the late 90s to study product development and is now a successful development supervisor at Anya hindmarch making good money.
What initially put me off LCF was that it's not a campus uni whereas Nottingham Trent is so it seemed like NTU could offer a better student experience. But both my mum and aunt studied in London and said they had the time of their lives and in London everywhere is on your doorstep because of the tube network. When I went to the halls open days I got a really good feeling about the prospect of the London uni experience jut given how diverse and vibrant the city is, although obviously I won't know for certain until I go.
I often hear about the female domination of lcf being a problem but in halls you're mixed with all the UAL colleges not just lcf so the gender imbalance in the accommodation isn't as weighted. It's also implied that the all female environment creates a *****y atmosphere but at the interviews and applicant days the girls I spoke to seemed friendly and nice and just as terrified as me.
London is also the centre of the fashion the scene which is advantageous of you're studying fashion.
Another obvious disadvantage is the cost of living in London, although your maintenance loan will be more if you're studying there.
Essentially, LCF seems to me like the place which is more prestigious and likely to get me where I want to go, but with a less 'chilled' atmosphere and possibly not as comfortable student life. For me, the academic side is more of a priority than student life but that's not to say I don't believe I'll enjoy myself at lcf. I think it just depends on what matters most to you
Obviously I'm no expert because I haven't started uni yet, this is just what I've found based on my experience visiting both.

Reply 14

OP

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Hi yes I made my choice!

So due to the course which was my main thing i selected Leeds as my firm however the same night i got accepted into CSM for a foundation and with that reputation and course I was definitely NOT turning that down! It worked out favourably as well as one of my closest friends got into the CSM foundation too so we'll both be in halls next year and will have each other if we struggle with the 'uni life in London.

Original post by leftblankagain

Idk if you've already made your decision yet but I was in a similar situation a while ago where I was deciding between Nottingham Trent and lcf. I'm obviously biased because in the end I chose lcf as my firm but here are my reasons. I went to both open days and lcf seemed a lot more sure of themselves and kind of like they were aware of their excellence which might be a turn off for some people but that appealed to me because it was the interested me. At the interviews and applicant days they kept saying things like 'well done for making it this far because there were a hell of a lot of applications' and the general message being that having gotten into lcf is quite an achievement. Like I said this kind of approach might appear to some as a somewhat pompous attitude from the uni but to me it demonstrates their confidence in the quality of what they do.
It's also worth noting that aunt went there in the late 90s to study product development and is now a successful development supervisor at Anya hindmarch making good money.
What initially put me off LCF was that it's not a campus uni whereas Nottingham Trent is so it seemed like NTU could offer a better student experience. But both my mum and aunt studied in London and said they had the time of their lives and in London everywhere is on your doorstep because of the tube network. When I went to the halls open days I got a really good feeling about the prospect of the London uni experience jut given how diverse and vibrant the city is, although obviously I won't know for certain until I go.
I often hear about the female domination of lcf being a problem but in halls you're mixed with all the UAL colleges not just lcf so the gender imbalance in the accommodation isn't as weighted. It's also implied that the all female environment creates a *****y atmosphere but at the interviews and applicant days the girls I spoke to seemed friendly and nice and just as terrified as me.
London is also the centre of the fashion the scene which is advantageous of you're studying fashion.
Another obvious disadvantage is the cost of living in London, although your maintenance loan will be more if you're studying there.
Essentially, LCF seems to me like the place which is more prestigious and likely to get me where I want to go, but with a less 'chilled' atmosphere and possibly not as comfortable student life. For me, the academic side is more of a priority than student life but that's not to say I don't believe I'll enjoy myself at lcf. I think it just depends on what matters most to you
Obviously I'm no expert because I haven't started uni yet, this is just what I've found based on my experience visiting both.

Reply 15

PQ

21

Original post by kath.simmons

Hi yes I made my choice!

So due to the course which was my main thing i selected Leeds as my firm however the same night i got accepted into CSM for a foundation and with that reputation and course I was definitely NOT turning that down! It worked out favourably as well as one of my closest friends got into the CSM foundation too so we'll both be in halls next year and will have each other if we struggle with the 'uni life in London.

How are you planning to fund halls in London with no maintenance loan?

Reply 16

OP