ESSEX or COVENTRY?

Coventry University Student Ambassadors

I can tell you about Essex.
Essex is way way better than Coventry. People are genuinely nice and welcoming. The student Union is very active, they do a great job in creating a friendly environment in campus. The Uni is very international, i think it was ranked 4th for international outlook. The Uni has a real zero tolerance for racism or any other discrimination. Living in a campus is fun, you are part of a great community with about 15,000 student living in the same place, you got bar, restaurants, sport centre, etc.

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Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

Hi everyone, I'm having problems in choosing among the 3 unis above. I've heard that ESSEX is better than COVENTRY in terms of reputation. However, I'm more into the courses content in COVENTRY. Besides knowledge I also want to experience uni life (not necessarily nightlife) but you know, a peaceful student life. I've also seen comments about COVENTRY students fighting in the library lmao. Can someone give me the whole vibe of either uni or how are the people there like racism or attitude towards each other? Thank you!

I live in Coventry but didn't go to the uni but see the campus daily. I can tell you what the city is like ?

What course are you looking at?

Reply 5

Official Rep

16

Original post by Anonymous

Hi everyone, I'm having problems in choosing among the 3 unis above. I've heard that ESSEX is better than COVENTRY in terms of reputation. However, I'm more into the courses content in COVENTRY. Besides knowledge I also want to experience uni life (not necessarily nightlife) but you know, a peaceful student life. I've also seen comments about COVENTRY students fighting in the library lmao. Can someone give me the whole vibe of either uni or how are the people there like racism or attitude towards each other? Thank you!

Hi there,

I hope you’re doing well today. I’m happy to hear you’re interested in considering studying at Coventry!

From reading your message, the things important to you when choosing a uni are the course content and uni life experience. Both universities, I believe, offer distinct experiences in terms of what the unis offer and what you’re looking for. Something both unis will have in common is that there will often be controversial views highlighting the good and bad points of the uni and location for whatever reason, and the basis of this comes down to personal experience and preference.

With Coventry University specifically, there is a combination of noisy and quiet student life, it’s just a trial and error of finding what’s right for you and knowing where to go to want to find what you’re looking for. There is a range of activities for everyone from going to cafes and studying to studying in the library, staying in to have a games night to having pres and heading out for the night. Alongside this will be plenty of people finding their own way too and you’ll come across the kinds of people you’re interested in meeting everywhere too! With it being first year, everyone will be in the same boat. However, given the circumstances, freshers may differ and how activities will take place will depend on a lot of factors.

The course content is quite important because that will determine whether you enjoy the course or not and where you see yourself post studying. The quality of the course will also determine the amount of effort you decide to put into the course, what you’re looking for, whether you want a placement year, and ultimately want you want to do with your career.

The experience of attending Coventry University will provide you with a lot of insight into a range of diverse backgrounds of students arriving from everywhere. Thus, allowing you to explore and integrate yourself with whoever you please without judgment or discrimination because people are open to being friendly and finding their own way just like everyone else! With it being a student city, it’s easy to blend in with everyone else. Sometimes in the city centre, there are occasional events from societies to individuals performing to either show off their talent or express the importance/celebration of what people believe in.

Like yourself, I’ve also heard of students fighting in the library! Personally, it’s just part of uni gossip and drama that only involve a minute number of people who decide to participate for the sake of it or because something has happened and it so happens the event is publicised for attention. It’s nothing major that will disrupt any part of your life.

Regardless of the comments wherever you choose to go, uni is what you choose to make it, so take the opinions with a pinch of salt and enjoy yourself!

I hope this helps and provides some information into what you’re looking for. If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

Veronica
Dietetics and Human Nutrition

Reply 6

Anonymous #3

Original post by Anonymous

Hi everyone, I'm having problems in choosing among the 3 unis above. I've heard that ESSEX is better than COVENTRY in terms of reputation. However, I'm more into the courses content in COVENTRY. Besides knowledge I also want to experience uni life (not necessarily nightlife) but you know, a peaceful student life. I've also seen comments about COVENTRY students fighting in the library lmao. Can someone give me the whole vibe of either uni or how are the people there like racism or attitude towards each other? Thank you!

I think the ESSEX uni is better. The Coventry office is awkward. For example, I sent an email three weeks ago and I have not receive a response yet whereas when I sent an email to the Leicester uni, they answered me tomorrow.

Reply 7

Original post by friskis

I can tell you about Essex.
Essex is way way better than Coventry. People are genuinely nice and welcoming. The student Union is very active, they do a great job in creating a friendly environment in campus. The Uni is very international, i think it was ranked 4th for international outlook. The Uni has a real zero tolerance for racism or any other discrimination. Living in a campus is fun, you are part of a great community with about 15,000 student living in the same place, you got bar, restaurants, sport centre, etc.

I got an unconditional offer from Essex to study Biomedical science. I feel positive when seeing your comments. Could you please to share more of the course or university life to me? I am an international student. Thanks a lot !

Reply 8

Original post by Candiceswyip

I got an unconditional offer from Essex to study Biomedical science. I feel positive when seeing your comments. Could you please to share more of the course or university life to me? I am an international student. Thanks a lot !

Congratulations!
The campus is fun, there are a lot of societies you can join during the welcome week. Wednesday afternoon there are no lectures in the Uni and these time is dedicated to sports and societies. There is a farmer market in the campus every Thursday (food is great). What else? there are 2 bars and 2 clubs in campus...we are walking distance from Wivenhoe, which is a really nice village and there is an amazing fish and chip place close to the river. You will get a 3rd year Biomed student as mentor and their job is to answer any question you have about campus life and the accommodation.
For the course, you will get a tutor, which is the same thing as the mentor, but the tutor is an academic that helps you with the course and modules. In 1st year you have about 10h lectures and 3-8h of practicals in the lab a week (you get to work a lot with the new microscopes that are connected to an iPad, so you can take pictures and write notes on the images, which is really cool). You will get weekly quizzes (either online or in the class), these are not marked, but I find them really useful to revise. Lecturers are really friendly and willing to help. Dr Alsam is the course director and she will explain everything you need to know about the course during the welcome week.

Reply 9

Original post by friskis

Congratulations!
The campus is fun, there are a lot of societies you can join during the welcome week. Wednesday afternoon there are no lectures in the Uni and these time is dedicated to sports and societies. There is a farmer market in the campus every Thursday (food is great). What else? there are 2 bars and 2 clubs in campus...we are walking distance from Wivenhoe, which is a really nice village and there is an amazing fish and chip place close to the river. You will get a 3rd year Biomed student as mentor and their job is to answer any question you have about campus life and the accommodation.
For the course, you will get a tutor, which is the same thing as the mentor, but the tutor is an academic that helps you with the course and modules. In 1st year you have about 10h lectures and 3-8h of practicals in the lab a week (you get to work a lot with the new microscopes that are connected to an iPad, so you can take pictures and write notes on the images, which is really cool). You will get weekly quizzes (either online or in the class), these are not marked, but I find them really useful to revise. Lecturers are really friendly and willing to help. Dr Alsam is the course director and she will explain everything you need to know about the course during the welcome week.

Thanks for your reply. BTW, do you know the students of Biomed could do placement in yr 3 successfully or not? I have heard that the support of assigning placement to students is great. Am I right? Thanks!

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Wait are you a 3y Biomed or a 4y Applied Biomed?

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Original post by friskis

Wait are you a 3y Biomed or a 4y Applied Biomed?

4 yrs with NHS placement

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Ok cool. So the school has a partnership with about 25 Hospitals (I think the course director will give more exact numbers and statistics during the 1st week) and i know the course director and the placement officer work really hard to have as many placements as students in the 4y course. The placement officer (which visits students i think 2 or 3 times a year during the placement) and your tutor will help preparing the application and the interview. At the end of your last year, the placement officer and the course director can help you with the HCPC application.

Reply 13