The Student Room Group

Let's be honest, Portsmouth is a little bit crap.

I've met at least 10 people who are planning on dropping out, or transferring to another university for their second year because we all dislike Portsmouth.

Just wondering how many more of us there are, and why you dislike it so :p: We can have a mini support group :smile:

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Reply 1

Ironically, Portsmouth was my first choice for Law and Criminology. I thought it was really good when I went on the Law open day. Halls seemed alright, the course seemed fun, the town looked great.
I got into Bristol to study Sociology via Adjustment and I really enjoy the course although I'd still prefer to do Criminology (I get offered a unit in Crime and Justice but, there's no Criminology course. A shame because I got full marks at Criminology as a Sociology unit for A Level)
I also want to do a Law conversion course when I finish my degree, ultimately I chose Bristol because of the reputation which will hopefully help with job prospects, although now that I'm here I have to say it's nicer than Porstmouth although I thought Portsmouth was alright.

Reply 2

ahh, what a well timed post this was...just sent off my ucas, portsmouth being my second choice. Is it really that bad?

Reply 3

Lol - I'm considering the same....thought it seemed really good on the open day. Then got here and it doesn't seem as good as it was sold as. Should have gone with my other choice. But I don't know if they'll let me transfer to the second year there or have to start again (another year of my life + £7k!)

Reply 4

I loved Portsmouth when I first came down here, and I thought I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. But now... The city's fairly crap, the uni seems to put on a bloody hell of a facade on open days, and I'm just fed up of it entirely! Halls are massively overpriced too.

manwithaplan
Ironically, Portsmouth was my first choice for Law and Criminology. I thought it was really good when I went on the Law open day. Halls seemed alright, the course seemed fun, the town looked great.
I got into Bristol to study Sociology via Adjustment and I really enjoy the course although I'd still prefer to do Criminology (I get offered a unit in Crime and Justice but, there's no Criminology course. A shame because I got full marks at Criminology as a Sociology unit for A Level)
I also want to do a Law conversion course when I finish my degree, ultimately I chose Bristol because of the reputation which will hopefully help with job prospects, although now that I'm here I have to say it's nicer than Porstmouth although I thought Portsmouth was alright.

You did quite well to get out in time, I tell you. I wish I'd gone to my insurance choice, now!

Reply 5

I'm liking it. I'm very impressed with my course to date, and I think that the University will get me far in life. But good luck with whatever you guys plan on doing, it takes guts to leave a University if you don't like it to pursue whatever you want.

Reply 6

What exactly is it you don't like about Portsmouth? I'm not offended by anyone saying this really, I just don't see how any university is going to be any better tbh, unless of course you're not really suited to a city university... Swansea is one of those more rural universities isn't it?

Reply 7

i'm only considering transfering because im generally very unhappy here, not necesarily the quality of the university, but i dont have a tutor to discuss it with >:|

Reply 8

I don't want to drop out of university, I'm strongly considering transferring

Reply 9

Lewk
i'm only considering transfering because im generally very unhappy here, not necesarily the quality of the university, but i dont have a tutor to discuss it with >:|


How come you don't have a tutor? What are you studying may I ask?

Reply 10

psychocustard
I loved Portsmouth when I first came down here, and I thought I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. But now... The city's fairly crap, the uni seems to put on a bloody hell of a facade on open days, and I'm just fed up of it entirely! Halls are massively overpriced too.

You did quite well to get out in time, I tell you. I wish I'd gone to my insurance choice, now!
Although I love Bristol, I doubt that there's a more expensive city outside of London. Halls are £4200 (Self-Catered so I still have to pay for food) and my loan is £4500 :frown:. At Portsmouth it would have been about £3000.

Oh well, swings and roundabouts

Reply 11

will.
How come you don't have a tutor? What are you studying may I ask?

im studying maths, my tutor has been off for 3 weeks sick, and we've been given no info on who else there is to go to

Reply 12

What is it you dislike, exactly?

Reply 13

I really want to apply to Portsmouth for 2010 entry... is Portsmouth really that bad?

Reply 14

skribla
What exactly is it you don't like about Portsmouth? I'm not offended by anyone saying this really, I just don't see how any university is going to be any better tbh, unless of course you're not really suited to a city university... Swansea is one of those more rural universities isn't it?


emilyyy
What is it you dislike, exactly?


I'll reply to you together :p:

Mostly, it's the fact that I'm just bored in this place. I can't seem to find much to do that I actually like, and everything, as I see it, is just based around getting drunk :/ I don't like my course much either, and although it's the subject that I want to be doing, I don't like how it's done here. Plus, accommodation's crap.

My other thing is unrelated in a sense, in that I'm from south Wales, and I really hate being this far from home. Takes me almost 4 hours, and it means I can't get back when I'd like to...

Skribla, Swansea's not really so rural, as it's actually in a city itself, but it is a lot quieter, and I think that's what I need!

Reply 15

Red_student
I really want to apply to Portsmouth for 2010 entry... is Portsmouth really that bad?

It depends what you're like as a person. I just don't think I'm cut out for this city lark, I like a bit of peace and quiet!

Reply 16

emilyyy
What is it you dislike, exactly?

i find it to be generally a depressing place to live, the last 2 months have been the worst 2 months of my life, the accomodation is rubbish- fire alarms going off constantly & no hot water, as an above poster said it seems to be just based around drinking/nightclubs, I get on with nobody on my course/in my flat and have had my jaw fractured by some random drunk on the street. Also having the trouble with no tutor at a time i need one most but she's useless anyway, I can't wait to get away to be honest and i don't know how i am going to survive the next 6 months here.
Can't believe im saying that after 5 months of being soooo excited to come here :/

Reply 17

Lewk, where is your accomodation? My boyfriend has just started at Portsmouth, and his flat is lovely. Plus they have a nice kitchen and a lounge area! Much nicer than my halls :/
If you don't like the drinking culture (which I can kind of understand after that jaw incident.. poor you :frown: ) maybe you can sign up to some societies and meet people that way? Or take up a sport?
I think the drinking would be prevalent in most unis though. What are the people in your flat like?

Reply 18

I actually really like Portsmouth as a city, yeah okay some parts look a bit rough but to be honest I've never really experienced much trouble down here. There is a variety of activities in and around the city but a lot of students (not all) tend to stick to the town centre. or just look to the uni for 'hobbies'.

One of my mates didn't even realise Southsea actually had its own high-street (even if it is pretty small!) which I thought was pretty funny. Another mate needed to go to A+E and was in a panic because he thought Cosham was was part of Havant!
The city is what you make of it really and a lot of the time from what I have seen as a student most people don't really take the time to explore it enough or make use of the resources available.

Reply 19

LittleBittyPrettyOne
Lewk, where is your accomodation? My boyfriend has just started at Portsmouth, and his flat is lovely. Plus they have a nice kitchen and a lounge area! Much nicer than my halls :/
If you don't like the drinking culture (which I can kind of understand after that jaw incident.. poor you :frown: ) maybe you can sign up to some societies and meet people that way? Or take up a sport?
I think the drinking would be prevalent in most unis though. What are the people in your flat like?

My accomodation is James Watson, i actually dont mind the drinking culture, i do like partying/clubbing but obviously not much fun going with people who's company you don't enjoy... & my flatmates, well theyre not very understanding, one of them comes in at 2am most nights banging on everyones doors, and ive overheard them talking about me behind my back several times, they must think im a **** to not be able to hear them at the volume they speak. I don't want to join any societies at the moment, maybe after christmas when i have resolved some other problems then maybe ill be mr. happy again, right now i feel ill muck up my reputation with the people in the society if i join one.

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