Bangor or Leicester?

I'm hoping to go on to do Journalism this September. At the moment I've got my sights set on Leicester (DMU) and Bangor. I've already got a conditional offer from Bangor and I'm going there this Friday for an open day. As for DMU, I've been invited for an open day and an entry exam in March, but I haven't yet got an offer from them :/ (is this bad?).

I'm probably going to make the two my final choices (conditional+insurance), but I'm wondering if anyone here goes to these unis and can give me some input? I haven't been to either place but I get a general idea from stuff I've read/looked at/etc.

So, I'm wondering how much there will be to do at Bangor and how out of the way it will be. On the upside it's closer to home and I prefer the look of the course contents. Accommodation is also cheaper, and everything is very close on campus I hear.

DMU is a big city university, and I'm wondering whether I'd rather be in a city where there's more to do/see. More students go there and I can't say for sure but it looks like it's better funded. All the material they've sent me has been really professional/glossy compared to that of Bangor's, but that doesn't really say much about the uni I guess, except that they spend quite a bit on recruiting.

Mind giving me some input?

Reply 1

The Dynamic Uno

Bangor bangor bangor.

I live in Leicester, DMU's a load of *****.

Reply 2

Mister_Chris

Constructive criticism would be more helpful y'know :rolleyes:

Reply 3

FTstudies

Firstly my pet peeve = It's DMU, not Leicester Uni (though I realise you may be referring to the area rather than the actual Uni's)

Now moving past my OCD. I would personally say Bangor, I've heard good things about the Uni, it's been around for a long time and is quite good for a few media courses I understand (such as journalism!).
DMU I admit, I know less about. To me, the uni itself isn't exactly outstanding. That being said, I've seen and read enough posts on this forum to know that people enjoy studying there that have gone!

I would suggest going to the nitty gritty of things. See the break down of the courses at each, perhaps look to see if either "have one over" on the other one, in terms of their Journalism courses (Whether it is NVQ, Skillset, Funding, League tables), and of course, the area. Would you prefer to be in more rural wales, or a more metropolitan area? (:

Reply 4

CrookedLegs

Hey, I've got an offer from Bangor for English with Journalism and I'm having similar thoughts as you as to whether Bangor will have enough to keep me entertained. I've lived in a big city and so I've been used to having an abundance of clubs for the last two years aswell as having loads of shops, different areas and varied cultures all in one place.

I've read and been told that Bangor, although beautiful, is a little bit boring and doesn't have much to offer if you're used to a big city life. Having said that, I know a guy there at the moment and he has nothing but praise for it; the accomodation is meant to be pretty good and cheap, Bangor is one of the cheapest places to live, the journalism course looks good, it's a respected uni (even though league tables don't portray this) and I'd say a degree from there would look better than DMU.

As for DMU, I don't know much about the uni but Leicester is a nice place. If I were you, I'd pick Bangor but obviously you should check everything that you possibly can before making the decision.

Reply 5

Mister_Chris

CrookedLegs

doesn't have much to offer if you're used to a big city life

I've always been in a typical British town and clubbing is a rarity for me (I have tinnitus so yeah... but I wouldn't mind going out clubbing every now and then I guess).

After having a long think about it I think I'd probably prefer being somewhere with greener surroundings. I guess it's also a comforting thought knowing I can pop on a train (1 change/two hours) to come back home.

I've also been looking up on the accommodation for both universities. Bangor is actually little more expensive at £98, but all the rooms have an en-suite bathrooms (!!) as far as I can see. The blocks are all newly built too (I hope the walls are well insulated :/).

Anyway, I'm pretty much bantering on here, I'll see what it's like this Friday anyhoo :biggrin:

. Shame I can't see Leicester until the end of March tho...

Reply 6

Mister_Chris

Talveer

Lol DMU has entry exams?

It's compulsory for any NCTJ course I think. The Bangor one isn't an NCTJ qualification as far as I'm aware.

Reply 7

Mister_Chris

Talveer

Ah I see. Well I would just wait till you go to both and see what you like.

Yeah, that's generally how I'm gonna go about it. Still, want to hear from people who go to these universities.

Reply 8

Aphotic Cosmos

I don't go to DMU, but we do share a city with 'em. Leicester itself is quite nice, nicer than it's undeserved reputation dictates. The town centre [DMU is literally right next door to it] is awesome, there's lots of pubs, clubs and bars depending on what your preferred social scene is. There's loads of parks all over the place and DMU is next to the river. Shopping and entertainment are both pretty decent - large cinema and colossal shopping complex opened just a few years ago.

Reply 9

Mister_Chris

By the way I have UCLAN and Swansea down also. UCLAN I don't know about yet, I'll defo take a look. Swansea, I was completely misled as to what they'd expect grade-wise (grr! wasn't clearly listed and listed differently on UCAS) so I'm bewildered as to why they gave me a conditional offer. Sounds like a nice place, doubt I'd get in.

Oh, and I've got a free place to use on my UCAS, but I wasn't really interested in anywhere else.

Reply 10

kaytee.

I went to Bangor for all of a week but I didn't wanna be there in the first place :p:

Apparently some of the departments are in talks about closing down due to staff cuts (I only know of one at the moment; english language/linguistics....so its a good job I left early :p:

) so i'd check which ones because I know a fair few people who have reapplied to transfer to another uni in their second year and some have actually left already which is worrying

The campus and accommodationin Bangor in good though because everything's so close....be warned of the hills though, they're deadly.
I'd visit all your choices before making any decisions...which is something I didn't do and things didnt go to plan :/

Reply 11

Mister_Chris

Was in Bangor Yesterday! They gave us a bus tour of the town and stopped off at the accommodation (really like that there's en-suite bathrooms!). Couldn't hide a look of embarrassment in front of my parents when I turned round in the guy's room to see a poster with a woman's ass-cheeks right in my face :/

Got free lunch ( :biggrin:

) and then went over to the media department where they gave this dreadful presentation with a really loud continuous drum-loop o__o.

Oh, and some teacher (can't remember his overly-Welsh name) 'interviewed' me, well, rather sat there waiting for me to say things . I don't think I screwed up too badly :/

Then my parents ended up chatting to some third years who were helping out. Got to ask them loads of questions! My Mum also came back from the loo to announce to them "I accidentally went in the gents" followed by my Dad saying "I thought that was your handbag in the next cubicle!". Yeah, parents managed to embarrass me at least once.

Anyway, seems like a nice place. I can defo see it being a nice place in the Summer (like... idyllic student British summer type place... BBQ on the beach! etc etc).

Leicester has a lot to compete with on it's open day ;P.