The Student Room Group

Mathematics! - York Exeter or Bath?

York - ABB
Exeter AAB
Bath AAB with A in each core module


Can anyone contribute helping me make this decision?

I don't need any ' It's what you like best' replies, thanks! I've visited them all, and would appreciate any information that I might have missed only visiting them all on a one-off open day!

Any students that attend these Unis that know and disadvantages or advantages?

Although I know they are all fairly similar standard, in terms of reputation, from which institute, would be the most respectable degree?

Also, what do you like/dislike about the course, and lecturers itself?

Nightlife etc?

How studenty, are these towns? How easy it it for Bath undergraduates to get into Bristol, and realistically how often do you go? Same with York to Leeds.

Thank you very much!

Scroll to see replies

In terms of the course, i'd go for Bath.

Personally, i've only been to Leeds on nights out when the uni/college has done them - otherwise it's just a bit too much hassle.
Its good that youve visited them (most people haven't even doen that before they start asking which to firm), i would say the pros of exeter are:

Very nice place to live
Great atmosphere

The cons

Lower graduate prospects especially compared to Bath
Nightlife isnt the best if your a clubbing maniac (however its more than fine)
Reply 3
York and bath are both lovely uni's.

Bath was very expensive though for a night out! so if your a heavy drinker, take this into consideration!!!! Hurt my wallet heavily :frown:
York, I didn't really go out much, but the city looked lovely and everything and everyone was really nice and everyone loved in.

On course alone, bath obviously. Bath to bristol is easily done apparently aswell.
Reply 4
Exeter has a climbing club. It's a shed which has a slanted climbing wall. All the handholds have ominous names like "blood".
I'm at Bath, and it's awesome :smile: It can be quite expensive, but the nightlife is pretty good I'd say, and the city itself is lovely. There's a bus to Bristol on Thursday and Saturday nights I think, which is meant for student nights out in Bristol though I haven't used it myself, but it's not too expensive. Lots of societies also organise socials in Bristol too. I don't do maths, but I know people who do who seem to enjoy the course, I've not heard bad things about the lecturers or anything. Hope that helps :smile:
littlemiss-sunshine
I'm at Bath, and it's awesome :smile: It can be quite expensive, but the nightlife is pretty good I'd say, and the city itself is lovely. There's a bus to Bristol on Thursday and Saturday nights I think, which is meant for student nights out in Bristol though I haven't used it myself, but it's not too expensive. Lots of societies also organise socials in Bristol too. I don't do maths, but I know people who do who seem to enjoy the course, I've not heard bad things about the lecturers or anything. Hope that helps :smile:


Yeh all comments have been helpful so far thanks everyone!

The Bristol bus service is good to know, thanks! Which accommodation did you stay in for your first year? And which course did you take?

With Bath it's a bit unusual compared to other unis not offering any 'arts', do you think this affects the 'mix' of people?
Reply 7
Bath has a much better reputation for mathematics and better graduate prospects, so I would say go there.

However, York and Exeter are still very good universities overall so their overall reputation will look good on your CV (just not as good as Bath).

They are all situated in very nice areas. Plus although York and Bath may not have the greatest/cheapest night-life they are very close to Leeds and Bristol respectively. Not sure about Exeter so someone else will have to help you with that.
bath. for sure
Reply 9
Jimlon0
Bath has a much better reputation for mathematics


True.

Jimlon0
better graduate prospects


I doubt it.
Thanks everyone, keep the comments coming!

Also, to anyone who goes to Bath, is it worth doing the sandwich degree?
robinyourpersie
Yeh all comments have been helpful so far thanks everyone!

The Bristol bus service is good to know, thanks! Which accommodation did you stay in for your first year? And which course did you take?

With Bath it's a bit unusual compared to other unis not offering any 'arts', do you think this affects the 'mix' of people?


I'm in my first year at the moment, doing economics. I'm staying in Marlborough Court which is really nice :smile: As for the sandwich degree, I'm planning to switch onto it, it sounds like a great idea and I'm pretty sure that even if you don't apply for it then you can transfer onto it regardless of the course you're taking. So if you change your mind then it's fine :smile:
Reply 12
Krush

I doubt it.


Meh, just going by what I've read. BTW how did you find maths at Warwick? I've got that as my firm.
littlemiss-sunshine
I'm in my first year at the moment, doing economics. I'm staying in Marlborough Court which is really nice :smile: As for the sandwich degree, I'm planning to switch onto it, it sounds like a great idea and I'm pretty sure that even if you don't apply for it then you can transfer onto it regardless of the course you're taking. So if you change your mind then it's fine :smile:


Yeh I think i'm going to switch to the 4 year now!

Have you seen any of your friends accommodation which you were maybe a bit envious of lol?
Reply 14
Jimlon0
Meh, just going by what I've read. BTW how did you find maths at Warwick? I've got that as my firm.


It was hard, but a great experience. You get a lot of support at first (supervisions, tutorials etc) so even though the pace is quite demanding, there are always people you can ask questions to. Like any department it has its good, amazing and completely useless lecturers but on the whole pretty good. The teaching quality isn't any different to Oxford at least. Might be going back there for my PhD so that's possibly another four more years at Warwick!
Reply 15
Krush
It was hard, but a great experience. You get a lot of support at first (supervisions, tutorials etc) so even though the pace is quite demanding, there are always people you can ask questions to. Like any department it has its good, amazing and completely useless lecturers but on the whole pretty good. The teaching quality isn't any different to Oxford at least. Might be going back there for my PhD so that's possibly another four more years at Warwick!


Awesome, thanks for the reply. When you applied to Oxford for the master what class degree did they ask for?
For the course, Bath.
robinyourpersie
York - ABB
Although I know they are all fairly similar standard, in terms of reputation, from which institute, would be the most respectable degree?

As maths departments the Reputation of Bath is clearly ahead. Followed by York. See http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/~bl/maths_league/2009/ for data, but make your own judgments on what I say. Actually this is a case where the ranking seems pretty clear to me.

Bath and Exeter are "salients", and York a reverse Salient http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/~bl/maths_league/2009/salients.html see the link to see what I mean. You decide if that matters. Bath and Exeter "punch above their weight".

My caution with Exeter is it has one big school of engineering computing and maths, rather than a distinct maths departments. That's how it looks from the web site anyway. I suppose it is fairly obvious what the disadvantages of this might be in general, and up to Exeter to say how they can preserve a culture of mathematics as a distinct discipline and training. in such a setting. Also Exeter closed good departments in music and chemistry so one would need to check if maths there is vulnerable. I am hoping someone from Exeter will read this and post a strong defense!
robinyourpersie
Yeh I think i'm going to switch to the 4 year now!

Have you seen any of your friends accommodation which you were maybe a bit envious of lol?


Not really, the rooms in Westwood that I've seen are tiny, and don't go for Norwood House cos it's right over the SU so it's always really noisy and they're doing building works outside it atm, not sure how long they're going on for but it must be a nightmare! Eastwood seems OK, a lot more sociable than mine, but then that's probably because I'm in a flat of 3 for some random reason, where most of the Marlborough/Solsbury ones are 7. Woodland Court is the most expensive, but tbh the rooms are about the same size as the one I've got, just that they've got a double bed and TV screen. They do have to share a kitchen between 15 though which can get crowded cos there's only 3 fridges and 1 sink... it depends what you want really.
Reply 19
Sephrenia
oi you


^^ she does maths at Exeter :smile: