Cambridge vs Leeds

Im in two minds as to which university to go to. Both leeds and cambridge do very good natural sciences degrees, which would both lead to a masters degree. Although cambridge is a very respected university so is leeds, and leeds has the added bonus of being a big city with plenty going on-exactly what i want from a university!

Would i be mad to turn down an offer from cambridge and live the lifestyle i want in leeds, or should i resolve to working hard for the 8 weeks a term im at cambridge so i can get a job and party in the holidays?!

Reply 1

Gravastar

11

miss.e

Im in two minds as to which university to go to. Both leeds and cambridge do very good natural sciences degrees, which would both lead to a masters degree. Although cambridge is a very respected university so is leeds, and leeds has the added bonus of being a big city with plenty going on-exactly what i want from a university!

Would i be mad to turn down an offer from cambridge and live the lifestyle i want in leeds, or should i resolve to working hard for the 8 weeks a term im at cambridge so i can get a job and party in the holidays?!

If you're really that averse to work, then I suppose Leeds. I know people that have gone there and have had a great time. On the other hand, they didn't have Cambridge offers - I'd go for Cambridge, but that's just me (and probably the vast majority of the 'Cambridge Forum', funnily enough)

Reply 2

sarahliz12345

I think it depends on what's most important thing to you. If it's the course, then I think Cambridge wins, but if the big city lifestyle really matters and you don't want to spend a lot of time working then maybe you'd prefer Leeds. Hope you pick the right one for you.

Reply 3

miss.e

OP

you obviously made the right choice for you then. But do you not wonder what it would have been like somewhere else? How did you choose cambridge anyway? Was it your school pushing you into applying or was it your choice?

Reply 4

miss.e

OP

Gravastar

If you're really that averse to work, then I suppose Leeds. I know people that have gone there and have had a great time. On the other hand, they didn't have Cambridge offers - I'd go for Cambridge, but that's just me (and probably the vast majority of the 'Cambridge Forum', funnily enough)

I've posted in the leeds forum as well but i just want some other opinions other than from teachers and my parents!

Reply 5

sarahliz12345

Don't know who that's directed at but I've wanted to go to Cambridge for a while. To start with it was the 'it's the best, I love my subject so want the best chance to study it'. Now after visiting Cambridge a few times I think the city and the college are lovely. Granted I haven't started there yet so I might be in for a nasty shock (but I hope not!). One big difference though is that you like big cities. I wanted an oldy worldy feel (like York, Durham, Bath).

Reply 6

miss.e

OP

Whats it like living in cambridge, because when I visited it seemed smaller and a lot quieter than i had imagined it to be, even though I knew it was quite a small city anyway

Reply 7

miss.e

OP

In contrast i applied for newcastle manchester nottingham leeds and cambridge does stand out a bit!

Reply 8

manthi

7

Going to Cambridge does not necessarily mean that you sacrifice your ENTIRE teens and twenties does it? You will still have a lot of fun, meet life time friends, and you will get a degree that will set you up for the rest of your life. Choosing Leeds (or any other uni for that matter) over Cambridge purely on the grounds that your 'teens and twenties' will be wasted, is quite an erroneous as well as near sighted decision.

Reply 9

Mike1086

I live in Leeds and go to Cam so will try and offer some help.

Like you, I applied to five big city unis plus Cam, so again it stood out. I have to say, however, that my reaction upon visiting was not the same as yours. The first time I came I knew I wanted to go - that was more noticeable to me than, god, isn't it small.

It can get a bit claustrophobic at times, but a day in London solves it (yes the trains back are an issue if its a night out in London you want - but chances are once here you will meet millions of people who live in the London area who you would be able to stay with. Apart from that, Cam does have a lot of what Leeds has, just on a much smaller scale. The cinema and theatre options of cam are better. Obv Leeds has better shopping (if that matters) but its only 8 weeks of the year anyway, and cam isnt as bad as it first appears once you find the grafton centre.

Main dif and once concerning you seems to be night life. There is a massive difference between the two cities on that point. A lot depends on what you are looking for from night life - for me, the most important thing is going somewhere where I know quite a lot of people, with music I can get drunk and dance to. The lack of choice of venue here, and the size of them, did come as a shock at first, but I've grown used to this already and am now perfectly happy with what Cam has to offer.

I can't really talk bout the academic sides of both unis, but I'm preety sure you would do more work in Cam.

In short, don't turn down Cam because:-
- There is nothing at all to do and everyone is boring (false)
- You will miss out on the best years or your life (I'm having them!)

Do turn it down if:-
- You are desperate for a city where there are more clubs than you will ever be able to go to (this is the only main dif)
- You hate small places and want to live in a really big city.

Any qs, feel free to PM

Reply 10

Star_crossed

I reckon you'd regret turning down Cam. The way I see it, yes, you'd have to work hard for those 8 week terms, but think of the long hols to go out, visit your friends at their unis, have a brilliant time. And do more work. But, anyway, I think the opportunities and pretige of Oxbridge can't really be matched by other unis.

Reply 11

Pink Sparkles

13

miss.e

Im in two minds as to which university to go to. Both leeds and cambridge do very good natural sciences degrees, which would both lead to a masters degree. Although cambridge is a very respected university so is leeds, and leeds has the added bonus of being a big city with plenty going on-exactly what i want from a university!

Would i be mad to turn down an offer from cambridge and live the lifestyle i want in leeds, or should i resolve to working hard for the 8 weeks a term im at cambridge so i can get a job and party in the holidays?!

Ooh im almost in your exact same situation. Im still not certain if i'll pick Cambridge yet but i think i probably will. Like you said, just make sure you party hard in the holidays to make up for all the work we'll be doing during the term time :biggrin:

Reply 12

Minta2

I'd like to offer my twopeneth and correct a misapprehension that the Cambridge 'holidays' are relaxation periods. They are emphatically not, especially if you do an Arts subject, where it's vital to use the vacations (not holidays!) to get ahead/catch up on reading. You work hard for the 8 week terms, and you also have to work hard during the vacations. This place is a double-edged sword; there are probably few people who like every aspect of life here and dislike nothing, and vice versa, but that's true of life i general. In the end, you might make a very finely balanced decision about where to go.

Reply 13

Gravastar

11

Minta2

I'd like to offer my twopeneth and correct a misapprehension that the Cambridge 'holidays' are relaxation periods. They are emphatically not, especially if you do an Arts subject, where it's vital to use the vacations (not holidays!) to get ahead/catch up on reading. You work hard for the 8 week terms, and you also have to work hard during the vacations. This place is a double-edged sword; there are probably few people who like every aspect of life here and dislike nothing, and vice versa, but that's true of life i general. In the end, you might make a very finely balanced decision about where to go.

Yes, but on the other side of the coin, you can't believe all the horror stories you hear about Cambridge students getting 10 hours homework every night, never going out of their rooms, getting cut off from society etc. Unless you really, REALLY want that 1st

Correct me if I'm wrong, those of you who are already at Cambridge, but I'm working on the principle that I can't really imagine myself sat at a desk for 14 hours a day, every day, for four years - and I doubt that I'm the first.

Reply 14

Pink Sparkles

13

Minta2

I'd like to offer my twopeneth and correct a misapprehension that the Cambridge 'holidays' are relaxation periods. They are emphatically not, especially if you do an Arts subject, where it's vital to use the vacations (not holidays!) to get ahead/catch up on reading. You work hard for the 8 week terms, and you also have to work hard during the vacations. This place is a double-edged sword; there are probably few people who like every aspect of life here and dislike nothing, and vice versa, but that's true of life i general. In the end, you might make a very finely balanced decision about where to go.

Ahh dont shatter my illusion of going to Cambridge but still actually having a social life!

Reply 15

Minta2

Gravastar

Yes, but on the other side of the coin, you can't believe all the horror stories you hear about Cambridge students getting 10 hours homework every night, never going out of their rooms, getting cut off from society etc. Unless you really, REALLY want that 1st

Correct me if I'm wrong, those of you who are already at Cambridge, but I'm working on the principle that I can't really imagine myself sat at a desk for 14 hours a day, every day, for four years - and I doubt that I'm the first.

Where in my previous post did I ever suggest that Cambridge students work all the hours God sends? Working very hard is not at all the same as having no life, as you'll discover if/when you get here yourself. Work hard, play hard is the maxim students here live by - it's perfectly possible to do both. I was simply disabusing you of certain notions (and believe me, I definitely wish it were the case that our vacations were genuine holidays!)

Reply 16

Gravastar

11

Minta2

Where in my previous post did I ever suggest that Cambridge students work all the hours God sends? Working very hard is not at all the same as having no life, as you'll discover if/when you get here yourself. Work hard, play hard is the maxim students here live by - it's perfectly possible to do both. I was simply disabusing you of certain notions (and believe me, I definitely wish it were the case that our vacations were genuine holidays!)

I didn't mean that that was what you said - just wanted to point out that it's not quite as insane as rumours can make it out to be. Thanks for the confirmation though.

Reply 17

Flicker

13

how about leeds for undergrad with possibility of Cambridge for your masters?

Reply 18

visesh

17

I never thought I would so isolated from the outside world here to be honest. The 'bubble' can suck you in if you're not careful.

Reply 19

priya

14

miss.e

Im in two minds as to which university to go to. Both leeds and cambridge do very good natural sciences degrees, which would both lead to a masters degree. Although cambridge is a very respected university so is leeds, and leeds has the added bonus of being a big city with plenty going on-exactly what i want from a university!

Would i be mad to turn down an offer from cambridge and live the lifestyle i want in leeds, or should i resolve to working hard for the 8 weeks a term im at cambridge so i can get a job and party in the holidays?!

you'll learn how to economise on time at cambridge. there IS a lot going on here-the amount of extra-currics we do is insane. Let's be realistic- when you get out into the working world, you will have about 15 days of holiday a YEAR- you might as well milk the long holidays in cam while you can! also, natsci is one of the most respected courses in oxbridge, so if prestige is something you're keen on, don't throw this opportunity away.

on the other hand, leeds is a very good university, and if you'd prefer to have a slightly less time-intensive workload, then by all means consider it. but don't turn down camb on the basis that there isn't as much going on here- at the end of the day, if you want to do other stuff, you'll learn to make the time for it, and motivate yourself to work hard!

Cambridge vs Leeds

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