Kent or Manchester Uni??

Hey guys,
I'm currently in a bit of a predicament...
I've applied for 5 unis and got all 5 offers. However, my top 3 choices were Edinburgh, Kent and Manchester university. I don't know which uni to pick!

I've applied for a degree in the social sciences but I was unsure about Edinburgh because of all the political upheaval going on at the moment, the course isn't very flexible (I phoned them and asked them if I could change to a single honors degree if I decided i didn't like social anthropology, for instance), and they said they can't guarantee I could do this. I've also never visited the uni so I'm not sure if it would be too bold a move to go there with the potential of not knowing where I am and if it's the right choice for me.

The past few weeks I've been leaning towards Kent as my first choice uni... the atmosphere was great for my course when i turned up, everyone was friendly, the area itself is really green and chilled. They 100% said that i could alter my course if i wasn't happy for it. I also visited Manchester, but the city center close by reminded me too much of central London... and I'm not sure if that's the kind of environment I'd prefer over a peaceful green one instead. However, as Manchester is a russell group university, and their course is the most flexible ive seen (you can branch out into other social science topics too, and specialise in your second and final year, you end up with a BASS (bachelor arts social sciences) degree instead of a BA (bachelor arts)... I' ve been told by my teachers that going to a russell group uni will look better on job applications and would boost my employability.

This is why I'm confused! I need to get my student finance and accomodation sorted asap, but need to know which uni i should pick as my firm so i can take the next steps!

If any of you go to either of these unis, or have been, or no anyone that does/know the local area, your comments are definitely all welcome.

Thanks so much for reading all of this, sorry guys! :'3

Reply 1

willpetty17

HI Lilsy,

I've had a pretty similar situation to you. I received all 5 of my offers but couldn't decide whether to firm Kent or Glasgow (another RG uni). I firmed Kent about five minutes ago and put Leicester (unconditional) as my insurance. I chose Kent because of the flexibility of the course, close proximity to London (jobs ect), the city of Canterbury itself and also the general feel of the university. My sister also went to Kent uni and she couldn't recommend it any higher if she tried. The nightlife is really good for people who prefer bars and pubs, there is also a great live music scene. I think there's only 3 clubs if that's your kind of thing. I don't think Russel Group means everything, Kent is ranked higher than quite a lot of the Russel Group uni's overall and for certain subjects according to the Guardian and Complete University Guide, just something to think about!

Hope this helped a little

Reply 2

lilsy

Original post by willpetty17

Hi, thanks so much for your message! Really appreciated. The city of Canterbury is lovely I'm assuming, heard lots of good things about it and how historical it all is :smile:

Could you tell me a bit more about the music scene? I'm a musician and would definitely be interested in finding some gigs around town if i attended. Thanks so much :smile:

Reply 3

willpetty17

Original post by lilsy

Hi, thanks so much for your message! Really appreciated. The city of Canterbury is lovely I'm assuming, heard lots of good things about it and how historical it all is :smile:

Could you tell me a bit more about the music scene? I'm a musician and would definitely be interested in finding some gigs around town if i attended. Thanks so much :smile:

Yes the city of Canterbury is lovely, i'd recommend going with someone
you know and staying overnight just so you can get a feel for the place. If you're into rock there is a bar called Lady Luck that seemed to have loads of gigs lined up with local bands. The Ballroom is pretty cool too it has blues nights on Tuesdays and open mic on Wednesday's which you might be interested in. They are the only two places I visited when I was there and I thought they were both really nice. There are loads more places that do live music though including the university itself. Keynes collage holds "Keynestock" every year which invites students from all over campus to play music.
Let me know if you decide to firm, I play guitar so we'd probably get to know each other through the music scene!

Reply 4

lilsy

Original post by willpetty17

The uni sounds lovely!
I'm still not sure where I want to go. I had a really good first impression of Kent but feel like its a safe option for me, because I've never moved anywhere before, and it isn't a russell group. I think the course at Manchester is better but I'm not a big fan of the city itself, although it would offer probably more job opportunities for part time work and work after my degree finishes too... I'm really stuck... and I'm running out of time!

I'm a singer and i play the ukulele, and I'm in to all kinds of things, rock, indie, alternative, etc. :biggrin:

Reply 5

Sir Fox

Political upheaval?! Are there guerillas with AK-47s roaming the streets of Edinburgh?

Quick, we need to fortify Dundee ...

Reply 6

lilsy

Original post by Sir Fox

Political upheaval?! Are there guerillas with AK-47s roaming the streets of Edinburgh?

Quick, we need to fortify Dundee ...

Was referring to the referendum, ahhaah :'D

I've decided to cross Edinburgh out because I've already missed bursary dates for applying and I've never visited :smile:

Reply 7

Origami Bullets

Original post by Sir Fox

Political upheaval?! Are there guerillas with AK-47s roaming the streets of Edinburgh?

Quick, we need to fortify Dundee ...

In all seriousness though, judging by the poll results, independence isn't going to happen. All the political upheaval you're going to see is Alex Salmond with a face like a snacked arse.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 8

jessology

I would pick Manchester. Fantastic Social Sciences department, very student orientated, good and cheap night life, good Arts facilities within the city, a train station that will take you anywhere. Also has more history and prestige, although that could be totally unimportant to you. Both are good institutions though, so don't dismiss your gut feeling necessarily.

Reply 9

lilsy

Thanks for all of your replies :'D Think I'm gonna firm Manchester. Sorry Will, but it seems i won't be meddling among the Kent music scene any time soon, good luck with your exams :smile:

Reply 10

DiZZeeKiD

I've been at Kent for the last 3 years, and cannot recommend it enough. Lovely place, the uni is brilliant, the area is beautiful. If you have any particular questions let me know!