Got the TC but where to do LPC??

Just do it anywhere. There really is no need to worry about the quality of teaching, reputation etc for the LPC. If you didn't have a TC I'd say it's worth considering paying more for one of the bigger providers in order to access their careers service but you don't need to worry about that, so do it wherever's cheapest. The LPC is a massive bore and there isn't really an 'experience' to be had.

Congratulations! Why oh why don't you do it at the London Met? Cheap. Friendly. Acessible. Pretty good on balance. Then you can save yourself £5K

Hey emmings (hope I'm getting your name right!)

Thanks a million for responding.

I'm thinking the same - I don't need a good career service or a big name provider etc. It's just hard to comprehend that reputation doesn't matter at all - after all the pressure that we are all under to go to the right uni, get the right grades, have the right work experience..

Do you mind if I ask you whether you speak from personal experience? If you don't mind sharing

I've heard from many people that the lpc isn't an "experience" and that it's dull as hell wherever you do it.. But I'm a massive (sad) geek who loves studying so I'm actually really looking forward to the academic year ahead - so for me reputation would def matter as far as teaching quality is concerned... Or is it all the same ???

I did the LPC (quite a few years ago now!) at OXILP/Oxford Brookes, which no longer exists. I needed to commute from home and so was restricted to there or a CoL branch, and I was in the same position as you in that I had a tc but it didn't fund the LPC. I'm glad I went for oxilp, it was cheaper and much smaller so had a friendly feel. I did hear from others that the careers service wasn't too great, but most people I knew got TCs during the course of the year or not long afterwards. The teaching was fine bar one or two dodgy ones but I imagine that's the same anywhere.

I really wouldn't get too excited about having a year of study to look forward to. I loved my degree and got top marks but the LPC is such a different programme to a degree. It was dull.

Hey happyinthehaze

Thanks for the recommendation! I've never heard of their LPC before but I'm just looking into it.

I assume you are doing the LPC with them? If so would you say that there's enough face to face teaching time? I saw that it's only 2 days a week vs say Kaplan for 4 days a week (as I said in my other response to emmings I'm a geek so I look forward to being back in the school bench!)
Also, the website doesn't say much about what pro bono they offer - could you shed some light please?

Can I ask if you have a TC?
What I'm snobbishly worried about is the Met 's overall varying reputation (see across TSR... Though some say their LLB is fairly reputable???) or maybe I'm just buying into thinking "it's cheap so there must be something off about it"? Am I being brainwashed by the greedy corporate providers hah

Hey boys and girls,

Looking for some words of wisdom...

I have finally secured a TC after years of blood, sweat and tears with a small specialist City practice - yahaay!

My future firm has no preferred LPC provider and whilst they are a niche boutique they aren't fussy about what electives their trainees take.

Therefore I've got free reign to chose, the only prohibitive element being cost to an extent (as the firm offers no funding for the course... Hopefully future salary prospects will compensate for this so it's not a deal breaker but still something to take into account when looking at LPC providers)

So, I've been to BPP, CoL and Kaplan on open days. I seriously disliked the mass cattle factory feel of the first 2 and I loved the face - to - face tuition / personable / small nature of Kaplan. Plus Kaplan is cheaper. So far so good, clear winner etc.

However I just came across City Law School which seems to be 1.2K cheaper than Kaplan. On the downside I am unsure about it's reputation / teaching quality or lack thereof? on the other hand it seems to offer more scholarships (something to consider due to lack of firm funding)

So bottom line question TSR-ers: is it worth opting for lovely friendly Kaplan for 1.2K more or is City worth the risk? Or is it pants?
Now that I have a TC in the bag obviously I'm not that bothered about providers' reputation but I don't want to spend a bag of dollah on a crap experience. Electives - wise both schools are similar, commute - wise Kaplan may be better but I don't mind either way!

(P. S. Apologies for moaning about something fairly trivial when many people struggle to secure TCs... it took me 4 years post-LLB to get here so never give up folks!! )

Hi

Yes, I am doing the LPC there. I don't have a TC - I am a mature applicant with a previous career in a previous industry so not at the same stage - I presume - in life as you. I did my GDL at the University of Law in Bloomsbury so I do have the two experiences to compare.

2 days teaching - this is true and for me, it was a HUGE advantage that I only had to go into college on two days a week as I have a child. The main bit of teaching that you should compare between providers is how long the tutorials are.

Those two days include altogether four face to face tutorials and four lectures - the teach on a lecture first, then more in depth tutorial system, which is how they structure the UofL teaching too. So the days are quite intense. I wouldn't be sure that just because you get four days in college you necessarily get more face to face time. I don't know. You might just get more sparsely timetabled classes. Another point is that, on the LPC you do your 'core' subjects first, and then your elective subjects later in the year. At the elective point, your time table changes - now I go into the Met three times a week - but only three hours at a time.

The student mix at the Met is diverse - more people from different walks of life. I prefer this myself. Also, it is NOT a 'factory' experience - staff are friendly and approachable and 'human' - classes are small 12 - 16 ish. It would always be possible to get more 'face time' with the tutors if you were having problems with something.

Pro bono - the Met is not the huge careers operation that a bigger provider is. Does it matter? I'm not sure. My thinking was, I have my own pro bono stuff that I do, which I have sorted out myself. The Met does have quite a few talks/visitors/opportunities for you plus they do have pro bono things you can get involved with - just not the smorgasbord of opportunity you get somewhere like U of L.

Snob-value wise - I don't know - the Met is full of people more like me, I am guessing, than you - I would say that most students don't have TCs but the ones who do are working part time, or in some way funding themselves and not working for the type of firm that pays £20- £25 K for you to do your studying, so in that way you will probably fit in.

Plus it's worth saying - I don't find the LPC dull - it surprises me when people say it is and I secretly think, if they think the LPC is dull they just MIGHT be in the wrong game!!

Happy for you to PM me if you have any other qus

You've given me hope! I need a TC as well I'm still battling my way through the LLB! I would go to BPP or CoL, their resources are better and they're the biggest legal institutions in Europe. It's up to you though, whichever one you feel is right for you, for there. Good luck!

Hi

Yes, I am doing the LPC there. I don't have a TC - I am a mature applicant with a previous career in a previous industry so not at the same stage - I presume - in life as you. I did my GDL at the University of Law in Bloomsbury so I do have the two experiences to compare.

2 days teaching - this is true and for me, it was a HUGE advantage that I only had to go into college on two days a week as I have a child. The main bit of teaching that you should compare between providers is how long the tutorials are.

Those two days include altogether four face to face tutorials and four lectures - the teach on a lecture first, then more in depth tutorial system, which is how they structure the UofL teaching too. So the days are quite intense. I wouldn't be sure that just because you get four days in college you necessarily get more face to face time. I don't know. You might just get more sparsely timetabled classes. Another point is that, on the LPC you do your 'core' subjects first, and then your elective subjects later in the year. At the elective point, your time table changes - now I go into the Met three times a week - but only three hours at a time.

The student mix at the Met is diverse - more people from different walks of life. I prefer this myself. Also, it is NOT a 'factory' experience - staff are friendly and approachable and 'human' - classes are small 12 - 16 ish. It would always be possible to get more 'face time' with the tutors if you were having problems with something.

Pro bono - the Met is not the huge careers operation that a bigger provider is. Does it matter? I'm not sure. My thinking was, I have my own pro bono stuff that I do, which I have sorted out myself. The Met does have quite a few talks/visitors/opportunities for you plus they do have pro bono things you can get involved with - just not the smorgasbord of opportunity you get somewhere like U of L.

Snob-value wise - I don't know - the Met is full of people more like me, I am guessing, than you - I would say that most students don't have TCs but the ones who do are working part time, or in some way funding themselves and not working for the type of firm that pays £20- £25 K for you to do your studying, so in that way you will probably fit in.

Plus it's worth saying - I don't find the LPC dull - it surprises me when people say it is and I secretly think, if they think the LPC is dull they just MIGHT be in the wrong game!!

Happy for you to PM me if you have any other qus

Happyinthehaze is right in that 4 days does not mean any more contact hours than 2 days - it's just more spread out. I did 4 days, don't think it made it any more or less dull for me. Each to their own but I found it extremely dull and at almost 3 PQE I'm pretty sure I'm not in the wrong game.

I just told my firm where I was going to do it rather than asked them. They really weren't bothered - when it came round to choosing electives I asked if they had any preferences for me and they said no do whatever you like. I think outside of the major city firms which have tailored LPC programmes, most firms really aren't fussed.