University of Edinburgh
I'm going to post the same answer from the other thread here -
Hey! I am going to study law at Edinburgh next year, I'll tell you a bit about how I came to decide. This is going to be a big post, sorry!
I got unconditional offers from both universities, and it wasn't the easiest choice - but I think I made the right choice for me. It is really hard to advise someone which university to choose. In Scotland, I would say they are quite equal reputation wise. I, personally, thought the Edinburgh open day and talk was much more welcoming and open than Glasgow's. The university of Edinburgh itself seems a lot more international and diverse than Glasgow. I think the city of Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful and cultural cities in the world, and the thought of living there for four years made me so excited! Glasgow has really good nightlife and links, but then again so does Edinburgh.
It is a really personal choice though. There are so many fantastic things about Glasgow - the city is so big and friendly, the buildings and campus are in a lovely area and they are absolutely gorgeous, the law department has a great reputation... It just depends on some of your preferences. Do you want to move away? Do you want a more Scottish or international campus? What kind of city do you prefer? Everyone's answer will be different, and people who go to either university will certainly have a good time and good degree.
I was looking to move away for university, and I live near Glasgow so I didn't fancy commuting to university every day and feeling removed from campus life. This will be a personal factor - if you live far from Glasgow and want to move, your thoughts on this will be different because the city and area will be new to you.
I think both universities will have a high workload, but it won't be unmanageable. You will have to balance your time quite well, and they both require a lot of reading. I think Glasgow's course might be more flexible in terms of join honours, but joint honours isn't something I'm interested in - that will come down to you personally.
One thing I really liked about Edinburgh is that it has the Old College building entirely to itself! It has its own law library there so you aren't squeezing in the normal university with everyone else - I think Glasgow's library is in with the main library. Old College is just stunning, and it is right next to the main campus and lots of interesting legal related things. One thing I learned from attending open days and speaking to students is that Edinburgh has a lot to help students - LawPALS is a student-run service where senior law students help newer ones adjust to studying law, giving lots of advice on exams, essays and things like that. I don't think Glasgow has a similar thing. There are also a lot of links to solicitor firms and different career paths. At the open day, students talked about how many events the law society and department organised and it seemed really fun and interesting.
I'm also going to talk about something you probably won't hear from the universities and students. I'm assuming you're Scottish, and you might have had similar experiences but where I am from, basically everyone stays at home. the 'smart' kids think that Glasgow is literally the best university ever and no one would ever think to go anywhere else. I was in that mindset for a long time... But I eventually realised this wasn't true. Glasgow is a very good university, but it isn't the only place people can go.
I was involved in the Oxford UNIQ summer school programme to study law, and I was also a participant in the Sutton Trust US programme. I met a lot of students from england and different areas of the UK through this - a lot of them thought that Edinburgh was a really good university, but barely mentioned Glasgow. Edinburgh's national and international reputation is formidable. If you want to get a job in, say, London or other parts of England, Edinburgh may be a better choice. This is partly due to the fact that Glasgow as a city has a really outdated reputation as some sort of junkie haven, but it is also due to the fact that Edinburgh is an internationally renowned university that has students attend from all over the world in large numbers. I kind of like the idea of meeting students that aren't just Scottish - and from visiting Glasgow and talking to students there, most of the people that attend Glasgow are Scottish.
Sorry this post has been so long, but the choice (after weighing everything up and thinking) was clearly Edinburgh for me. I loved the open day, loved the city, loved the university, loved the department, I was eager to move away and Edinburgh's union and career service looked like it would help me a lot and give me a lot of opportunities. If you want to meet some people going to the university next year, you should look for the freshers page on facebook and talk to some people from it! I've met some nice people already
Hey! I am going to study law at Edinburgh next year, I'll tell you a bit about how I came to decide. This is going to be a big post, sorry!
I got unconditional offers from both universities, and it wasn't the easiest choice - but I think I made the right choice for me. It is really hard to advise someone which university to choose. In Scotland, I would say they are quite equal reputation wise. I, personally, thought the Edinburgh open day and talk was much more welcoming and open than Glasgow's. The university of Edinburgh itself seems a lot more international and diverse than Glasgow. I think the city of Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful and cultural cities in the world, and the thought of living there for four years made me so excited! Glasgow has really good nightlife and links, but then again so does Edinburgh.
It is a really personal choice though. There are so many fantastic things about Glasgow - the city is so big and friendly, the buildings and campus are in a lovely area and they are absolutely gorgeous, the law department has a great reputation... It just depends on some of your preferences. Do you want to move away? Do you want a more Scottish or international campus? What kind of city do you prefer? Everyone's answer will be different, and people who go to either university will certainly have a good time and good degree.
I was looking to move away for university, and I live near Glasgow so I didn't fancy commuting to university every day and feeling removed from campus life. This will be a personal factor - if you live far from Glasgow and want to move, your thoughts on this will be different because the city and area will be new to you.
I think both universities will have a high workload, but it won't be unmanageable. You will have to balance your time quite well, and they both require a lot of reading. I think Glasgow's course might be more flexible in terms of join honours, but joint honours isn't something I'm interested in - that will come down to you personally.
One thing I really liked about Edinburgh is that it has the Old College building entirely to itself! It has its own law library there so you aren't squeezing in the normal university with everyone else - I think Glasgow's library is in with the main library. Old College is just stunning, and it is right next to the main campus and lots of interesting legal related things. One thing I learned from attending open days and speaking to students is that Edinburgh has a lot to help students - LawPALS is a student-run service where senior law students help newer ones adjust to studying law, giving lots of advice on exams, essays and things like that. I don't think Glasgow has a similar thing. There are also a lot of links to solicitor firms and different career paths. At the open day, students talked about how many events the law society and department organised and it seemed really fun and interesting.
I'm also going to talk about something you probably won't hear from the universities and students. I'm assuming you're Scottish, and you might have had similar experiences but where I am from, basically everyone stays at home. the 'smart' kids think that Glasgow is literally the best university ever and no one would ever think to go anywhere else. I was in that mindset for a long time... But I eventually realised this wasn't true. Glasgow is a very good university, but it isn't the only place people can go.
I was involved in the Oxford UNIQ summer school programme to study law, and I was also a participant in the Sutton Trust US programme. I met a lot of students from england and different areas of the UK through this - a lot of them thought that Edinburgh was a really good university, but barely mentioned Glasgow. Edinburgh's national and international reputation is formidable. If you want to get a job in, say, London or other parts of England, Edinburgh may be a better choice. This is partly due to the fact that Glasgow as a city has a really outdated reputation as some sort of junkie haven, but it is also due to the fact that Edinburgh is an internationally renowned university that has students attend from all over the world in large numbers. I kind of like the idea of meeting students that aren't just Scottish - and from visiting Glasgow and talking to students there, most of the people that attend Glasgow are Scottish.
Sorry this post has been so long, but the choice (after weighing everything up and thinking) was clearly Edinburgh for me. I loved the open day, loved the city, loved the university, loved the department, I was eager to move away and Edinburgh's union and career service looked like it would help me a lot and give me a lot of opportunities. If you want to meet some people going to the university next year, you should look for the freshers page on facebook and talk to some people from it! I've met some nice people already
University of Edinburgh
Is there such a thing as a fun law degree? In fact, is there such a thing as a fun degree? I doubt it.
Hey, i'm going into second year of law at Edinburgh in September so maybe i can help you a little bit.
Is the law course ok? Yes
Is it fun and not way too difficult? no law course, or any course really is 'fun', but some of the subjects have actually been pretty interesting.
I don't know where to start really, but in retrospect my first year hasn't been too difficult, and being at Edinburgh has been really fun. Obviously it's a lot harder than high school, but if you've got the grades to get in, you won't struggle.
First semester we have 3 compulsory subjects: Contract (the lecturer is a legend), Family(interesting and relevant) and Scottish Legal System (meh). Your fourth subject can be in or out with law (I chose french)
Second semester: Public law (pretty bad but i hate politics), Critical Legal Thinking (confusing but philosophical) and EU Law + your extra subject.
Difficulty on each subject really depends, if you do most of your tutorial work and even with minimal reading you can still get a good grade.
As for fun, the law society and council set up great social events just for law students, including a party bus, law ball (at the balmoral!!), and academic families.
Edinburgh v Glasgow - it's really a matter of what you'd prefer. I've got friends in Glasgow, it seems to be a better city for clubs/cheaper student life, but I chose Edinburgh as I just prefer the city. The course will be pretty much the same from each in terms of difficulty and employability.
If you have any questions message me (although I'm not on here often)!
Is the law course ok? Yes
Is it fun and not way too difficult? no law course, or any course really is 'fun', but some of the subjects have actually been pretty interesting.
I don't know where to start really, but in retrospect my first year hasn't been too difficult, and being at Edinburgh has been really fun. Obviously it's a lot harder than high school, but if you've got the grades to get in, you won't struggle.
First semester we have 3 compulsory subjects: Contract (the lecturer is a legend), Family(interesting and relevant) and Scottish Legal System (meh). Your fourth subject can be in or out with law (I chose french)
Second semester: Public law (pretty bad but i hate politics), Critical Legal Thinking (confusing but philosophical) and EU Law + your extra subject.
Difficulty on each subject really depends, if you do most of your tutorial work and even with minimal reading you can still get a good grade.
As for fun, the law society and council set up great social events just for law students, including a party bus, law ball (at the balmoral!!), and academic families.
Edinburgh v Glasgow - it's really a matter of what you'd prefer. I've got friends in Glasgow, it seems to be a better city for clubs/cheaper student life, but I chose Edinburgh as I just prefer the city. The course will be pretty much the same from each in terms of difficulty and employability.
If you have any questions message me (although I'm not on here often)!
Original post by gingermitch
Hey, i'm going into second year of law at Edinburgh in September so maybe i can help you a little bit.
Is the law course ok? Yes
Is it fun and not way too difficult? no law course, or any course really is 'fun', but some of the subjects have actually been pretty interesting.
I don't know where to start really, but in retrospect my first year hasn't been too difficult, and being at Edinburgh has been really fun. Obviously it's a lot harder than high school, but if you've got the grades to get in, you won't struggle.
First semester we have 3 compulsory subjects: Contract (the lecturer is a legend), Family(interesting and relevant) and Scottish Legal System (meh). Your fourth subject can be in or out with law (I chose french)
Second semester: Public law (pretty bad but i hate politics), Critical Legal Thinking (confusing but philosophical) and EU Law + your extra subject.
Difficulty on each subject really depends, if you do most of your tutorial work and even with minimal reading you can still get a good grade.
As for fun, the law society and council set up great social events just for law students, including a party bus, law ball (at the balmoral!!), and academic families.
Edinburgh v Glasgow - it's really a matter of what you'd prefer. I've got friends in Glasgow, it seems to be a better city for clubs/cheaper student life, but I chose Edinburgh as I just prefer the city. The course will be pretty much the same from each in terms of difficulty and employability.
If you have any questions message me (although I'm not on here often)!
Is the law course ok? Yes
Is it fun and not way too difficult? no law course, or any course really is 'fun', but some of the subjects have actually been pretty interesting.
I don't know where to start really, but in retrospect my first year hasn't been too difficult, and being at Edinburgh has been really fun. Obviously it's a lot harder than high school, but if you've got the grades to get in, you won't struggle.
First semester we have 3 compulsory subjects: Contract (the lecturer is a legend), Family(interesting and relevant) and Scottish Legal System (meh). Your fourth subject can be in or out with law (I chose french)
Second semester: Public law (pretty bad but i hate politics), Critical Legal Thinking (confusing but philosophical) and EU Law + your extra subject.
Difficulty on each subject really depends, if you do most of your tutorial work and even with minimal reading you can still get a good grade.
As for fun, the law society and council set up great social events just for law students, including a party bus, law ball (at the balmoral!!), and academic families.
Edinburgh v Glasgow - it's really a matter of what you'd prefer. I've got friends in Glasgow, it seems to be a better city for clubs/cheaper student life, but I chose Edinburgh as I just prefer the city. The course will be pretty much the same from each in terms of difficulty and employability.
If you have any questions message me (although I'm not on here often)!
Out of interest: How are you managing with law and French? What level had you taken French to before? I had been considering taking French 1A but I'm not sure...
Original post by Doc.Daneeka
Out of interest: How are you managing with law and French? What level had you taken French to before? I had been considering taking French 1A but I'm not sure...
I took higher french so I had to do French 1B. It was really hard at first, especially as you are mixed in with fluent people and those who have done higher qualifications.
It was a pretty challenging year considering it was first year, a lot of French i just had to wing it, but it worked pretty well as I got a B in the end. Lots of tutorial work so it's just time consuming especially with law and because i wasn't great at french.
I think i will continue it though... I just really want to speak another language and have an edge to my degree, so will continue just getting by! French 1A is an easier course but you can only do it if you've studied Standard Grade/GCSE or less. But it will be a bigger jump in second year cause you join 1B.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- The Russell Group hurt/heal game (Part 5)
- Edinburgh or Glasgow for Law?
- Glasgow or Edinburgh?
- University Choice
- Edinburgh vs. Glasgow
- Law offers 2024 thread (Scotland)
- Which unis are better for biochem
- Glasgow vs Edinburgh for Computer Science
- Ranking Scottish unis from best to worst (to prove a point)
- University of Glasgow
- University of Glasgow and Edinburgh Scots Law
- Glasgow Vet School
- Would you rather attend...?
- Computing Science
- Scottish Legal/Law Diploma, Uni of Edinburgh, or Glasgow?
- Law applicants 2023
- Studying software engineering in University of Edinburgh or University of Glasgow
- International student needs help (Durham, Edinburgh or Bristol?)
- University Rankings Herriot Watt, Dundee or Strathclyde
- Where to go! 2024 Uni
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 minute ago
Official University of Edinburgh Applicant Thread for 2024Last reply 18 hours ago
Official University of Edinburgh Offer Holders Thread for 2024 entryLast reply 1 day ago
Edinburgh CDT in designing responsible NLP 2024 AdmissionsLast reply 4 days ago
MA interdisciplinary futures the University of EdinburghLast reply 6 days ago
when should I apply for accommodation in Uni of EdinburghLast reply 2 weeks ago
Some Edinburgh University accommodation options not showing on application form!Trending
Last reply 1 minute ago
Official University of Edinburgh Applicant Thread for 2024Last reply 18 hours ago
Official University of Edinburgh Offer Holders Thread for 2024 entryLast reply 1 day ago
Edinburgh CDT in designing responsible NLP 2024 AdmissionsLast reply 4 days ago
MA interdisciplinary futures the University of EdinburghLast reply 6 days ago
when should I apply for accommodation in Uni of EdinburghLast reply 2 weeks ago
Some Edinburgh University accommodation options not showing on application form!
