Choosing between Sheffield, York & St Andrews??
Hi, so I've applied to study biomedical sciences at the University of Sheffield, biomed+biology at York, biology at St Andrews and biological sciences at Lancaster. and I was wondering if anyone could give me any insight as to what it's really like to study at these places?
I'm pretty sure that I've ruled out Lancaster, so it's really just between the other three...
For me, the biggest drawbacks with Sheffield are it's size (really I would prefer campus) and its lack of the kind of "wow factor". I don't know if that last one is silly or not to focus on, and I'm afraid that I'm just being unecessarily snobbish, but the prestige, I guess, has always been kind of a big deal for me? I do, however, really like the look of the course there and I can see the upside to living in a city.
My older sister goes to St Andrews, so I've been to visit her there a few times and I absolutely adore it there. I love the small town feel and the little quirks and traditions, but I don't know if I've just fallen blindly head over heals for a place that isn't actually right for me? I think it's much easier to like a place when you can imagine yourself being there - and in this case I've actually experienced what it might be like to be there to a far greater degree than with any of the others. However it does have my least favourite degree structure - I'm 100% sure I want to do biology so doing 2 other subjects for a while might just be a drag and the reseach focus here seems to be, understandably, more marine biology/ecology based than biomedical.
York is then the best compromise on pretty much everything. It's a campus, but attached to a nice, historical city; it has some good courses; is the highest rated for biology... Basically has everything I think I would like, I just don't get all gooey over it the way I do with St A, and what if I just end up kind of disappointed, or only kind of liking it, because I only chose it because it was the "safe" option in terms of all the pros/cons?
I guess I would really just like a second opinion - what do you think is most important when picking where to go/is there anything you would have liked to have done differently when chosing where you wanted to go if you're already at uni?
Sorry this is so long! But thank you<3
I'm pretty sure that I've ruled out Lancaster, so it's really just between the other three...
For me, the biggest drawbacks with Sheffield are it's size (really I would prefer campus) and its lack of the kind of "wow factor". I don't know if that last one is silly or not to focus on, and I'm afraid that I'm just being unecessarily snobbish, but the prestige, I guess, has always been kind of a big deal for me? I do, however, really like the look of the course there and I can see the upside to living in a city.
My older sister goes to St Andrews, so I've been to visit her there a few times and I absolutely adore it there. I love the small town feel and the little quirks and traditions, but I don't know if I've just fallen blindly head over heals for a place that isn't actually right for me? I think it's much easier to like a place when you can imagine yourself being there - and in this case I've actually experienced what it might be like to be there to a far greater degree than with any of the others. However it does have my least favourite degree structure - I'm 100% sure I want to do biology so doing 2 other subjects for a while might just be a drag and the reseach focus here seems to be, understandably, more marine biology/ecology based than biomedical.
York is then the best compromise on pretty much everything. It's a campus, but attached to a nice, historical city; it has some good courses; is the highest rated for biology... Basically has everything I think I would like, I just don't get all gooey over it the way I do with St A, and what if I just end up kind of disappointed, or only kind of liking it, because I only chose it because it was the "safe" option in terms of all the pros/cons?
I guess I would really just like a second opinion - what do you think is most important when picking where to go/is there anything you would have liked to have done differently when chosing where you wanted to go if you're already at uni?
Sorry this is so long! But thank you<3
Original post by Susie.H
Hi, so I've applied to study biomedical sciences at the University of Sheffield, biomed+biology at York, biology at St Andrews and biological sciences at Lancaster. and I was wondering if anyone could give me any insight as to what it's really like to study at these places?
I'm pretty sure that I've ruled out Lancaster, so it's really just between the other three...
For me, the biggest drawbacks with Sheffield are it's size (really I would prefer campus) and its lack of the kind of "wow factor". I don't know if that last one is silly or not to focus on, and I'm afraid that I'm just being unecessarily snobbish, but the prestige, I guess, has always been kind of a big deal for me? I do, however, really like the look of the course there and I can see the upside to living in a city.
My older sister goes to St Andrews, so I've been to visit her there a few times and I absolutely adore it there. I love the small town feel and the little quirks and traditions, but I don't know if I've just fallen blindly head over heals for a place that isn't actually right for me? I think it's much easier to like a place when you can imagine yourself being there - and in this case I've actually experienced what it might be like to be there to a far greater degree than with any of the others. However it does have my least favourite degree structure - I'm 100% sure I want to do biology so doing 2 other subjects for a while might just be a drag and the reseach focus here seems to be, understandably, more marine biology/ecology based than biomedical.
York is then the best compromise on pretty much everything. It's a campus, but attached to a nice, historical city; it has some good courses; is the highest rated for biology... Basically has everything I think I would like, I just don't get all gooey over it the way I do with St A, and what if I just end up kind of disappointed, or only kind of liking it, because I only chose it because it was the "safe" option in terms of all the pros/cons?
I guess I would really just like a second opinion - what do you think is most important when picking where to go/is there anything you would have liked to have done differently when chosing where you wanted to go if you're already at uni?
Sorry this is so long! But thank you<3
I'm pretty sure that I've ruled out Lancaster, so it's really just between the other three...
For me, the biggest drawbacks with Sheffield are it's size (really I would prefer campus) and its lack of the kind of "wow factor". I don't know if that last one is silly or not to focus on, and I'm afraid that I'm just being unecessarily snobbish, but the prestige, I guess, has always been kind of a big deal for me? I do, however, really like the look of the course there and I can see the upside to living in a city.
My older sister goes to St Andrews, so I've been to visit her there a few times and I absolutely adore it there. I love the small town feel and the little quirks and traditions, but I don't know if I've just fallen blindly head over heals for a place that isn't actually right for me? I think it's much easier to like a place when you can imagine yourself being there - and in this case I've actually experienced what it might be like to be there to a far greater degree than with any of the others. However it does have my least favourite degree structure - I'm 100% sure I want to do biology so doing 2 other subjects for a while might just be a drag and the reseach focus here seems to be, understandably, more marine biology/ecology based than biomedical.
York is then the best compromise on pretty much everything. It's a campus, but attached to a nice, historical city; it has some good courses; is the highest rated for biology... Basically has everything I think I would like, I just don't get all gooey over it the way I do with St A, and what if I just end up kind of disappointed, or only kind of liking it, because I only chose it because it was the "safe" option in terms of all the pros/cons?
I guess I would really just like a second opinion - what do you think is most important when picking where to go/is there anything you would have liked to have done differently when chosing where you wanted to go if you're already at uni?
Sorry this is so long! But thank you<3
Student at St. Andrews here, absolutely loving it. One of the best things for me at the moment is that the exams are in December unlike the English universities, so we get a month-long Christmas break with no revision! The first term is 14 academic weeks long plus 1 orientation week, but it is definitely worth it.
I know someone who does Zoology, kinda similar to what you are doing, and he seems to enjoy it a lot (he is always very enthusiastic about his subject), so I'm pretty sure the biology department is good.
Original post by Susie.H
Hi, so I've applied to study biomedical sciences at the University of Sheffield, biomed+biology at York, biology at St Andrews and biological sciences at Lancaster. and I was wondering if anyone could give me any insight as to what it's really like to study at these places?
I'm pretty sure that I've ruled out Lancaster, so it's really just between the other three...
For me, the biggest drawbacks with Sheffield are it's size (really I would prefer campus) and its lack of the kind of "wow factor". I don't know if that last one is silly or not to focus on, and I'm afraid that I'm just being unecessarily snobbish, but the prestige, I guess, has always been kind of a big deal for me? I do, however, really like the look of the course there and I can see the upside to living in a city.
My older sister goes to St Andrews, so I've been to visit her there a few times and I absolutely adore it there. I love the small town feel and the little quirks and traditions, but I don't know if I've just fallen blindly head over heals for a place that isn't actually right for me? I think it's much easier to like a place when you can imagine yourself being there - and in this case I've actually experienced what it might be like to be there to a far greater degree than with any of the others. However it does have my least favourite degree structure - I'm 100% sure I want to do biology so doing 2 other subjects for a while might just be a drag and the reseach focus here seems to be, understandably, more marine biology/ecology based than biomedical.
York is then the best compromise on pretty much everything. It's a campus, but attached to a nice, historical city; it has some good courses; is the highest rated for biology... Basically has everything I think I would like, I just don't get all gooey over it the way I do with St A, and what if I just end up kind of disappointed, or only kind of liking it, because I only chose it because it was the "safe" option in terms of all the pros/cons?
I guess I would really just like a second opinion - what do you think is most important when picking where to go/is there anything you would have liked to have done differently when chosing where you wanted to go if you're already at uni?
Sorry this is so long! But thank you<3
I'm pretty sure that I've ruled out Lancaster, so it's really just between the other three...
For me, the biggest drawbacks with Sheffield are it's size (really I would prefer campus) and its lack of the kind of "wow factor". I don't know if that last one is silly or not to focus on, and I'm afraid that I'm just being unecessarily snobbish, but the prestige, I guess, has always been kind of a big deal for me? I do, however, really like the look of the course there and I can see the upside to living in a city.
My older sister goes to St Andrews, so I've been to visit her there a few times and I absolutely adore it there. I love the small town feel and the little quirks and traditions, but I don't know if I've just fallen blindly head over heals for a place that isn't actually right for me? I think it's much easier to like a place when you can imagine yourself being there - and in this case I've actually experienced what it might be like to be there to a far greater degree than with any of the others. However it does have my least favourite degree structure - I'm 100% sure I want to do biology so doing 2 other subjects for a while might just be a drag and the reseach focus here seems to be, understandably, more marine biology/ecology based than biomedical.
York is then the best compromise on pretty much everything. It's a campus, but attached to a nice, historical city; it has some good courses; is the highest rated for biology... Basically has everything I think I would like, I just don't get all gooey over it the way I do with St A, and what if I just end up kind of disappointed, or only kind of liking it, because I only chose it because it was the "safe" option in terms of all the pros/cons?
I guess I would really just like a second opinion - what do you think is most important when picking where to go/is there anything you would have liked to have done differently when chosing where you wanted to go if you're already at uni?
Sorry this is so long! But thank you<3
Hiya. I do Biology at York, and the Biomed students are in lots of my lectures.
I cannot rate York highly enough, it feels really really cosy with the city so close and campus is great; i'm only ever 10 minutes away from the other side of Hes West (significantly longer to get to Hes East though...). I can't give you any info on the med side, of course, but the biomed students I know are all loving it too. Any questions about York please ask me!! It is by no means a "compromise" option. It's the best one
When in doubt it is probably best to go for the course you like best, as any wow factor for the place itself it likely to reduce after having being there a while.
Sheffield is usually described as a City-campus uni because the university and the villages and other student housing are quite close together, definitely within walking distance although I'll admit that from Ranmoor it can be a bit of a trek (but hey that's what £1 bus fare is for). The main accommodation Endcliffe is about 20 minutes and City is 5 minutes or less, in later years most people move to Crookesmoor which is 15 minutes away.
As for studying biomed here, you don't really take modules with people from other degrees, you are very much a biomed rather than a biologist. Sheffield is still highly ranked compared to St Andrews and York and I'd argue that it's the better choice if you think there's a chance of you going into research as we have a well established paid undergraduate research program which is a good route into doctoral programs. That said it's a very difficult course, be prepared to put in a lot of work to get the most out of it.
As for studying biomed here, you don't really take modules with people from other degrees, you are very much a biomed rather than a biologist. Sheffield is still highly ranked compared to St Andrews and York and I'd argue that it's the better choice if you think there's a chance of you going into research as we have a well established paid undergraduate research program which is a good route into doctoral programs. That said it's a very difficult course, be prepared to put in a lot of work to get the most out of it.
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