Durham University
Durham
The "Ask a Durham Student" Thread :)
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Crimsonchilli
hey guys, anyone got a good idea at the different applications rates of each of the colleges? I want hopefully to apply to St.Johns, but considering its one the bailey colleges and thus one of the harder ones to get into im starting to have second thoughts ?
Does how hard the college is to get into only really come into play once youve been accepted by a department and so only really matters in which college you eventually end up in, or could applying to a harder college to get into make it harder to get into durham all together. ?
Does how hard the college is to get into only really come into play once youve been accepted by a department and so only really matters in which college you eventually end up in, or could applying to a harder college to get into make it harder to get into durham all together. ?
once the department accept you, you're in. Which college you apply to only affects which college you end up at.
Durham University
Durham
How much easier (?) would it be to get into an undergrad Politics/International relations course than a Law one ?
Im interested in both, cant decide either way, but the one thing that has put me off a law course is how hard it is to get in, and I'm deadset of Durham, so really dont want to risk not getting in =[
Im interested in both, cant decide either way, but the one thing that has put me off a law course is how hard it is to get in, and I'm deadset of Durham, so really dont want to risk not getting in =[
I have a few questions about trampolining at Durham....
1. What are the trampolines actually like? Are the beds soft or firm? Are they ridiculously bouncy or mediumish or not very? (Where a normal round garden one would be not very)
2. How many trampolines are there?
3. Is there a rig?
4. Around about how many competitions are entered each year?
Hope someone can help!
DB
1. What are the trampolines actually like? Are the beds soft or firm? Are they ridiculously bouncy or mediumish or not very? (Where a normal round garden one would be not very)
2. How many trampolines are there?
3. Is there a rig?
4. Around about how many competitions are entered each year?
Hope someone can help!
DB
Crimsonchilli
How much easier (?) would it be to get into an undergrad Politics/International relations course than a Law one ?
Im interested in both, cant decide either way, but the one thing that has put me off a law course is how hard it is to get in, and I'm deadset of Durham, so really dont want to risk not getting in =[
Im interested in both, cant decide either way, but the one thing that has put me off a law course is how hard it is to get in, and I'm deadset of Durham, so really dont want to risk not getting in =[
Why not apply for both, but if youre predicted the typical entry requirements and you have a good personal statement you have a good chance still.
Just make sure you apply early, I did and yeah the personal statement was a pain but youre gonna have to do it anyway, do it early and send it off as soon as you can.
I managed to get my place in a bailey college with no hassle at all, I didnt even realise how popular it was, I think it was cus I applied so early and got a reply within a month or two as well. I wish I applied for Castle though, I think I was early enough to get a place, but who knows.
THRASHx
Why not apply for both, but if youre predicted the typical entry requirements and you have a good personal statement you have a good chance still.
Just make sure you apply early, I did and yeah the personal statement was a pain but youre gonna have to do it anyway, do it early and send it off as soon as you can.
I managed to get my place in a bailey college with no hassle at all, I didnt even realise how popular it was, I think it was cus I applied so early and got a reply within a month or two as well. I wish I applied for Castle though, I think I was early enough to get a place, but who knows.
Just make sure you apply early, I did and yeah the personal statement was a pain but youre gonna have to do it anyway, do it early and send it off as soon as you can.
I managed to get my place in a bailey college with no hassle at all, I didnt even realise how popular it was, I think it was cus I applied so early and got a reply within a month or two as well. I wish I applied for Castle though, I think I was early enough to get a place, but who knows.
but how would you structure your personal statement if your applying for both Law and Politics. You can hardly be like "i really want to study law/politics (delete when applicable)".
Crimsonchilli
but how would you structure your personal statement if your applying for both Law and Politics. You can hardly be like "i really want to study law/politics (delete when applicable)".
I dont really know, im not much of a writer but I know people who have applied for 5 different courses. Law and Politics are fairly similar I guess, one short paragraph on each would do it.
I applied for all mainly the same course and one which wasnt really related, it was last minute and I didnt mention anything to do with in in my PS, I got a reduced offer to study it though
DeckhandBouncer
I have a few questions about trampolining at Durham....
1. What are the trampolines actually like? Are the beds soft or firm? Are they ridiculously bouncy or mediumish or not very? (Where a normal round garden one would be not very)
2. How many trampolines are there?
3. Is there a rig?
4. Around about how many competitions are entered each year?
Hope someone can help!
DB
1. What are the trampolines actually like? Are the beds soft or firm? Are they ridiculously bouncy or mediumish or not very? (Where a normal round garden one would be not very)
2. How many trampolines are there?
3. Is there a rig?
4. Around about how many competitions are entered each year?
Hope someone can help!
DB
Trampolining is a bit of a weird thing here. There was no trampolining at all this year because the mats were ruined when Maiden Castle was flooded last summer. For next year they're getting money to buy new trampolines and all that for Stockton so they'd go there a couple of times a week (hopefully). It is a bit of a hassle though.
In addition, they're hopefully buying mats for Maiden Castle and getting room to store them (which they don't have at the moment). Then there'd be weekend sessions in Durham as well.
As for competitions, no idea. They usually enter BUCS and I think that trampolining has more than one BUCS competition but I'm not sure.
Has anyone lived at home while at Durham? I'm in St Cuths Society and just wondering how much i'd miss out on.
I've been a fresher before at Leeds so I know how important it is and how people usually go out with their flatmates.
I live 20 minutes train ride away from Durham, have a pretty good part time job and currently dealing with long term illness so it makes a lot of sense to stay at home first year at least!
Anyone been in this situation, let me know.
And if anyone doing criminology would like to PM me books i'd might need that would be very helpful!
I've been a fresher before at Leeds so I know how important it is and how people usually go out with their flatmates.
I live 20 minutes train ride away from Durham, have a pretty good part time job and currently dealing with long term illness so it makes a lot of sense to stay at home first year at least!
Anyone been in this situation, let me know.
And if anyone doing criminology would like to PM me books i'd might need that would be very helpful!
tsabo
Has anyone lived at home while at Durham? I'm in St Cuths Society and just wondering how much i'd miss out on.
I've been a fresher before at Leeds so I know how important it is and how people usually go out with their flatmates.
I live 20 minutes train ride away from Durham, have a pretty good part time job and currently dealing with long term illness so it makes a lot of sense to stay at home first year at least!
Anyone been in this situation, let me know.
And if anyone doing criminology would like to PM me books i'd might need that would be very helpful!
I've been a fresher before at Leeds so I know how important it is and how people usually go out with their flatmates.
I live 20 minutes train ride away from Durham, have a pretty good part time job and currently dealing with long term illness so it makes a lot of sense to stay at home first year at least!
Anyone been in this situation, let me know.
And if anyone doing criminology would like to PM me books i'd might need that would be very helpful!
Personally I really wouldn't advise it - unless you're a mature student with a family or something who wouldn't be getting as involved with student nightlife/etc anyway.
The train station isn't in the middle of Durham, so you'd need to factor in walking distance to it as well (15-20 mins from the criminology department/elvet riverside lectures; about half an hour to the science site/hill colleges). Even if you managed to crash on a friend's floor after a couple of nights out, it would be a lot of effort planning that and bringing your overnight stuff - it doesn't sound bad now, but from my experience in Durham, nights out or drinks or meals out are often very spontaneous because Durham's such a walking city!
Why not live in college, but go home every weekend/ one or two afternoons or nights a week for your part-time job? You won't have too many lectures if you do criminology (probably about 8-10 hours a week, including seminars), and so you'll probably have a couple of mornings or afternoons off - or even a day off every other week or something).
tsabo
Has anyone lived at home while at Durham? I'm in St Cuths Society and just wondering how much i'd miss out on.
I've been a fresher before at Leeds so I know how important it is and how people usually go out with their flatmates.
I live 20 minutes train ride away from Durham, have a pretty good part time job and currently dealing with long term illness so it makes a lot of sense to stay at home first year at least!
Anyone been in this situation, let me know.
And if anyone doing criminology would like to PM me books i'd might need that would be very helpful!
I've been a fresher before at Leeds so I know how important it is and how people usually go out with their flatmates.
I live 20 minutes train ride away from Durham, have a pretty good part time job and currently dealing with long term illness so it makes a lot of sense to stay at home first year at least!
Anyone been in this situation, let me know.
And if anyone doing criminology would like to PM me books i'd might need that would be very helpful!
Hey, I'm at St. Cuth's and I lived at home in my first year. Academically, it was great for me because there weren't many distractions from working and being stuck in Durham during the day I invariably ended up in the library. It did mean that my days were quite long, often up to 12 hours from leaving home to getting back on a night. After my first day, I was so worn out, I couldn't believe it. You soon get used to it though, but looking back I don't know how I managed (compared to my schedule now
).Socially, though, it was awful. I feel I missed out on so many things, things that will affect the rest of my time in Durham. Most people will make their friendships in college in first year, and I missed out on that. As a result, I hardly know many people at Cuth's very well. It's also a lot harder to make it to society events and nights out in general.
I think first year it's best to live in. I have a handful of friends from home here as well, and some of them live at home in their third year, and next year, their fourth years.
Hm, so there obviously is no-one for Psychology on here 
I have another question though. I missed the Open Day, but I want to visit the university, especially the college, before I make my decison. I have a very limited time frame, between the end of exams and my UCAS deadline, so the only days that I could visit are the 28th-30th of April, which is very soon which means I want to book the train as soon as possible. I emailed my college's senior tutor, because all the other email adresses that I've tried before were really slow with replying or never sent a reply at all. Was that the right person to contact?
I suppose there may be no-one there over the holidays. When can I expect a reply? How likely is it that it will be possible for me to visit? It'll get too expensive if I wait much longer
I managed to write a PS covering Politics, International Relations and Psychology. People on here told me it was pretty much impossible to wirte a good PS covering those subjects, but I got 5 offers with it. And I'm not even British, so I didn't have my teachers or whoever looking at it, but had to do it all by myself.
It is hard work, but it is possible. Fitting Law and Politics together may even be easier than International Relations and Psychology.
You don't have to name the degree that you want to study, just focus on the things that both subjects have in common. Talk about how you're interested in the seperation of powers into three branches and elaborate on the judiciary branch.
I didn't consider applying for law and as someone who is interested in the subject I'm sure you'll find more aspects that both subjects have in common.
I have another question though. I missed the Open Day, but I want to visit the university, especially the college, before I make my decison. I have a very limited time frame, between the end of exams and my UCAS deadline, so the only days that I could visit are the 28th-30th of April, which is very soon which means I want to book the train as soon as possible. I emailed my college's senior tutor, because all the other email adresses that I've tried before were really slow with replying or never sent a reply at all. Was that the right person to contact?
I suppose there may be no-one there over the holidays. When can I expect a reply? How likely is it that it will be possible for me to visit? It'll get too expensive if I wait much longer
Crimsonchilli
but how would you structure your personal statement if your applying for both Law and Politics. You can hardly be like "i really want to study law/politics (delete when applicable)".
I managed to write a PS covering Politics, International Relations and Psychology. People on here told me it was pretty much impossible to wirte a good PS covering those subjects, but I got 5 offers with it.
And I'm not even British, so I didn't have my teachers or whoever looking at it, but had to do it all by myself. It is hard work, but it is possible. Fitting Law and Politics together may even be easier than International Relations and Psychology.
You don't have to name the degree that you want to study, just focus on the things that both subjects have in common. Talk about how you're interested in the seperation of powers into three branches and elaborate on the judiciary branch.
I didn't consider applying for law and as someone who is interested in the subject I'm sure you'll find more aspects that both subjects have in common.
This might be a stupid question, but are formals compulsory or a voluntary thing?
Nightowl
This might be a stupid question, but are formals compulsory or a voluntary thing?
Completely voluntary. I think at most colleges (if not all?) there is a normal meal at an earlier time than normal, so formals don't need to affect you at all.
Nightowl
This might be a stupid question, but are formals compulsory or a voluntary thing?
As dring said, they're voluntary and there's an earlier normal meal for those that aren't going to formal. The only issue is if you have a 5.15 lecture on formal days, finishing at 6.15, which means you basically have to go to formal as you miss early dinner (unless you order a packed tea or go out or something). This is the case at Trevs anyway, I'm guessing formal times at other colleges are basically the same (ie, normal dinner finishing at 6.30 I think, formal doors open at 6.45). Formals are fun though, so although I'm in the above situation of having a 5.15 on Thursdays when Trevs has formals, I don't mind.
When you are living in halls do you have a safe in your room or can you lock the door etc? Not that i'll have anything really valuable, i'm just curious
rachaelnorthshields
When you are living in halls do you have a safe in your room or can you lock the door etc? Not that i'll have anything really valuable, i'm just curious
Your door locks! Your room is your own, not just a space that anyone can go into!
I don't know if some colleges provide a safe, but at least most of them do not as far as I know. The biggest risk to people is generally leaving their windows open or not locking their doors (so many people do this and seem surprised when people walk right in...), you should have no problems if you're sensible.
la_mariposa
Hm, so there obviously is no-one for Psychology on here
I have another question though. I missed the Open Day, but I want to visit the university, especially the college, before I make my decison. I have a very limited time frame, between the end of exams and my UCAS deadline, so the only days that I could visit are the 28th-30th of April, which is very soon which means I want to book the train as soon as possible. I emailed my college's senior tutor, because all the other email adresses that I've tried before were really slow with replying or never sent a reply at all. Was that the right person to contact?
I suppose there may be no-one there over the holidays. When can I expect a reply? How likely is it that it will be possible for me to visit? It'll get too expensive if I wait much longer
I managed to write a PS covering Politics, International Relations and Psychology. People on here told me it was pretty much impossible to wirte a good PS covering those subjects, but I got 5 offers with it. And I'm not even British, so I didn't have my teachers or whoever looking at it, but had to do it all by myself.
It is hard work, but it is possible. Fitting Law and Politics together may even be easier than International Relations and Psychology.
You don't have to name the degree that you want to study, just focus on the things that both subjects have in common. Talk about how you're interested in the seperation of powers into three branches and elaborate on the judiciary branch.
I didn't consider applying for law and as someone who is interested in the subject I'm sure you'll find more aspects that both subjects have in common.
I have another question though. I missed the Open Day, but I want to visit the university, especially the college, before I make my decison. I have a very limited time frame, between the end of exams and my UCAS deadline, so the only days that I could visit are the 28th-30th of April, which is very soon which means I want to book the train as soon as possible. I emailed my college's senior tutor, because all the other email adresses that I've tried before were really slow with replying or never sent a reply at all. Was that the right person to contact?
I suppose there may be no-one there over the holidays. When can I expect a reply? How likely is it that it will be possible for me to visit? It'll get too expensive if I wait much longer
I managed to write a PS covering Politics, International Relations and Psychology. People on here told me it was pretty much impossible to wirte a good PS covering those subjects, but I got 5 offers with it.
And I'm not even British, so I didn't have my teachers or whoever looking at it, but had to do it all by myself. It is hard work, but it is possible. Fitting Law and Politics together may even be easier than International Relations and Psychology.
You don't have to name the degree that you want to study, just focus on the things that both subjects have in common. Talk about how you're interested in the seperation of powers into three branches and elaborate on the judiciary branch.
I didn't consider applying for law and as someone who is interested in the subject I'm sure you'll find more aspects that both subjects have in common.
i do a module of yschology, if i can help?
Crimsonchilli
hola
hoping to apply to durham next year, either Hatfield or Castle.
Just wondering, how many first years are in double rooms in both of these colleges. Ive heard varying numbers from Hatfield being practically all shared rooms to hardly any at all. And in regards to castle, how many actually live in the castle (one of the main reasons i love castle) compared to the outbuildings which didnt really look as impressive..
hoping to apply to durham next year, either Hatfield or Castle.
Just wondering, how many first years are in double rooms in both of these colleges. Ive heard varying numbers from Hatfield being practically all shared rooms to hardly any at all. And in regards to castle, how many actually live in the castle (one of the main reasons i love castle
) compared to the outbuildings which didnt really look as impressive..Just to clarify somewhat, I'd say probs about half the rooms for fresh at Hatfield are shared (meaning that the overall majority of people share.) If you've taken a gap yah you're more likely to get a single room (I don't really know why.) But of course the single rooms aren't nearly as nice as lots of the shared rooms such as A and B stairs where I am (we have en-suites!) I personally like being shared but there's the option of swapping if you don't like your room-mate.
For Castle, nearly all fresh but a very few live in Moatside which is a bit yucky but very near all the shops and everything. And they still eat in the Castle etc. There are a few fresh in the Keep as well. I think most of the third years get to live in the Castle itself (that is, if you choose to live in in your third year.) I don't know numbers on shared rooms and singles but I know people in both at Moatside.
To help you choose: Hatfield is renowned to be much rowdier and house all the rugger boys (who Castle were actively refusing this year due to past experiences), Castle is known to be slightly more academic and less rowdy. Although both are good college choices... if you're lucky enough to get in!
Hope this helps.
X
la_mariposa
I have another question though. I missed the Open Day, but I want to visit the university, especially the college, before I make my decison. I have a very limited time frame, between the end of exams and my UCAS deadline, so the only days that I could visit are the 28th-30th of April, which is very soon which means I want to book the train as soon as possible. I emailed my college's senior tutor, because all the other email adresses that I've tried before were really slow with replying or never sent a reply at all. Was that the right person to contact?
I suppose there may be no-one there over the holidays. When can I expect a reply? How likely is it that it will be possible for me to visit? It'll get too expensive if I wait much longer
I suppose there may be no-one there over the holidays. When can I expect a reply? How likely is it that it will be possible for me to visit? It'll get too expensive if I wait much longer
Wednesdays are normally better for visiting, some departments have interviews on non-open days but you get a tour.
Contacting the senior tutor is probably best, but yes everyone is in hibernation in Durham for the Easter holidays and will be back by the 26th April.
You could go for booking the train ticket and say your going to be there on that day, could you meet someone. I recommend going anyway, just to see the place (you will live there for 3+ years). Walk to the college, walk to the department(s) building, get an idea for where it is (find these on a map before leaving!). Go to the college reception and introduce your self as an applicant, or go to the college bar (opens after midday or a little later) and do the same. You might find someone that will show you around, they will be very welcoming and chat at least. I'm not sure about the department, but it wouldn't hurt to introduce yourself to the office and maybe get to see any important rooms/labs. The main thing is knowing where it is and what it looks like.
If you are really waiting for a reply then you could e-mail the JCR president of the college. They work full time for a year after graduating, one of their job roles is to show visitors around (when they aren't representing the existing students). What college have you applied for?
You know with regards to accommodation at colleges,
do you have to apply for the different ones.
Ive got a place an Mildert and Im just wondering where and how to apply to the different places to stay!
do you have to apply for the different ones.
Ive got a place an Mildert and Im just wondering where and how to apply to the different places to stay!
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