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University of Glasgow or Glasgow Caledonian??

Hi all,

I am a mature student who has been offered a place at Glasgow Uni and Glasgow Caledonian Uni. I will be studying Human Biology. I am having a total dilema as to which university to choose. :confused:

I have a 9 year old daughter whom I have to get to school in the morning which makes getting to Glasgow Uni and then my car parked difficult (there are no public transport links that suit where I live) but I can get a bus to right outside Glasgow Caledonian.......this might seem to some a stupid reason for basising my decision on a particular Uni, but I need to be practical! :smile:

and dont want to end up regretting my decision !

Any help or advice to help sway my decision would be very much appreciated ! :biggrin:

catbee x

Reply 1

rottcodd

3

Have you looked at the structure of the course at the two uni's - do they both seem quite interesting to you? Have a look at the second and third year as well - are there modules which you could happily study?

To be honest, as a mature student and with a child, you have different priorities to the vast majority of students applying for undergraduate degree courses. If Glasgow Caledonian is easier to get to, and you're happy with the course - then go for it :smile:

Reply 2

catbee

OP

8

Thanks for your quick reply :biggrin:

I know that my priorities are different, and Glasgow Cal would suit my circumstances, but Im letting the whole 'Glasgow Uni will look better on your C.V' opinion affect my decision. :confused:

The Caledonian degree is Human Bio with Psychology & Sociology, which I admit sounds interesting, but really Im only really interested in the Human Bio side of it! My head is pickled with it all! :mad:

Thanks again for your advice.

Reply 3

YAP

This is a tricky one. My first thought would be Glasgow Uni, well regarded for biology. But, you have a daughter and other things to factor in. Do you know how many hours a week of lectures you'll have, how many days you'll have to be in? It might be worth ringing up Glasgow to have a chat and see if they can offer any advice - they gave you an offer so they want you as a student so it's in their interest to see if they can make their university be the right one for you.

Then, if it sounds infeasible after talking to them, then sod it and go to the Cali. You're a mother, first and foremost; and a student second - your daughter is more important than if you have the word 'Caledonian' on your degree certificate or not, and I'm sure you'll enjoy wherever you go :smile:

.

Reply 4

rottcodd

3

I wouldn't worry too much about reputation. Reputation is important if you are applying for high flying city jobs, banking, top law firms and stuff like that. But for the vast majority of graduate jobs they are interested in the fact that you have a degree and your experience on top of that. So don't let the league table placing of the university affect your decision too much.

Hmmm...well if the course looks better at Glasgow, but it's easier to get to Caledonian, that you just need to weigh up whether you can put up with the hassle of commuting over a better course for you. Commuting did my head in after two years so I gave up and moved there, but of course it totally depends on how willing you are to do it.

Doing Psychology and Sociology alongside it might be nice - it will give you a break from the hard science and will develop your essay writing skills alongside your scientific skills. But, if, as you say, you're really only interested in Human Biology, then there's not much point studying Psychology and Sociology if you're not that fussed by it.

Reply 5

Mush

17

If you can get the bus to Caledonian, then Glasgow is only a 10 minute subway journey from there, really. Park up in town somewhere and travel from town to Glasgow. You're talking about a maximum of 15 minutes extra journey time.

Glasgow has a better reputation, it will look better on your CV. It is much more well regarded for the sciences and Biology. Plus, you don't want to doa degree at cale where you're only interested in half of the course material

Reply 6

Allthewayhome

10

Mush is quite right here regarding the transport.

It's about ten minutes on the subway which isn't much of an inconveince but I think there will be a bit of additional cost though I'm pretty sure you will be able get a student zone card to suit which zones of the city you will need to travel in.

The next consideration is whether you prefer one course over the other but this purely down to how you feel.

Good luck and let us know what you've decided on!

:smile:

Reply 7

Mush

17

Allthewayhome

Mush is quite right here regarding the transport.

It's about ten minutes on the subway which isn't much of an inconveince but I think there will be a bit of additional cost though I'm pretty sure you will be able get a student zone card to suit which zones of the city you will need to travel in.

The next consideration is whether you prefer one course over the other but this purely down to how you feel.

Good luck and let us know what you've decided on!

:smile:

Yeah, it's 2 pound for a return ticket on the subway. Or alternatively you could get another bus from town (the 42, the 62, etc).

Zonecard would be easier, it covers the zones you pass through. IF you pass through more than 3 zones, you get the other 5 city zones free. It covers bus, train, subway, and some other methods of transport. I don't think you can get student discounts for Zone Cards. It costs about 150 quid for the 10 week pass(weems expensive at first glance, but if you consider how much it'd cost to buy each journey individually every day, it's a BIG BIG save. I would spend roughly 5 quid a day on transport. Which means for 150 quid I'd only get 6 weeks to uni mon-fri. Then zonecard even covers your weekends!). Which is the one I get. Most courses are 30 weeks, so you'll need to buy at least three. But since you're using public transport, you'll probably be entitled to Travel Expenses from SAAS.

Reply 8

Mush

17

Where are you from OP? Which 'scheme' haha?

Reply 9

catbee

OP

8

Sorry new to all of this forum business, I presume I am OP?? :confused:

Not all wegies are 'schemies' you know!

Im from Bishopbriggs, a very nice area thank you very much! :biggrin:

Thanks for all the advice given, I am going to an applicants day at Glasgow on the 18th March, so hopefully that will help push my decision along!

Catbee

Reply 10

Mush

17

catbee

Sorry new to all of this forum business, I presume I am OP?? :confused:

Not all wegies are 'schemies' you know!

Im from Bishopbriggs, a very nice area thank you very much! :biggrin:

Thanks for all the advice given, I am going to an applicants day at Glasgow on the 18th March, so hopefully that will help push my decision along!

Catbee

OP = Original Poster, so yes, that's you lol!

Oh come on. Anyone who isn't a west ender is a schemie:P. Bishopbriggs is Bishy:P! Pishy bishy, we all know that!

Haha, sorry! Well I don't know much about Bishopbriggs. I have a mate who lives there there who told me to get some bus from just outside queen street station, once, to get to bishy. So I assume there's one in the other direction which takes you somewhat close to queen street, where there's a subway station that'll take you directly to Glasgow uni :biggrin:

...

So I honestly don't think your travelling should be much of an issue for you. Sure, it's an extra 10-15 minutes, but I think it's a negligible factor if you consider the reputation of Glasgow's courses as compared to Cale's.

The applicants' day should prove useful. Have a good day there :smile:

I wouldn't be opposed to buying you a drink in the union on applicants' day haha! Not that I'm trying to influence your decision >.>

*GLASGOW IS BEST*

Reply 11

catbee

OP

8

Im swaying towards Glasgow I must admit. :biggrin:

Thanks Mush! I might just take you up on that offer of a drink! :p:

!

Thanks for everyones advice, its helped nudge me along a bit!

Catbee x

Reply 12

Mush

17

catbee

Im swaying towards Glasgow I must admit. :biggrin:

Thanks Mush! I might just take you up on that offer of a drink! :p:

!

Thanks for everyones advice, its helped nudge me along a bit!

Catbee x

Lol you should. You can't really form an opinion of the uni without a drink in the union!

Glad the advice has helped! Good luck with the decision!

And be sure to PM me closer to Applicant's Day if you fancy a tour of the union...

I have like a five hour gap between lectures anyway on the 18th.

Mush

Reply 13

Allthewayhome

10

Mush

OP = Original Poster, so yes, that's you lol!

Oh come on. Anyone who isn't a west ender is a schemie:P. Bishopbriggs is Bishy:P! Pishy bishy, we all know that!

Oh noes - we have one of "those" types on the board.

West is best? Well, east is a beast. :p:

Reply 14

Allthewayhome

10

Oh well, that's certainly a relieve.

Thought I was going to have to mount a defense for the east there.

Your right I don't know any either!

Reply 15

Mush

17

Allthewayhome

Oh well, that's certainly a relieve.

Thought I was going to have to mount a defense for the east there.

Your right I don't know any either!

Out of interest, where are you from in the east, if you don't mind my asking ?

Coatbridge. :smile:

Allthewayhome

Coatbridge. :smile:

You dirty poser, that's no Glasgow!

Reply 18

Acaila

17

I think transport isn't a stupid reason at all in your situation - it's important to think of practical reasons like that.
Consider the strength of your department if you are wanting to get a career in that field rather than just the strength of the university.
My honest feeling is that people put far too much emphasis on prestige and a university's name, whereas I've never really known an employer to care. Glasgow and Glasgow Cali are hardly Cambridge and Thames Valley in terms of reputation, so I don't think that's something to solely base your decision on.
Perhaps make a list of the pros and cons of each? And how much of a priority they are to you?

Reply 19

Mush

17

Acaila

I think transport isn't a stupid reason at all in your situation - it's important to think of practical reasons like that.
Consider the strength of your department if you are wanting to get a career in that field rather than just the strength of the university.
My honest feeling is that people put far too much emphasis on prestige and a university's name, whereas I've never really known an employer to care. Glasgow and Glasgow Cali are hardly Cambridge and Thames Valley in terms of reputation, so I don't think that's something to solely base your decision on.
Perhaps make a list of the pros and cons of each? And how much of a priority they are to you?

Actually, Glasgow Caledonian has a ridiculously bad reputation in comparison to Glasgow, Strathcylde, and most other Scottish institutions. And that holds when you consider it at individual department/subject levels. In my humble opinion, shared by others, it's a glorified vocational college.

Plus with the added fact that only half of Caledonian's course, on offer, is interesting for the OP.

And with the regards to the transport! Glasgow University is LITERALLY a 2 minute walk to a subway station, followed by a 10 minute subway journey from Glasgow Caledonian. I think, that even given the OP's circumstance, the transport is a negligible factor. It really would be like getting a bottle of 'Iron Brew' from Lido, when you can walk an extra 20 feet to morrisons and get some Irn Bru. Even if it is cheaper.

University of Glasgow or Glasgow Caledonian??

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