The Student Room Group

Pros and Cons of Exeter?

Hi, sorry for another thread like this, but I was wondering if anyone could outline what they see to be the pros and cons of exeter, as I'm really struggling to make up my mind for next year!

Thankyou =]

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Exeter or the uni?
Sorry...the uni!
Reply 3
Pros:
Campus, so everything and everyone is in one place.
The campus itself is only a 10-15 minute walk from town.
The campus is lush and green :smile:
Everyone there is just so friendly - it's what struck me about the place as compared to Bristol.
It's a university on the up with many excellent departments.
High quality facilities in terms of accommodation and learning with improvements going on all the time.
It's an incredibly social place with the range of societies being amazing (more amazing than the Guild website lets on :wink: ).
Part-time jobs are findable (on campus and off) if you want one, but you do have to search, they won't just fall into your lap :p:
It's a beautiful part of the world to live in and as well as being relatively close to Bristol and Bath if you want to explore an alternative city, you've also got Exmouth, Exmoor, Dartmoor, Teignmouth and Cornwall within easy reach.

Cons:
Exeter is shooting itself in the foot by providing more high-end catered accommodation than standard accommodation. They will start driving away people who want self-catered and/or more budget-friendly accommodation if they don't watch it.
Exeter as a location is not exactly central - if you live anywhere near London, as I do, it will probably take you a minimum of 2.5-3 hours to get home door to door.
Exeter University is being increasingly run more as a business than as a university with the students being treated more like customers than like students and with the accommodation being increasingly pitched towards conference guests (see point 1 under cons).

Think that's all :smile:
Reply 4
But do you regret being in Exeter Uni in ANY way?

And the fact that students are treated like customers... Does is affect the quality of teaching? Is it getting better or worse?
I see you're planning on doing Business and Management, which is part of the School of Business and Economics - SOBE. I would say as a first year SOBE student studying Economics that we get treated pretty well and not as a customer.
Reply 6
In SeCAM I don't feel like a customer at all, I get on really well with the staff and receptionist, and the lecturers. Its more hospitality services that are a bit customer like :p: I don't at all regret being here.
Reply 7
ladytoxic
But do you regret being in Exeter Uni in ANY way?

Not at all. The stuff I describe is mainly minor day-to-day gripes rather than being something that affects your happiness hugely. The main problem I can see in what I've described is the growth of extremely expensive catered accommodation at the expense of the more affordable and/or self-catered accommodation as it will be this that drives future students away imo.

ladytoxic

And the fact that students are treated like customers... Does is affect the quality of teaching? Is it getting better or worse?

I wouldn't say it affects the quality of teaching, no. It's mainly Hospitality Services (the people who run the accommodation) and Alumni Services (not while you're there, but after you leave) who tend to treat you like customers. If you look at the league tables, it would appear that the quality of teaching in Exeter is getting better rather than worse :smile:
Reply 8
Just thought I might revive this thread to see if anyone else has anything to add
Reply 9
Pros Lafrowda Cons town is quiet?
Reply 10
Pros
Lovely town -You are in an area which people visit on holiday.
Due to the hills one is always excising and keeping fit.
Lectures seem to take their courses and department seriously
Organised departments
When belonging to the university, a sense of pride and patriotism develop.


Cons
Very elitist – Many privately educated students/ sloanes

Slight sense of superficiality in certain areas of the university

Nightlife/ socialising revolves around clubbing and drinking vast quantities. (Despite what people say about “its your own choice”, if one doesn’t drink to excess you are slightly misplaced in certain social settings)

Food in catered accommodation is horrid – watery and repetitive (can leave one feeling sick) breakfast is also unnecessarily early for the student lifestyle.

Intellectual discussions are few and far between outside a seminar/lecture.

People go to lectures and
- drink beer prior to entering
- fall asleep
- mess around

People don’t seem to be to serious about their work.. and those who are can seem a little isolated.
Reply 11
dolly123

Intellectual discussions are few and far between outside a seminar/lecture.

People go to lectures and
- drink beer prior to entering
- fall asleep
- mess around

People don’t seem to be to serious about their work.. and those who are can seem a little isolated.



This isnt something that is unique to Exeter though. You'll always get a handful of students who dont seem to care about their work whereever you go.

The hills and patriotism is very true :biggrin:
Reply 12
Its a good uni to go to. And as it climbs the university rankings the institution and its degrees will be more desirable. At least thats what I'm hoping.
dolly123
Pros
Lovely town -You are in an area which people visit on holiday.
Due to the hills one is always excising and keeping fit.
Lectures seem to take their courses and department seriously
Organised departments
When belonging to the university, a sense of pride and patriotism develop.


Cons
Very elitist Many privately educated students/ sloanes

Slight sense of superficiality in certain areas of the university

Nightlife/ socialising revolves around clubbing and drinking vast quantities. (Despite what people say about “its your own choice”, if one doesn’t drink to excess you are slightly misplaced in certain social settings)

Food in catered accommodation is horrid watery and repetitive (can leave one feeling sick) breakfast is also unnecessarily early for the student lifestyle.

Intellectual discussions are few and far between outside a seminar/lecture.

People go to lectures and
- drink beer prior to entering
- fall asleep
- mess around

People don’t seem to be to serious about their work.. and those who are can seem a little isolated.



What do you mean by this? :smile:


Also your comments about people drinking beer/falling asleep/not being serious about their work, are you talking about your course in particular (which isn't Biology I hope :s-smilie: ) or what happens in general?
dolly123
Pros
Lovely town -You are in an area which people visit on holiday.
Due to the hills one is always excising and keeping fit.
Lectures seem to take their courses and department seriously
Organised departments
When belonging to the university, a sense of pride and patriotism develop.


Cons
Very elitist Many privately educated students/ sloanes

Slight sense of superficiality in certain areas of the university

Nightlife/ socialising revolves around clubbing and drinking vast quantities. (Despite what people say about “its your own choice”, if one doesn’t drink to excess you are slightly misplaced in certain social settings)

Food in catered accommodation is horrid watery and repetitive (can leave one feeling sick) breakfast is also unnecessarily early for the student lifestyle.


Intellectual discussions are few and far between outside a seminar/lecture.
People go to lectures and
- drink beer prior to entering
- fall asleep
- mess around

People don’t seem to be to serious about their work.. and those who are can seem a little isolated.


Pros are correct.
Cons are not.
I didn't even realise you were already at Exeter Dolly, from the way you were banging on before about which is the best halls.

1. Exeter isn't THAT elitist. There are Universities which are alot worse. It depends where you live in halls I think as to what kind of people you meet and groups you fall into. I came from a state school, and have had no problem making friends with a good bunch of people from mixed backgrounds. I have yet to meet someone who is snobby enough to the point of unfriendliness, and if such a person does exist in Exeter I can certainly say they're in a minority and you will not struggle to find like-minded people in halls, societies, course etc.

2. What do you mean by superficiality? And in what areas of the University? Academic, social, what?

3. Nightlife for most Universities will revolve around drinking and clubbing. As others have said numerous times before on other threads, Exeter is more of a pubbing city so if clubbing is not for you then you will be just fine. Also there are people who go out solely to get trashed, but then there are plenty who don't, like myself, and just go out to have a laugh. Again, be careful you fall into the right crowd when you start off. The friends you make in Freshers week will not be the friends you keep throughout your University career.

4. If you don't want poor quality food and early breakfasts then go self-catered. Its not rocket science. Plenty of people can and do make this choice. Food that is mass-produced is going to be bad ANYWHERE. Have you not heard of school dinners? The poor quality of food in catered halls will be consistent throughout any University I think you'll find and not just specific to Exeter.

5. I have plenty of intellectual discussions with my friends. Again, it depends on personal experience and the friends you have. If you want intellectual discussions outside of lectures/seminars then societies can provide you with that. But its not really that scandalous that people want to use their free time to have some fun, surely? It doesn't mean we're uneducated morons.

6. Have you seen the library in the run up to exam period? Plenty of people are serious about their work. If you are already at Exeter, then I think you're basing far too much on your own personal experience and you have simply been unlucky in the fact that you don't have much in common with the people you have met. Branch out, meet new people, and don't tarnish Exeter with your one brush. There are plenty of people, like me, who love the Uni and can counter every single negative thing you have said about it.

Phew, long post.... :eek3:
Reply 15
sophisticated
4. If you don't want poor quality food and early breakfasts then go self-catered. Its not rocket science.


Hahaha. Love it.
lmcorr
Hahaha. Love it.


Thanks :biggrin:
I thought so..
:rofl:
just to add my two pennies:

Pros
Lovely City even if the centre is a little boring
Close proximity to beaches
Suprisingly good range of part time jobs even in the "credit crunch"
Campus is pretty

Cons
For some bizzare reason, i have to pay for some compulsory parts of my english module. its only 3.50 but im already paying 3grand!
Finding cheap accomodation is a long process (outside of halls)
Joining societies costs one hell of a lot.


quite interesting making this list as I dislike the uni but don't seem to have a good reason why.
Reply 18
What are you paying extra money for RB?! I'm surprised to hear that. Is it something they've only introduced recently?
I'm doing a creative writing module and someone is coming to give a talk about their book which is compulsory for people doing the creative writing module. but i have to buy a ticket. As I said it's only £3.50 but surely if it's compulosry as part of my course I shouldn't have to pay extra for it.
It's a minor niggle and obviously it's just easier to make everyone pay than to start making a lists of people who don't have to pay but when you dislike it anyway, every little thing niggles at you.

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