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University snobbery

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Theres is so much university snobbery these days its ridiculous. I'm currently applying, and finding that when you tell people you are applying to places like 'Brighton' and 'Oxford Brookes' as a pose to 'Sussex' and 'Oxford' you are looked down on. Theres no mention that I actually need higher grades to do architecture at brighton than some people do for other subjects at sussex.. mmm, I suppose theres always going to be people who think they are better than you.
Rouge
As an oxbridge student, I have no snobbery whatsoever about unis, but subject of study is an entirely different matter.
Anyone who does English, media studies, classics, mod lang, history of art, even from Oxbridge is obviously less entitled to repect than someone who does physics/maths/sciences at any respected uni, having seen the quality of essays of the arts students and the content of their studies, I hae to say most of it is just trivial and useless.
Speaking several languages fluently myself, most foreign language students I have met have the lingual abilities of a 6 year old native speaker, or immigrant cleaner.


Hang on, which out of Oxford or Cambridge do you go to? And which college? Because if you did actually study at Cambridge at least (can't speak for Oxford) you'd see how much work those people in your college studying English, Classics, History of Art or MML actually do. Cambridge doesn't do Media Studies. As far as I can tell, they study at least as hard as Mathematicians and Scientists.

What languages do you speak?
How about if it's a fact like .... Aston > BCU? :p:
It's aweful in Manchester.

I see myself as a relatively intelligent person and am determined to make something of myself.

But I have witnessed a lot of snobbery towards Manchester Met.
Just because Manchester Uni doesn't do Fashion courses, doesn't make me thick. Just because I chose out of my own free will not to be a doctor or barrister, doesn't make me thick.

I admit, there are courses at MMU that don't require a lot of tariff points. But the prejudice towards it is unreal!!

x
Reply 84
kimdunkerley
It's aweful in Manchester.

I see myself as a relatively intelligent person and am determined to make something of myself.

But I have witnessed a lot of snobbery towards Manchester Met.
Just because Manchester Uni doesn't do Fashion courses, doesn't make me thick. Just because I chose out of my own free will not to be a doctor or barrister, doesn't make me thick.

I admit, there are courses at MMU that don't require a lot of tariff points. But the prejudice towards it is unreal!!

x


It is quite bad is Manchester. I've been on the bus on student nights and heard the chants and although its only banter some people can take it quite seriously!
Reply 85
kimdunkerley

I admit, there are courses at MMU that don't require a lot of tariff points. But the prejudice towards it is unreal!!
x


It's just typical prejudice against ex-polys (intensified due to local rivalry). Nothing unusual and easily ignored, I would think?
River85
It's just typical prejudice against ex-polys (intensified due to local rivalry). Nothing unusual and easily ignored, I would think?


You try and ignore it when you're on a bus full of Manchester Uni students chanting "Oh I'd rather in Bagdad than Man Met!" or "Stand uuuup if you hate Man Met!"

Personally, I found it funny. But I was just astonished!

I was bantering with my friend about it and a Manchester Uni student started being really patronizing, asking me about my grades; basically treating me like a pile of **** she'd just trodden in.
That is the only time it seriously angered me. But I've witness more with friends.

x
kimdunkerley
You try and ignore it when you're on a bus full of Manchester Uni students chanting "Oh I'd rather in Bagdad than Man Met!" or "Stand uuuup if you hate Man Met!"

Personally, I found it funny. But I was just astonished!

I was bantering with my friend about it and a Manchester Uni student started being really patronizing, asking me about my grades; basically treating me like a pile of **** she'd just trodden in.
That is the only time it seriously angered me. But I've witness more with friends.

x


This seems to happen quite a lot. A friend of mine (at Lincoln) joined a Facebook group called "I'd rather be a poly than a c***" the other day, and having had a read it's full of Manchester vs. Manchester Met, Sheffield vs. Sheffield Hallam and Leicester vs. De Montfort stuff.

I suppose it can be thought of as like football rivalries, but some of it seems a bit thuggish.

(Most of my friends are/have gone places like Northumbria, Teesside and Central Lancashire, so it's interesting.)
Reply 88
That's interesting actually, I always thought it wouldn't be so bad at places like Manchester and Leeds because of the physical proximity of the two universities.

It's fairly bad down here in Bristol (obviously....) but I always put that down to a particulaly large minority of upper class ***** and the physical distance between the unis causing UoB and UWE students not to mix a huge amount.
Reply 89
IanDangerously
How about if it's a fact like .... Aston > BCU? :p:


UoB > Aston :smile:

Mainly here in Birmingham it is playful banter between us, there may be slightly more between Aston and BCU because they are right next to each other.

For UoB I know there is a lot more snobbery with the accommodation. Mason have a go at Tennis Courts and vice versa. Well actually, everyone has a go at tennis courts!
Reply 90
Uni snobbery is a real pain. Okay I accept that we are not all Oxbridge candidates but do people really need to smirk when I reveal my Uni choices ???? I.e Leeds Met, Teesside, Liverpool John Moores, Sunderland and Staffordshire ?? I have had comments such as " oh they are all polys" and " Not a red brick amongst them " so what ??? These are the best uni's for the points I hope to achieve and Yes Teessside is my first choice - inspite of the negative comments I received about the place I felt it offered the best course for me and the place seemed friendlier than the rest !! We all have different talents and it would be nice if some people respected that !!
Reply 91
I wouldn't know to be honest. I think it's just a matter of people trying to defend their own University, and making it sound better just to make themselves happier :smile:

Though I'd heard York is possibly a bit of a snobby university, but I've applied there, and I don't think I'm snobby (or would hope not!). Does anyone know if this is the case, because I don't think I'd fit in with a lot of snobs :s-smilie:

Edessa
Uni snobbery is a real pain. Okay I accept that we are not all Oxbridge candidates but do people really need to smirk when I reveal my Uni choices ???? I.e Leeds Met, Teesside, Liverpool John Moores, Sunderland and Staffordshire ?? I have had comments such as " oh they are all polys" and " Not a red brick amongst them " so what ??? These are the best uni's for the points I hope to achieve and Yes Teessside is my first choice - inspite of the negative comments I received about the place I felt it offered the best course for me and the place seemed friendlier than the rest !! We all have different talents and it would be nice if some people respected that !!


I'd ignore all of those smirks. I've heard that you can have a better time at the 'metropolitan/polys' rather than the 'red brick' because the subjects are a lot more motivational and help a lot more people learn. Maybe they are easier, but in the end, they'll give you a degree and that's all that matters :smile:
andy5788

It's fairly bad down here in Bristol (obviously....) but I always put that down to a particulaly large minority of upper class ***** and the physical distance between the unis causing UoB and UWE students not to mix a huge amount.


You'd have thought you'd get much more snobbery where the students are mixing more though. At Cambridge, there doesn't seem to be much snobbery towards ARU- but then we hardly mix at all. I don't think I've met a single ARU student in two years at Cambridge. The only snobbery I've heard is on the river and in sporting events ("you can catch this lot guys. You have more A-levels than them" ) where you can put it down to banter/rivalry.
Reply 93
Edessa
Uni snobbery is a real pain. Okay I accept that we are not all Oxbridge candidates but do people really need to smirk when I reveal my Uni choices ???? I.e Leeds Met, Teesside, Liverpool John Moores, Sunderland and Staffordshire ?? I have had comments such as " oh they are all polys" and " Not a red brick amongst them " so what ??? These are the best uni's for the points I hope to achieve and Yes Teessside is my first choice - inspite of the negative comments I received about the place I felt it offered the best course for me and the place seemed friendlier than the rest !! We all have different talents and it would be nice if some people respected that !!


I know you may not want to here this, but I'd really reconsider Teeside as your first choice. The city is basically a **** hole, and if the social aspect of uni matters even the tiniest of bit, I'd look more into the Leeds/Liverpool options.
Reply 94
john14
The city is basically a **** hole, and if the social aspect of uni matters even the tiniest of bit, I'd look more into the Leeds/Liverpool options.


Middlesbrough isn't a city, it's a town borough and true, most don't think it can compete with the major cities (like Leeds and Liverpool).

But (s)he has already admitted that she found the uni to be friendly, so (s)he's probably already visited the place and knows what it's about.
Dead6re
UoB > Aston :smile:

Mainly here in Birmingham it is playful banter between us, there may be slightly more between Aston and BCU because they are right next to each other.

For UoB I know there is a lot more snobbery with the accommodation. Mason have a go at Tennis Courts and vice versa. Well actually, everyone has a go at tennis courts!


Aston > UoB ..... and what the hell are you doing here? :eek:

Oh well, welcome to :tsr:
Reply 96
River85
Middlesbrough isn't a city, it's a town borough and true, most don't think it can compete with the major cities (like Leeds and Liverpool).

But (s)he has already admitted that she found the uni to be friendly, so (s)he's probably already visited the place and knows what it's about.


It is just a small town in yorkshire (bit of football loyalty hoyed in there :wink: ), so can't really call Boro a city, fair enough.

One thing though, I don't see how people can define whether somewhere is friendly with one or two visits. ( assuming she's only been there a couple of times) The uni itself will want to come off as friendly as possible, as tbh it isn't going to be many peoples first choice, probably more of Uni for the locals if anything. I'm just saying, seriously consider the other options, even try to go for a night out or something in a couple to just get a feel for the atmosphere of the city as a whole.
Reply 97
john14
One thing though, I don't see how people can define whether somewhere is friendly with one or two visits. ( assuming she's only been there a couple of times) The uni itself will want to come off as friendly as possible, as tbh it isn't going to be many peoples first choice, probably more of Uni for the locals if anything. I'm just saying, seriously consider the other options, even try to go for a night out or something in a couple to just get a feel for the atmosphere of the city as a whole.


I believe you can still get a fairly accurate idea and first impressions are very important.

Also, Edessa admits it's the strongest course and this shouldn't be forgotten. Teesside isn't all bad, it offers decent student support from what I hear and does have some great niche areas (perhap's one of those is Edessa's area).

Middlesbrough may be a bit of a dump, what with its chemical industry and facilities of a town rather than a city, but much of the surrounding area is lovely and I feel this gets ignored. In fact, as a Durham student, I continually have to put up with snobbery directed at Queen's Campus. Stockton is fairly decent. Yarm, the coastal areas, Teesdale.....all lovely. True, none of these are major student party cities like Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds or London but who's to say everyone's looking for that?
Reply 98
River85
I believe you can still get a fairly accurate idea and first impressions are very important.

Also, Edessa admits it's the strongest course and this shouldn't be forgotten. Teesside isn't all bad, it offers decent student support from what I hear and does have some great niche areas (perhap's one of those is Edessa's area).

Middlesbrough may be a bit of a dump, what with its chemical industry and facilities of a town rather than a city, but much of the surrounding area is lovely and I feel this gets ignored. In fact, as a Durham student, I continually have to put up with snobbery directed at Queen's Campus. Stockton is fairly decent. Yarm, the coastal areas, Teesdale.....all lovely. True, none of these are major student party cities like Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds or London but who's to say everyone's looking for that?


Yeah, I'm probably letting what I'm expecting out of Uni (other than a good degree hopefully) into my posts.

All the uni's I'm applying for are Newcastle type cities, personally wouldn't want that any other way, but yeah, for Edessa that may not be a major concern.
Reply 99
john14
It is just a small town in yorkshire (bit of football loyalty hoyed in there :wink: ), so can't really call Boro a city, fair enough.

One thing though, I don't see how people can define whether somewhere is friendly with one or two visits. ( assuming she's only been there a couple of times) The uni itself will want to come off as friendly as possible, as tbh it isn't going to be many peoples first choice, probably more of Uni for the locals if anything. I'm just saying, seriously consider the other options, even try to go for a night out or something in a couple to just get a feel for the atmosphere of the city as a whole.


John - Understand what you are saying and I must admit after all the negative comments I had heard about the place I was dubious about visiting.True- The town isn't the prettiest as you first approach it and I know that open days are marketing exercises but there was a friendliness about the place and the people that I didn't experience at the other days- It just feels right for me. I used to live in Leeds and I can tell you I felt safer in 'Boro!. But I do appreciate your advice.:smile:

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