Cardiff vs Aberystwyth vs Swansea met

I've decided that I don't really want to apply to sussex any more and would like to apply to a welsh university. I already have Cardiff down for marine geography but I'm worried I won't get in as the requirements are BBB and my predicted grades aren't great. I'm also considering:
Aberystwyth:Countryside conservation- 200 points, I love the look of the course and I could probably get in but it might be a bit far :frown:

Swansea met:environmental conservation-2 A levels?? Like the look of the course too but it's only just received university status. I do however like Swansea.

I'm also applying to Brighton-Geography (first choice), UWE-Geography and environmental management and Bournemouth-marine and coastal management.

So could someone help me weigh up the pros and cons here please :smile:

Oh and I'm predicted BCC at best, CCC probably and CCD if my geography teachers going to be as mean as it looks like he's going to be :frown:

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Reply 1

LH123

Having visited none of them, and only actually considered going to one of them (Aber), take the following information as uninformed opinion.

Anyway, Aber is a pretty good university for things geography related, the highest of the welsh universities as far as I'm aware, but the entry requirements arent too high, so that's a good thing. It also looked like a fairly nice place. The only thing that put me off was the fact it was a little village, not sure I'd enjoy that too much.

Reply 2

River85

Nynyflower

Like the look of the course too but it's only just received university status. I do however like Swansea.

Why does this bother you? Its history goes back 150 years. University of the West of England, Bournemouth and Brighton (your other choices, Brighton being your first choice) are post-1992 unis (ex-polytechnics) also. Why does that put you off UWE or Brighton? If not, why Swansea Met?

It's small (20k people during term time with almost half of those students) but it's a market town and far from being a small village.

Reply 3

River85

Why does Swanse Met's fairly recent uni status bother you? Its history goes back 150 years. University of the West of England, Bournemouth and Brighton (your other choices, Brighton being your first choice) are post-1992 unis (ex-polytechnics) also. Why does that put you off UWE or Brighton? If not, why Swansea Met?

LH123

The only thing that put me off was the fact it was a little village, not sure I'd enjoy that too much.

It's small (20k people during term time with almost half of those students) but it's a market town and far from being a small village. I can still appreciate it's probably too small for you.

Reply 4

Lady Venom

Why not do geog at Swansea uni then? The course is very good at letting you chose modules in years 2 and 3 so you can go as physical as you like.

Swansea met is a good uni for non-traditional courses such as highways management, film etc.

Reply 5

Nynyflower

Swansea met'snew uni status doesn't really worry me (I'm really not an ex-poly snob) but it was just like if anything goes against it would be that. I'm erring towards Aber though, even though my parents really aren't keen on it...

I looked at swansea uni for geography but I'm not sure I could get 300 UCAS points since I only took 3 AS levels and also my geography teacher has probably predicted me a really bad grade because he took a dislike to me last year and warned me about missing lessons and stuff, this year I missed 2 lessons and 1 essay and I've got until christmas to prove I'm comitted :frown:

Reply 6

River85

Nynyflower

Swansea met'snew uni status doesn't really worry me (I'm really not an ex-poly snob) but it was just like if anything goes against it would be that

Well, that's what I was thinking, as all of your other choices are also ex-polys so I just wasn't sure why Swansea Met was being singled out.

Its age as a uni shouldn't be a concern. It still has a distinguished history of education (far longer than unis such as Warwick and York). It's not as if they came out of nowhere in 1992. Students still studied for degrees pre-1992.

Reply 7

AsphyxiateD

I have a fair few friends doing Geography related subjects at Aber and all seem to be really happy with it. Aber's a great town and uni to be at, too, I'd recommend it.

Reply 8

River85

I wasn't suggest Cardiff is an ex-poly! I mean Bournemouth and UWE. Anyway...

Does it really bother you, Aber being so far away? It's only, what, an extra hour or two? Is that really such a disadvantage?

Reply 9

anna_spanner89

Out of interest why welsh universities?? aberystwyth is in the middle of nowhere..kinda desolate really, althoguh some people have positiove experiences there..

swansea met's specialism is mainly arts courses..so i wouldn't go there to do a science course, plus the town isn't as good as cardiff!!!

swansea mets campus just isn't up to scratch of all the other universities, infact its tiny....UWE is a good uni!!! Bristol is a great city!

Reply 10

benmh92

My brother's gone to Aber for Geography, apparently its one of the best in the UK for Geog. I've been there though and would only recommend you go there if you don't like cities, and like small places cos Aber is very small and has very little there. I certainly wouldn't want to go there but each to their own!

Reply 11

mtbab

anna_spanner89

Out of interest why welsh universities??

gussing OP is from Wales and thus cheaper to go to Uni.

but also OP are you saying theres a chance u might get predicted a D for A2 Geo...do you really want to do a degree in it?

Reply 12

psychocustard

I LOVE Aberystwyth, but I'm warning you, it's VERY isolated, can be difficult to get to, and it's hell in Winter. The uni's great, though, I have to admit. I wish I wasn't put off by the transport :P

Reply 13

psychocustard

Oh, and just so you know, in the rankings, it goes

Cardiff>Aberystwyth>Swansea Met :smile:

Reply 14

Nynyflower

Nah, it's just fairly coincidental that all the courses I want to do happen to be run at welsh universities...

And the thing is I LOVE geography, I really do and got a B in it at AS level but my teacher is a dick and can't seem to see this (he said that getting a B at AS wasn't good enough when he predicted me a D in my end of year report :rolleyes:

)

I know that I can get the grade I want in geography and I've already proved it but my teachers just don't have faith in me :frown:

Reply 15

button16

Hey, I'm at Aber doing Physical Geography and I was used to the city life before I came here. I like it here because there's less tempation to go clothes shopping as there would be in a city due to having few clothing shops. There's a real community feel and you can't go anywhere without seeing someone you know. Most of the lecturers in Geography are great and there is quite a wide range of modules available. It can be a pain to get to but it's just getting train times sorted out and that, it takes me about 5 hours to get here...

Reply 16

ScottyLP

Nynyflower

I looked at swansea uni for geography but I'm not sure I could get 300 UCAS points since I only took 3 AS levels and also my geography teacher has probably predicted me a really bad grade because he took a dislike to me last year and warned me about missing lessons and stuff, this year I missed 2 lessons and 1 essay and I've got until christmas to prove I'm comitted :frown:

If it looks like your not going to meet the typical offer, the woman at Swansea Open Day said that they'll interview you, and if they like you make an offer based upon your grades etc.

Reply 17

swansea chimp

Hi I am going into second year of Environmental Conservation at Swansea Met and i warn you to not be put off by the fact that it has just received Uni status! or the word Met :P I absolutely love it there and the night life is amazing and it is really friendly :smile:

the course is also great and lecturers are really friendly :smile:

hope you consider it a bit more and hope your results are what you want :smile:

Reply 18

bluester

looked at aber myself, seems a really good uni and nice place, but it must be said the fact its in the middle of nowhere puts me off a bit... UWE ive also looked at