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Indecisive with my university choices for BEng Mechanical Engineering

Hello, recently, like everyone else in A-Level this year, got their results back. I was expecting an AAB, but fell short and got a BBC. My first choice at Loughborough rejected me, but my insurance choice, Swansea accepted me.
However, I decided to keep my options open and decided to apply for clearing at a couple of universities. In the end, I got clearing offers from Exeter, Queen's University Belfast and Glasgow. As I only have a limited deadline to accept one of these universities as my choice of university, I was wondering if you guys could help me decide which university I should pick.
For all these universities, I am offered a BEng Mechanical Engineering Degree with a year in industry, and looking for the university with the best facilities, teachings, rankings, placements and social life, or at least the university with the best balance of all of them.
Based on these options, should I pick Exeter, Belfast, Glasgow, or Swansea? Or should I continue trying applying for clearing at other universities?

EDIT: If it helps, I'm starting to lean more towards Glasgow and Exeter as they are more reputable than Swansea and Belfast and are similar in rankings.
(edited 8 months ago)
Reply 1
Original post by Zino2005
Hello, recently, like everyone else in A-Level this year, got their results back. I was expecting an AAB, but fell short and got a BBC. My first choice at Loughborough rejected me, but my insurance choice, Swansea accepted me.
However, I decided to keep my options open and decided to apply for clearing at a couple of universities. In the end, I got clearing offers from Exeter, Queen's University Belfast and Glasgow. As I only have a limited deadline to accept one of these universities as my choice of university, I was wondering if you guys could help me decide which university I should pick.
For all these universities, I am offered a BEng Mechanical Engineering Degree with a year in industry, and looking for the university with the best facilities, teachings, rankings, placements and social life, or at least the university with the best balance of all of them.
Based on these options, should I pick Exeter, Belfast, Glasgow, or Swansea? Or should I continue trying applying for clearing at other universities?

I'd look at Brookes - better course than all of those.
Reply 2
Glasgow and Belfast - both excellent Unis and fun cities to live in.
Reply 3
Original post by McGinger
Glasgow and Belfast - both excellent Unis and fun cities to live in.


For Engineering?!
Original post by Zino2005
Hello, recently, like everyone else in A-Level this year, got their results back. I was expecting an AAB, but fell short and got a BBC. My first choice at Loughborough rejected me, but my insurance choice, Swansea accepted me.
However, I decided to keep my options open and decided to apply for clearing at a couple of universities. In the end, I got clearing offers from Exeter, Queen's University Belfast and Glasgow. As I only have a limited deadline to accept one of these universities as my choice of university, I was wondering if you guys could help me decide which university I should pick.
For all these universities, I am offered a BEng Mechanical Engineering Degree with a year in industry, and looking for the university with the best facilities, teachings, rankings, placements and social life, or at least the university with the best balance of all of them.
Based on these options, should I pick Exeter, Belfast, Glasgow, or Swansea? Or should I continue trying applying for clearing at other universities?


Glasgow or Exeter for Uni since they're both very good
Reply 5
Original post by School Life
Glasgow or Exeter for Uni since they're both very good


Not for Engineering ...
Original post by Zino2005
Hello, recently, like everyone else in A-Level this year, got their results back. I was expecting an AAB, but fell short and got a BBC. My first choice at Loughborough rejected me, but my insurance choice, Swansea accepted me.
However, I decided to keep my options open and decided to apply for clearing at a couple of universities. In the end, I got clearing offers from Exeter, Queen's University Belfast and Glasgow. As I only have a limited deadline to accept one of these universities as my choice of university, I was wondering if you guys could help me decide which university I should pick.
For all these universities, I am offered a BEng Mechanical Engineering Degree with a year in industry, and looking for the university with the best facilities, teachings, rankings, placements and social life, or at least the university with the best balance of all of them.
Based on these options, should I pick Exeter, Belfast, Glasgow, or Swansea? Or should I continue trying applying for clearing at other universities?

EDIT: If it helps, I'm starting to lean more towards Glasgow and Exeter as they are more reputable than Swansea and Belfast and are similar in rankings.

Glasgow is probably the best out of those options - and is really good in general. There is a lot of engineering going on in Glasgow across many different sectors, so it's a good city to study engineering in.
Reply 7
Original post by Smack
Glasgow is probably the best out of those options - and is really good in general. There is a lot of engineering going on in Glasgow across many different sectors, so it's a good city to study engineering in.


Sounds good, but do you know if Glasgow offers a year in industry or a placement year for ite engineering students? Couldn't really find information about it anywhere.
Reply 8
Original post by Zino2005
Sounds good, but do you know if Glasgow offers a year in industry or a placement year for ite engineering students? Couldn't really find information about it anywhere.


Have you looked at Oxford Brookes - they offer a year in industry option.
Reply 9
Original post by Muttley79
Have you looked at Oxford Brookes - they offer a year in industry option.


I'll take a look at it, but I feel like I already have a lot of options from universities to choose from already, I don't want to be a bit overwhelmed.
Original post by Zino2005
I'll take a look at it, but I feel like I already have a lot of options from universities to choose from already, I don't want to be a bit overwhelmed.


Brookes is better than all of those though.
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/mechanical-engineering-beng-or-meng

Clearing:
BEng: C in maths PLUS having taken another physical science/engineering (no grade requirement) GCSE English grade 4/C MEng: C in maths PLUS having taken another physical science/engineering (no grade requirement)
(edited 8 months ago)
Original post by Zino2005
Sounds good, but do you know if Glasgow offers a year in industry or a placement year for ite engineering students? Couldn't really find information about it anywhere.

Scottish universities don't typically offer a whole year in industry placement, though some do have placements as part of the course for a summer or semester. I'm not sure if that includes Glasgow though.
Original post by Zino2005
I'll take a look at it, but I feel like I already have a lot of options from universities to choose from already, I don't want to be a bit overwhelmed.


If u have to choose between non-Russel and Russel, I'd go with Russel unless its a top Uni like Bath etc.

Also the "year in industry" is just you having to be responsible for securing your own placement, which you can do at most/all Unis (some people will take a year off to do said yearly internship) and they will graduate a year later so its all calm.

If you want to move away from England I'd go with Glasgow, otherwise go with Exeter since both Unis are very good in general which means they will offer more opportunities for you to take alongside your degree
Original post by School Life
If u have to choose between non-Russel and Russel, I'd go with Russel unless its a top Uni like Bath etc.

Also the "year in industry" is just you having to be responsible for securing your own placement, which you can do at most/all Unis (some people will take a year off to do said yearly internship) and they will graduate a year later so its all calm.

If you want to move away from England I'd go with Glasgow, otherwise go with Exeter since both Unis are very good in general which means they will offer more opportunities for you to take alongside your degree


This is completely wrong for Engineering - accreditaion is FAR more important. It's much better to use a uni that helps you sort your placement - indeed Loughborough give you an additipnal qualification for your year.

Exeter has 'run down' it's Engineering massively and it isn't the place to go - I'm a massive Exeter supporter but not for Engineering.
Reply 15
Interesting about Exeter, what are your thoughts of Mechanical Engineering at Glasgow compared to Exeter?
Original post by Zino2005
Interesting about Exeter, what are your thoughts of Mechanical Engineering at Glasgow compared to Exeter?


Just from speculation I'd say both are more or less the same, maybe Glasgow is more reputed as a whole. Both courses seem similar for mech engineering but be aware that in Glasgow you study for 1 additional year since that's what Scottish Unis do.

Focus on the modules offered by both Unis and which ones appeal to you more since Glasgow seems to have more mathematical modules from the looks of things but Exeter has a module where you work with others which can be good to note on your CV etc.


Otherwise look into location and whether that's a problem, reviews from alumni studying those courses at the Unis etc.
Original post by Zino2005
Interesting about Exeter, what are your thoughts of Mechanical Engineering at Glasgow compared to Exeter?


Neither are unis my students look at for Engineering -
Reply 18
Original post by Muttley79
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/mechanical-engineering-beng-or-meng

Clearing:
BEng: C in maths PLUS having taken another physical science/engineering (no grade requirement) GCSE English grade 4/C MEng: C in maths PLUS having taken another physical science/engineering (no grade requirement)


Alright, thank you, I'll consider it.
Glasgow is probably the one id recommend from an engineering perspective, never been (mainly out of lack of interest in living/working that far North) but I am aware there is a lot of industry up there & ive met some very good engineers from Glasgow uni.

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