Big Campus or Small Campus
For the past couple of days I've been thinking about which uni would be best for me. My struggles lie with whether going to uni with a big campus would be better than going to a uni with a small campus, but its in London and I love London. Do you think having a big campus would better my experience or would a small campus be just as good. also the uni in London i am referring to is CUL and the uni with the big campus is like uni of reading or uni of Birmingham. Please share your insights so i can make an informed decision. much appreciated
Original post by yussy359
For the past couple of days I've been thinking about which uni would be best for me. My struggles lie with whether going to uni with a big campus would be better than going to a uni with a small campus, but its in London and I love London. Do you think having a big campus would better my experience or would a small campus be just as good. also the uni in London i am referring to is CUL and the uni with the big campus is like uni of reading or uni of Birmingham. Please share your insights so i can make an informed decision. much appreciated
Hi there,
Choosing a university is challenging especially when it comes to factors like the campus or the city itself. I don’t necessarily think a bigger or smaller campus will make a big difference to your experience. This is down to personal preference!
I would focus more on what facilities there are on campus available to and what the university itself can offer you, rather than its size. For example, would you prefer a campus with more green space and nature? Is your department building located in a convenient location for you? Is the campus easily accessible with good transport? Are there any particular facilities you’d like such as a gym or pool?
I would also consider the city itself. Do you see yourself living there the next few years? What is the student life like there? What is the safety like? Would you like a busier city such as London, or a large town like Reading?
If possible, I recommend attending applicant visit days (or virtual if available) where student ambassadors can give you tours of the campus and an insight into student life. I also recommend UniBuddy which allows you to chat to students from specific courses and universities, so maybe they could give you more of an idea of what it was like on their respective campuses: https://www.ucas.com/chat-to-students
I hope this helps!
Sharon (3rd year student)
Original post by yussy359
For the past couple of days I've been thinking about which uni would be best for me. My struggles lie with whether going to uni with a big campus would be better than going to a uni with a small campus, but its in London and I love London. Do you think having a big campus would better my experience or would a small campus be just as good. also the uni in London i am referring to is CUL and the uni with the big campus is like uni of reading or uni of Birmingham. Please share your insights so i can make an informed decision. much appreciated
Hi @yussy359 ,
I think this is a great question and it is very subjective, depending on what kind of things you like.
I think that either way you can still have a great experience and still do most of the same things as Uni is really what you make it. I think that a more important factor is the city itself. If you love London and can see yourself living there, then I wouldn't let a small campus put you off as at the end of the day you want to be living somewhere you like and feel comfortable.
I also would say that the facilities are important and this is also a more important factor than the size of the campus. Just because a campus is large doesn't mean it has everything that you personally would need to enhance your experience at University, so I would look into this.
As has been mentioned, I would also say that going to open days or campus tours is a great way to get a feel for the uni and the campus and will probably help you to make up your mind! You can usually view all sorts of things such as the accommodation, student union and libraries. I would book onto as many as is possible for you to get to and make a decision from here!
I hope some of this helps,
Lucy -SHU student ambassador
I live for in Reading and while the campus is really nice the town leaves a lot to be desired.
Original post by yussy359
For the past couple of days I've been thinking about which uni would be best for me. My struggles lie with whether going to uni with a big campus would be better than going to a uni with a small campus, but its in London and I love London. Do you think having a big campus would better my experience or would a small campus be just as good. also the uni in London i am referring to is CUL and the uni with the big campus is like uni of reading or uni of Birmingham. Please share your insights so i can make an informed decision. much appreciated
Big campus.
Original post by Wired_1800
Big campus.
why?
Original post by yussy359
why?
You could have a more student-y feeling to the place. Most people you meet would be students and the vibes would be great. Small campuses in cities tend to be more decentralised and difficult to socialise if you are not a social person.
Original post by yussy359
For the past couple of days I've been thinking about which uni would be best for me. My struggles lie with whether going to uni with a big campus would be better than going to a uni with a small campus, but its in London and I love London. Do you think having a big campus would better my experience or would a small campus be just as good. also the uni in London i am referring to is CUL and the uni with the big campus is like uni of reading or uni of Birmingham. Please share your insights so i can make an informed decision. much appreciated
Hi,
This comes down to personal preference, as a large campus uni's are likely to have everything you need in one place, so therefore there might not be too much commuting outside of the campus. Whereas, a small campus in London may not have the same level of facilities on campus, and may involve more travelling for accommodation ect. Personally, i like the distinction that a large campus provides, as all the academic buildings and 1st year accommodation is in the same place, and the fact i don't have to travel across a city to got to lectures, whereas some people might prefer the opposite.
Hope this helps,
-Jasmine (Lancaster Student Ambassador)
Original post by yussy359
For the past couple of days I've been thinking about which uni would be best for me. My struggles lie with whether going to uni with a big campus would be better than going to a uni with a small campus, but its in London and I love London. Do you think having a big campus would better my experience or would a small campus be just as good. also the uni in London i am referring to is CUL and the uni with the big campus is like uni of reading or uni of Birmingham. Please share your insights so i can make an informed decision. much appreciated
Hiya!
I think at the end of the day, it is your decision and whatever you feel most comfortable with is what matters and I like to say you get as much out of the university as you put in. However, there are some factors you can think of to influence your decision.
As well as looking at big campus vs small campus, why not look at it as either a campus-based university or city based (Campus based, meaning mostly or all buildings being in one place, and city being the buildings are within the city and spread out). Personally, I prefer a campus-based university as by having all the buildings in one place, it is easier to meet up with friends, commuting is less, and I get a sense of being part of the university and being in the community. Luckily, De Montfort is only a short walk into town despite being a campus-based university.
I would also consider, what type of facilities that university offers and the standard of them. Is there plenty of study spaces?, is there some type of gym / leisure centre for students? , Is there plenty of places to grab food? What facilities is there for your course and are they high standard etc? How near are the accommodations?, is it a nice place to live and safe? Is there plenty to do to keep you entertained etc?
I would recommend visiting the universities and walking on the campus itself. Visiting on Open Days are crucial when it comes to making the right decision as I believe you can have a gut feeling about how you feel when you are on campus and whether this could feel like home and there will be plenty of students available at the Open Day and you can ask their opinion too.
Hope this helps, and I will be happy to help with anything else
-Maddie, second year Health and well-being in society student at De Montfort University
Hello,
As everyone mentioned, it really comes down to what you like.
For me, I grew up in a very cosmopolitan city, and so I wanted to experience a different vibe.
I chose a city campus in a student city where most residents are students. Our campus is split into different building scattered across town, but also there is an enclosed area where it is only university facilities which makes it quite cosy.
I would say the best thing to do is try to visit an Open Day event or visit the campus. Speak to some of the students there as it will help you get a feel of life on campus.
I wish you the best of luck in your new journey.
Best of Luck,
Haya - MBBS V
As everyone mentioned, it really comes down to what you like.
For me, I grew up in a very cosmopolitan city, and so I wanted to experience a different vibe.
I chose a city campus in a student city where most residents are students. Our campus is split into different building scattered across town, but also there is an enclosed area where it is only university facilities which makes it quite cosy.
I would say the best thing to do is try to visit an Open Day event or visit the campus. Speak to some of the students there as it will help you get a feel of life on campus.
I wish you the best of luck in your new journey.
Best of Luck,
Haya - MBBS V
Original post by yussy359
For the past couple of days I've been thinking about which uni would be best for me. My struggles lie with whether going to uni with a big campus would be better than going to a uni with a small campus, but its in London and I love London. Do you think having a big campus would better my experience or would a small campus be just as good. also the uni in London i am referring to is CUL and the uni with the big campus is like uni of reading or uni of Birmingham. Please share your insights so i can make an informed decision. much appreciated
This is a great question, and it’s also very subjective, as it really depends on your personal preferences as a student. Sure, a small campus will provide you with a sense of belonging, as you’ll get to know almost everyone due to its size, but is it enough compared to a larger campus? It’s recommended that you prioritise the facilities of the campus. You can attend a small campus, and it could have all the facilities that enhance your college experience compared to a large campus, and vice versa! You also need to consider the city itself; is it safe? Is it suitable for students? Will you easily find accommodation options? Those are really important factors that you need to consider while choosing a university.
Original post by emily.richards
This is a great question, and it’s also very subjective, as it really depends on your personal preferences as a student. Sure, a small campus will provide you with a sense of belonging, as you’ll get to know almost everyone due to its size, but is it enough compared to a larger campus? It’s recommended that you prioritise the facilities of the campus. You can attend a small campus, and it could have all the facilities that enhance your college experience compared to a large campus, and vice versa! You also need to consider the city itself; is it safe? Is it suitable for students? Will you easily find accommodation options? Those are really important factors that you need to consider while choosing a university.
Hello!
I agree in that it's better to base your university choose on the facilities of the university rather than the size of the campus. Lancaster has quite a small campus but everything is compacted and very well laid out! I love the campus and describe it to everyone as a mini town in that it has everything you need! The smaller campus also makes it easier for first year students who may not have lived independently before to become familiar with their surroundings and help them settle in faster. As an Earth and Environmental Science student I chose Lancaster because of its environment centre and amazing facilities it has but I also loved the campus feel when I went for an open day!
Hope this helps,
Lucy (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)
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