Warwick v Edinburgh
Hii!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
Original post by nouris
Hii!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
Edinburgh is a lot nicer than Coventry.
University rankings are not a reliable way to choose a university and The Guardian's tables are notoriously flaky.
I don't believe that History/Politics is a particular strength of Warwick, well, not compared to maths, economics etc.
Original post by nouris
Hii!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
Warwick University is in Coventry but it's not in the city centre, it's on the outskirts. It's known for its arts centre and the Warwick Business School which has a very good reputation. I think it is good for history ( I had a teacher who studied there.) It is generally thought of as a good university in the UK.
Coventry is not as beautiful as Edinburgh but people are friendly, I think it is generally a safe place and has good transport links, so it's easy to get to Birmingham and London and other parts of the UK.
Edinburgh is a very beautiful city and also has good reputation as a university. Perhaps the Scottish weather might go against it, but it's a lovely city.
Oluwatosin – 3rd year student – University of Huddersfield
I studied in Glasgow, worked in Edinburgh for a few years after graduation (both my nephews are at Edinburgh Uni this year) and now live in the West Midlands and work takes me into Coventry often enough. Edinburgh is a much more picturesque city. Even given what Coventry went through in WW2, I find Coventry unappealing in terms of how it's setup. The nightlife in Edinburgh is better too if that matters.
Both unis should be fine for your degree. Cost of living in the UK is much the same but housing costs in Edinburgh might be higher. My nephews are paying 7k/year each and that's for an average flat (own ensuite but communal kitchen) shared with 2-3 other students. Warwick too has accommodation that will be as expensive and more but my impression is that the housing market in Warwick is cheaper than Edinburgh.
If I had to choose I'd go Edinburgh as I think it's a nicer place to spend 3 years studying.
Both unis should be fine for your degree. Cost of living in the UK is much the same but housing costs in Edinburgh might be higher. My nephews are paying 7k/year each and that's for an average flat (own ensuite but communal kitchen) shared with 2-3 other students. Warwick too has accommodation that will be as expensive and more but my impression is that the housing market in Warwick is cheaper than Edinburgh.
If I had to choose I'd go Edinburgh as I think it's a nicer place to spend 3 years studying.
(edited 12 months ago)
Original post by nouris
Hii!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
I've received my offers from both Edinburgh and Warwick for BA History and Politics. I'm an international student so I don't have any firsthand experience with either of the cities but I've always thought Edinburgh was stunning, and I've heard some negative reviews about Coventry so I was looking to get some thoughts from others on TSR.
- Is the quality of education that different? On the Guardian, Edinburgh is significantly lower on the uni rankings (top 10 vs top 30). Is this a reliable assessment? And what bearing does it have on job opportunities later?
This is probably my biggest priority atm.
-What's the workload like? Are the timetables manageable? How are the professors?
-How safe are the cities? Am I likely to get lost/mugged/attacked in any capacity?
-Is public transport reliable? How easy is it to get from place to place within the city / Is it walkable? Also, are the cities well connected with other parts of the UK?
-What's the nightlife like? This isn't that important as I'm sure there will be parties one way or another, but I'm more asking about the culture-- fun/sleazy?
-How is the overall city life? Good cafes? Is the community friendly?
-What's the cost of living like? Is it easy to find part time jobs? This is a bit silly, but I've always wanted to try my hand at bartending. Would it be difficult to find a part time bartending job?
-How are student accommodations? Any horror stories?
Any and all answers would be much appreciated. Please share any firsthand or secondhand experiences-- Anything would be helpful!
I won't say too much about the quality of education since I don't really know how Edinburgh functions - I am mostly satisfied with what I have at Warwick, and there are a good number of careers events (student-ran or university/company-ran). You really are responsible for your own future though. In any case, I don't think there would be anything crazy different about job opportunities. There are Warwick Alumni at various large firms/companies, so you could always try and reach out (or if they come to university events).
One thing you should note however is the location - Warwick is a lot closer to London (where a lot of careers schemes are) which does make a big difference (again, depending on your career choice). For example, if I get into a first-year law scheme for a London firm, then I could get there (relatively) cheaply and quickly. And you can travel across England a lot more easily if that's your thing.
The workload honestly is pretty light for first years - so aim for firsts if you can, since you might as well make those few assignments count. It really depends on your own work ethic, and whether or not you want to apply yourself. The professors are nice, and you should try to meet them in office hours if you could. The timetable's decently flexible since you get to choose your seminar hours and you don't really need to attend lectures (there are recordings).
Coventry is decently safe, just a bit boring (the city centre is really dead, tbh). Leamington Spa is where people usually go at night, and it's fine. Nothing crazy though. It's good fun though, as long as you have a good group of people to go with (which is the same everywhere). Don't think I've heard of too many horror stories or sleaziness. Though to be fair, I am no party animal so not sure how accurate my account of this is.
Community's friendly enough - a wide range of societies. You'll probably see more sporty/athletic people here (compared to the rest of the UK), and the Sports Centre is excellent.
Student accommodation is great, well worth your money at Warwick. Shared bathrooms are not bad as you would imagine (and it's great to have cleaners) - though of course if you can afford it ensuite options are good too. You would probably mainly worry about kitchen space - and depending on your flat mates it can get decently messy. I am pretty sure Edinburgh has (or at least had) a student housing crisis, so it's decently expensive and more difficult to secure housing there.
There are some part-time jobs around Warwick, but not that many (especially compared to a bigger city). Still, you could probably give the bartending a shot and see how it goes - there are some bars on/around campus.
Send me a private message if you want. I am not active here at all (was just randomly scrolling for the first time in a year, but I'll try to keep an eye on it).
I would pick Edinburgh if I had the choice. The other posters have laid out all the reasons.
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