Reply 1
Original post by Seanb146
Hi, I’ve got an offer to study finance Bsc at Exeter which does look very good as it includes mathematical modules which im keen on, yet I also have an offer to do Economics at Heriot-watt. I’m just wondering which would you go for?
I'm currently in my second year at Heriot-Watt doing Computer Science so a little different but I was hoping I might be able to give you some context about what it's like.
So generally we're a medium sized university, that is outside of Edinburgh city by about 30mins. Personally, I really like this as everything is at one place rather than having to walk all over a city to get to one class to another but it is a personal preference and whatever you think is best for you. Our site is also very nature-y lots of trees and green spaces to be in. As for getting to Edinburgh we having buses every 10mins that take you so it's really easy - also hard to get lost when coming back from Town as we're the final stop so all the buses that take you back say Heriot-Watt on them (that was a life saver my first week here)
On our campus we have lots of buildings with all our labs / lecture halls / study spaces, the library, the grid (which is a great study space), lots and lots of places to eat or grab a coffee, a student union, accommodation and the Oriam (which is Scotland's national sport center so it's amazing and definitely worth a google, we have some professional teams come and train so the facilities are top tier). I'm sure there's more I've forgotten but basically you can spend your day on campus and not be missing anything.
As for teaching I love it. You will have different lectures to me as the subject is different but the ones I've had for computer science are great. I can always email them with any questions and I normally get a reply within the hour. My course is quite heavily coursework based which is perfect for me and I find the balance between lectures / tutorials / labs are great.
I'm afraid I don't know anything about Exeter to help out there, I don't have any friends that go either but I'm sure it's also great. My advice would be to look at the differences between the two and see what feels more right to you. If you can get to an open day that's always a great way to do it. I know that Heriot-Watt has some coming up soon. However, if you can't that's okay too.
My top things to look at would be, coursework percentage, location, societies, accommodation, curriculum and careers support. Have a look at what both universities offer and see if one speaks to you more. Education at university is obviously extremely important but don't forget to look at things to make sure you'll have a great time and be in an environment you love too
I hope this might help a little and if you have any further questions please feel free to ask!
- Jessica
2nd year, Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)
Heriot Watt is actually great if you think about it. It has the advantage of being totally self- contained and surrounded by peaceful countryside not far from the lovely quiet beaches of the east coast plus it is easily connected to Edinburgh City with lots of busses every 10 / 15 mins. This means you get the best of both worlds which is rare for universities. Edinburgh university has the better reputation but that is just a brand thing and in no way reflects the quality of the courses. Also, Edinburgh has become more and more part of the UK elite social group so it attracts alot of quite wealthy students who have come up through the private school system and whilst there is nothing wrong with that I feel the slightly Brideshead image is too outdated nowadays and that the university can't ( or perhaps doesn't want to) get rid of it.
Be aware that you will have a very different student experience at Heriot-Watt than Exeter. Heriot-Watt courses are typically very vocational and they have great employment rates. However, they are not in that 'top-tier' of universities, so exposure to some of the most competitive employers will be more limited. Although there may be slight differences in the courses I would be focussing on the student experience more - and what you want from the years you will be living there - it will be completely different. Heriot-Watt has nice facilities and small-ish campus but very little going on at the campus, it feels more like a college rather than a fully fledged university. However lots of people like a quieter environment. The students seem to go into town to socialise so could really be anywhere. Exeter will likely be a more immersive experience, a bit more like Bristol or St Andrews, and you still have access to wonderful beaches and the south west.
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