University Dilemma

Hi I am having a hard time deciding where to go for university. I have offers from Huddersfield, Salford, UCLAN and York St John and I will be studying occupational therapy. I currently live not too far from Salford so that would be the most convenient choice however both UCLAN and Huddersfield have pretty good facilities and reviews. York St John is far from where I live so that may not be an option. But I really don’t know what one to choose…

Reply 1

moosky

7

Consider things like environment, sports (if you're into that), societies, student life in general etc. There normally isn't any one best place to go to, you've just got to choose based on you. I'll be the first to tell you that you'll probably regret not choosing another uni but then again you'll feel like that regardless of the choice made. Go with your gut and the things/interests you value which could benefit from being in a certain uni. There aren't any right or wrong answers in your case if considering both academic and non-academic factors.

Reply 2

Laura-Leigh

1

I would suggest writing out what each university offers in bullet points, such as; societies, student support, local life, course specifics, accommodation and anything else that is important for you. This can help you see which uni would be more suitable for you and how you can get the support you need throughout your academic career and life in general at university. (I did this when I was trying to narrow down my choices when applying, and it really helped)

If you can, I would also suggest going to decision days and getting a feel for the campus and course subject. This can help you feel more confident in your choice 🙂

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 3

YSJstudents

Official Rep

15

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi I am having a hard time deciding where to go for university. I have offers from Huddersfield, Salford, UCLAN and York St John and I will be studying occupational therapy. I currently live not too far from Salford so that would be the most convenient choice however both UCLAN and Huddersfield have pretty good facilities and reviews. York St John is far from where I live so that may not be an option. But I really don’t know what one to choose…

Hi there,

We are so glad to hear that you are considering to study with us! I would suggest looking at the occupational course for each university and weighing up the pros and cons of each as well as looking at how much placement time you will have and where you could be placed for placement as this can really make the difference especially if you have to travel far for placement each day. It sounds like you have looked into the different facilities that each of the universities have to offer as well which is good.
I have a friend here at YSJ who is doing occupational therapy and is really enjoying the course and has had of opportunities of varying placements throughout his degree.

In terms of going to a university far away from where you live, I came to YSJ from Essex which is quite far but I have loved it and York has good transport links with so many cities that it is easy to get back home again. We have great accommodation for students to stay in whilst studying with varying prices and types. We also provide commuters accommodation for up to 3 nights per week for a fairly cheap price if you would rather commute than live in student accommodation.

I hope this helps 😊
Katie - Student Ambassador

Reply 4

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

13

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi I am having a hard time deciding where to go for university. I have offers from Huddersfield, Salford, UCLAN and York St John and I will be studying occupational therapy. I currently live not too far from Salford so that would be the most convenient choice however both UCLAN and Huddersfield have pretty good facilities and reviews. York St John is far from where I live so that may not be an option. But I really don’t know what one to choose…

Hey there,

First off, congratulations on receiving offers to study at University– that's quite an achievement! I understand that choosing the right University can be a tough decision, especially when weighing factors like convenience, facilities, and reviews.

Let me shed some light on what makes studying occupational therapy at the University of Salford an excellent choice.

As you mentioned, living not too far from Salford already gives you a head start in terms of convenience. Our University is incredibly commuter-friendly, with excellent transport links, including buses and the nearby Salford Crescent train station. So, getting to and from campus couldn't be easier.

Moreover, we understand the importance of creating a supportive and immersive learning environment for our occupational therapy students. That's why we have unique facilities like the Rehabilitation Flat, where you can simulate real-world situations and practice vital occupational therapy skills in a safe and realistic setting. From using adapted equipment to mastering new techniques, our facilities are designed to give you hands-on experience and prepare you for your future career.

But that's not all – at Salford, we also provide access to cutting-edge simulation suites and software to enhance your learning experience even further. These resources allow you to engage with realistic scenarios and develop your skills dynamically and interactively.

Ultimately, trust your instincts and choose the University that is the best fit for you. Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or need further assistance in making your decision. Wishing you all the best as you embark on this exciting journey!

Best Regards,
Arslan – University of Salford Student Representative

Reply 5

LancashireRep1

Official Rep

16

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi I am having a hard time deciding where to go for university. I have offers from Huddersfield, Salford, UCLAN and York St John and I will be studying occupational therapy. I currently live not too far from Salford so that would be the most convenient choice however both UCLAN and Huddersfield have pretty good facilities and reviews. York St John is far from where I live so that may not be an option. But I really don’t know what one to choose…

Hi there!

Congratulations on your offer to study at so many different universities, this is a massive achievement in itself! Choosing where to study can be a huge decision so it's important that you make the right one for you.

For a course like Occupational Therapy, I would definitely recommend coming to one of our offer holder days as these are a great way to meet the staff that will be teaching on your course, as well as learning more about how it is taught. It is also a great way to see the city you might be moving to and get to know the area!
When I chose my university, I had a list of things I wanted from them (such as facilities and placement time) and found this a good way to narrow down which university to choose!

I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions!

-Rebecca, UCLan

Reply 6

erin_claire

3

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi I am having a hard time deciding where to go for university. I have offers from Huddersfield, Salford, UCLAN and York St John and I will be studying occupational therapy. I currently live not too far from Salford so that would be the most convenient choice however both UCLAN and Huddersfield have pretty good facilities and reviews. York St John is far from where I live so that may not be an option. But I really don’t know what one to choose…

I have been to York St John’s for an open day it’s a very small campus but I liked it myself just depends what you like. I went for physiotherapy and the university itself was very pretty and the city of york is beautiful and has a lot going on. I can’t remember much about the facilities but I decided against applying due to the placements being very far away and having to lodge away. Obviously this might not be the case for your course.

Overall is a very pretty city and has lots of markets and good food.

I also am thinking about putting salford as either my firm or insurance as I really like it there, the atmosphere and the campus is great.

Reply 7

Anonymous #2

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi I am having a hard time deciding where to go for university. I have offers from Huddersfield, Salford, UCLAN and York St John and I will be studying occupational therapy. I currently live not too far from Salford so that would be the most convenient choice however both UCLAN and Huddersfield have pretty good facilities and reviews. York St John is far from where I live so that may not be an option. But I really don’t know what one to choose…

Don’t go for Salford. Poor teaching standards and staff, very poor marking of assignments.

Reply 8

Anonymous #3

Original post

by Anonymous

Don’t go for Salford. Poor teaching standards and staff, very poor marking of assignments.

Is it actually?

Reply 9

Anonymous #2

Original post

by Anonymous

Is it actually?

Yes, give tuition fee / (student loan whatever) fail, repeat, give them more. That’s their model of teaching.

Reply 10

Anonymous #3

Original post

by Anonymous

Yes, give tuition fee / (student loan whatever) fail, repeat, give them more. That’s their model of teaching.

Damn that dont sound good at all. What course did you do? Im starting soon there and its for healthcare and just wondering if they’re alright for tha. Unless thats the department in which you was in lol.

Reply 11

Anonymous #2

Original post

by Anonymous

Damn that dont sound good at all. What course did you do? Im starting soon there and its for healthcare and just wondering if they’re alright for tha. Unless thats the department in which you was in lol.

Occupational therapy BSc

Reply 12

Anonymous #4

Original post

by Anonymous

Don’t go for Salford. Poor teaching standards and staff, very poor marking of assignments.

That’s not true I have older friends who are doing that course non of them have said anything bad about the university they are enjoying the course and the university maybe you had a bad experience or due to your own fault. If the teaching etc was poor no one would have graduated this year from that course.

Reply 13

Rachel.mchugh

3

Original post

by Anonymous

That’s not true I have older friends who are doing that course non of them have said anything bad about the university they are enjoying the course and the university maybe you had a bad experience or due to your own fault. If the teaching etc was poor no one would have graduated this year from that course.

Yeah I’m at Salford under the school of science department and the teaching is absolutely fabulous in my sector as well as the facilities. The lecturers seem to have a real passion for their subject, I’ve learned more here in a couple weeks than I did in all of college chemistry.

Reply 14

Anonymous #2

50% MSc Students failed year 1 , OT 23 cohort

Reply 15

University of Salford

Official Rep

12

Hey!

I think there's been some really great advice on this thread - I hope we all helped you find the best university choice for you OP! As some additional advice for anyone making university decisions, I would always really recommend looking at National Student Survey results for your course areas - its a fantastic source of data from students in their final year of their degree, and is the best official student feedback out there. Just to note - it does only include data for undergraduate courses, so data for the MSc Occupational Therapy course also mentioned in this thread will not be included. Some of the highlights for our Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy courses from 2024 (so you don't have to trawl through the data!) are that students mention are that they really love how staff teach, and felt their placements were really well supported and valuable to them 😀

@anonymous #2 - I'm really sorry to hear you didn't have a great experience with us for your course ☹️ if you feel you'd like to discuss any of the issues you faced on your course further with the university you'd be more than welcome to let us know, as we always welcome feedback on how to improve our courses!

All the best!
Becky
University of Salford Rep

Reply 16

Anonymous #5

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi I am having a hard time deciding where to go for university. I have offers from Huddersfield, Salford, UCLAN and York St John and I will be studying occupational therapy. I currently live not too far from Salford so that would be the most convenient choice however both UCLAN and Huddersfield have pretty good facilities and reviews. York St John is far from where I live so that may not be an option. But I really don’t know what one to choose…

heyyyy Im currantly in my situation and struggling to pick between Salford or Ucaln. which one did u end up going to???

Reply 17

UniLancashire

Official Rep

16

Original post

by Anonymous

heyyyy Im currantly in my situation and struggling to pick between Salford or Ucaln. which one did u end up going to???

Hi there,

Congratulations on both of yours offers, this is a really exciting time! 🙂

There's been some great advice posted previously on this thread so I'd definitely recommend taking a look at that. I would also suggest having a look at our upcoming offer holder days. These are really great ways to find out more about the university and content on your course, as well as meet potential fellow course mates. You can find more information here: offer holder days 🙂

We also have an upcoming Ask us Anything session, which will give you an opportunity to ask current students any questions you may have about university life. More information can be found here.

Hope this helps!
^ Hannah

Reply 18

Anonymous #6

Original post

by Anonymous

Don’t go for Salford. Poor teaching standards and staff, very poor marking of assignments.

I am finding that out, the information is contradictory and there is hardly any actual teaching or support I am looking into moving to Preston UCLAN which my friends tell me is a much more supportive university, I wish I had gone there with my friends. Salford is good if you have no diverse needs or other support needs. They do not give any support and you have to fail before teaching staff will help you or even look at your work or give literally any direction.

Reply 19

UniLancashire

Official Rep

16

Original post

by Anonymous

I am finding that out, the information is contradictory and there is hardly any actual teaching or support I am looking into moving to Preston UCLAN which my friends tell me is a much more supportive university, I wish I had gone there with my friends. Salford is good if you have no diverse needs or other support needs. They do not give any support and you have to fail before teaching staff will help you or even look at your work or give literally any direction.

Hi there,

Thank you for your message and patience. I'm sorry to hear this and it's great that you are thinking of moving to study with us. At the University of Lancashire, we’ll be here for you no matter what. We pride ourselves on our excellent, second-to-none student support services. We offer student support including financial, careers, study, disability and inclusive as well as mental health and wellbeing.

I have used many of the services myself whilst being a student and I couldn't recommend them more. The teams are there for you to utilise and make the most of. You can find out more about the support in detail here: Student support

If you do have any questions, do let me know or you can get in touch with the relevant team via here.

Best wishes,
^Zac

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