Trying to pick my 5 universities and need help!!!!

I'm trying to pick between some universities and im struggling so if you went to any of the following universities please give me the pros and cons:
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Aberdeen
York
Bristol
Cardiff
Lancaster
Newcastle
Exeter
Liverpool
Loughborough
Durham

Reply 1

lalexm

Original post by dedicated-pincer

Can’t help with picking individual unis as that should be based on the course details and your personal preferences regarding the uni e.g. campus/city, size, location, social life, facilities, distance from home etc. Please ensure though that your 5 choices include a wide range of entry requirements, not just to ensure that you get in somewhere, but to also have an insurance with lower grades in case you exams don’t go to plan.

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 2

Ghostlady

Original post by dedicated-pincer

it depends on the course really as each uni has its strengths.
Lancaster my daughter has graduated from for physics and that uni is very good on physics, business and marketing, computer science and english. Loughborough is one of the top ones for sports. Russell group unis, they are more about independant learning so if thats your thing. Also the unis up north are slightly cheaper. Bristol is more expensive to live so your student finance wont go very far.

Reply 3

Loughborough Student Community

Official Rep

Original post by dedicated-pincer

Hi @dedicated-pincer

Great to hear you are considering Loughborough 🙂

There are so many factors to consider when deciding on a university. My biggest recommendation is to think about what your top priorities are in a university. For example: the course, campus/city, proximity to home etc. When looking into the course I would recommend looking at the breakdown of the course on the course page so you can see each module you will study. This is a great way to see what the course actually entails and allows you to compare between other universities.

I have been at Loughborough for nearly 3 years and have loved my time here! I can give you some insight into the University and the town.

Loughborough is very much a student town and as you are on a campus it has such a strong community feel- I really love this as it is really easy to meet new people and you tend to see a lot of people you know when you are on campus (and even when out in town!). People are really friendly and I have met some great friends. The facilities at Loughborough are amazing- particularly for sport but also for academics. During the week most social events happens on campus through the Student Union. For example, there tend to be 2 nights out in the week (Wednesday and Friday) and events during the day which differ week to week. Take a look at our student union website for more insight here. At the weekends more seems to happen off campus.

In town (which is walking distance from campus- about 10/15 minutes) there are multiple pubs, bars, cafe's, restaurants and nightclubs which tend to be full of students at the weekend. There are some particular pubs which tend to be the 'go to' student pubs. You do need to keep in mind that Loughborough is a town so can't offer what big cities can. If we fancy a bigger city night out we tend to go to either Nottingham or Leicester on the train as they are both approximately 20 minutes away. The train station isn't far from campus and there is a campus shuttle which takes you through town and goes to the station and runs every 10 minutes.

At Loughborough we have so many things to get involved in. We have AU which is our most competitive level of sport where you play BUCS (play against other universities) but we also have lots of other ways to get involved in sport. IMS is where you can affiliate to a hall and compete against other halls. This is very sociable and allows you to try new sports. We also have MyLifestyle which is a free and inclusive recreational sport and physical activity offer, that is open to and welcomes everybody of any ability. There is a lot more to Loughborough then sport. We have a long list of societies to get involved in. Take a look at what we have to offer here.

I hope this helps give some insight. If you have any questions please do ask 🙂

Alex

Reply 4

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by dedicated-pincer

Hi @dedicated-pincer,
I'm currently in my 3rd year studying at Lancaster so can provide an insight about what studying here is like.
The university is campus based and is located about 3 miles out of the city center, and everything is located conveniently on campus, so in 1st year you can live and study within the same area, however in 2nd and 3rd year most students live in town, so will have to commute.
There's lots to get involved with outside of studying as there's over 175 different societies with lots of different sports teams, craft societies, we even have an underwater hockey team. Also, Lancaster is quite unique as it is a collegiate university, so you will live in your college in 1st year, making it a great way to meet lots of people studying different degrees and each college feels like a small community on campus. Also the college systems means there's lots of events happening on campus that you can go to weekly as well as the big university wide events ran by the student union.
Lancaster is a beautifully historic city, with a good range of shops, cafes and bars, however the city is quite small compared to other northern cities like Manchester, so it depends on what type of experience your looking for. Lancaster's also really well connected to the rest of the northwest, with Manchester and Liverpool being just over an hour away and the lake district being 40 minutes away.
Lancaster has a few open days over the summer, if you'd like to visit to experience the campus for yourself Undergraduate Open Days - Lancaster University.
If you have anymore questions on Lancaster feel free to ask!
-Jasmine(Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Reply 5

CardiffUni Rep 2

Official Rep

Original post by dedicated-pincer

Hiya!

Cardiff University student here. Its awesome that you're considering Cardiff a place to study!

As the above comments have said, there are lots of factors to consider when choosing a university. In terms of location, Cardiff is the capital city of Wales. Its brilliant if you like a mix between the city and nature. There are lots of parks/gardens close to campus, but the main campus is also right next to the city center, making it a convenient place to study. Its great if you like walking everywhere! In first year, I only had to take a bus twice. You end up saving a lot of money on travel at Cardiff.

Its also a really accessible place. There is a train station on campus, where you can take trains to explore the rest of Wales or take changing trains to England. There are also coaches that stop right in the middle of campus.

Student accommodation fits a wide range of budgets, and varies from shared bathroom flats to ensuites. Cardiff still remains one of the most affordable cities in the UK, and it reflects in the price of student housing.

I've found myself really enjoying student life here as well. We have a really active student union, with over 200+ societies. Most of these societies are pretty active and hold regular events. Its a great place to make friends and get into something new in an affordable way! Societies usually hold both alcoholic and non-alcoholic socials, making it an inclusive space for everyone. If you like a night out however, the student union hosts 2 club nights a week, plus clubs in city center are just a quick walk from campus :smile:

Academic support and general support services are quite useful here as well. Some libraries are 24/7, and they also allow you to rent a laptop if needed. There are extra workshops/lectures on academic skills if you find yourself struggling. There is usually tailored support for aspects of your student life such as mental health, financial difficulties etc.

I hope that has helped inform your decision a little bit, let me know if you had any questions about Cardiff! :biggrin:

~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep

Reply 6

University of York

Official Rep

Hello! Please to hear you are considering York.

I am going into my final year of undergraduate study here, so hopefully I can help somewhat.

York is on the smaller side, but has lost of cafes, restaurants, and things to do. Even now I find places I have never seen before. It is known to be very safe, and I agree with this. York is definitely a student city, the nightlife is tailored to students and nights are organised specifically for us.
We have over 200 societies at York so there is really something for everyone, and you can even start your own!

As York is not very large, most of the city is walking distance, and campus is out of the city centre but not so much that it is an inconvenience. There is a good bus route between the train station and the University that goes through the city centre, if it feels too far to walk.

One of my favourite things about York is the college system. We have 10 undergraduate colleges, and 1 postgraduate. Every student is assigned a college, and most first year students choose to live in these colleges, which is the perfect way to make friends and feel like part of a community. The college system also offers sports teams that are more casual than the University teams, allowing you to play a sport you love without too much pressure.

If you're looking for a small city that isn't too small, York is a very good choice!

Reply 7

Muttley79

Original post by dedicated-pincer

Which degree?

Reply 8

louiseee157

Original post by dedicated-pincer

Heyyy, currently heading into my second year at Exeter!

I’ve genuinely had such a great year at Exeter and couldn’t recommend it more. I personally love the fact it’s a campus uni because everything is super close, it has a community feel. I also enjoy the aspect of going to campus to study, then home being separate so I can shut off from uni work in the evening. Also, our campus is just stunning with so many places to work, eat, hang out, walk etc. Exeter is smaller city, which means you can quickly feel at home and settle in. But there’s still plenty to do: nights out, beach trips, visiting the quay etc.

However, if you’re wanting a more lively city, this probably isn’t the place for you. It can feel a little more laidback and quiet than bigger cities like Bristol, Liverpool etc. Also, Exeter is a bit pricey in terms of housing.

Whilst I’ve had a great experience at Exeter, you need to consider what you want to get out of uni. You might want a city like Exeter, or something bigger and more vibrant. Also definitely consider your course and what unis are good for that.
Best of luck! :smile:

Reply 9

ExeterStudentRep

Official Rep

Hi there! My name is Laura and I am a student ambassador at Exeter.

When choosing your uni it is of course first important to look at different course structures for the subject you are interested in. Each of these unis will likely have a different approach to how they deliver the content, assessments, modules etc. so definitely base your decision on that first.

If you are looking to study in a smaller student town with a campus based university then Exeter would be a great choice. It is on the smaller side so it will not have as many activities you may find in cities like Bristol or Glasgow, however it has everything a student might need from shopping and groceries to clubs/bars and weekend activities. It's located only 30 minutes away from Exmouth beach and Dartmoor is very close as well so if you are a outdoorsy person who likes going on walks/bike rides/ hiking etc. then you will love Exeter. What I loved about it is that nobody lives more than 10-15 min away so you do not need to spend ages commuting to different parts of town to meet your friends, they will likely live on the same street as you! Also because it is a campus-based university you come on campus in the morning and have absolutely everything there from lectures/seminars to drinks, food, the gym, library, park etc. It makes it a lot easier to have everything in one place.

In terms of student life, Exeter has been really good for all things social. There are more than 300 societies from sports and course-based to more random ones like Taylor Swift society or Hide and Seek society. There is really something for everyone and during freshers most of them have taster sessions where you can meet other freshers and see if it is something you would enjoy. You also meet people through your course, accomodation, sports, through friends etc. so even if the first few weeks might seem a bit rough with meeting new people, eventually everyone finds their group. The Student Guild also offers a bunch of events such as flatmate finder, arts and crafts, movie nights and more where you get to meet new people. Almost every society will have weekly events which can be both drinking and non-drinking. Sometimes it will be a night out social but sometimes its a beach day or a picnic social so you can choose what you want to go to based on your preferences. There are also loads of activities in town like bowling, the boom bar, escape rooms, kayaking etc. All in all it is a small. town but it has a very vibrant student life!

I would reccomend going for Exeter if you are the type of person who enjoys nature, a more 'peaceful' environment compared to big cities and a smaller, but tight community of students. I have done both my undergrad and masters here and I absolutely enjoyed my time!

I hope this helps and if you have any other questions please do ask!

Laura
Exeter University Student Ambassador