Plymouth or Exeter for Diagnostic Radiography?

As a mature student with a home I'm tied to, I need to stay living where I am! But I'm pondering where to go, based on assessment weighting, placement organisation and integrated masters. So some advice, opinion would be helpful

Plymouth is where I live. The uni is in a very walkable distance from my house. I work at our teaching hospital (also a major trauma centre and has the southwest neurosurgery unit too). Placements start soon in first semester, with alternate Fridays at my hospital getting to know that various workings of the environment. You get an iPad for duration of course. The anatomage tables are amazing and they have state of the art facilities and great local connections Has a 'unique' focus on the diagnostic aspects. Can add in ultrasound fundamentals aswell, which is unique. Assessment is apparently 80% exams, which is one thing I'm a bit nervous about.

Exeter is an hour away by train. It would be a bit more of an adventure/experience. They are ranked higher for Radiography. Assessment is a 5:4 ratio on continuous assessment to exam. I have no idea what their facilities are like yet! There is the possibility of transferring to the integrated masters which gives preparation for cross-sectional imaging. Placements have a wider geographical scope and there is no mention of the first year placements being similar to Plymouths. They do have a bursary for mature students. Their website just doesn't give the info Plymouth does.

So, what would you do? I'm trying to decide but also trying not to have a midlife crisis at the same time

Would it be worth the commute to Exeter? Would doing Ultrasound Fundementals be a better option, going forwards, than the integrated masters? Thinking of Post grad options and potential for learning and employment..

Can you clarify please, are you already working as a radiographer and the masters is part of your ongoing professional development, or is this a pre-reg masters to train you to become a DR?

Pre-reg. I'm just a senior HCA on surgical ward, but obviously there are connections there which can be helpful. The DR BSc can have extra modules and placement for Ultrasound in Plymouth or Exeter do an integrated masters for cross-sectional imaging, which would normally be post grad training once working as a DR, I believe? I'm trying to weigh up which would be better career wise and stability wise, while also considering everything else.

A pre-reg masters is a condensed version of the undergraduate degree and both will have the same outcome in that you will be qualified to apply for band 5 DR positions with the NHS. Employability won't be an issue as DRs are in short supply nationwide and the NHS won't care where you study. All courses need to meet HCPC standards so uni rankings are absolutely meaningless for healthcare courses.
With regards to placements, I suspect Plymouth will have other placement locations as it would be unusual to have a whole cohort descending on one hospital during placement weeks. As well as commuting time, ask about when placements are during the year - are they held during normal uni holidays or mainly term time. This can vary a lot between unis with students at some unis sending a lot of their summer holidays on placement.

Ah, so the integrated masters is the Rad BSc with an extra year for the masters, focussing on CT and MRI, so 4 years in total full time. I'm not sure whether it would be worth doing that or doing the normal route of working as a DR first and then going for extra training study while working?
Plymouth, I know there will be placements elsewhere but I know first year is definitely at my hospital so I'd have some comfort there, but I also wonder if the general 'getting to know the workings of the environment and interactions' thing would be less beneficial to me there because I know them so well. The geographical locations for their other placements seem to be within lower boundaries than Exeter and also include our private hospitals. The Ultrasound extra would entail an extra 6 week placement on top of the others.
Maybe I should email Exeter and find out a bit more about their structuring?
I definitely want to do CT, MRI OR Ultrasound career wise in the future, and it was largely CT and MRI that inspired me to change career. But the open day at Plymouth that I went to, I got to play with a robotic ultrasound set up and I loved it. So I'm open to both options, just can't blinking decide which way to go 😂 I think this is where having a husband would come in handy, there'd be someone to discuss it with and know me🤣

Ah, so the integrated masters is the Rad BSc with an extra year for the masters, focussing on CT and MRI, so 4 years in total full time. I'm not sure whether it would be worth doing that or doing the normal route of working as a DR first and then going for extra training study while working?
Plymouth, I know there will be placements elsewhere but I know first year is definitely at my hospital so I'd have some comfort there, but I also wonder if the general 'getting to know the workings of the environment and interactions' thing would be less beneficial to me there because I know them so well. The geographical locations for their other placements seem to be within lower boundaries than Exeter and also include our private hospitals. The Ultrasound extra would entail an extra 6 week placement on top of the others.
Maybe I should email Exeter and find out a bit more about their structuring?
I definitely want to do CT, MRI OR Ultrasound career wise in the future, and it was largely CT and MRI that inspired me to change career. But the open day at Plymouth that I went to, I got to play with a robotic ultrasound set up and I loved it. So I'm open to both options, just can't blinking decide which way to go 😂 I think this is where having a husband would come in handy, there'd be someone to discuss it with and know me🤣