Do you enjoy being at UAL?
After reading many 'reviews' about various colleges within UAL it seems as though most people are very unhappy about the university. I'm looking at applying and i'm quite worried that it'll be a hit or miss. I've heard that generally the tutors are snobby and don't care too much about your work and employ the attitude that the students are lucky to be there and should bow down to them. I've heard that there are only 3 good halls of residence, and if you're rejected from those you have to either go to others that are far out and unsafe, or find your own accommodation, and if you don't go to halls at all then you miss out on making friends. I've heard it's very cliquey and if you're not in the social elite, then you're out. Simple as. Although i'm aware of a new Kings Cross development for CSM, the current facilities are poor and that there are only a handful of computers between many students, which is less than many schools.
The official uni events tend to be quite far away from any campus or halls, and there's suppose to be absolutely no sense of community within the university. I've also been told that in some of the colleges (especially CSM) the tutors tend to really push one or two 'star students' and neglect the rest.
To be honest, i've heard more negative things about the whole university than positive things. Is prestige all the UAL has to offer? Is anybody actually happy there? I sincerely hope that I've only read/heard only the worst cases.
What do you all think? Discuss.
The official uni events tend to be quite far away from any campus or halls, and there's suppose to be absolutely no sense of community within the university. I've also been told that in some of the colleges (especially CSM) the tutors tend to really push one or two 'star students' and neglect the rest.
To be honest, i've heard more negative things about the whole university than positive things. Is prestige all the UAL has to offer? Is anybody actually happy there? I sincerely hope that I've only read/heard only the worst cases.
What do you all think? Discuss.
Hi. 
I studied on the BA (Hons) Fashion at CSM and made friends across most of the other colleges during my time there.
After reading many 'reviews' about various colleges within UAL it seems as though most people are very unhappy about the university.
The student satisfaction is very poor, according to the National Student Surveys. I believe this is down to several reasons: Firstly, it's been known that the large majority of the students fail to submit data to the survey each year, nor does the university itself encourage students to do it. Secondly, the university should not really be considered as one entity; each college and course has a very different feel and teaching approach. Each of the colleges have a separate governing body (except Chelsea, Camberwell and Wimbledon that have one body due to size). The Fine Art course at Wimbledon, for instance, is small with plenty of tutoring time, thus receiving high satisfaction levels. The same can be said for the Acting course offered by the Drama Centre, an integral school of CSM. What I'm essentially trying to say is, the large portion of the students that submit to the survey may only come from one college only, with very few from another.
I was personally satisfied by my course at CSM. Still, I'm only one student among many. I've met quite a number of students, including friends, across the colleges, that weren't happy with their courses. Nevertheless, you can't really generalize with UAL. Every college, school and course is different. Many of the colleges offer the same subject but in a very different way.
As I say, it's difficult to generalize with UAL. The tutors "can" be arrogant and aloof, largely because many of them are practicing professionals that have a certain level of expectation from their students. My tutor, for example, was obnoxious and demanding. On the other hand, she also helped me to overcome many of the barriers I had as a designer that I simply wouldn't have attempted to do without her. In retrospect, I wouldn't have become half the designer I am today if it weren't for her continued insistence. It really is hit or miss, though, as you say. I could go on further, but I won't.
Yes, it's important to apply early so you can hopefully obtain a room in one of the "better" halls. Honestly, though, many of the other halls and areas aren't nearly as bad as students claim, and are considerably cheaper too. The 'good halls' are located in expensive areas, and we are talking about London. Also, private accommodation isn't that bad, either. I had many friends who didn't attend the halls and still made many friends in spite of it. In the end you will have to look for private accommodation in your second year, anyway.
In regard to the social aspect, - yes, obviously being in the halls will help to make friends, since you will have the opportunity to meet students from all of the colleges. You can also make many friends during the freshers week or through organized clubs. It's all there for those who seek it. I also gradually made more friends mutually by attending events such as gigs or exhibitions.
At the end of the day, though, you are attending a specialist art and design college in London, not some large multifaceted campus university, situated in the midlands or something. There's a price to pay in that regard, but I believe you're also gaining something in return. I personally loved being around like minded individuals who shared a genuine interest for the arts like I do. There was no prejudice or distraction, we were all immersed in our craft, within an environment that stimulated us.
Rumors are just that, rumors. The university can be cliquey because of its structure, but honestly, everyone is friendly. The first term is when everyone would like to make friends and then naturally it begins to settle down once people focus on their courses. This 'social elite' thing is nonsense, in my opinion.
The facilities weren't fantastic and I went to arguably the worst campus (Charing Cross Road). The area was absolutely awesome, though, bang centre in the heart of the west end with all of the buzz. I loved that. The campus was also like some creative den, we could literally paint on the walls and it wouldn't matter. It felt, to me, like a real art school, something I like. The facilities were reasonable and sufficient for what I wanted (as a fashion designer, I needed to use the equipment provided as part of my work and spent a lot of time there at the college). Any work that involved using a computer, I used my own at home. Most students do this. Additionally, you're allowed to use the facilities at the other colleges as well. This also includes the head office near Bond Street. Of course, once CSM moves in 2011, that'll change everything.
The community resides in the courses, first and foremost. You're right, though, UAL doesn't have a sense of community among the six colleges. If anything, there is a sense of friendly rivalry among them. Each college is separate and is located in different areas of London. Most of the students I knew from CSM never went to LCF, for example, why would they? When you study at "UAL", you're actually only really studying at the college you're a part of. You are not a "UAL student", per se, you are a 'CSM student', or a 'Chelsea student'. The university itself is only an administrative body, it doesn't really have an identity itself.
As for traveling, this is something you will have to accept when being a student at any London university. The tube/underground will become part of your life. Events will be situated across the city, so traveling is merely a requirement to get there.
The 'university experience' you will gain from UAL is an 'art school in London' one. You are attending one specialist college in London. Once your day finishes, you leave the college and experience living in London.
Unfortunately this can happen. The tutors do have a tendency to celebrate talent. It's never really one or two students, though. I would like to elaborate on this but I'm getting tired.
Hopefully I gave you a different perspective. I will admit, the UAL administration could be improved, something I'd be more than happy to discuss further. In fact, I would like to elaborate far more than I have. I've just rambled on since it's two in the morning. :laughing:
If you have any specific questions I'll try my best to answer them.
I studied on the BA (Hons) Fashion at CSM and made friends across most of the other colleges during my time there.
Arteta
The student satisfaction is very poor, according to the National Student Surveys. I believe this is down to several reasons: Firstly, it's been known that the large majority of the students fail to submit data to the survey each year, nor does the university itself encourage students to do it. Secondly, the university should not really be considered as one entity; each college and course has a very different feel and teaching approach. Each of the colleges have a separate governing body (except Chelsea, Camberwell and Wimbledon that have one body due to size). The Fine Art course at Wimbledon, for instance, is small with plenty of tutoring time, thus receiving high satisfaction levels. The same can be said for the Acting course offered by the Drama Centre, an integral school of CSM. What I'm essentially trying to say is, the large portion of the students that submit to the survey may only come from one college only, with very few from another.
I was personally satisfied by my course at CSM. Still, I'm only one student among many. I've met quite a number of students, including friends, across the colleges, that weren't happy with their courses. Nevertheless, you can't really generalize with UAL. Every college, school and course is different. Many of the colleges offer the same subject but in a very different way.
I'm looking at applying and i'm quite worried that it'll be a hit or miss. I've heard that generally the tutors are snobby and don't care too much about your work and employ the attitude that the students are lucky to be there and should bow down to them.
As I say, it's difficult to generalize with UAL. The tutors "can" be arrogant and aloof, largely because many of them are practicing professionals that have a certain level of expectation from their students. My tutor, for example, was obnoxious and demanding. On the other hand, she also helped me to overcome many of the barriers I had as a designer that I simply wouldn't have attempted to do without her. In retrospect, I wouldn't have become half the designer I am today if it weren't for her continued insistence. It really is hit or miss, though, as you say. I could go on further, but I won't.
I've heard that there are only 3 good halls of residence, and if you're rejected from those you have to either go to others that are far out and unsafe, or find your own accommodation, and if you don't go to halls at all then you miss out on making friends.
Yes, it's important to apply early so you can hopefully obtain a room in one of the "better" halls. Honestly, though, many of the other halls and areas aren't nearly as bad as students claim, and are considerably cheaper too. The 'good halls' are located in expensive areas, and we are talking about London. Also, private accommodation isn't that bad, either. I had many friends who didn't attend the halls and still made many friends in spite of it. In the end you will have to look for private accommodation in your second year, anyway.
In regard to the social aspect, - yes, obviously being in the halls will help to make friends, since you will have the opportunity to meet students from all of the colleges. You can also make many friends during the freshers week or through organized clubs. It's all there for those who seek it. I also gradually made more friends mutually by attending events such as gigs or exhibitions.
At the end of the day, though, you are attending a specialist art and design college in London, not some large multifaceted campus university, situated in the midlands or something. There's a price to pay in that regard, but I believe you're also gaining something in return. I personally loved being around like minded individuals who shared a genuine interest for the arts like I do. There was no prejudice or distraction, we were all immersed in our craft, within an environment that stimulated us.
I've heard it's very cliquey and if you're not in the social elite, then you're out. Simple as.
Rumors are just that, rumors. The university can be cliquey because of its structure, but honestly, everyone is friendly. The first term is when everyone would like to make friends and then naturally it begins to settle down once people focus on their courses. This 'social elite' thing is nonsense, in my opinion.
Although i'm aware of a new Kings Cross development for CSM, the current facilities are poor and that there are only a handful of computers between many students, which is less than many schools.
The facilities weren't fantastic and I went to arguably the worst campus (Charing Cross Road). The area was absolutely awesome, though, bang centre in the heart of the west end with all of the buzz. I loved that. The campus was also like some creative den, we could literally paint on the walls and it wouldn't matter. It felt, to me, like a real art school, something I like. The facilities were reasonable and sufficient for what I wanted (as a fashion designer, I needed to use the equipment provided as part of my work and spent a lot of time there at the college). Any work that involved using a computer, I used my own at home. Most students do this. Additionally, you're allowed to use the facilities at the other colleges as well. This also includes the head office near Bond Street. Of course, once CSM moves in 2011, that'll change everything.
The official uni events tend to be quite far away from any campus or halls, and there's suppose to be absolutely no sense of community within the university.
The community resides in the courses, first and foremost. You're right, though, UAL doesn't have a sense of community among the six colleges. If anything, there is a sense of friendly rivalry among them. Each college is separate and is located in different areas of London. Most of the students I knew from CSM never went to LCF, for example, why would they? When you study at "UAL", you're actually only really studying at the college you're a part of. You are not a "UAL student", per se, you are a 'CSM student', or a 'Chelsea student'. The university itself is only an administrative body, it doesn't really have an identity itself.
As for traveling, this is something you will have to accept when being a student at any London university. The tube/underground will become part of your life. Events will be situated across the city, so traveling is merely a requirement to get there.
The 'university experience' you will gain from UAL is an 'art school in London' one. You are attending one specialist college in London. Once your day finishes, you leave the college and experience living in London.
I've also been told that in some of the colleges (especially CSM) the tutors tend to really push one or two 'star students' and neglect the rest.
Unfortunately this can happen. The tutors do have a tendency to celebrate talent. It's never really one or two students, though. I would like to elaborate on this but I'm getting tired.
To be honest, i've heard more negative things about the whole university than positive things. Is prestige all the UAL has to offer? Is anybody actually happy there? I sincerely hope that I've only read/heard only the worst cases.
Hopefully I gave you a different perspective. I will admit, the UAL administration could be improved, something I'd be more than happy to discuss further. In fact, I would like to elaborate far more than I have. I've just rambled on since it's two in the morning. :laughing:
If you have any specific questions I'll try my best to answer them.
Hey I personally love being at UAL. I study BA Hons Fashion Journalism at LCF, just finished my first term. I live at home, commute in every day, and have no problem making friends even though I'm not in halls, because actually many of the students don't live in halls so it's no biggy. As for the tutors, mine are all very approachable. Sometimes they can seem a little arrogant but all my tutors have extensive knowledge and know exactly what they're talking about, having been in the business for years, so I'm never surprised if they come across a bit like that. And as for it being cliquey, I haven't experienced that at all. I've loved every minute of it.
In regards to halls you need to get the idea of bad areas of london outside of your head, there's no point of moving to london to study if all you're going to do is hang out and live in one area for the whole three years simply because you've heard there's loads of scary people in one area. the whole point of london is moving around and going places. dont come if you're looking for a cosy campus life.
Yes it is very cliquey, I think it has to do with the fact that a lot of people go to places like Chelsea and CSM believing they've entered some sort of cultural elite as opposed to just an art school and think that it actually says something about them and who they are. Its just something you've got to contend with I guess.
The majority of my first term has been pretty awful but like Mattisse, said, if you've got a question to ask, I urge you to ask it. I wish I'd asked more questions before I went.
Yes it is very cliquey, I think it has to do with the fact that a lot of people go to places like Chelsea and CSM believing they've entered some sort of cultural elite as opposed to just an art school and think that it actually says something about them and who they are. Its just something you've got to contend with I guess.
The majority of my first term has been pretty awful but like Mattisse, said, if you've got a question to ask, I urge you to ask it. I wish I'd asked more questions before I went.
Original post by Arteta
After reading many 'reviews' about various colleges within UAL it seems as though most people are very unhappy about the university. I'm looking at applying and i'm quite worried that it'll be a hit or miss. I've heard that generally the tutors are snobby and don't care too much about your work and employ the attitude that the students are lucky to be there and should bow down to them. I've heard that there are only 3 good halls of residence, and if you're rejected from those you have to either go to others that are far out and unsafe, or find your own accommodation, and if you don't go to halls at all then you miss out on making friends. I've heard it's very cliquey and if you're not in the social elite, then you're out. Simple as. Although i'm aware of a new Kings Cross development for CSM, the current facilities are poor and that there are only a handful of computers between many students, which is less than many schools.
The official uni events tend to be quite far away from any campus or halls, and there's suppose to be absolutely no sense of community within the university. I've also been told that in some of the colleges (especially CSM) the tutors tend to really push one or two 'star students' and neglect the rest.
To be honest, i've heard more negative things about the whole university than positive things. Is prestige all the UAL has to offer? Is anybody actually happy there? I sincerely hope that I've only read/heard only the worst cases.
What do you all think? Discuss.
The official uni events tend to be quite far away from any campus or halls, and there's suppose to be absolutely no sense of community within the university. I've also been told that in some of the colleges (especially CSM) the tutors tend to really push one or two 'star students' and neglect the rest.
To be honest, i've heard more negative things about the whole university than positive things. Is prestige all the UAL has to offer? Is anybody actually happy there? I sincerely hope that I've only read/heard only the worst cases.
What do you all think? Discuss.
I realise this is an old post, but I am replying to it now in case anyone is considering UAL. As a former LCF and Chelsea student, I highly recommend that you go somewhere else. Though UAL (somehow) ranks highly statistically, only one person I know of got a job in the field (textile design) after graduation. I only spoke to 3 tutors in my final year of my BA, so I have no idea where their 11/9 student-to-staff ratio that they report is coming from.
In my opinion, people in my course graduated with work that was foundation level, as they were only present 4-5 days in the workshops during our whole final year. For a technical degree, this, in my view, is a disaster and makes more committed students feel like the degree is meaningless. We maybe had a single CV writing workshop and no help in securing jobs except for a yearly 'contest' that gave a few students work experience. I enjoyed my tutors, but with so few of them spread over the entire degree, it did not feel like we got what we were paying for.
With friends across the UAL universities, some had a bit of a better experience, but none of us felt like it prepared us for getting a career, and most of us are still working in hospitality or trying to find administrative work. Honestly, with the number of students it accepts and the number of different degrees it offers, I have to imagine that it knows that students won't find work in their fields and is swindling them with illusions.
If you want to be an artist, try one of the alternative degrees or take practical skill courses at Working Man's College, Morley, or The Art Academy London and get a studio. You will learn more there in a couple of months than a whole degree at UAL and will have some concrete skills to get a job in an art studio or in fabrication. You won't have to be convincing technicians to teach you things or trying to get a couple of hours of use on competitively limited technical equipment as I had to at UAL.
Also a note for US international students planning on taking out loans - they will transfer your loan money with Western Union and lost me about $1,000 per year in conversion fees. Despite my complaints and persuasions for them to let me use Transferwise or another service, they made me use Western Union. This meant that I didn't have enough money to live year to year and had to convince my family to give me an extra $1,000 yearly. If you still decide to go to UAL, make sure you factor in Western Union conversion fees, as I did not know this before my attendance.
In sum, my main opinions are that UAL accepts far more students than it can actually accommodate, you are highly unlikely to get a job in a field that you get a degree in as there is very little career support, and you won't have an understanding of employer expectations, UAL cares a whole lot more about recruiting and giving false pictures of its organization than caring for the needs of its students, and I could've saved a lot of money and frustration if I had just studied elsewhere.
Hi,
I currently studying an MA Fashion Futures at LCF. My experience so far has been fairly good. I'm an international student and the cost of this degree can be a lot; Hence, I understand the frustration if my experience had not been good. I have to agree that certain smaller issues can always come up, and have come up (can't think of anything where that won't happen) but when I look at my overall experience, it has been great. I enjoy my tutors and overall input from them. The access to facilities worked out well for me and has improved a lot at LCF ever since the new building. Connectedness, community building and events at UAL are mostly within campuses which are very fun to attend; I've spent time on so many campuses this way which I might not have done otherwise. There are multiple opportunities to engage and collaborate. I can agree that sometimes you have to really seek and go after opportunities etc. but I don't mind it as much personally. In terms of finding a job after the degree, my work and projects have become so intersectional now that I am taking time to understand what job would I want to work for. I suppose this is a regular feeling after an unusual MA like mine.
But my favourite thing is the fact that any time there was a certain feedback (big or small) from our class, it was addressed immediately. This fact makes a huge difference to the experience.
Best,
Teju
I currently studying an MA Fashion Futures at LCF. My experience so far has been fairly good. I'm an international student and the cost of this degree can be a lot; Hence, I understand the frustration if my experience had not been good. I have to agree that certain smaller issues can always come up, and have come up (can't think of anything where that won't happen) but when I look at my overall experience, it has been great. I enjoy my tutors and overall input from them. The access to facilities worked out well for me and has improved a lot at LCF ever since the new building. Connectedness, community building and events at UAL are mostly within campuses which are very fun to attend; I've spent time on so many campuses this way which I might not have done otherwise. There are multiple opportunities to engage and collaborate. I can agree that sometimes you have to really seek and go after opportunities etc. but I don't mind it as much personally. In terms of finding a job after the degree, my work and projects have become so intersectional now that I am taking time to understand what job would I want to work for. I suppose this is a regular feeling after an unusual MA like mine.
But my favourite thing is the fact that any time there was a certain feedback (big or small) from our class, it was addressed immediately. This fact makes a huge difference to the experience.
Best,
Teju
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