York or Warwick

Hi all,

I'm a PPE hopeful student and I expect to get A*A*A or A*AA at A level. I applied to Oxford and fumbled my admissions test out of stress in every possible way, from dropping the pen I need for some calculations to not being able to get much sleep the night before. So while I am academically capable, my choice is now between York and Warwick. I didn't take a Maths A-Level for Durham and I've no intention of living in London. I have an AAB offer from York and I understand that my Warwick application has excellent chances, so I'm going to apply to one of them.

When I visited York, the course seemed perfectly tolerable to me, and the tutors excellent, but the student life and community seemed really lively, and the accommodation looks great for me. York is also a lovely city I've spent a lot of time in, and has plenty of places that are affordable and plenty of places that are classy. Nice teachers, decent course, incredible city.

Warwick is not that. Warwick has an incredibly good course, teachers that made no strong impression on me on open days but I'm sure are good. The community however does not seem massively gripping to me. Most of the positive social life stuff I've heard is about drinking, which you can actually do in York as well. Warwick Arts Center hosts a lot of gigs by bands I love, but that's about it. Incredible course, nice teachers, maybe not decent city.

My concern is course / class quality at the two universities and post course employability/chance of a postgrad. it is my hope to do a postgrad at Oxford or Cambridge in Philosophy or Politics, but having the employability option would also be nice. My priorities are below, if anyone can inform me.

1. academic quality
2. community
3. postgrad chances
4. group sizes (smaller is better)
5.employability.

Reply 1

Hedgerow12

Original post

by Dparkinson1

Hi all,
I'm a PPE hopeful student and I expect to get A*A*A or A*AA at A level. I applied to Oxford and fumbled my admissions test out of stress in every possible way, from dropping the pen I need for some calculations to not being able to get much sleep the night before. So while I am academically capable, my choice is now between York and Warwick. I didn't take a Maths A-Level for Durham and I've no intention of living in London. I have an AAB offer from York and I understand that my Warwick application has excellent chances, so I'm going to apply to one of them.
When I visited York, the course seemed perfectly tolerable to me, and the tutors excellent, but the student life and community seemed really lively, and the accommodation looks great for me. York is also a lovely city I've spent a lot of time in, and has plenty of places that are affordable and plenty of places that are classy. Nice teachers, decent course, incredible city.
Warwick is not that. Warwick has an incredibly good course, teachers that made no strong impression on me on open days but I'm sure are good. The community however does not seem massively gripping to me. Most of the positive social life stuff I've heard is about drinking, which you can actually do in York as well. Warwick Arts Center hosts a lot of gigs by bands I love, but that's about it. Incredible course, nice teachers, maybe not decent city.
My concern is course / class quality at the two universities and post course employability/chance of a postgrad. it is my hope to do a postgrad at Oxford or Cambridge in Philosophy or Politics, but having the employability option would also be nice. My priorities are below, if anyone can inform me.
1. academic quality
2. community
3. postgrad chances
4. group sizes (smaller is better)
5.employability.

York

academic qaulity, lecturers are good. If you put in effort you will do well and be challenged too.
If you didnt do maths you will probably have to take the BA route which isnt as intense on the maths side.

good community, campus is close to york centre too. Also depends on which college you choose. Not sure where youve heard it is affordable as housing is very expensive.

cant really say

Large seminar group sizes but people stop attending a couple weeks into each term so they become small.

you wont struggle to get a job if you have made the most of your time at uni by doing work experience spring week and internships throughout your time.

Reply 2

Dparkinson1

I heard the affordable thing as the lowest band at halifax is £99 a week. not sure I'd go for that, but it's cheaper than at Warwick.

Reply 3

Hedgerow12

In your second and third years youll then be in town looking at paying 175 at the low end per week including bills. Campus accomodation is nice but if that accomodation is no longer available, youll be more likely paying 180 as most band 2s are catered.