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Help choosing university for chemistry degree

I have received offers from Manchester, Birmingham, Durham and Sheffield, but I am unsure which to choose. I am going to offer holder days which should help me decide, but I was wondering if anyone is/was in a similar situation.

I haven't been to see Birmingham yet so I haven't got much to say about it yet.
I am quite an introverted person so I don't know if Manchester would be too big for me. I also find it concerning that they seem to try to hide their accomodation.
And then the opposite for Durham, I'm worried I'd be bored because it's too small. However I think I liked the course most at Durham.
Sheffield was probably my favourite city of the three but I'm concerned the course wouldn't be as good as the others.

I'm confident I'd enjoy it wherever I go but any advice would be appreciated.

Reply 1

I’d recommend looking into their course structure and exam style. Some universities grade students based on a curve, meaning grades are adjusted depending on overall performance, while others assign grades purely based on assignments and assessments. In the latter case, for example, if 100 students score As on a test, all 100 students would receive an A. It’s also worth considering the types of modules offered. For instance, some universities offer medicinal or maths/physics modules, so if you’re interested in those areas or think they’ll be relevant for your future career, they might be a good fit. Lastly, consider the assessment methods—do students have exams in January and April/May, or are all exams scheduled for April/May? Also, check if the university offers tutorials or workshops (smaller classes) alongside lectures. These can be really helpful for bonding with other students and getting the support you need when practicing exam questions.

Reply 2

Original post by wellkiddo
I’d recommend looking into their course structure and exam style. Some universities grade students based on a curve, meaning grades are adjusted depending on overall performance, while others assign grades purely based on assignments and assessments. In the latter case, for example, if 100 students score As on a test, all 100 students would receive an A. It’s also worth considering the types of modules offered. For instance, some universities offer medicinal or maths/physics modules, so if you’re interested in those areas or think they’ll be relevant for your future career, they might be a good fit. Lastly, consider the assessment methods—do students have exams in January and April/May, or are all exams scheduled for April/May? Also, check if the university offers tutorials or workshops (smaller classes) alongside lectures. These can be really helpful for bonding with other students and getting the support you need when practicing exam questions.


Great, thank you for the advice!
Original post by ben???
I have received offers from Manchester, Birmingham, Durham and Sheffield, but I am unsure which to choose. I am going to offer holder days which should help me decide, but I was wondering if anyone is/was in a similar situation.
I haven't been to see Birmingham yet so I haven't got much to say about it yet.
I am quite an introverted person so I don't know if Manchester would be too big for me. I also find it concerning that they seem to try to hide their accomodation.
And then the opposite for Durham, I'm worried I'd be bored because it's too small. However I think I liked the course most at Durham.
Sheffield was probably my favourite city of the three but I'm concerned the course wouldn't be as good as the others.
I'm confident I'd enjoy it wherever I go but any advice would be appreciated.

Hiya,

Congrats on your offers!

My main suggestion is if you are concerned about the course is to compare the modules that are offered between the universities.
Chemistry - if you scroll down on this page, you can see the modules offered. Sheffield offers a wide range of optional modules so you can customise your course to the topics that you find most interesting.

You also mentioned about the size of city and I find Sheffield the perfect size as it is not so big that you will never learn your way around, but it is not so small that you get bored. In addition, we have guaranteed student accommodation for all students that firm Sheffield which is either a 20-25 minutes walk from campus or in city centre which is around 10 minutes.

I hope this helps and if you have any other questions, just let me know :smile:
Jivanthika (3rd Year Comp Sci and AI)

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