Edinburgh vs Southampton?

10

my firm is Lancaster for physical geography - but i'm debating on my insurance..
For reference the other two are Cardiff and Reading, but i really didn't like them. Please lmk your opinion on both edinburgh and soton!

Reply 1

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

My guess would be that Southampton is more likely to guarantee or at least have options for accommodation at short notice. Edinburgh is well known for having accommodation shortages

Reply 2

Uni of Southampton Students

Official Rep

16

Original post

by varsh_xx

my firm is Lancaster for physical geography - but i'm debating on my insurance..
For reference the other two are Cardiff and Reading, but i really didn't like them. Please lmk your opinion on both edinburgh and soton!

Hi @varsh_xx

I’m a second year student studying Geography BA and I thought I could give you a little help!
Depending on whether you’ve chosen Geography BSc or Physical Geography BSc can actually quite change how the course is done. Geography BSc has the same first year as Geography BA, which meant that in first year you would get a flavour for all geography and this can be quite beneficial later on in your studies when relying on that “human” element of geography. Physical Geography BSc follow a different course where it’s only solely focused on physical. So depending which one you chose, it can really affect your university experience.

In second and third year there’s also a lot of flexibility when personalising your degree to your interests through the variety of optional modules on offer. You can also choose a module from outside of the geography school, for example a language or maths module.
There’s a lot of help through your course as well to set you up for your dissertation and future research projects. A lot of the core modules (compulsory) focus on research methods and introduce you to geographical tools such as GIS to help you later on. I’ve personally never felt lost on what to do in field work where they’ve allowed us to explore different research methods. I was really surprised how much support the teaching staff give you throughout your studies, especially from my personal academic tutor (PAT) who I can go to for whatever concerns I have about the course.

Southampton University has a wide range of accommodation located around the city where some are similar to “student villages”. Most of these accommodation are reasonably priced when compared to other universities’ and there’s quite a variety to choose from. There’s also a large selection of private accommodations, if you’d prefer this, that are scattered around the city as well. For second and third year when you might be considering moving into houses, there is a lot to choose from that are very reasonably priced, which I was very surprised by. There is some pressure to try and secure a house as early as possible but when I’ve compared my experience to friends at other universities, Southampton have a large amount of student housing that makes it more easier to find the right house you’re looking for.

Southampton does also offer a great night life and social life outside of the University. Westquay (a massive shopping centre in town) and the Commons (a large green space perfect for picnics and walks) are the main attraction for Southampton in the day time. During the night there are plenty of student nights and themed nights at clubs around the city as well. I would say compared to other cities Southampton probably doesn’t have the biggest nightlife but it’s still very decent.

It’s worth considering a few things when deciding your choices, such as the course itself - have you looked at the modules that you’ll be studying, what’s the academic support like etc. - and also your life outside of university - what societies they have, the nightlife, and other activities you can do in the city.
Hopefully what I’ve said will make you consider a few more things, and don’t be afraid to ask any questions about it since I have just basically skimmed over everything I think you’d find useful.
Also make sure that for your insurance the grade requirements are always lower than your first choice!

Well done on your offer though and I hope you’ll be able to get into your firm choice!
Lucy

Reply 3

McGinger

20

You have already asked this question, and received answers.

Reply 4

sleepless-italy

15

Original post

by varsh_xx

my firm is Lancaster for physical geography - but i'm debating on my insurance..
For reference the other two are Cardiff and Reading, but i really didn't like them. Please lmk your opinion on both edinburgh and soton!

Hey! I am also applying for physical geography and hope to get Lancaster as my firm! What other unis did you apply to out of curiosity?

Reply 5

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

18

Original post

by varsh_xx

my firm is Lancaster for physical geography - but i'm debating on my insurance..
For reference the other two are Cardiff and Reading, but i really didn't like them. Please lmk your opinion on both edinburgh and soton!

Hi @varsh_xx
Nice to hear your intrested in physical geography at Lancaster! I studied my undergraduate degree also in Physical Geography at Lancaster and loved the wide range of modules and how practical the course was with lots of fieldwork and lab opportutnities.
In terms of an insurance choice, i would recommend looking at the modules differences at the other universities and see which of the courses you prefer the modules of. Also, i would recommend visiting the universities and cities on an offer holder event to learn more about the department and to see if you could imagine yourself studying/living at each of the universities/cities.
Hope this helps, and if you have any questions about Lancaster or more generally, feel free to ask!
-Jasmine (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Edinburgh vs Southampton?

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