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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Higher education

Exeter university question - Streatham campus or Penryn campus?

42 replies

MollyHuaCha · 13/08/2017 20:32

DS in interested in studying Politics and International Relations. Exeter university offers this course at both its Streatham and Penryn campuses and prospective students have to chose a campus before they apply - they are 100 miles apart!

Does anyone have any thoughts or insights about these campuses? Or of Exeter university generally? Looking to start in 2018.

Thanks in advance.

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Crumbs1 · 13/08/2017 20:50

Mine absolutely loves Exeter. Not sure about different campus - she's in main central Exeter campus.

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titchy · 13/08/2017 21:15

Go visit! One is rural, one town. Depends what your dc likes.

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MollyHuaCha · 13/08/2017 21:19

Thanks for the replies. Yes, we'll go to the open days in Sept. Just keen to get any insider views as well - good or bad!

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Jugglingballs65 · 13/08/2017 21:27

Penryn campus is just outside Falmouth. DD just spent 3 yrs there at Falmouth Uni on the Penryn Campus.
Halls are really good but if he goes there get in early as student numbers have increased a lot.
Student life is pretty chilled in the town with social life focused around the beach with lots of bbq and cider in the evenings.
It is not a city experience by any means but most of the students seem to enjoy it. He will need a good rain coat and wellies though as it can blow a hoolie on the campus!

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Babytalkobsession · 13/08/2017 21:35

One is rural-ish Cornwall, one is in Exeter (a city) so totally depends on what kind of lifestyle is wanted.

Exeter is an awesome city in my opinion. Loads going on, close to moors, coast etc and small enough to get your bearings quickly but still vibrant.

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2GandTplease · 13/08/2017 22:06

The course at Streatham is a BSc and the course at Penryn is a BA, so check out the modules aswell as taking into account the rural v city location. Which other unis is she considering?

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MollyHuaCha · 14/08/2017 08:14

Thanks everyone.

2G&T, considering various places at the moment. This week's AS results will help him to know whether to pursue a RG place.

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HollyBuckets · 14/08/2017 08:50

Generally the Penryn campus has a lower standard of student entry attainment. If there's a choice available to him via his likely A Levels, going to Streatham rather than Penryn is no-brainer. its a much higher standard and the resources available are much better.

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stonecircle · 14/08/2017 09:20

Agree with Holly. DS and one of his friends applied for the same course at Exeter (Streatham). Friend missed his offer by one grade and was offered the same/similar course at Penryn.

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derektheladyhamster · 14/08/2017 09:28

My DS visited Penryn in February on an open day for Marine Biology. He loved it and it's gone straight to the top of his list. He's a very chilled quiet boy and lived the campus/beach idea.

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BubblesBuddy · 14/08/2017 10:11

Exeter Streatham. Employers will not value Falmouth as much as Exeter. They are not considered the same. Look at Sheffield and Leicester if grades may be an issue.

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MaMisled · 14/08/2017 10:14

My DH spent 3 yrs at Penryn and loved his time there. How exciting!

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titchy · 14/08/2017 10:44

Employers will not value Falmouth as much as Exeter

Employers won't know - a University of Exeter degree is a University of Exeter degree

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Kez100 · 14/08/2017 16:05

Its not a Falmouth Uni degree, its an Exeter one. The BA and BSc could make a difference though.

The locations are very different and miles apart. So, check those out for living preference but more importantly check out the degree modules themselves. Do the right course!

We went to Falmouth to look around for a Falmouth Uni degree. I walked into the wrong building and was told - no, this is the University of Exeter - I never knew and I know my westcountry towns and cities -
lived here all m life! I didn't like to argue but didn't quite know what to say!!!

Soon after, I found out the reason.

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Needmoresleep · 14/08/2017 17:09

A friend of DDs missed his grades so was offered Penryn as an alternative, with scope to swap back after the first year if he did well enough.

He is doing well, but is not interested in moving. There are a lot of arts/drama students in Falmouth and though he is not taking an party degree he has got very involved in student productions etc, and is having as brilliant time.

It very remote though so presumably not for everyone.

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BubblesBuddy · 15/08/2017 13:03

Quite often the grades are lower for Falmouth. Employers know. The courses are slightly different as described above. Employers know. Don't be fooled. A cv from a student will give it away. I don't know anyone who was Exeter calibre who chose Falmouth over Exeter.

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MollyHuaCha · 15/08/2017 14:26

Thanks for replies everyone. We've booked in to the main Exeter campus open day which is in a couple of weeks time - looking forward to it!

We're still deciding about the Penryn campus open day as I guess we'd have to go the day before and stay in a hotel.

Bubbles, if the degree is awarded by Exeter university, how could an employer even know the student was at the Penryn (Falmouth) campus? I'm not doubting you, just curious. Thanks

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Lesstressy · 15/08/2017 14:57

Which employers really know though?

I hired a car not so long ago and was driven to the car hire depot by a lovely young person who was chatting about graduating with an excellent degree from Exeter Uni (Streatham campus). They then, evidently uncomfortably, had to go through the process of trying to flog me the usual rip-off extra insurance excess protection etc. It really made me question the value of a degree from even a well-respected uni as this young graduate was doing a job that would never have needed a degree ten years ago.

I don't for a minute think that the recruiters at the car hire company would have had a clue about the perception of different campuses at the same uni. Nor, I suspect, will the vast majority of companies employing graduates.

He should go to the campus where she will be happy, thrive and get the best class of degree.

The experience did make me question whether 3 or 4 years of study, even at a well-regarded Russell group uni, will automatically be a sensible use of time and money for all of my DC.

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titchy · 15/08/2017 15:37

6,000 students graduate from Exeter each year. I don't think you can credibly comment on the value of an Exeter degree, or any other for that matter, based on one such graduate!

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BubblesBuddy · 15/08/2017 17:08

I doubt the car hire company cared about the degree to any great extent. Employers may ask about your course and ask what campus. They may ask about what you contributed to university life and what you have done at university in addition to studying there. If your term time part time job was in a surf shack they will know where you were. Why do the best qualified young people go to Exeter? A level grades may also tell a story as well as the subject studied.

Falmouth was really started so that local young people could have access to higher education - and there is nothing wrong with that. However there are differences in the courses offered, which is not unreasonable, but graduate employers, who know Exeter has a Falmouth campus, may well want to know where you studied and if you say University of Exeter, they will expect the main campus. Otherwise a cv should say Falmouth Campus. I can't see why honesty isn't the best policy.

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stonecircle · 15/08/2017 17:21

Otherwise a cv should say Falmouth Campus. I can't see why honesty isn't the best policy

I really don't see why it should be considered dishonest not to say which campus you attended when the degree is from Exeter University. DS2 is at Exeter (Streatham) and I think it would look odd if he put the campus as well as the university on his CV.

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Needmoresleep · 15/08/2017 17:33

If DD had tried for Durham she would have been on the Stockton campus. Would this have been something to declare. Lots of Universities have additional campuses. Nottingham is another example.

At the end of the day a minority of employers might consider course content but few will think much about campus. Class of degree will matter more.

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titchy · 15/08/2017 17:36

Bubbles you're being completely ridiculous! No one puts the name of their campus down anyway, it's certainly not full disclosure to omit it, and no employer thinks 'Job in surf shack = the other campus = lower quality degree'.

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LockedOutOfMN · 15/08/2017 17:54

I've only read the OP. I've visited Exeter Uni. for a week as a high school careers adviser and looked around both campuses in some detail (this year). If the same course is offered in both Penryn and Streatham, I'd recommend Streatham unless your son is someone who'd like to be on a very small campus, a bit more like a boarding school, in Falmouth which is beautiful but very small and far away, also very quiet in the winter months. The Streatham campus is in the city of Exeter and is much, much bigger.

OP, your son can probably look at photos or video of the two campuses on the university website to help him choose.

As others have said, Penryn may offer lower criteria for entry for some courses.

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BarryTheKestrel · 15/08/2017 18:02

Living in Exeter myself I'd go for Streatham campus if possible. Exeter is an amazing city, I moved away for uni and moved back afterwards because I love living here, despite all of my family moving away whilst I was gone.
It has the best of both the city and the rural life. Saturday for example I spent the morning on the moors, the afternoon at a local farm and then went out clubbing in the evening. Diverse living at its best.