Will my daughter like Newcastle if she doesn't like Glasgow?

Partying in Newcastle is optional, as it is at any university.

DD went to Newcastle then stayed for a couple of years after she graduated. She is sociable, but not a party girl.

Most students live in Jesmond from year 2 onwards and it has a lovely vibe.

Newcastle is great! Lovely friendly people, fun nights out, culture, close to coast and countryside. The only issue is it was known as being a bit posh student wise but I’m sure there would be a mix and she’d find her people. Surprised Durham put her off, the uni is far better academically and a much quieter prettier place to study. Isn’t all uni acccomm a bit shit? That’s part of the fun!

I'm from Newcastle.
Yes it is known for its nightlife in the city centre but the area the students live (Jesmond) is much calmer. The unis are at the top end of the city whereas the nightlife is at the bottom. While it is just a few minutes walk, it's far enough away to avoid it all together.

It's also a very different place during the day. I used to work just off Northumberland Street (city centre), very close to Northumbria Uni, and used to wander around on my lunch break. It's a very pretty city, plenty of culture, impressive architecture, nice shops, cool history etc. There are also tonnes of nice pubs for a day time pint without it turning wild.

I don't know Glasgow to compare it, so maybe it's the same, but even here Glasgow has a reputation for being rough (perhaps we view Newcastle through rose tinted specs!).
I'd encourage you to visit the city. Look to stay in Jesmond as well so you can see what it's like.

I would also recommend Lancaster.
Lovely city, small, not not rough feeling at all, just less touristy than York. Excellent university.

Has she considered Stirling? My son loved his visit there, said it looks like Hogwarts with its loch and forest. He only decided Glasgow as he wanted to stay at home and Stirling was too far to commute.
Aberdeen University campus is lovely, I'm not a fan of the city myself but a relative did law there recently and loved it, she got a really good job after graduation as well.

It is very difficult to help them decide, I sympathise! The 3 unis in Glasgow all do courses suitable for DS and I'm worried he'll go to the closest as he seems most bothered about the commute!

Students live in the posh bit so I think she'll be fine.

I just came on to pipe up that I can see why she thinks Glasgow is rough. My first impression was getting off the underground and there being druggies/homeless all around the exit. I’m from a southern city so do see homeless every day but it seemed noticeably bad. Before anyone pipes up once we got to the bar/restaurant it was fun and lovely but first impressions do count!

I guess with Exeter it might depend whether there are flight options up to Glasgow/edinburgh (assuming these are near you?). As that might make travel much easier if she’s ok getting the flights alone (small airports). If she is then you could also look at Southampton flights too and see if she likes that.

Yeah, York is not 'a calm city'. As well as race days its very popular for hen parties, not sure about stags, but also rowdy nights out in general.

It's also very popular with tourists, I went at the weekend and it was so busy there were queues to enter some of the narrower streets and get into shops or cafes.

I would have thought that a smaller Scottish city might suit as she should think very carefully about giving up the big advantage of no fees at Scottish universities. Remember that in the new system she'll pay a lot more back.

I've lived in both York and Newcastle and would say they are comparable in terms of crazy drinking culture. As well as race days, York is a massive hen/stag destination.

Newcastle can be wild on a night out, but has far fewer tourists than York and definitely has a genteel side too

What about Aberdeen? Small city, great University. More like Edinburgh than Glasgow and as PP says, not the fees she’ll pay for England.

Apart from anything else, is your daughter not taking into consideration that she'll have to pay fees down in England?

Agreed re Glasgow. My dad didn't want me to go there - his only experience of it was a football match...

Once my mum saw Byres Road, she and my dad were both fine!

I live and work in Newcastle. I've been to Glasgow a few times and it feels completely different. While party areas can be found I definitely don't think it's rough, and only a short bus, train or car ride away is some stunning countryside and coast. The uni is also brilliant. If
I can answer any questions please ask away.

Are you sure she is actually cut out for uni?
If she finds Glasgow rough, she is going to struggle in just about any city, especially if she is going to go out at night at all. Doesn’t really matter what city you’re in; city night life is city night life. Glasgow has wonderful parts in the west end and city centre. She wouldn’t be hanging out in any of the places you’d maybe call rough. Same as any city.

Apologies, there are generalisations in this but it is just my experience. I went to University of St Andrews and moved to Newcastle after accepting a job offer there. At that time, it was a fun and vibrant city, very much like Glasgow (one of my mates was from Glasgow.) I'm not a fan of cities per se but Newcastle I considered to be one of the better ones. I bought a house and settled there. The people for the most part were and still are very friendly. Fast forward 12 years and I had started to become disillusioned with the area especially after visiting family in Yorkshire. I'm not suggesting we are perfect in my home county but one thing that I had started to notice was that I felt a lot more relaxed when in Yorkshire than in the NE. There had been a slow cultural change in the latter where I began to notice higher levels of aggression in everyday situations. Take driving for example, Road Rage was a thing in the NE but I've never seen it in Yorks (beyond a sweary mouthful.) Misogynistic behaviour was somethingelse that had started to grind my gears and God knows Yorkshire men (of my generation at least) can be chauvinistic. Eventually. I put the house on the market and moved back home. That was 16 years ago. Would I move back? No.

Tbh, if your daughter isn't comfortable with Glasgow, I don't think she will be comfortable with Newcastle either. Edinburgh, York, Durham or St Andrews might be better choices for her.

Have lived in all 3 places, mainly York and Newcastle (25 years). Newcastle is fine, there are so many places that she will find her tribe, although it has its fair share of issues, like any big city, it is not a dangerous place, and the people there are really nice. York is pretty but it is like the wild west on race nights, it is also bloody expensive. Given the circumstances, maybe also consider a campus based place, like Lancaster or I think Loughborough, where most of the people she meets are like-minded scholars. Smaller is sometimes better, Mine went to Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester, and I am afraid, not a good word to say really, but not necessarily the Uni's fault.

Oh I always forget about Stirling. I have family members and friends who went there, some of whom did struggle with the larger noisier cities but they loved Stirling.

Sheffield could be worth a look. I assume you’ve already considered/ruled out Stirling?

What is she looking to study because that could help with finding the right place too?

Tsk at her not liking Dundee. Aberdeen? I like it up there too. I'm just thinking that staying in Scotland is so much better for fees etc unless that isn't an issue for you.

Yes Durham is another good uni and not too far from Newcastle but doesn’t have the party reputation quite so much.