The University of Essex? DS wants to pick it over Cambridge...

[DylanandDarcy]

Does anyone know if this uni is any good. DS wants to pick it over Cambridge!!

Very worried about this. Any advice??

It depends on the course. What is it?

What course?

Cambridge: Natural Sciences
Essex: Biological Sciences

It depends on his reasons, what are they?

What's his career plan?

On the face of it that does seem an odd choice (if indeed there is a choice to be made??). What are his reasons?

He wants to end up working in a lab or something. He says he isn't 100% sure yet.

He says he prefers that it's closer and likes the atmosphere more...

Can't he apply to both? Or does he already have offers?

From my limited experience, those who go to Oxbridge have to really like the set up and the way they do things there. Some students find the culture difficult and the same student at another university may do a lot better in terms of the degreee classification they receive there's also an argument about harder/easier but I'm not going there

Sounds like he needs to explore more options.

Does anyone know anything about Essex University? I didn't go so don't know if it's good at all.

Yes I know their business and accountancy courses are highly regarded.

Don't know much about their Biomedical Science. You may find The StudenRoom website more helpful?

Sorry www.thestudentroom.co.uk

Blimey those two course are at different ends if the spectrum. Cambridges entry grades are A star A star A and Essex's is BCC.

If he is bright enough to get a Cambridge offer then I think he might not find the Essex Course as interesting or stimulating iyswim.

Has he considered any other universities? Has he visited other univesrsities?

Your son needs to be considering the quality of the specific course and its facilities, rather than the university as a whole. Unfortunately, I know less than nothing about biological sciences, but he shouldn't be making his choice primarily on 'atmosphere' and proximity to home.

He says he likes the new block that has been built for STEM subjects.

I know, the entry requirements are completely different. He's very bright.

I don't know why he wants to go to the Essex one so bad.

He has visited lots but didn't apply to many as there was only a few he liked.

Cambridge isn't the be all and end all, and the atmosphere and teaching style don't suit everybody.

That said, Essex is quite a contrast: 41st overall but 60th for Biological Sciences. Cambridge is 1st in both categories!

If he doesn't like Cambridge, there are plenty of other, much better universities he could consider.

If he's got half a chance of getting in to Cambridge for sciences, he should go there or similar, not least bexcuse the other students will be a much higher calibre and he'll be able to work in labs in the long summers.

I admit I'm biased against Essex after having a summer student who was worse than useless, illiterate, but had not only a First from Essex but had been accepted for a PhD.

Does he actually want uni? Is he worriEd he would want to be at home instead?

Not a bad uni, not a great one as far as I know. I work in a school and our advice to sixth formers is to go to the best regarded university you can (and Cambridge is the best). Rarely would employers look at the quality or content of a specific course. They'd see Cambridge on a CV and that's that!

I think he needs to look at some in between options, these two seem like chalk and cheese!

There must be other options. Even through clearing he can probably find somewhere that's a better compromise.

He really wants to go to uni (I mean desperate, he loves learning) but he doesn't want to move out.

GetRid I'm guessing you're a troll?

I know of someone who has just graduated in biomedical sciences from Essex. Currently working in Tescos.

If it is a choice between the 2 then Cambridge would be the obvious choice. It wouldn't always be my 1st choice though.

Do you think that's why as Essex is closer to home? I think I would always be tempted to go for the more prestigious university. It's obviously in part about life experience but you need the degree to count. On paper I'd say you'd have more chance of an interview off the back of Cambridge rather than Essex. Also isn't Essex university in Colchester? Which isn't the nicest of places. And I say that being from and living in Essex tho not far from Cambridge.

If he hasn't even applied yet then I don't think I'd just encourage him to apply to both, plus some other good universities.

To be brutal, natsci is incredibly competitive and most very bright students are rejected, so he needs to have other options anyway.