History at Warwick???

[Warwick123]

Neither myself nor husband ever went to university so this is all new to us.
Our DD was planning on going to Kent but has done better than expected in her A levels and has been offered a place at Warwick. We never visited Warwick, she knows no one who’s going there. She loved Kent. It’s not too far from home, friends are also going. WWYD? She’s asking my advice, but I don’t know what to say & time is running out to decide.

Very good uni, good reputation.

Actually in Coventry, not Warwick. On outskirts.

Lots of the students live in Leamington in year 2/3 out of halls.

Great course and a chance to spend a semester in Venice. Can you/DD visit the uni before committing?

Can't comment on the history but my son's just finished his first year at Warwick and loves it. It's great to see him so happy so I would say go for it.
Well done to your daughter

Go and visit the campus. it's too big a decision to make without visiting first. Even if no academics are available to talk to you, you can at least get a feel for the campus which is between Coventry and Leamington to see if that appeals, compared to being at a university in a city.

It's in Coventry and his a very big campus which may not be for everyone.

Good reputation and good transport links.

You really need to visit.

It is on the city, just the outskirts. 15 min bus ride to the city centre.

It may be on the outskirts of the city but it is very much a campus university which does not suit everyone.

Warwick is a much, much better university than Kent. If you are just looking at it from and academic point of view it's a no-brainer.

I agree with pps - I think you should try to visit if possible.

And well done to your Dd on her fabulous results!

"It may be on the outskirts of the city but it is very much a campus university which does not suit everyone."

That's why DD didn't like it. It felt a bit isolated. You really do need to visit.

I know two people who are at Warwick going into Year 2, went last year one to do Science and one to do Classical Civ, and they both absolutely love it, one is shy and easily offended and one is sociable easy going party person, both very "intellectual/creative". Accommodation has been good too, they have found it very easy to make new friends, despite very large flat shares. It has a very good reputation academically

I went to Warwick and had friends on the History course, back then it was a very well regarded degree from there and probably still is. It’s a top university and much better than Kent.

Leaving aside the relative prestige of the two universities, presumably she has actually looked at the details of the course at Warwick and the modules offered and finds that they suit her interests as well as (presumably) those at Kent do? If she hasn't visited Warwick, did she consider it at all during the process of choosing universities to apply to? From whom did the impetus come to pursue an alternative to Kent through Adjustment (from the girl herself or pressure from the school?)

I'm certainly not 'dissing' Warwick - I've been there several times over many years, DS1 applied there and was made an offer (but ultimately chose another university) and along with Exeter it is currently DD's joint favourite - but she also likes the course, campus and city at Kent. If she were to receive offers from all three, the decision of which to make her firm choice would be entirely hers to make - she is the one who will have to live and study there.

My understanding of Adjustment is that the window for decision making is quite short - five 24 hour periods (including weekends) within this time to use it, starting from when your conditional firm (CF) offer changes to unconditional firm (UF), or on A level publication day – whichever is the later, according to the UCAS website. Does she still have time to visit Warwick?

On their website there is a virtual tour which might be of interest but I am guessing she may have seen that.

Thanks for the advice. We went and visited Warwick yesterday. She does prefer Kent, but said she’d regret turning down the opportunity of going to a much better university. Then she burst into tears. Think it’s all becoming a bit real for her. She only turned eighteen a few weeks ago and the reality of going anywhere has hit her. Have suggested she take a gap year, but she doesn’t want to do that either. Today is decision day though.

I'd go for Warwick, personally.

It’s a really hard decision. I definitely found it difficult to make. Warwick is an easy place to make friends.

On another thread, someone posted

There's no point considering the employability of a course if you're actually going to hate it.

Obviously, this was a slightly different conversation, but a pertinent point, none the less.

How do the courses compare, in their details? If there's nothing available (that would either be a core module or an option that she would definitely want to take) at Kent which isn't matched by Warwick and the 'better university' thing is turning out to be important, then probably go for Warwick.

Once the decision is made, I'm sure she will be able to move forward quickly, though, and throw herself into 'going there' - whichever there it is.

Good luck

She’s decided on Warwick. We are so pleased

I'm sure she'll have a wonderful time there! Well done and good luck to her!

Hope she has a wonderful experience.

It's a short hop 15 mins into Coventry city centre loads going on there. Also 15 mins into leamington. She'll love it. Congratulations