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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Choosing a uni

45 replies

minesawine · 17/10/2018 17:16

I am really struggling to choose a uni with my DS. We wont be able to visit many, so I want to be selective and pick correctly but they all say the same thing and all, on paper, seem equally good. He is not getting any great feeling or desire for any of them except for Loughborough and I am not sure he will get the grades.

I am starting to panic as I keep jumping from website to website, feeling more and more overwhelmed.

Any advice please.

OP posts:
CraftyGin · 17/10/2018 17:17

Start with city vs campus.

LIZS · 17/10/2018 17:22

What course? Worth looking at Which uni to determine where is good for his subject but less selective than Loughborough.

Original poster
minesawine · 17/10/2018 18:28

Looking at accountancy and economics courses, which are available at all uni's. I think he would prefer a campus so that is a good start.

OP posts:
evenstrangerthings · 17/10/2018 19:31

Campus universities that come to mind:

Warwick
Surrey
Royal Holloway
Leeds (from another thread on here)

There's likely lots more but in the meantime, another 2 questions:

Which area do you live and how far would be a reasonable distance away?

What are your DC's predicted grades?

Karachii · 17/10/2018 19:39

Does he actually want to go to uni? In my experience, the teens who are really keen on going are enthusiastic about looking for ideas and choosing what they want to go.

Mentioning this in particular because all the big accountancy firms have school leaver intakes, paying seriously good money for an 18year old. By the time their peers graduate, they're already earning c25k, they're on their way to being qualified, and they have no debt.

Or if he's interested in finance more generally, google the Investment 20 20 scheme, which places school leavers in fancy jobs in the City.

LIZS · 17/10/2018 19:59

Lancaster? Check what exemptions from accountancy exams the different courses might give. Agree Accountancy apprenticeships are increasingly common.

captainoftheshipwreck · 17/10/2018 21:08

Keele?

Handbaghag · 17/10/2018 21:12

I looked at predicted grades and then searched on what uni for unis that did the course he wanted within the points he might get. Discounted some on points and then discounted lower scoring. He now needs to choose 4 other unis other than his fave.
Have told him to look at location and then compare modules in courses. A friend says that basically for his lad they choose for him because he was so lazy

BubblesBuddy · 17/10/2018 22:56

Choosing for someone is a recipe for disaster. That DC won’t be the most employable either!

There is a huge difference between Warwick and Royal Holloway in terms of grades. Warwick might want higher than Loughborough. Lesser campus lights might include Sussex, Surrey, UEA, Oxford Brooks, Essex, Leicester and Brunel. A few others to consider might be Lancaster, Kent, Sheffield Hallam, Portsmouth, Nottingham Trent, and other ex Polytechnics.

ShanghaiDiva · 18/10/2018 01:20

my ds and I did the following last year - wrote down a list of key factors that were important to him - campus or not, size of city, exemptions from professional examinations, distance from home, accommodation offered, grades required, sports facilities etc - and then looked on line and in prospectuses to complete all the information. From this he eliminated some universities that didn't appeal (LSE) and we were left with a list of about 8 that he researched further.

He applied for finance and accounting and his final five were - Warwick, Loughborough, Bath, Lancaster and Leeds. He studied the IB and Warwick wanted 38 points with Loughborough requiring 35. I was very impressed with the admin side at Loughborough - really prompt at answering emails, Warwick was nowhere near as good. He is now in his first year at Warwick and really enjoying the course and the support at Warwick Business School is excellent and makes up for the university's quite shambolic admin department!

Singlenotsingle · 18/10/2018 01:30

Universities abroad are cheaper. Utrecht in Holland runs courses in English Grin

Handbaghag · 18/10/2018 06:53

BubblesBuddy
I didn't actually mean making the final choices, sorry..I meant doing the legwork of looking for suitable fits.

MrsEricBana · 18/10/2018 07:13

Our first port of call was league tables then looking at the course requirements v his predictions, BUT the ones he has ended up applying for were based on campus v city / geog location and "feel" at the visit. I know you say you can't do many visits but for us the visits were so useful as ds really didn't like one of the top places for his subject and hasn't applied, but adored a lesser place (Exeter) and is mad keen to go as it just felt right. If your ds gets an offer he'd get invited to an offer holder day so he could check this aspect then.

MrsEricBana · 18/10/2018 07:17

It's so personal to the student as my friend's son really disliked Exeter (and delighted in telling me - thanks for that!) and loved the place ds disliked!

LoniceraJaponica · 18/10/2018 07:22

Is he year 13? Most open days have been and gone, but some do campus tours.

Another campus university is York
Leeds is a campus, but right on the edge of the city, so has a foot in both camps. Sheffiled Hallam is in the middle of Sheffield, so I wouldn't really class it as a campus university.

BikeRunSki · 18/10/2018 07:37

Apart from the academics, which is clearly proliority, bear in mind that he will actually have to live there for 3 years. So if he has a hobby that needs particular facilities - velodrome, proximity to mountains, proximity to the sea, Golf course etc - maybe think about what would be available to him locally at each uni.

Madratlady · 18/10/2018 07:46

Why are you doing the legwork? If he’s going to live and study somewhere for 3 years he needs to be doing his own research and making his own decision. By all means be available to talk it over and accompany him to visits if he wants you to but he should be capable of doing this himself.

LoniceraJaponica · 18/10/2018 18:37

Madratlady DD needed pushing to look at universities. Not all 17 year olds are as engaged as they should be when considering their next educational step.

In the end she took a gap year, and is more confident about what she wants to do and where she wants to go next year.

Madratlady · 18/10/2018 18:39

If they’ not engaged in choosing the uni how engaged are they likely to be in the actual degree without a parent stood over them? Surely if they’re not that bothered then some time out to decide on what next is the sensible option.

Handbaghag · 18/10/2018 18:41

All I've done is find all the unis that do the course and discount the ones that have too high entrance requirements. The rest is up to him of course. There's no point in him applying to a uni that doesn't do his course or that he can't get into. I've just done stage 1 basic research to help and motivate him.

LoniceraJaponica · 18/10/2018 19:12

"If they’ not engaged in choosing the uni how engaged are they likely to be in the actual degree without a parent stood over them? Surely if they’re not that bothered then some time out to decide on what next is the sensible option."

Please read my second paragraph Hmm

Handbaghag · 20/10/2018 22:12

If they do a gap year don't they lose all the support of the college for applying in a year's time? Is funding loan still the same? I know the ideal is deferring entry but that's no good if they are unsure.

cestlavielife · 20/10/2018 22:16

Did he ask for your help?
Do nothing more.
Up to him.
His school will run sessions.
All you need to do is go with him to open days if he wants you to do so.
Or leave him to do a levels then look in a gap year when he has results already.

cestlavielife · 20/10/2018 22:18

For accountancy look at degree apprenticeship.
He can earn moneyy and do degree at sane time.
Point him to websites but leave him to do the research.