Maths degrees - second/third tier options?

[Justlurkingmostly]

Just starting to look at options for a maths degree - which unis would you advise looking at after COWI/London for a quieter student - prefers campus or smaller city which rules out a fair few. Will likely be a mix of A star and A at ALs but need to also ID some safer options and in particular ones without additional entrance tests.
A year out abroad or ability to take classes in a language alongside maths is a plus. Thank you!

Yes but not everywhere. Also insurance doesn’t have to be a popular uni. Some clearly do have enough accommodation. So think about insurance carefully but other posters have said they would cut out some unis altogether. The vast majority do get accommodation in y1. Ask to defer if you don’t.

Sorry but I think it’s important not to minimise this. For insurance options, look very carefully at who guarantees accommodation for insurance students. There are very very many that don’t. And they don’t because they don’t have enough accommodation for all the courses they sell.

If DC is happy sharing first year accommodation with year 3s or people not from their uni, great. It makes the whole freshers experience very difficult.

“Just defer” is also a bit trite. Many don’t choose or want to be a year behind their peers.

The answer is hardly anywhere hugely popular. It’s been this way for years. There are a few with an excess of accommodation but not many. So is an insurance even worth it? In London the hugely expensive units are often available. However if you firm and get required results, then for most unis, it’s not a huge issue and you get accommodation .

What I’m trying to say is that if you are put off by insurance accommodation issues you might at well knock many unis off the list and just base choices on housing and select a uni with a course you will definitely get into and one with surplus housing so you get a wide choice. I’m very aware of housing issues and my DD would not defer. She was August born too so it wouldn’t have mattered that much. However other dc do defer and start again as firm students and make the most of a year to work and save. It’s pretty normal to do this.

Sure I guess having been burnt with this I’m hyper aware of it. I’m aware many are happy with a gap year and the advantages it has.

Given that c 70% or whatever it is don’t get their predicted grades a lot will be looking closely at insurance options.

Keele?

Predicted grades can be well over what they actually need though. If you have applied for AAB and get AAA but were predicted Astar AA, it doesn’t matter. Context is everything.

Thanks for starting this thread @Justlurkingmostly - also looking at options for DD to study Maths, and need some Uni's that she can also get into to (as well as aiming high!) I will add to this and i find out any info

Queens University Belfast offers a four year maths with French degree that involves one year of study abroad (presumably in a French university and through the medium of French).

www.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/mathematics-french-bsc-g1r1/

Smaller city, nice campus.

Long way to go though. Many unis will offer MFLs in GB. If you aren’t near an airport Belfast is a trek.

QUB ticks a good few boxes all the same, with the maths with French and year abroad, and the OP may live within hailing distance of ferries or an airport.