University in London...

[Bonsoir]

DP and I want to give DSS1, who is 16 and in his penultimate year of French lycée, a tiny introductory idea of what university life in London might be like. We are going to spend some time in London over half-term and want to show him Imperial College, UCL, LSE and King's College - at this stage, it is about showing him the physical locations so he can compare and contrast with French grandes écoles. We would also really love to show him some halls of residence, as leaving home is a big deal for DSS1. Can anyone give me any useful clues?

I had no idea it was this bad. As a student in London 30 years ago no one carried knives except swiss army knives which we all carried due to their usefulness as bottle openers/tweezers/screwdrivers etc. In our leafy suburb gangs and knives are unheard of.
Are these chases you have seen or those you have heard about?
I must admit I assumed all the killings and gangs were confined to east end or south of the river council flats in 'rough' areas.Not that it makes it better but that I thought ordinary students going about normal areas would not get caught up in all this.

It certainely makes campus universities sound better and also, if in London then it has to be worth investing in accommodation in a good area so as to not get killed basically.

The horrible thing is that when DS announced he was renting a house in the area where he is I pleaded with him not t, because i said it was rough but in fact they didnt get stabbed there. I feel tainted somehow and as if he is tainted and dragged down and I feel very very angry that people cannot walk the streets safely. The police are not doing a good job if this sort of thing is rife.

Hmm, well, I've lived in London for 12 years, all in 'inner-city' type areas, and have suffered only one mugging and one pickpocketing. Most of my friends haven't even experienced that.

Obviously one needs to keep on the alert and be careful at night, but my experience is that things really aren't as bad as you suggest.

Having said that (and returning to point of thread), I wouldn't have liked university in London as it's just so big and expensive, which is OK if you're earning a reasonable salary but would be a nightmare on typical student pittance.

mooncup I quite agree but betelguese has a point in that like most older people you know there are sensible precautions and probably you don't go out that late, go in company, stick to well lit areas and take a black taxi if stuck.
The impression I got from Ds is that these gangs are young people out for the excitement of a fight and a chase so they pick on younger people - they weren't interested in theft- in fact DS had a brand new iphone4S on him which they didn't even notice. They thought the violence was fun - this is one of the things which DS and his girlfriend found shocking- as well as the fact they gave chase- its as if the chasing was part of the fun for them. I did look up those crime maps and where this happened was in Bishopsgate where I see there is a very large crime rate. It does seem that the Bishopsgate and east end area is particularly bad. Now DS and his girlfriend had been to a London University organised and publicised event to mark the beginning of 'Reading Week' so I am going to write to the Students Union to tell them about this and ask them not to organise events in that area in future. There is no need to expose these young people to these organised gangs. Particularly as with knives and stabbings, it puts their lives at risk. DS said that the Barts and the London A and E was completely full of people who had been stabbed and there was blood everywhere. This was as shocking for him as the actual incident. He also said that no one cared or took any interest presumably because it was so common. He insisted on calling the police then and there and insisted they came and took a statement otherwise I gather that most people don't even report this as a crime. Sorry for the long post. The police, incidentally were pleased to be told and did look into it- I dont know the outcome.

But Bishopsgate is in the City - it's where Liverpool St station is, and vast numbers of investment banks and lawyers' offices! I think the Students' Union will just laugh if you ask them not to host events there. It's not exactly darkest Peckham (disclaimer - I have been to Peckham many times and had absolutely zero problems. But I do keep an eye out).

Hi Bonsoir, well all these posts must have put you right off the whole idea of uni in London. My DS has app;lied there and I'm quietly hoping he won't go, as I'd feel much happier if he went to a good uni outside London - the combination of cost and lack of saftey would be a continual worry for me.

My DD now lives in London - she's working there. Am still worried but feel she can at least afford the occasional taxi to get home.

All cities have problems of course, not just London, but for a stdent who's just left home I feel that London is by far the most daunting - unless you've been brought up in London or Paris, perhaps?

Any particular reason your DC is interested in London?

One way to check out a hall is to book in during the summer holidays and use one as a hotel while doing some sightseeing.
www.londonmet.ac.uk/accommodation/summer-accommodation/#Halls
www3.imperial.ac.uk/summeraccommodation/shortstay/beithall

DD was 15 when we did this as a slightly less expensive way of spending a weekend in London. DH and I had a lovely double room with en-suite and she had a single. A very good breakfast was served in the Senior Common Room.

It turned out to be a life-changer for DD. She stood in her bedroom looking at the laboratories in the building opposite and said, 'This is what I want.'

The upshot was that she spent last year as a student living in that same Hall of Residence and is now in a flat for her second year. She loves living in London - but reading this thread is making me anxious!