As the username suggests, Bristol or Newcastle uni?

[BristolvsNewcastle]

I've namechanged for this so I can be completely candid without having it all linked to my usual name, but you might recognise some of the details and that's fine :)

DD has offers from Bristol and Newcastle to do MFL - French, Spanish and German. She's doing French and Spanish A levels, predicted A* in both (just got great marks in her mocks), and German will be ab initio.

She's gone through the details of many courses at many universities, and likes the (almost identical) structure of the courses at B and N. She wants to be in a city, not an out of town campus. Newcastle is at least 4 times as far away as Bristol - Bristol is "pop home for an afternoon if you need to", Newcastle is either a very expensive or very slow journey. Newcastle is a lot cheaper to live in.

Bristol offer is AAB, Newcastle offer is ABB, going to unconditional if she firms them. Plus they will give her 1K if she hits her original offer and 2K if she gets AAA (which she is very much planning to!). Looks like there are about 250 people in each year across the range of MFLs at Bristol, about 130 at Newcastle. Newcastle have possibly a wider range of university links for the year abroad.

Bristol has a certain reputation that Newcastle doesn't seem to - when she talks to people about her choice, the general reaction is "oh well, Bristol then". But in fact looking at league tables and the REF, Newcastle actually beats Bristol in most respects.

Her heart says Newcastle - she really liked it there. But she liked Bristol too (more than she expected to given how strongly she had felt about Newcastle!) and she is wondering whether her head should be saying Bristol, mostly based on that reputation, I think!

Any further insight to help break the stalemate would be gratefully received

[bojorojo]

Just looked at the degree my DD did at Bristol - she has only been gone for 2 years - but there is no chsnge at all!!! None . So whilst some courses may evolve, others remain academic MFL degrees!

[fatowl]

I attended Bristol (MFL graduated 1992)
I'm probably biased but would veer towards Bristol, BUT Newcastle is also Russell group and valued highly by employers.

[Rchl25]

I attend Newcastle and I love it. It is Newcastle you are talking about and not Northumbria- right? Personally, I think your DD will have a much more enjoyable year at NCL whilst also receiving the highest quality of teaching.

[BoboChic]

bojorojo - the MFL courses at Bristol are changing and your info is out of date.

[BoboChic]

Look at pages 254-255 of Social Class in The 21st Century (Pelican) for a useful segmentation of universities that sheds light on the difference between Bristol and Newcastle.

[whatwouldrondo]

As someone who has had involvement with a major business's graduate recruitment strategy and benchmarked it with others can I just qualify what others have said about recruitment round visits. The aim of any thought out graduate recruitment strategy is to get the graduates with the skills and qualities that will enable them to be most effective for your organisation. For that reason as others have said most recruitment is institution blind. There may be a visit to some campuses but few if any recruiters only recruit on campus. I do know some law firms have that blinkered outlook but even that is not the majority and is changing. There will be a centralised scheme with a process that sifts via a lengthy process of online testing, telephone interviewing and finally interviewing. Anyone can apply and that may process may only be for an internship which acts as a final part of the recruitment process.

It is far more important to get at least a 2.1 and to work on developing the skills and qualities that will make you attractive to employers than choosing between Bristol and Newcastle just because of how many companies visit on the recruitment round. That can just be a matter of geography and where the Director went to uni and no indication that you will have a better chance of succeeding in the recruitment process. Choose the course that you will enjoy and do best on.

[bojorojo]

We already know the answer to that, Molio. She is not really expecting her clients to speak French or Italian. However, if they do, great!

[Molio]

That will depend on what area of law she chooses to specialize in bojorojo.

[bojorojo]

My DD did two languages at Bristol and she was not offered modules in economics, business studies or law. The modules on offer to her were taught solely by the lecturers in the MFL Faculty and she could not dip into other Faculties. She did join the Student Law Society and has now done the GDL to convert to law.

Bristol do run a course (Bristol Plus I think it was called) where students can attend seminars and do extra work for their cv. Neither was it possible to do Law at her Erasmus Universities. She was hoping to do Law in Geneva, but it was not on the list of subjects available to the Erasmus students. If students want a broader MFL course and not the traditional culture and language degree, then presumably some universities offer that but usually you would need to do Law plus a language or Economics plus a language. I rather suspect DD will not be using her languages at all in her career! However she has been able to access everything she has wanted to with an MFL degree from Bristol.

[nattyknitter]

Just want to throw my hat in the ring to say that 3 languages to final year is possible if you put the work in. However, everyone else on my course that had 2 languages at A levels and took up a third ab initio dropped it after the second year. I went in with 3 post A level and was the only one to take all 3 in my fourth year (I had done 3 languages from year 8 onwards and a combo of 4 different ones overall). It is hard competing with students who are only doing one or two languages as they use them more.

Organising a year abroad is hard and depending on how you split it, often uni courses / language assistant positions are not an option as you are tied to a set time commitment for them. I had to find jobs in each place. However there were 15 months between the second year ending and the fourth year starting and I used each and every one for them. Plus don't forget that the summer between first and second years can also be used and would be beneficial.

I went to a traditionally respected uni and I have to admit that it has opened doors for me, both in employment and also for getting my Masters place, so don't discredit the sway of the uni reputation. It can and does make a difference. All degrees are not created equal, some courses are known to be significantly harder/ higher quality than at other institutions. I would however say trust your gut and follow your heart when it comes to choosing. I went to visit 5 unis and I just knew which one was the right one. The financial incentive from NCL is very appealing too. Consider distance from halls to lectures too. I would pick a walk over the bus any day.

I know both cities well and don't think either would be a bad choice from a lifestyle point of view. As for the course you get out of it what you put in. I only had 12 contact hours per week so there is a lot of independent study involved. If she works hard she will do well at either.

If I can just throw in a bit of a wild card though. I would suggest moving away from European langauges and consider taking either Mandarin or Arabic as the ab-initio language. Or even better, do something 'useful' with the module choices instead such as economics, business studies, law etc. It's all very well and good speaking lots of languages, but not a lot of use if you can't 'do' anything with them. She will be a lot more employable afterwards if she has a skill as well as a language. Has she thought beyond the degree? It wouldn't hurt to speak to the careers service at each uni to find out what their language graduates go on to do and what sort of things are on offer.

I have lived and worked all over Europe and have used my languages a lot, but have had a very non-traditional non-graduate (but very lucrative) career. I was head hunted for something 'government related', but chose not to pursue it. If she wants to do something very 'graduate' afterwards then it would be a good plan to think of that now.

Sorry, probably not a lot of help for all of that drivel.
(I'd pick NCL in her shoes).

[BristolvsNewcastle]

Thanks Peebles and goingmad

[goingmadinthecountry]

Dd obvs

[goingmadinthecountry]

Dd flies back from Newcastle (to SE) too. We stay at Hilton Gateshead when we visit and always try to book Sunday lunch at The Baltic. I've loved both Bristol and Newcastle as a parent and really envied my girls. Best of luck to your dad - she'll love whichever she chooses.

[goingmadinthecountry]

Dd1 was at Bristol (Law) and dd2 is currently at Newcastle (Politics). Both love where they are/were. Dd1 spent 2nd and 3rd years in a lovely flat in Clifton for 395pcm, dd2's flat in Jesmond in Newcastle is 350pcm so not really much difference. Definitely more of a public school ethos in Bristol. dd2 didn't like Bristol because of the specific department building - that's one of the reasons dd1 particularly loved it. Gut instinct is a good thing to go on. The minute dd2 got to Newcastle she loved it.
Incidentally, both are/were in walking distance - a big factor to me as a former London student, cost and time wise!

[bojorojo]

If you are a leader, not a follower, you can always find something to organise at university! My DD organised the first ever MFL Ball at her university. Several hundred attended and it was a huge success. You really can find something! People that do things are usually in a good position to get employment. No-one needs to sit back and say there is nothing they can join. Sort it out!

[Peebles1]

I think it might be a bit like buying a house when you 'just know'. You said she 'just clicked' when she visited Newcastle. Sounds like her heart is there and if she doesn't go she may always be left wondering 'what if...' I know the other considerations are important, but as there's not much between them why not follow your gut instinct?

I might be biased coz I went to Newcastle Uni and loved it, and still live in the North East

[Headofthehive55]

Not all unis have all sports or opportunities. They are all so different.

[lanbro]

I know nothing about either university really but as a Newcastle girl who went to uni in Leicester if I wasn't from here I would definitely go to uni here! An amazing uni city with accommodation in great locations.

I don't know where you're located but you can fly from Newcastle to pretty much any UK airport so visits could be easily achieved, as well as London being less than 4 hours by direct train.

[bojorojo]

Believe me, societies at lots of universities are desperate for people to help out. However, some things are competitive, eg sport teams, orchestras etc. Most students can help organise something if they want to,e.g. balls, ski trips, etc. Best thing for a cv though is volunteering or an internship. They are more work focussed.

[Headofthehive55]

If she is wanting to compete in sport or become treasurer of a society, some unis may offer more or less opportunities in that direction.

My DD went to a selective girls school and positions of responsibility were fought over. Now at a less selective place she's had opportunities that will be helpful on her cv and I don't think she'd have gained them at some other places.

But she comes home a lot. Thankfully she is close. She was always very independent so I wouldn't have imagined that was going to be the case.

[DeoGratias]

bojoro 's comments are my experience too but it depends what sort of job you want. If you aren't after high pay or prestige go for to ex polys and you might well get a job.

If you want to better jobs Bristol will be on most employers' lists and Newcastle not necessarily as it's next tier down.

[Mumsieof2]

bojoro thanks for explaining earlier. It does make sense why recruiters would select. For my DD, going to the best university she could get into with her grades was a important factor. She sees university as a investment for herself and furthering her career. Less emphasis on student life/experience She would have lived anywhere aslong as the university was reputable and the course offered was a leading one even a shite hole if need be, as it would be well worth it in her eyes, once in a lifetime opportunity to go to a very good uni. Time will tell if it was the right move. That's the thing maybe in years to come she may wish she had gone to uni which was less intense and she actually had a life which she doesnt at the moment as the course being quite rigourous for her. Alot will think she is shallow for choosing a uni like that but for her its for 3 years its not forever. Research led/intense was also important factor. She is just focussed on the learning. I think students ultimately have their own criteria to what is important for them in choosing a particular uni. I don't think there's a wrong and a right way as long as they are happy and thriving.

[Eyre89]

I'm from near Newcastle and went to Bristol. I wish I'd gone to Newcastle.

Would've had alot more money and needed to work less. You can get really cheap flights from Newcastle to Bristol if you book well. So I wouldn't discount because of travel it's a 45 minute flight. Trains expensive for you cheaper for student with a railcard. For me my degree suffered due to needing to work so many hours to support living in the city. Only part of your equation I know. But the travel isn't so bad.

[LadyLuck81]

I would choose Newcastle in a Heartbeat. I moved to Newcastle for uni (although went to Northumbria for the combined law degree/lpc which no one else did at the time). It was by far the best decision ever. I still live up here. It's an amazing place, living costs are affordable, the life is brilliant.

I know that's only one part of the equation but I've been so very happy here.

[BristolvsNewcastle]

No, you definitely don't sound like an idiot :) That's the sort of thing that I think is more important to my dd than graduate recruitment tbh - as a family we may be naive, but I prefer to think of a degree/university as an end in itself, rather than just a stepping stone to the "right" sort of job.