Bristol vs Sheffield

[GnomeDePlume]

Sorry this is a bit of an epic. DD has asked for MN wisdom (I have taught her well!)

DD is holding contextual offers from both to study Chemical Physics. The offers are the same and achievable. She now needs to decide which is going to be her firm choice (UEA will be insurance)

She has been to open days and offer holder days. The universities are different from each other and each have their pluses and minuses.

Bristol
Plus points

• larger course with dedicated leaders for the specialism
  
• higher ranking
  
• industrial placement is part of the course
  
• really liked the city
  Minus points
  
• expensive both to travel to and to live there
  
• didnt have a good 'fit' with other applicants
  
• Typical student entry A levels significantly higher than DD's contextual offer (teaching style demonstrated didnt seem supportive)
  
  Sheffield
  Plus points
  
• flexible course - accommodation of individual student interests
  
• supportive staff
  
• less pressure on entry grades (offer holders told not to panic if they drop a grade on results day)
  
• very friendly & welcoming university
  
• cheaper city to travel to and live in
  Minus points
  
• didnt love the city but thought it okay
  
• not highly ranked for a RG university
  
• very small course (specialism within a larger course)
  
• placement not integrated into the course but available as a wider university scheme (DEE)
  
  Does anyone have any views on either university please? How are degrees from each valued? Does the ranking matter post graduation?

[GnomeDePlume]

I don't think she's anxious more pragmatic. With the new linear courses for Physics and Chemistry she's not been tested externally. Physics she's comfortable with. Chemistry is the unknown as she doesn't have a lot of confidence in her teachers' abilities for higher grades. They are very much of the view that a C is fine where for some it isn't enough.

This is part of why contextual offers get made I suppose.

[hellsbells99]

Are they both integrated Masters courses? 4 years including a year's placement seems short for a masters degree.

[sendsummer]

Gnome if Bristol appeals more to her and exam nerves are not a problem she should put Bristol down as her offer is attainable. She must be able to work independently if she is having to compensate for grade C level teaching.
Would your DD1 help with the chemistry during the Easter holidays?

[CaviarAndCigarettes]

@GnomeDePlume I know nothing about the specific courses however can testify that my three years at Sheffield University were some of the happiest of my life. It's an amazing and friendly city.

[GnomeDePlume]

Yes, both integrated masters. I think the placement year from Bristol is more integrated into the course than an employment experience type placement from Sheffield.

I think either way the placement year is useful for identifying future careers. It has certainly helped DD1 decide that at least to start with she really does enjoy lab work.

Good suggestion about seeing if DD1 can give DD2 some confidence with her chemistry.

Many years ago DBro was at Imperial studying physics. He really struggled in his first year which rocked his confidence badly. He came into his own in his second year but did struggle for a long time with what a PP described as imposter syndrome. DD knows about this so I wonder if this is at the back of her mind.

[GnomeDePlume]

Thank you CaviarAndCigarettes that is good to read.

[BubblesBuddy]

My DDs found offer days a bit odd as few students turned up. You really cannot tell who will be on your course from such a day and you will not know who you will get on with at the university from such a small sample.

There is a big difference between the universities these days. DH and DSis are Sheffield and DD is Bristol. I know both cuties pretty well. Sheffield is highly ranked by students and the DS of a friend is a fresher there and it is very much a drinking culture. A girl who didn’t fit in has already gone home from their uni flat. Be careful if this is not for you. It is known as a “good time” university and the curry houses are still open at 4 in the morning. It has a very low intake of privately educated students, if that matters.

Bristol has one of the highest intakes of privately educated students and isn’t well known for hand-holding. I rather think that makes it attractive to employers. Self reliance is a typical trait of their students. At Bristol, the catered halls are best avoided if you want the comprehensive tribe! If she is sporty, Stoke Bishop is the best location.

I would worry about working with only 9 other students. It’s too few. 30 sounds much better. I think you get pretty career driven people at Bristol and it is firmly on the milk round. Employers know their courses are rigorous.

However feeling happy and settled matters. Both S and B are very different from UEA and Norwich. Much bigger and vibrant cities. Both universities are in the city.

I would think there would be more movement of grades re Sheffield. Does Bristol allow retakes to get from the A to the A*? I though many universities wanted all exams to be in one sitting these days.

[hellsbells99]

Gnome - looking at the Bristol course which is a 4 years Masters including the placement, I think this is a great option! And as previous posters have said, your DD should put Sheffield as the insurance choice.
Unless she really would prefer Sheffield. If so, she should put that as her 1st choice.

[GnomeDePlume]

BubblesBuddy DD would concur with your DDs. She said there were a lot of people saying that they had Bristol as their insurance. Useful insider information on both cities. Thank you for that.

Maths is still modular. DD hasnt 'banked' her A so the papers she will take again when she sits her FM papers are not resits within the meaning of the act.

DD is very career minded, currently interested in energy industry.

[CaviarAndCigarettes]

@BubblesBuddy that's really interesting for another perspective. I went out in freshers week but wasn't really interested in parting other than a swift one after a Friday lecture. I guess it depends on your course/flat mates etc
That being said my three other flat mates are all bosom buddies but I favoured my "old" friends (and still do.) I just couldn't move past their willingness to live with a sink full of washing up and full bins

[BubblesBuddy]

Ok. I see the situation regarding the maths. If Bristol is insurance, where was first choice for all these students? Sometimes those who are definite about a university don’t go to offer days. It tends to be the undecided trying to decide! With a specific career in mind, I would really go with the best industry contacts.

I honestly believe that your DD would be able to meet like minded students anywhere, however. The huge advantage of DD going catered in hall at Bristol was no washing up left for days as someone else did it! Not in subsequent years of course!

[AtiaoftheJulii]

It sounds like she prefers Bristol, and its pluses sound more relevant than Sheffield's. I'd want to go with support with the placement and a bigger course.

I think I'd agree with PPs - Bristol firm, Sheffield insurance if they've indicated there might be leniency.

[BitOutOfPractice]

Is there no room on any of this for what she just "likes" more. Gut feeling. Where she feels she'll be happiest. University life isn't all about placements and such after all.

My dd is set on Sheffield but for a humanities degree so slightly different criteria.

[Dancingdreamer]

Bristol was in clearing last year for Chemistry (can’t say for Chemical Physics). I think this suggests there may be some flexibility at Bristol too if grades were missed - or other possible course options.

[GnomeDePlume]

@BitOutOfPractice the thing is her gut feel is that she likes all three but for different reasons.

If she wanted a stress-free answer then she could accept the 'unconditional if firm' offer from UEA. But she knows that would be selling herself short so has never seriously considered it.

I will have a talk with her about Bristol as firm and Sheffield as insurance. That's a good point about Bristol being in clearing last year. However DD's offers is already 1 grade down on the standard so I don't know how much leeway there would be on that.

Sheffield have lowered their standard offer for the course so DD's offer is now at the standard rather than being contextual so this does suggest there might be a little leeway there.

[BitOutOfPractice]

I'm not talking about getting in. Or her grades. Or the course. I'm talking about where the felt she'd be happy actually living. Away from her studies.

[GnomeDePlume]

@BitOutOfPractice the problem is her gut is not being remotely helpful at the moment!

[Murphy102]

My DD is in her second year at Bristol. We had a rocky start but the pastoral care has been fantasticI can't fault it. It has made her become a very confident girl. She loves it there and she came from a state school. Even though she is only one of a few who did on her course, there has been no difficulties and no snobbishness. When she went for her open day she just felt it was the right placeup until that she was adamant she was going to Imperial London. As other posters have said, it is about how they feel that is most important. Hope this helps.

[BitOutOfPractice]

Wel it seems neither is all this agonising over the course

Look, they are both good unis, great cities and both courses have pluses and minuses. So it may well come down to "I think I felt more at home in..."

I do appreciate that it's a tough choice (currently going through this with DD1 who is choosing between Southampton and, as it happens, Sheffield) but I'm thinking that you (yes you, not even her!) might need to drop your shoulders a bit and let the decision happen

[BitOutOfPractice]

What I'm trying to say is that I'm finding just reading this exhausting so I wonder how you and your DD feel!

[noblegiraffe]

Flip a coin for it. And if she's disappointed with the way the coin falls, then that tells you what she really wants.

[GnomeDePlume]

Yes, I'm sorry this is all a bit tedious! I think the discussion looks worse written down than it is in real life.

The point many of you have made about Sheffield as insurance is a good one. As DD1 said to her wherever she ends up she will wind up loving.

Thank you for all the helpful comments I think they are helping DD to get a bit of perspective and to get a disinterested view point.

DH and I don't have anything useful to offer as we both had rubbish A levels so were glad for what we could get . Also neither of us are scientists (no idea how we have ended up with two!).

[BitOutOfPractice]

Not tedious. I didn't say tedious. I said exhausting

What I was trying clumsily to say is that sometimes when you stop agonising over a decision and just park it a bit, a decision sort of emerges.

[GnomeDePlume]

I think you are right. DD is going to put this down for a while. She doesnt have to make a decision for a while. As you say, left for a while the decision may present itself.

[BubblesBuddy]

I think Southampton and Sheffield are much closer as universities than Bristol and Sheffield which have more distinct differences.

I think both Bristol and Sheffield, as cities, have lots to offer. In Bristol, a student that doesn’t want the bright lights, can start out in the Stoke Bishop halls, which are a bus/taxi ride out of the centre, and doesn’t have to venture into the city every night. Or at all if they don’t want to. The Union at Bristol doesn’t have a massive drinking orgy culture and plenty of students find more than enough to do without the union and cheap booze and make friends with similar minded people.

From what I can see, and I visit pretty regularly, Sheffield probably has more of a Northern “dress up and go out” culture. That is clearly fun for many students but not to everyone’s taste.

Also, with a 4 year course, many friends may not be around in the 4th year if they are doing 3 year courses. Therefore a decent pool of friends doing 4 years is quite important.

I think taking a break and seeing if any big decision comes is best!