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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Bristol or St Andrews? Advice please

79 replies

UniversityQ · 03/04/2018 12:48

My DS is trying to choose between these 2 Universites to study Economics. He has visited St A but unfortunately, is unable to visit Bristol before the deadline.

I would be interested to hear thoughts on both places please so I can help him with this difficult decision.

Thanks

OP posts:
Synecdoche · 03/04/2018 12:53

I can vouch for Bristol as a city and a brilliant place to be a student. There are beautiful green/waterside spaces (most undergrad accommodation is across the famous downs and the walk into uni is very pleasant) as well as urban attractions and so much to do/explore. It is a proper 'city university'.

It depends what your DS is after from a university. From friends' experiences at St Andrew's it seems to be small and very university-centric, whereas with Bristol you are very much a part of a vibrant, busy and eclectic city. I've never been though so happy to stand corrected!

Greenhouseonthehill · 03/04/2018 13:00

I went to St Andrews. It’s small, pretty, posh and with little to do. Whereas Bristol is a fun, funky city with loads going on. If I had my time again I’d choose a different location for my degree. I felt quite suffocated at times spending four years at St Andrews.

ConstantlyGardening · 03/04/2018 13:07

Surely the deadline has passed? Applications start in October and most have a cut off point long before April. All offers will have gone out now.

Can't he get to Bristol for a weekend anyway just to look round the city? Big mistake imo to commit to 3 years somewhere if you've not been. Or has he and he just didn't make the open days?

One of mine want to Bristol and loved it. She chose it after offers from Notts and Bath, because she wanted a uni that wasn't campus based.

Assume he has looked into things like destinations of graduates from each as well as league table rankings for the subject ( not just the uni, overall.)

Financially, accommodation is quite pricey in Bristol (from year 2 onwards) and how do tuition fees work for St Andrews? None as it's in Scotland?

I think he has to look at two aspects: the performance /reputation of the uni for the course (though both are v good unis overall), and city life on offer.

Bristol is near the coast and has easy rail links everywhere. There is a very vibrant student scene. There is a bit of reputation that it's full of posh kids from indy schools but that didn't include DD and she settled in fine. But maye that applies to St A's too and I don't know if your DS is posh and from an indy school!

ConstantlyGardening · 03/04/2018 13:13

OP which deadline is he working towards? This link from UCAS gives the deadlines. I'm a bit confused.

www.ucas.com/advisers/getting-started/application-deadlines

The main date for applications is by the middle of January. UCAS will accept applications later but there is no guarantee of offers.

If he wants to do a really popular subject like economics and at a Russell Group uni , he's going to find it hard to be offered a place with such a late application.

Am I missing something?

NoCureForLove · 03/04/2018 13:18

I imagine OP means he has offers from both and needs to decide firm / insurance. Or has uncondutional offers...

Needmoresleep · 03/04/2018 13:24

Is he an international student? Both universities are popular with Americans and others. This would explain the lack of deadlines.

DD has not found a problem with second year accomodation in Bristol, and is paying less than her cousin did for grotty accomodation in Leeds. From what I have read St Andrews is more expensive.

But basically Bristol is one of Britans largest cities, though attractive, green and hilly. The University is also large. My guess is that students might take longer to find their feet and meet their people at Bristol, but not grow out of it in the same way that you might during four years at St Andrews.

Both well regarded economics courses. Bristol also offers econometrics so might offer more to someone veering towards mathematical economics.

Original poster
UniversityQ · 03/04/2018 13:30

Sorry - more info.

He has unconditional offers from both so needs to make a firm choice.
He’s not an international student but is travelling at the moment (gap year)
Not posh or indy educated.

OP posts:
Original poster
UniversityQ · 03/04/2018 13:32

Deadline is beginning of May I believe but if anyone knows different or a way tonwxt nd that could be helpful. He returns early June.

OP posts:
wildduckhunt · 03/04/2018 13:33

I went to St Andrews and loved it. I’m not a big clubbing type so the pub scene and occasional Union visit or trip to Dundee suited me fine. 4 years can seem a long time to English students whose friends from school will more likely be on 3 year courses, but it means that there isn’t so much pressure on the first two years, and there is amazing flexibility in the course.

Students of all years are eligible to apply for halls of residence too - my flat mates all stayed together in the same flat for the full 4 years.

wildduckhunt · 03/04/2018 13:37

Will add - I went there from a big standard state school, and all my flat mates had been to state schools. Lots of privately educated people, and international students, but I didn’t see that as a bad thing.

ConstantlyGardening · 03/04/2018 13:37

Has he already got his grades? I'm puzzled about the unconditional offers if not.

How long ago did he receive the offers? He must have been told when the deadline was for acceptance.

Did the offers come once he was overseas?

TBH I know this isn't helpful, but it's not a good idea to choose a uni if you have not been to see it.

Unless he's in the middle of nowhere, my advice would be for him to get a plane back and look at Bristol. You can't expect your mum to do the research on a forum when you are an adult yourself and choosing to spend 3-4 years studying somewhere.

I think he's putting a huge responsibility on you for something that is his choice.

Falconhoof1 · 03/04/2018 13:39

My friend went to st Andrew's and, although fun to visit her and a really pretty place, it is full of v posh people!

Speedy85 · 03/04/2018 13:40

My sister went to St. Andrews and regretted it. I think it was the combination of it being an extra year and it being very expensive. It was also incredibly cold and far away for visiting friends who had gone to other unis.

I live in Bristol and it's a lovely city. I can't speak to the student experience but there's lots to do and I'd pick it over St. Andrews if given the choice.

Blackbirdblue30 · 03/04/2018 13:42

I had an unconditional offer from St Andrews the year Prince William started. However I turned it down because I didn't want to be so isolated and strongly preferred a city.
I think if I'd come from a big city instead of the countryside I'd have felt the opposite.

ConstantlyGardening · 03/04/2018 13:42

OP Get him to take some responsibility for this. He can talk on the Student Room forum so he gets a perspective from his peer group. He can still use the internet I assume when he is away? He is incredibly lucky to have unconditional offers from two excellent unis. I think you need to encourage him to man-up a bit and start making enquiries himself.

senua · 03/04/2018 13:43

It's all horses for courses. We can't definitely say one or other; it depends on his temperament and interests, finances, geographical location, etc, etc.
We need more information about your DS.

Speedy85 · 03/04/2018 13:43

Students of all years are eligible to apply for halls of residence too - my flat mates all stayed together in the same flat for the full 4 years.

Eligible to apply - but it doesn't mean they'll get it. My sister didn't and had to pay through the nose for private rent.

Needmoresleep · 03/04/2018 13:51

Does he have any particuar interests. Bristol has lots of BUCS sports teams and is less isolated so away matches are not a problem. Drama is great etc. In short all the benefits of being at an established University in a big City. Having had a gap year will help, as it is a busy environment, plus a reputation for attracting its share of the louder more confident privately educated kids.

Don't worry about the latter. They exist but tend to stick together, and there are plenty of others, both state and indi to mix with. A bigger issue might be the party culture, something Bristol seems to share with Newcastle, Manchester and other City campuses. Not a problem after the first year as you then choose who you want to live with. But something to recognise as a potential issue in your first, either because it could be a distraction, or because you risk being woken at 4.00am several nights a week, by flatmates who think this is what University is about. The latter is solvable as there is a fair amount of movement between what the accomodation office identify as "noisy flats" and those labelled by some students as "boring". But perhaps not the best place for someone who had not set out to party but, should they end up in a noisy flat, might succomb to peer pressure.

ConstantlyGardening · 03/04/2018 13:53

You still have to pay for halls. Many don't offer them to anyone but first years and many students don't want them. DD was happy to get out of halls as hers at Bristol was grotty.

OP this is really not your problem. I'd be like you - trying to help a DS- but in all honesty, he needs to sort out the choice himself. If he doesn't like it, he will blame you!

superking · 03/04/2018 13:58

I went to Bristol and DH to St Andrews. We both enjoyed university but he says that in hindsight he wishes he had gone somewhere with a bit more going on. I made quite a few friends in Bristol who weren't actually students, DH didn't at St Andrews because there was a real social divide between locals and students. If he wants to be part of a community beyond the university itself then I would pick Bristol.

Having said that, I have visited St Andrews several times and it is a beautiful location, being so close to the sea would be wonderful.

CraftyGin · 03/04/2018 14:03

My DD is studying Economics and went to a Bristol open day. She hated it on many levels.

Allthebestnamesareused · 03/04/2018 14:07

St Andrews is ranked 5 for economics and Bristol 10th. However investment banking has its own top 6 it prefers to recruit from- St Andrews is in it but Bristol is - if that makes a difference

Allthebestnamesareused · 03/04/2018 14:09

Sorry Bristol isn't

MrsWobble3 · 03/04/2018 14:11

Dd is at st Andrews and very happy there. She went to Bristol open day/offer day - not sure which - and hated it because she found it very unfriendly. She said it felt as if the uni was doing you a favour which was in stark contrast to every other open day where they were trying to persuade you to choose them. She's not studying economics though.

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth · 03/04/2018 14:12

St Andrews is fecking freezing.

And there are 18 year old kids walking down the street wearing cravats and complaining that Tesco doesn't sell 1er Cru Burgundy