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Higher education

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

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Original poster

University of Aberdeen or Amsterdam

18 replies

Agapi · 06/07/2018 20:07

Daughter got her IB results today. She is not sure which Uni to choose. It could be Uni of Aberdeen or Amsterdam to study Economics. We do not live in either country and she would move for her studies. Any suggestions or feedback about either Uni?

Thank you!!

OP posts:

abilockhart · 06/07/2018 23:14

The University of Amsterdam is within the top sixty of world universities and would be highly rated for economics. Aberdeen would not be anywhere near the same league.

Securing accommodation will be a major issue in Amsterdam. Cost will be the big issue in Aberdeen.

Original poster

Agapi · 07/07/2018 08:22

Thank you abilockhart for your feedback!

Appreciate feedback from others that may have studied in either Uni or parents feedback...

OP posts:

Mentounasc · 07/07/2018 08:41

Have you tried looking for feedback on the Student Room Website? They have a small section on Dutch Unis.

Has she been to open days at both to get a feeling for them?

If you're not resident in the U.K., will Brexit have an effect (for Aberdeen)? I know non U.K. students who've been told if they start after X date they'll have to pay the full non-EU fee,which is huge.

DD1 was interested in Leiden so she went for the weekend, stayed in Amsterdam. It was enough to convince her that Leiden should be her second-choice uni. She was looking at Amsterdam too and went part of the way through applying, but the date for firmly accepting a place was very early, before she'd have found out about her first choice, so she stopped the process. She did get her firstchoice uni in the end, in France, so can't help you any more on Dutch Unis.

ClerkMaxwell · 07/07/2018 11:09

Try posting on the Scotsnet forum for info on Aberdeen uni. There are several parents with kids going this year.

Aberdeen is the 2nd choice of my niece (over St Andrews and Edinburgh). She only went to the open day as her mum studied there but loved the subject talks (science) and atmosphere so made it her backup choice.

Accommodation prices have lowered quite a bit in Aberdeen with the down turn in oil price.

Original poster

Agapi · 07/07/2018 11:26

Thank you Mentounasc - we are EU nationals. Scotland has confirmed they will hounour entries for 2018. Daughter has been to Maastricht and Glasgow as first preference was Uni of Glasgow. She had a conditional offer but missed getting that for few points. I try to have a discussion and guide her on her decision but she stubbornly reminds me that this is her choice :)
Not pushing it as she has to be happy with her final decision.

Thank you ClerkMaxwell - Glasgow was first choice, Aberdeen second in line with Amsterdam. Her heart is set on Scotland and I think that will determine her choice more than the actual Uni. I will look into Scotsnet forum, thanks!

OP posts:

BringOnTheScience · 07/07/2018 13:19

It's many many years since I was at Uni in Aberdeen. When I visited recently I was shocked by how run down the city was looking. Amsterdam has far more going for it.

The course needs to be the first priority though.

ClerkMaxwell · 07/07/2018 15:48

Bad luck not getting Glasgow - there limits on places for Scots and EU students meaning little wiggle room if you slightly miss the offer. studied there. Aberdeen is quite like Glasgow in that it's a very old uni (5th oldest in the UK) in the middle of a city.

abilockhart · 07/07/2018 20:14

Accommodation prices have lowered quite a bit in Aberdeen with the down turn in oil price.

Thank you.

One of my postgrads studied in Aberdeen and claimed accommodation was very expensive. However, she would have started in 2013 before the collapse in the price of oil.

readsalotgirl63 · 08/07/2018 19:49

Hi - we live near Aberdeen and dd did consider it but her first choice was Glasgow. She did not want to go to her "home" university and Glasgow was higher ranked for her subject. She has just finished her first year in Glasgow

I have to say I am not completely unbiased as I am a native Glaswegian and a graduate of Glasgow University. In my view Glasgow is far superior as a city - has much more to offer and a much livelier vibe than Aberdeen. I do not know Amsterdam at all so cannot compare.

I visit Glasgow fairly frequently and would say that travel and accommodation are more expensive in Aberdeen - despite the downturn in the oil industry. DD tells me that entertainment (clubs and drinking) are also more expensive in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen University is highly regarded and i would say it depends on the subject and the course - if Amsterdam is ranked higher then I would choose there.

Hope that helps.

Original poster

Agapi · 09/07/2018 23:05

Thank you all for your feedback. Had a long (heated!) discussion with DD. She is set on Aberdeen as she has always wanted to study in Scotland. Understand that she may still get a place at Uni of Glasgow after clearing but she does not want to wait till August for A-Level results to be official. A lot of things to sort out with the move and we are all on standby waiting for what is next! I do believe Amsterdam may be a nicer city to live in but daughter is set on Aberdeen. Hope that she enjoys it there and that the Uni lives up to expectations.

Would appreciate guidance on suitable allowance to cover cost of living expenses...any insights?

OP posts:

Original poster

Agapi · 09/07/2018 23:05

Thank you once again!

OP posts:

readsalotgirl63 · 10/07/2018 20:11

Hi Agapi - have give more detail on Scotsnet.

MrsMozart · 10/07/2018 20:25

Aberdeen is grand.

Two daughters been there. One has a 2:1 and the other set for a 2:1 or 1st.

Good clubs. Lots of activities. I don't witter about them being in town at night. Good beach (though the sea is a bit chilly!). Plenty of places around to visit. Beautiful campus. Excellent new library. Good public transport. Definitely not as expensive as it was five years ago re apartments.

Stopyourhavering64 · 10/07/2018 21:13

I went to Aberdeen Uni...had a fabulous time there in the 80's (met husband!)..unfortunately Halls that we met in have now been demolished
Easy to get around..I used to cycle everywhere although the buses were very reliable
Loved that it was right on a beach for bracing walks in the winter and loads of green areas , didn't feel like you were in a city and Old Aberdeen was like its own little village , beautiful campus
The structure of the courses are very flexible - I studied Geography,Geology,Chemistry and Psychology in first year , Geography and Psychology in second year( switched to Arts faculty) and majored in Geography for final 2 years
Tried to persuade dcs to go there but it's a 10 hr train journey from home

Original poster

Agapi · 10/07/2018 22:18

Thank you readsalotgirl63, MrsMozart, Stopyourhavering64 & All for the great feedback. Encouraging to also get some positive feedback about Aberdeen. Everyone tells me Aberdeen...oh it is so far away, so cold, so....but my daughter wants to study there :)

Looking forward to supporting DD with this next adventure.

OP posts:

yikesanotherbooboo · 10/07/2018 22:38

My DD did a masters in Amsterdam. It was a great experience with a lot of teaching hours and high expectations by the staff. Students from all over Europe made it seem very cosmopolitan and she loved the life. The biggest drawback is acbomodation which is very scarce. She stayed in Airbnb for few weeks and was then very lucky to find a central flat but she had friends living in quite squalid conditions ( and I'm not usually squeamish about student digs) , others living further out of town and one of her friends ended up camping for months.

MrsMozart · 11/07/2018 07:57

Yikes post has reminded me - there's a broad mix of nationalities at Aberdeen Uni. Daughters have friends from varied backgrounds and with wide ranging interests.

Agapi I hope your daughter enjoys her time there.

Fadingmemory · 17/07/2018 07:21

DD studied at Aberdeen, first degree & Masters and enjoyed it hugely. Good sports clubs. 1st year halls are at Hillhead, walking distance from campus. Accommodation for subsequent years more readily available since she started in 2012. She & friends socialised mainly in town. Weather didn’t bother her. Aberdeen can be cold and windy but the west of Scotland is far wetter. Amazing countryside, great beach also, good cafes. No sense at all of not being ‘in the zone’. There is far more to Scotland than the central belt.

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