Uni of Exeter

[top2patooties]

Hi everyone,

Looking for some perspective if possible.

My daughter has had an offer from Exeter, her course has entry of AAA.

Exeter have made her an offer and have reduced the grades to ABB for her to join them.

Me and my husband didn't get the opportunity to go to Uni so navigating this process is all new to us. Our daughter is a reasonably high achiever, from a city comprehensive school in the Midlands, and she is very passionate about her subject - we are a really ordinary family with an average joint income!

My query is this, people around us are saying my DD won't fit in at Exeter, most of the student population will be from very wealthy backgrounds, prestigious independent schools etc etc so DD is unlikely to fit in easily or be able to compete financially with those who are not on a strict student budget like she will be.
Basically people are saying she might not find her group or people with similar backgrounds to her, so making friends will be an issue??!

Her other choices are uni of manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Warwick.

As I have no clue about going to uni or uni life if anyone has any experiences of this they can share with me that would be so useful.

I don't want for her not to aim high if it is the best place for her course but at the same time fitting in and friendships will be hugely important to her happiness at uni!

Thanks for your help!

[BubblesBuddy]

I think Warwick is popular with privately educated students too. Is the ABB a contextual offer? If so, Warwick might make one too and she would then need to consider which university (taking any other offers into account as well) best fits her preferences in terms of course content and which is better for employability.

As to the question of who goes to Exeter, I think 30% Private is high when around 8% of the country is privately educated but of course Exeter is popular with London and Home Counties students who are more likely to be privately educated. However as the majority are state educated, some will be managing on a low budget, and it is good for life in general to mix with people from all walks of life. It educates the whole person rather than just academics.

The three northern universities would be cheaper in terms of accommodation though but the cost of Exeter can be offset by having a job either in Exeter or in the holidays. I would not be put off by ill informed friends who have pidgeonholed her. If people continue to be afraid to break out of their bubble, then there won’t be social mobility. Students need to be brave and grasp the best that is offered.

[FaithFrank]

Exeter has 22,000 undergraduates. They are not all the same.

As pp say, there is no rush for her to choose. Wait until she has all her offers. Help her to go to as may offer holder days as possible, so she can get a feeling for the departments and unis. Then she will be in a better position to decide.

[BubblesBuddy]

Peaseblossom: Is this offer unconditional, where you must firm them, or contextual because of area lived in or school? It’s not necessarily a bribe and doesn’t sound unconditional with strings attached.

[MissBattleaxe]

I'm from state school and I went to Exeter. There were some posh people there, ( as there often are in many other unis) but I made life long friends and it was a sensationally brilliant three years that I feel very, very lucky to have experienced. Gorgeous city too. Your daughter is very lucky and you will enjoy visiting her because it's beautiful!

[ToastedSandwichObsession]

My dd had an offer of ABB when requirements were AAA last yearfrom Exeter too, she's from a state comp. she didn't end up accepting it but she certainly wasn't put off by the stories of she wouldn't fit in.

[Peaseblossom22]

Oh yes sorry I misread it as she had an AAA and they had offered to reduce . I would however still wait to have all offers in and then make a decision

[ThunderInMyHeart]

Diversity goes both ways

This.

[ReflectentMonatomism]

As to the question of who goes to Exeter, I think 30% Private is high when around 8% of the country

thetab.com/uk/2018/02/02/these-are-officially-the-unis-with-the-most-private-school-students-59337

[ShineOnHarvestMoon]

people around us are saying my DD won't fit in at Exeter, most of the student population will be from very wealthy backgrounds, prestigious independent schools etc etc so DD is unlikely to fit in easily or be able to compete financially with those who are not on a strict student budget like she will be

Don't listen to "people" - they're blinkered. If your DD likes the course, and liked her visit to Exeter, then she should go for it. And isn't Exeter supposed to be one of those towns where everyone wants to live? Devon isn't a holiday place for nothing!

There were some ructions at Exeter over student racism a while back, but I think the university chucked out those students. Which suggests the very opposite of what "people" have been telling you.

But that sort of reverse snobbery really riles me: why limit your DD's horizons & ambitions? Whatever her background & income, she'll be working for the same degree as other students - there's an equality there that you shouldn't forget.

Tim 'rich but dim' doesn't get far nowadays.

[captainoftheshipwreck]

Go and look round if you can and get a feel for the place - all unis have mixes of people, so many factors influence how happy someone is at uni. Tell her not to be put off and to go with her gut feeling.

[thereallifesaffy]

Oooo my friends DD had a similar offer grade drop. I wonder if it's the same course? Anyways the DD is also from a state comp and has fitted in just fine.
My DC are also state comp educated. One went to Cambridge and the other to Durham - a self confessed 'Rah' uni. They managed just fine too. If she's worried she can always take a gap year - that will give her a far more mature, worldly gloss of the type many private school kids seem to have
Basically she'll be fine!

[Noonemournsthewicked]

I went 10 years ago and it was definitely like that. Was bitterly unhappy. The only one is my seminar group that had a summer job, everyone else went on long holidays or internships at daddy's firm. Was unaware of the reputation before I went so wasn't prejudiced.

Could have changed in that time however and the campus and city itself are lovely.

[OnGoldenPond]

I had no idea where the vast majority of people I met at uni went to school, much less if they were private or state.

Really don't worry, your DD should choose the place she likes best.

[Fifthtimelucky]

All her choices are good ones, and there is no reason she should fit in any less well at Exeter than at any of the others.

My daughter is in her first year at Exeter and loving it. She was at an independent day school. I have no idea what sort of schools her new friends went to and I don't suppose she does either. Some of her old classmates have gone to Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Warwick.

I'd say let her visit and get a feel for the place. My daughter loves being on a beautiful campus that is within walking distance from the city centre. It's a small city, obviously, and she likes that. Very different from being at Manchester I'd have thought

[Dustylaw]

Definitely don’t make any choices until all the offers are in and your daughter has had a chance to go to offer holder days. Your daughter has applied to excellent universities. She can choose any of them and she won’t be letting herself down. So choose on the course and the ones which ‘feel’ right for her. Eg Warwick is said to be marmite - some love the extreme campus set up and others hate it. Leeds seemed great. Exeter lovely but some find it too small and some find it perfect. Yes Exeter has a high percentage of privately educated students but that really doesn’t mean it won’t be the perfect place for your daughter. There will be prats at all universities - I don’t think a higher percentage of privately educated students translates into a higher percentage of prats- usual feeling is everyone else just steers clear! The advantage of going to offer holder days is that you get a chance to look around and think is this the place and are these the people that make me feel I could be happy here. Loads of time to consider and choose where she likes best. Best of luck and exciting time!

[KatherinaMinola]

Exeter is posh and the SW generally will be a bit of an eye-opener if you're from a city comprehensive in the Midlands. The other choices are more diverse.

But she should definitely visit - spend a weekend there - and find out if she likes it.

[TwitterQueen1]

95% crap OP. My DD (state educated) is in 2nd year there and loves it. She has said though, that lots of people have gone to private schools - but tbh their schools don't seem very different.

Your income is completely irrelevant.

My DD also got an offer from Warwick, which is another brilliant uni. The only reason she chose Exeter was that it's a much smaller campus, with historical (she does history) buildings that look more attractive than Warwick's 60s/70s concrete.

All her choices are fab tbh, she just needs to decide which course is best for her, and if she gets the opportunity, which campus she likes best. Forget anything else.

[top2patooties]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to me everyone!

I have certainly took on board all your comments. We are going to offer holder day in February, so will look forward to it.

Her offer was reduced from AAA to ABB with no further conditions, and although was not her top choice DD is very keen to consider Exeter seriously. Her favourite was Uni of Manchester until this offer was made by Exeter - and now she wants to make sure she really makes the right choice.

Thanks for all those who reassured me that if she chose Exeter she would be making a great decision regardless of her background.

[ellesbellesxxx]

I had gone to state schools and loved Exeter. Yes there are some clearly rich people there but most people were in the same boat as me financially

[Fifthtimelucky]

Offer holder day last Feb was when my daughter really fell in love with Exeter!

Surprisingly perhaps, the weather was beautiful and she really saw it at its best (it had been pouring with rain on her first visit in the previous July).

They also reduced their AAA offer for her (though only to AAB) and she was really torn between that and Birmingham which stayed at AAA (very frustrating as many of her friends who were doing arts subjects had unconditional offers from them).

She didn't want to go for Exeter just because of the lower offer, so we went back for a second visit to both and it was then that she decided that she preferred it.

[top2patooties]

Thank you Fifth, we will certainly look forward to visiting in Feb and ultimately it is DD decision to go where she wants to, if Exeter is it then fab!

[donajimena]

I love Exeter. Can't speak for the uni but its a wonderful city. Try and head to Topsham when you are there.

[eatingtomuch]

Look at the schools that come Uber the contextual offer list. My ds attends an outstanding academy in the midlands but it is still on the list. This meant the uni's he applied to made lower offers. Your dds school could be on the list

[BubblesBuddy]

I would say that Exeter is very different from Manchester. It’s a smaller university and obviously a smaller city. Therefore if she wants a lot of choice regarding entertainment and evenings out, then Exeter doesn’t really offer this. Some people might find if a bit claustrophobic. Others relish its university on a hill situation and don’t want or miss bright lights. Therefore I think knowing what personality DD has would help her decide. My DDs friends from boarding school who went there said it was just like school but bigger! They liked the similarity with school. DD wasn’t keen and wanted more choice for entertainment and the joys of a bigger city. If the courses are similar, just give a bit more thought about where she will enjoy living.