Lancaster versus Birmingham University- anyone with opinions please?

[glitterbiscuits]

These are my DSs front runners.
We went to an Open Day at Brum and I was more impressed than I thought I'd be. (He liked it too!)
Haven't seen Lancaster yet
Has anyone any got any experience of either Uni please?

My brother was at Lancaster decades ago. It is a bit isolated. Back in the day, once you lived out (often in Morcombe) you had to hitch in to University - don't know how much hitching goes on now, but the trouble with buses generally is they don't necessarily run when you want to travel.
We went to an Open Day at Brum and I was more impressed than I thought I'd be.
I liked Birmingham more than I thought I would too.

It is a common reaction
People's perception of Birmingham is very, very different from the truth about the City. Unfortunately if you travel through (train, or coach) you don't see the best sides of the City.

There has been MASSIVE redevelopment in the City Centre over 30 years of so. Birmingham parks department look after 572 green spaces, and there are trees EVERYWHERE.
The University itself is a campus university, within the City though. Unlikequite a lot of cities where other buildings intermingle with University ones. It is a beautiful site - lovely lake and greenery between the Lecture halls / labs etc and most of the first yr accommodation. Then Selly Oak is to another side of the campus where the majority of students live out in shared houses in Yes 2 and 3. There s also a major hospital on site, and a med school twixt the two.
The campus will be used for Commonwealth Games teams in 2022.
There is a trainline into the City Centre (station, called 'University' is on campus, or the buses along the A38 go in to the City Cntre about one every 3 mins in peak times, and still every 10 mins or so outside of that.
Lots of opportunities for work.

I haven't visited Lancaster so can't comment. Obviously course content needs to be considered, but we visited Birmingham Uni on a cold wet day. Despite this, the area was still attractive, looked clean, ie would be a nice place to spend your day. If transporation links are important, the uni is right next to the main train network, University stop.

Again, can't comment on the level of unconditionals at Birmingham, but DD has applied for a course which she understands is very hard to get an offer for, due to amount of applicants - they're never going to offer an unconditiional for that course. I know someone who has an unconditional for Lancaster and a reduction in fees if certain grades are achieved, I've read of three others online who also have the same, so sounds like they want to entice students as well.

backforgood
1 - must you muddy the waters with facts?
2 - you forgot to mention that Brum may even make an unconditional offer... but only if you're good enough... and they're confident enough to give no damn for the badmouthing from those who aren't up to scratch for their unconditionals

Seriously I don't really know either place that well, but provided the course was the right one, there is nothing about either that would put me off, not for the (very) few years one would be spending there (on the right course), because most ppl are allowed to spend the rest of their lives away from where they studied.

Ds went to Lancaster and became very ill with depression. So bad we had go and rescue him as he hadn't been out of his room for a week. Nobody there thought to check on him when he didn't turn up for lectures. He wasn't even answering his phone. When we got there I was terrified of what I was going to find. It may not have been the uni, and whose to say he wouldn't have become ill anyway, but their lack of support was bad. I'm not surprised Lancaster has a high suicide rate.

The reasons for the high suicide rate one year (over 20 years ago) were due to 3 foreign students who carried out a suicide pact. Add that to the average number of suicides at any uni and it would naturally be at the top of the list for that particular year! Not relevant to the OPs son! And although there are plenty of urban myths going around about it, it really doesn't reflect on the uni.

Buses run every 10 minutes and into the night. I don't know of one student living in Morecambe for their second year . Lancaster is teeming with student accommodation. Oh, and lancaster is not "smaller than some towns in the Lake District" not even nearly. So much misinformation!

It's a great uni. The college system is brilliant. I don't know anything about Birmingham but I'm sure it's great too.

Oh and absolutely no hitching goes on! It's not that far away from town!

"I'm not surprised Lancaster has a high suicide rate."

I don't think that something that happened 20 years ago justifies giving Lancaster this reputation. I thought it was Bristol that has won this dubious prize.

I know several students who are at or studied at Lancaster, and they all love/loved it. It just isn't for DD who pines for city living.

Really appreciate all the comments! Thanks

I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Birmingham is getting a reputation for handing out unconditional offers like sweets.

To be fair - as is Lancaster!

But - that's not what makes a university, is it? It's what you make of the time there that counts and the degree that you work for.

Re hitching in Lancaster, in the olden days of the 80s when I was a student there - it was the done thing. There was a hitching post at the uni and another in town and those with cars would give people lifts and it all felt really safe.
Not sure it would be today!
I found the college set up brilliant because you mixed with people on different courses really easily - which my kids, at Uni in the last 10 years didn't do so much.
I love Birmingham as a city though don't have experience of the Uni
It does depend on course and personality I reckon so a visit to both is key.

That hitching post, Fluffy
I always used to hope that I'd be at the post when that chap with the massive 1950s hearse was picking up. Talk about travelling in style.
I was at Lancaster and loved every minute but DS has Birmingham down as his first choice as we live too far away for Lancaster now. Both great places, lucky to have such a choice.

I have experienced at both Unis and my answer depends 100% on what the subject/course is. Lancaster has a few really amazing depts.

Birmingham University is as others have said a Campus Uni in a big city very different to Manchester or London. It can give a great compromise between Campus and big city life.
I've known people get unconditionals from both Universities. And for other courses the competition is tough and people not get in with even one slipped grade.

I went to Lancaster, my sister went to Birmingham. Lancaster is by far the safer and more friendly city.

Birmingham is a great place to study - lovely green campus but also easy to get into the city when you want There is even a station on campus.

I'll post further later when I've more time but DS started at Lancaster in October and absolutely loves it,

Seen a lot of university open days recently as I've two dc with one year apart and Lancaster was one of the most impressive from the start.

He's an introverted soul but has found his niche.

I'll add a more detailed post later.

I know both universities well as an academic. THey're chalk & cheese in terms of size,. location, etc.

Lancaster isn't Russell Group but in many subjects it's highly respected and tip-top. And it's smaller, so students feel more "known" - Birmingham is fantastic, but very large & students can get a bit lost.

But then, Lancaster is in a small town & sometimes students can feel a bit claustrophobic - it's an hour from the nearest big city (Manchester or Liverpool). But only 40 minutes from the glorious Lake District.

The college system at Lancaster is not like the Oxford or Cambridge college - they're residential, social & pastoral - teaching is not done within the College, as in Oxbridge.

And there's a far higher preponderance of non-middle class people at Lancaster. Birmingham as a city is fabulously mixed and multi-cultural, but the University is a place of privilege - class/financial privilege shows up as educational advantage at about the age of 3 in this country, so most students at most universities which ask for high A Level results will have had substantial economic advantage.

I think that your DC really needs to see Lancaster - I'd live there in a heartbeat, but it's not for everyone. On the other hand, students can feel a bit overwhelmed by Birmingham.

And as for this:
It depends on the subject but generally a degree from Birmingham will be more highly regarded than one from Lancaster

Not in my discipline - Lancaster is as "highly regarded" or even more so, than Birmingham. Advice like this is not helpful - it really is discipline & specific degree-related. And "highly regarded" by whom?

Do you care to say the discipline? Then academics on here may be able to give you more specific information.

due to Lancaster Uni being so isolated from everything else it had a high suicide rate

That is a myth.

Thanks everyone
@CowJumping very helpful comments. Thank you. He's planning on studying Geography.
At the moment he's a big fish in a small pond. Grades are not as high as they could be due to lack of effort!
Hoping to attend an offer holder day at both.

I'll not lie: it rains a lot in Lancaster and the campus can feel bleak on a wet windy day - but on what other campus do you get a view of Morecambe and the southern fells of the Lake District? The campus might feel bleak, but it's a very friendly place in terms of people, as is the city. It's very very safe, which is not the case in Birmingham. Selly Oak is a student area but also (IME) a hot spot for crime such as burglary & muggings (attracted by the apparent affluence of students).

In terms of the subject - as I understand it (it's not my discipline) there are varieties of Geography with different emphases ranging from the social sciences/humanities emphasis (eg - human geography) to far more "hard" science emphases on economics or earth science.

Your DS should look at course content for each place, and see what modules are required as compulsory. And then check the websites of tutors to see what the emphases on different aspects of the discipline are in each Department.

Then get a feel for how it would be to live in each place.

My brother has a ( part time ) research job at Lancaster University ( he did his initial degree in Manchester ) . He thinks the faculty he works for is extremely friendly and it is a lovely place to be. But visiting is probably the way to go. Do PM if you want me to ask him anything which may help. ( He is not doing Geography - but will very possibly have an opinion in that Lancaster does not have a high suicide rate - a clue as to department ) PM if you think useful

Some of the chat here almost implies suicide is a catchable disease! All universities are trying hard to improve their mental health services and if, when you visit, this is important to you, ask about it. This, for some students, might be more important than views or the nearness of the Lake District or a multi cultural campus!

Other than that, I doubt if there’s much to choose between the two in terms of reputation. If you want a city fairly near, then it’s Birmingham. If you want a smaller place, then Lancaster. There are huge numbers of Geography grads so perhaps looking for options that help with a career goal might be worth consideration.

Oh I was trying to say the opposite. My brother as a research assistant thinks that Lancaster is a very friendly and congenial place to be. Now - whether that fits with the course anyone wants to do - a different question. But he thinks the department he works with are all very nice and has no reason to believe other departments are not similar - So just a post to say the teaching staff at Lancaster ( in a very small experience ) seem to be very well meaning and just utterly nice people. If I am right , this can make a difference.

I didn’t mean your post Basiliskstare. There just seems to be a trend of throwing up stats about mental health that mean if a DC goes to certain universities they might “catch” the mental health tsunami, even if their DC is the most robust of personalities. I realise MH issues can be just round the corner for some people but, as many have said, course and location are what most students consider important.

I think many staff are friendly and helpful at msny universities. We know there is a minority of students that need a higher level of care and those students should factor in mental health support services when choosing a university. For them it’s vital.

I think many staff are friendly and helpful at many universities.

Indeed!

But on MN academics are generally assumed to be distant, difficult and only there to upset students, who are all perfect.