St Andrews or Bristol?

[Happydaughterhappymum]

It’s for History- both offers are AAA.
St A is higher in the league tables but not a Russell group Uni. Bristol is much lower but will it matter in 3 years’ time- they may have swapped positions by then anyway.
DD is vacillating. She has been to both cities but not on an official open day.
Which will employers prefer assuming she gets the same class. Does the MA carry any extra weight.

She keeps asking me my opinion as she can’t decide!

Yes, we all make decisions based on what we hope is helping them the best way. There isn't a single best way.

ooh dd2 wants to do english lit at uni (she's only in year 11) and loves singing

On the loans point I am paying so they don't have loans but all parents in the rare position to be able to choose take their own view on that. Will Hall might have Oxbridge rejects but I think it's bending over bakwards (if that phrase is not too non PC these days) to widen its types of students there eg my son's block had only 2 or 3 of about 9 from fee paying schools and my sons (in fact none of my 5 children) did not try Oxbridge so we cannot call them Oxbridge rejects - cannot be bothered to try Oxbridge might be or sure they wouldn't have got in or something might be more accurate.

The Faz daughter might consider a choral scholarship somewhere. I sang (and played) almost as much as I studied law at university (not Bristol) including touring abroad with the chamber choir. It was a really nice way to spend my university years. Sounds like St A has a nice new music block.

To the poster who commented on our finances: Having paid boarding for two, they can take control of the university years. We have just given DD1 £300,000 for a flat deposit. Each to their own! If they don’t earn enough to pay off the loan it’s good value. DD1 might pay it off but she’s pre 2012 rates. It’s s grad tax and she’s self employed. DD2 probably won’t pay it off. We made the financial decisions that suited us.

Many universities have DCs they didn’t get into Oxford. UCL, Durham and St Andrews to name three more. However if you get to a university that ticks your boxes then that’s fine.

Of course, we all make decisions for ourselves to suit out circumstances.
You often come across as a little sharp, not sure if you mean to. It wasn’t an attack, just out of interest.

The Faz daughter might consider a choral scholarship somewhere

that might be a fantastic idea. She's in two very good choirs and loves it plus has grade 8 singing. thanks Xenia hadnt considered that

www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/undergraduate/residences/hiatt-c/

Swanky Stoke Bishop en suite accommodation. To be fair, although we only looked at the relatively new-build self catered bit, for some reason the rent we were quoted was c.£182 / week, rather than £166 (which is bad enough, but less awful than £182. DD still didnt like the course or the university much, though.).

Two of my dds applied to St Andrews but chose Bristol as socially there appeared to be more on offer for students. When we travelled to St Andrews we found it difficult to get to on public transport as there are no direct trains. Bristol is a great city and my dds are very happy there.

Quirky, singing... Edinburgh Fringe. St Andrews has a huge student presence.

Oh Hiatt Baker. Used to be called Shite Baker. It was grim a few years ago. Its been refurbished to meet modern demands. Wills is positively basic in comparisonto that unless its been modernised too!

I am really sorry if I appeared sharp, ribenita. Years of taking cover if I say DDs went to boarding school. People assume all sorts of things.

Bristol has quite a big music scene like any good university. DD was in university choirs and also performed with a community choir at a professional Christmas show at the Colston Hall. Many things are possible.

@Bubblesbuddy, one of my dds is in the newer catered accommodation at Wills (not the quad) and it is perfectly adequate and not basic at all.

Faz, I probably should have tried but we didn't have a choir at school (unless you count the school carol service). I put myself in for singing exams with non lesssons, although I had piano and theory grade 8 so had a lot of music out of school in that sense and learned the violin at university. I can't remember where people went other than to Oxbridge colleges on choral scholarships but I am sure there will be some others.

On Wills Hall (Bristol) being basic - my son's block last year was in a sense (I just found it here on youtube - it was like a 1920s film set actually, gorgeous quad and ancient sink. My daughter years before was in the same hall but a more modern block. I much preferred it to his brother's (Churchill) as his room as huge but both twins loved their own halls so that was all fine.

Sorry, got off the St Andrews topic entirely which is also a lovely university. I don't think you can go far wrong with either.

There aren't any direct trains to Start Andrews, but lots of routes go between the station and St Andrews. We got straight off train to see a bus coming in. Went to get our bus for return to find another bus which left a bit earlier. I guess it's something they have to get used to.

Xenia and bevelino: That’s correct about the Wills old quad rooms - 1920s film set! My DD had a “shared” room where the other girl had to go diagonally through DDs room to get to hers! The shared bathroom was ancient too. At the time, most of the self catering rooms were more money than hers! Her boyfriend in y1 did have quite a big room in Churchill because it was in a big house annexe I think.

Singing is a very popular thing at St Andrews, there are choral scholarships, lots of different choirs and an opera company.
On the accomodation front, many students stay in halls beyond 1st year, even for the whole four years sometimes!

Yes, my daughter has chosen to live out but her boyfriend has stayed in halls with no issues. There are also university managed houses they can apply for from second year onwards. Accomodation really isn't the issue it's made out to be. The only caution I would sound is the food in catered halls if you are veggie. There is a lot of cheese!
Check out the scholarships too. I am pretty sure you can apply even before you have an offer.

I have a DD at Bristol and she really isn’t enjoying the city or the uni. She was attracted by the stories of the social scene and party life style but in reality that means expensive clubs playing alternative music and lots and lots of drugs. I think if you are quite mainstream in your lifestyle and tastes, Bristol is hard. It definitely suits those who want more of an alternative lifestyle. Unfortunately, that isn’t my DD.

I know all cities have their good and bad parts but compared to many others I would say that Bristol is not very nice at all. Clifton is ok but otherwise, Bristol looks tired, there is no real heart to the city and some areas are absolutely awful, graffiti covered and littered with drug addicts.

The Stoke Bishop Halls are miles away from the uni and even further from friends in Clifton. There is no real sense of community. Nothing happens in halls at weekends so most people go home. And there is literally no pastoral care at all. The wardens were taken out of the halls so there is no one to turn to in an emergency. My DD feels very vulnerable without anyone there should she need help. She wants to stay because of her course but I think she really wishes she had chosen another university.

I'm sorry the Watching daughter is not enjoying Bristol. My twins definitely are and it was not their experience people went home at weekends on the whole from their halls. They never came home once in term time in year 1 as they were so busy. They had a great time in Stoe Bishop Halls and liked the free bus and even the sense of community when getting the bus with all your friends. They had loads of pastoral care.

It just shows what different experiences people can get from the same place.

St A is a bit unique. It’s in. Beautiful town with lovely scenery and a beach. Academic standards are high and it feels much more personal and friendly.
Bristol is quite different. A big city, lots of clubbing, nightlife and drugs.
It depends what appeals to the individual student and what sort of person they are. Accommodation is hard to come by in SA , but probably the main factor is the length of degree, and whether a big nightlife and clubbing scene is important.
I think both Universities have a posh contingent. There are always lots of ‘ordinary’ people too.

Lots of the students used to go clubbing on Mondays when it was cheap night for students! Otherwise plenty just don’t go. Clubbing has never been cheap!

It’s quite interesting that a DD wanted party central and it isn’t to her taste. Stoke Bishop isn’t far from the university. Why would you have friends in Clifton as a first year that you must visit? The best bet is to make friends with those in your hall. SB is like campus living but travelling into the university for lectures and the library. It’s 10 mins on the bus. Absolutely not miles and miles! All DDs friends and DD were very happy there.

I’m not sure what large city is wonderful in every way? There are enough ordinary cities if you care to look. Bristol has arts, museums, music, theatre and lots more. The students rarely live in the not so nice areas. Some cities have less on offer for students. I do think students need to get a life outside clubbing. There is so much else to do. DD didn’t know anyone who went home all the time. Her hall was not empty. Perhaps as it was cheap, students did other things with their time and money?

Bubbles - she didn’t want “party central” but she did want a varied social life which is what she thought Bristol would offer. At school she was definitely very social and always out with friends at parties or events. She just hates the smoking/druggy/alternative vibe which she finds so dominant at Bristol. She can’t even open her bedroom window because the smell of weed which people are smoking outside is so strong. She was hoping for more parties and events in hall (which was my experience of uni) but there is nothing going on. Even the bar is barely used.

She has struggled to find clubs and societies that don’t involve a long trek back into the city centre alone and meetings often clash with mealtimes which she has paid for. She has got friends in hall but also has friends from her course living in Clifton whom she would like to be able to visit more easily.

And Stoke Bishop definitely does not feel like a campus to me. It feels very isolated from the uni, with no facilities/pubs or shops nearby. It takes my DD 40 mins to get to her faculty in the morning - assuming she can actually get on the bus first time. She was advised that SB was the best place to live but I definitely wouldn’t recommend living there.

My DS goes to another uni where the halls and SU are all closer together so socialising in the first year is much easier. There doesn’t seem to be a dominant drug culture despite the uni also having a party reputation. He has been really happy.

Blue planet, I am sorry to hear this. DD found her first year in Stoke Bishop very tough, even though she is normally sociable and resilient. I would go as far as saying that it is unsafe. I received a fair number of PMs saying much the same thing, enough for me to realise this was far from a unique experience.

Her second year is completely different. Her flatmates are nice, relatively clean, study hard and are involved in University life. But it helps that she is a city girl, on a course with a full timetable, who plays for a University team. Her course is 5/6 years and she expects to enjoy the rest. Indeed I don’t think there is anywhere she would rather be.

DS was in London, and oddly I would say the LSE social life was better. Because students were scattered, people came together on campus and a lot of his social life in his first couple of years was based around societies.

It’s interesting. Bubbles descriptions of her daughter’s experience as a fresher last year, seemed almost to be describing a different University. More like the Bristol of a decade ago when Halls still had wardens, rents were affordable and Bristol did not claim to be the drugs capital of Britain.

Watchingblueplanet your daughter sounds very unhappy in Stoke Bishop and perhaps that has coloured your view. I do believe there is a bit of a druggie culture in some of the halls, but not all. But your description of Bristol doesn’t tally with most peoples views. Stoke Bishop is on the downs which is very scenic. Bristol is a very affluent city with beautiful buildings and highly rated by the students who often stay after graduating.
Dd1 is in halls in Clifton and seems very happy. But does state her halls are not druggy. Most of her flat mates seem to like a quiet life and don’t go out that much. She has come to the realisation that she can’t keep on going out so much because of the cost. But her course seems very sociable compared to others. She’s near enough the student union to do a club 3 times a week as well. This club is also very social and is divided into ‘ families’. Her course also has ‘ parents’ that are there to help with issues. So Dd’s Experience is very different to others experiences.

Oops - sorry for my dodgy English!