Nottingham or Newcastle for psychology?

[LaBelleSauvage123]

Does anyone have opinions? DS has visited and loved both. He has his grades already
( A* A A) and is taking a gap year and applying for Sept 2020.

Does he want campus or city ? My dd loving Newcastle and Jesmond where a lot of the 2nd years live is lovely

Newcastle but now he has his grades he could look at others, he'd get in anywhere with those.

He doesn’t want to apply for Oxbridge and isn’t keen on Durham. He wants a lively city, self catered accommodation for first year
( which seems much easier in Newcastle than Nottingham). Course has to have a year working in the field. Where else would be good?

Leeds, Sheffield?

He was dead set on Newcastle after the open day but says that Nottingham’s psychology talk was much better.

Sheffield much lower in league tables for psychology I think? He hasn’t mentioned Leeds - will suggest.

My friends DS has just started psychology at Newcastle and could of chosen from quite a few others, but preferred Newcastle

They are both great unis but very different in feel.

Ds was adamant he didn't want a campus uni until he visited Nottingham and then was determined to go there. He's just going into his third year (not Psychology though). The big draw for him was the sport which is fab.

Newcastle is a fantastic city, great culture, friendly people, great uni.

Just a heads up about Newcastle, whatever grades they are listing in prospectuses, they are letting in far lower, bcc on courses stating AAB to my first hand knowledge, it will affect the calibre of students - it was being advised as an insurance place by DD's school because they take anyone. Friends dd is doing psychology at Nottingham and loves it, another friends daughter is doing psychology at Loughborough but that is a strange university experience, loughborough isn't very exciting!

Birmingham? Attractive campus (well, to our lot, anyway- DS1 graduated in 2018 and DD moves in next weekend). Two stops from the city centre from it's own railway station and plentiful post-first year accommodation within walking distance.

www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/psychology/psychology-practice.aspx

He’s been to the Birmingham open day - liked the department, not as keen on the city ( which surprised me).

Loughborough and Lancaster both high in league tables for psychology but towns not lively enough for him. He’s not a big party animal but wants a city with ‘energy’ ( his words) and a thriving food scene ( he’s a very keen cook).

Bristol? From the 'city' aspect. Unless I'm missing something, though, neither the BSc nor the MSci offer any placements.
www.bris.ac.uk/unit-programme-catalogue/RouteStructure.jsa?byCohort=N&ayrCode=20%2F21&programmeCode=7PSYC012U

Found it...
www.bris.ac.uk/unit-programme-catalogue/UnitDetails.jsa?ayrCode=20%2F21&unitCode=PSYCM0043

He will put Bristol down as one of the 5 I think.

Bristol mSci is a good option I believe.

MarchingFrogs that apprenticeship looks interesting - different from placements he has looked at already I think.

What about Bath? Very highly rated and his has excellent grades.

I’ve got a feeling they ask for Biology A level but not sure? Also v near where we live. Have tried to persuade DS to look as it’s v highly regarded but he’s not keen at the moment...

What about Bath? 2nd in tables

Leeds ...... went to open day last weekend, university great, fab campus!

Department awesome too ... definitely in the mix for my eldest xx

I know both places. Newcastle. Amazing place. But I am biased.

I know of someone who didn’t get into Psychology at Newcastle - they were very strict with one missed grade which is in contrast to a pp who I think was speaking about it ‘in general’.

It’s difficult when departments give a brilliant lecture to throw them off their gut feeling though. We had that at Warwick but Dd reasoned one lecture was a limited sample and still did not make up for the lack of bustling city atmosphere and facilities Newcastle had. In contrast I fell asleep and started snoring (Dd was horrified) in a very boring sample lecture at another university (not Nottingham) at an open day - we had got up at 5.00am and it was absolutely boiling and steamy (pouring outside) in my defence. It was in a packed hall with a lecturer who had a monotone voice just reading directly off a PowerPoint. That put Dd right off that Uni department. Or was it the embarrassment of nudging her mum?!

In reality he is in a great position. If he really, really can’t decide from those 2 places, write the towns names on pieces of paper. Hide them in different hands and get him to chose, saying this is final. You are going to put this one first, no ifs or buts. When he picks one - ask him how he feels and how he feels about letting the other go. I can’t do this with my Dds now as I have done it too often, but is usually reveals the gut reaction.

I think it important that he goes to the offer holders days. DD is going to Newcastle, and the offer holders day simply confirmed that she had made the right choice.

I think it important that he goes to the offer holders days I'd concur with this. DS2 applied post A levels and was dead set on a particular Uni, and a bit meh about where he is actually now going. The offer holder days gave him a completely different perspective.

City wise can't really go wrong with Nottingham or Newcastle - although maybe he needs to go and experience a proper night out in the Bigg Market to make a fully informed choice. :) Nottingham is of course a campus university, but now with a direct 10/15 minute tram link into the city centre.