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Higher education

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

Original poster

Campus universities with beautiful old buildings

277 replies

Trewser · 25/09/2019 12:13

I know, i know. But dd2 is reluctant to go to any open days, and this is her (childish and silly i know) requirement. I thought if we could at least do ONE she will start to be more open minded!

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ZandathePanda · 27/09/2019 11:32

Sounds good. Durham and Leeds I remember do good combinations. Dd loved the old English Dept house at Leeds where all the professors met candidates for tea though if she doesn’t like Leeds, Durham sounds like a good choice.

Original poster
Trewser · 27/09/2019 11:35

i think she'd love Durham but not sure of grades. Anyway I guess we'll know more in a few months!

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wigglybeezer · 27/09/2019 14:28

I know my St Andrews suggestion earlier was largely passed over but it's top five for all the subjects you mentioned your DD is interested in. I don't have a lot of experience of unis in England and Wales but out of the Scottish unis I really think it would suit your DD better than the other Scottish suggestions like Glasgow or Stirling. The four year system is great for students who haven't quite made their mind up about what to concentrate on, she could do modules in all three subjects in first and second year, obviously there's an extra year of expenses to take into account.

TheStakeIsNotThePower · 27/09/2019 14:34

I picked Durham (castle) largely because it was a castle. There are worse ways to pick a university! It's not a campus university but the city is small so it is all close enough to walk. We still live in the county many years later. Not that I use my degree from Durham, I use the next one I did at a distinctly non picturesque former poly but hey ho, I had fun at Durham.

GoGoJo · 27/09/2019 15:41

I did English at Durham and loved it. College system was great. You are really looked after. Lovely campus. English is all taught in the city. I'd avoid Hatfield and castle if you aren't private school/loaded. We had much more fun on the hill!

English is not very popular at the moment so you might have more of a chance on people being flexible if she misses a grade or two.

ZandathePanda · 27/09/2019 15:46

At Newcastle she could do Eng Lit, Classics and Philosophy together.

Google ‘Newcastle University quadrangle’ and ‘Newcastle Grey Street’.

Gorgeous.
If she does go to Durham, she’ll end up in Newcastle at some point to shop/socialise.

Original poster
Trewser · 27/09/2019 16:20

She also has grade 8 drama exam and 8 in gcse drama, so maybe English and drama? Although she didn't want to do the A level.

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BubblesBuddy · 27/09/2019 16:21

Whilst I agree course content is important to some DC, it’s rare employers give much credence to whether you studied Jane Austin in depth or are dead keen on Emily Frost.

I feel for your dilemma Trewser. Sometimes we want better for our DC than we experienced job wise!

Assuming she is doing English Lit A level, what are her other two A levels? It’s very early days yet, but if AAB is possible, but not AAA, I do think Durham might be a stretch. I note you mention Classics. Is she willing to look at more university subjects beyond the school curriculum? Some will require lower entry grades at very good universities.

I definitely second doing as much as possible at university in terms of running societies and being active. Also definitely do work or work experience in the holidays or volunteer. DD1 volunteered with the National Trust during main holidays and it was invaluable. She moved on to more career focussed work placements but getting started with the cv is important.

Original poster
Trewser · 27/09/2019 16:25

Other two are Classical civ and RS. 9s in English and rs at gcse but a low 7 in classical civ.

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BubblesBuddy · 27/09/2019 16:25

The English course at Southampton (AAB) is interdisciplinary. Not the most attractive university but the course might suit. Lots of options where other interests can be pursued, eg Drama, Politics etc

BubblesBuddy · 27/09/2019 16:27

I feel it’s a shame she didn’t do the Drama as it’s great with English. CCiv seems a bit of a punt.

IrmaFayLear · 27/09/2019 16:28

Second (or even third!) the caution about Royal Holloway. Looks nice, but dn and ds's friend both reported that nearly everyone went home at weekends. In dn's flat she was the only one out of six sitting there like a lemon on a Friday evening so she started coming home (a long way) every weekend too.

Original poster
Trewser · 27/09/2019 16:29

I know i know its a long story, wasn't predicted a high grade, dept not great, only 1 other student doing it! Dithered and has gone with classical civ as she loves it. Could be a mistake...

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BubblesBuddy · 27/09/2019 16:58

Well if she loves CCiv and teaching improves, she could be ok. A bit early to judge I guess.

Outside the box, and just looking at Bristol: they have Anthropology with Innovation, Childhood Studies with Management, (or Innovation), English and Classical Studies, International Social and Public Policy, Liberal arts, Marketing, Social Policy with Management and several more. There could be something that interests her in these types of joint honours subjects.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/09/2019 17:01

The English course at Southampton (AAB) is interdisciplinary. Not the most attractive university but the course might suit.

Some of the campus is quite nice. (DDs favourite bit was the high energy electrical lab which is basically a large shed in which the then HoD cheerfully electrocuted a gherkin on the Open Day tour, but no need for English students to go near that! Grin)

I feel it’s a shame she didn’t do the Drama as it’s great with English
DDs observation of eng lit students at her uni is that many seem to do a lot of drama - inc summer Fringe shows etc. I don't know about this field but my guess is that while a subset of eng lit students end up in the generic graduate jobs market, there's another subset for whom it's more like an alternative to drama school.

Piggywaspushed · 27/09/2019 18:34

I'll just leave this here, trewser

www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings?s=english

Relatively speaking, some of the unis that are being touted as top unis (with lovely buildings) are not all that hot for English. Edinburgh springs to mind as being a case in point.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/09/2019 19:04

Depends which league table you most believe though

www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2019/english-language-literature

Piggywaspushed · 27/09/2019 19:39

Given that one includes US universities, how exactly is that worked out I wonder?

Tbh, lovely as it is, Edinburgh has never had the best reputation for English.

BubblesBuddy · 27/09/2019 19:44

No one would think Edinburgh wasn’t worth going to. Many employers of humanities subject grads look at university and far less at the nuances of the course. This is because the English course is largely irrelevant to the work grads do. Most employers like Edinburgh!

I do totally agree about Drama being important to many English students. Getting sustained work associated with this seems to be the problem! I was really wondering if the DD we are talking about might have had better chances of a higher than B grade third A level if she had done Drama. I wasn’t necessarily thinking that it helps with a career because I’m not sure it does if my DDs friends are anything to go by.

Piggywaspushed · 27/09/2019 19:44

While we are on the subject of lies, damned lies and statistics (and Edinburgh) it is 77th for English in the Guardian League Tables. Frankly, that's a bit laughable, but something is up!

Piggywaspushed · 27/09/2019 19:48

At the end of the day , most students who pursue an English degree do it because of love of subject. They aren't usually future wannabe fat cats. Why go somewhere with a low student satisfaction rate and a poorly organised course, when another very fine institution (or several!) offers a highly rated, enjoyable course, with a supportive academic staff and inspiring lecturers.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/09/2019 20:06

Given that one includes US universities, how exactly is that worked out I wonder?

That's from QS, the internationally recognised ranking organisation. You can filter by country easily but that doesn't get captured in the link. They use somewhat 'harder' metrics, not the dodgy 'student satisfaction' based on small samples type of thing ...

...The guardian league tables are pretty laughable in general, tbh.

Piggywaspushed · 27/09/2019 20:10

Yes, but they do use nebulous things like 'reputation' which pushes Edinburgh up. I am familiar with the Edinburgh English department and its work.

Anyway, that's a bit off topic as I am not sure it would suit OP's DD.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/09/2019 20:31

Yes, "reputation' is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy.

SirTobyBelch · 27/09/2019 21:02

The guardian league tables are pretty laughable in general, tbh.

Inasmuch that they are a bit more reflective of things that are important to undergraduate students, they tend to be scoffed at by research-focused academics. The Guardian league table is of equally dubious value to any other education league table when it comes to ranking, but it does include some measures that are worth looking at, even if only at the extremes.