Leeds or Sheffield University? Anyone with experience of either city called upon!

[cryinglightning]

DD is totally torn between the two. Has plenty of time to decide but wants to get decision made ASAP. She was fairly set on Sheffield for a long time but now is very unsure. Her course is Psychology.

Key points:

• Leeds ranks better overall but Sheffield is higher for Psychology
  
• work placements are available at both
  
• Sheffield offer is a relatively secure AAB and Leeds is AAA so more ambitious (although she is on track to achieve it)
  
• nightlife would seem to be better in Leeds although still good in Sheffield, but she worries Sheffield may be a bit dull (she is a quite a ‘party girl’ and loves going out)
  
• Sheffield is the smaller city so may be more manageable than Leeds and cheaper (happy to be corrected on this)
  
• she is very into gigs and indie music; Leeds’ music scene is better but Sheffield’s is still good and may have more of an ‘indie vibe’? (again may be talking rubbish)
  
• she loves rock climbing which is obviously more freely available in Sheffield
  

Insurance choice most likely Liverpool. She also has an offer From Cardiff but prefers Sheffield and Leeds.

DD is tying herself up in knots! Anyone with ANY experience of eithe uni or city who could lend insight would be really helpful, particularly anyone who can compare the two thanks for reading!

[MrsGrindah]

Exactly..best of both worlds!

[MarchingFrogs]

My experience is restricted to work visits to Sheffield and more recently a couple of open day visits to Leeds with DD and DS2. But for what it's worth...Fell in love with the Kelham Island museum in Sheffield, where we were taken for a 'do' at the end of the first day of the course (may be a bit of a niche interest) and found no trouble negotiating the tram system on my second visit, so Sheffield a 'win'. Leeds - city centre and university campus - we all three fell in love with at first sight. And yours truly a Lancastrian, if only by accident of birth. Would have loved DD to go there (so would she, I think, since a few of her friends are now there), but she chose Birmingham.

[PandaG]

I came to Sheffield as a student in 1990, still live here now. My student age kids very happy with the current nightlife, is easy to get around, and of course so close to peaks for climbing but also several indoor walls.

[user1471453601]

I haven't been to uni in either city, but have worked in both, for extended periods of time.

For me, Sheffield wins, hands down. It's not small, it's compact. It's a bit like the difference between Liverpool and Manchester. Manchester is bigger, like Leeds, but Liverpool is easier to get around (liverpool has a better football team too, but that's not an issue for you), just like Sheffield.

And my friend has some v good student accommodation in the city😀

[Marmie4]

DS currently at Sheffield, nightlife is apparently good, loads of varied things to do, uni has a really nice feel to it, very inclusive. Uni accommodation for first years is great and Broomhill where it is situated is really nice. DS is on science course and on visting the department was completely sold on the passion from both scientists and students. Best to visit both though as Leeds is a great uni too.

[cryinglightning]

Thank you so much everyone - really helpful. Does anyone have any input on academic differences between the two? Sheffield ranks 33rd in the UK overall compared with Leeds which is 14th, but Sheffield is 22nd for Psychology whereas Leeds is 32nd. They're both Russell Group. DD not massively bothered about prestige (it is just something to consider) but would Leeds be a significantly better institution overall as a result? Or is it better to choose a uni based on course ranking? I'm inclined to think they would be much of a muchness academically.

[Decorhate]

I agree that overall they are probably on a par in terms of academic reputation. Dd is at Leeds & whilst there are lots of clubs there, in terms of live music she thinks more bands play Sheffield & give Leeds a miss as it is close by.

[Dozer]

Leeds is better IMO. Very “manageable”, small city. Great shops and nightlife.

Rock climbing places not far outside Leeds too.

Sheffield a great place too!

[Dozer]

Probably more jobs in Leeds if she’s planning to seek PT or holiday work.

[cryinglightning]

@Decorhate good to know - DD definitely more of a gigger than a clubber. She is frankly far more concerned about having fun than about rankings!

[ArkAtEee]

I studied in Sheffield and loved it, though it was back in the 90's. Went back recently and had a great time. As mentioned, rail links between the two towns are good and it was easy to go to Leeds for gigs etc although there were loads in Sheffield too.

[Tortoiser]

Leeds uni and city aren’t vast!
Great city, great student areas, great nightlife, great uni. What’s not to love!
Can’t comment on Psychology.
Sheffield was on my list, but after visiting both I just preferred Leeds.
So I think your daughter does need to go and visit /spend time in both places.

[cryinglightning]

@Tortoiser good to know. What appealed to you more about Leeds by comparison to Sheffield?

[Tortoiser]

I preferred the actual uni layout / buildings. Plus location - between Headingley (where my preferred accommodation was) and the city centre.
Both the uni and city were big, but not overwhelmingly so.
Plus I much preferred the uni bar at Leeds - and obviously this is very, very important!!

[Mandatorymongoose]

DD was on a similar position last year (different course). She is now happily studying in Sheffield. She actually worked in Leeds for a while before university and has friends that go to university there so she knows both cities well but she preferred Sheffield overall. We live between them so she will pop home and she does still go to Leeds (and over to Manchester which is also very easy to get to by train) for the odd gig or night out but there are definitely plenty of nights out / gigs in Sheffield too!
Her accommodation is nice and she's just arranged her house share for next year which is in a good area and easily walkable from both universities. The transport around Sheffield is good and most importantly she's happy there.
That said! Her friends in Leeds enjoy Leeds, they seem to be further away from university but there's lots to do in Leeds and it's got loads of students so plenty going on there too.

[Ginfordinner]

I can tell that there are a lot of Londoners here. They make Leeds and Sheffield sound more like villages . They aren't. They are both sizeable cities with lots going on. IMO Leeds is a little more sophisticated and has more of a buzz about it. This is from an older adult's point of view rather than as a student. I can't comment on the nightlife as I don't "do" nightlife, and DD hates clubbing. There are loads of venues for gigs in both cities, but DD finds that the bands she likes tend to favour Leeds over Sheffield - she likes indie bands and pop punk.

Sheffield supertram is brilliant for getting around, but both cities have loads of buses. Trains between both cities and London are frequent, as are Megabus.

I think the best way to decide would to go to both offer holder days.

[YourOpinionIsNoted]

Has she been to the uni open days? I visited both when I was applying and just got a better feel for Leeds. The Sheffield open day just seemed a bit chaotic and poorly organised, the Leeds one was easy and friendly and just worked better. That pretty much made my decision for me. (This was 15+ years ago, so not saying it would be the same now!)

When I was at Leeds it had a well earned reputation for being full of London 'rahs' - posh rich kids slumming it in the north but still able to shop in Harvey Nichols and catch a train back to London in less than two hours. If your DD is more of the classic indie type then maybe Sheffield would suit better? Since cockpit and the faversham shut down I think there's been a real loss of that kind of scene.

[Marmie4]

With regards to open days we had the opposite to the above, Sheffield was so well organized, whereas Leeds was to be honest a bit poor, we couldn't get round the accommodation properly and the department was underwhelmng. Suppose it depends on department to department. Open days are really invaluable, it's like buying a house, it makes you see the best fit for you, its also worth looking at scholarships as I think both offer some great opportunities.

[minesagin37]

Don't forget Leeds has 'The Brudenell'. Arguably one of the best live gig venues in the country!

[lavenderhidcote]

My DS is deliberating on this choice as well. Think he is slightly edging towards Sheffield but he did love both on Open Days. We are going to do some day trips shortly.

[VivaLeBeaver]

If she loves climbing then Sheffield for sure. The lure of having Stanage up the road would sell it for me. Better indoor walls as well.

I used to live and work in Sheffield. It's a big city with 2 big universities so from a going out and partying scene there is a lot going on. Massive music scene. Maybe smaller stuff than Leeds? But loads of gigs. There's a massive stadium. And the Leadmill.

I used to lecture at Sheffield (not psychology). The students seemed happy with student life.

I don't know Leeds so can't compare either from a city point of view or a university. But it's not far from Sheffield if there was a specific gig she wanted to go to. I would favour a higher rated course over a higher rated uni. And Sheffield has a Paternoster lift! :)

[MarchingFrogs]

And Sheffield has a Paternoster lift!

Learning to use a Paternoster lift is a life skill to be proud of (though, sadly, of ever decreasing use in this country).

On the other hand, having a morbid fear of a Paternoster lift in the first place is a jolly good way of losing weight, if you happen to have classes in the upper reaches of a building served by one.

[MaJoady]

You've had plenty of comments about each city OP, and I can only echo other opinions in those.

But wet rankings you need to understand which factors are considered and what weighting they are given. Different league tables focus of different things, ie some give postgraduate research a heavy weight, whilst others are more concerned with employability of graduates. What I would recommend is looking closely at course details. Does one offer more optional courses than the other? Contact time? Size of classes? Which course sounds most interesting?

[Mindgone]

DS1 went to Leeds uni and absolutely loved it.
I think she needs to go to offer days for both unis and see which one feels right. There is no wrong decision, she’ll get a very well respected degree and have a great time whichever she chooses. Good luck

[Piggywaspushed]

I am rather confused : Sheffield is a larger city than Leeds...