Where do your DC go to uni, and what are their thoughts?

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I have a Year 12 DS starting to look ahead to the university open days he would like to attend this summer. He is keen to pick a uni with a decent academic reputation (though probably not Oxbridge etc standard) in a city which he really likes. I was hoping to gather some opinions for him to consider on the unis which your DC attend and the cities they are in?

He's vaguely considering Bristol, Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Cardiff so far but frankly insider feedback/info on any uni would be helpful as he/we are a little clueless

Look at the courses! Then look at locations. Course content matters more than the place or whether our dc liked it on a different course

Oh and typo. Many of those who say London is too expensive, often don't seem to have DC there.

Imperial, UCL and LSE guarantee first year accomodation. Imperial and UCL can be very generous with bursaries. Public transport is excellent. And lots of scope for interesting and well paid part time jobs for those who want to work.

And some very interesting and internationally recognised courses.

The cost of accomodation in Bristol has risen sharply, especially since they increased landlord registration requirements last September. Our experience has been that there is little difference in cost between London and Bristol.

Yes, but Bristol is too expensive for us as well, Needs! Midlands for the win!

Just to balance things on Bristol my 3 are there or went there all found intellectual spark. My son is always calling me up to discuss the very interesting stuff he is doing on his course. It may just be bad luck if people don't end up with friends or coursemates at any university who don't give them intellectual spark I suppose.

And today is a day to congratulate the Bristol police force. My son's house was burgled over the holiday. Not only did a neighbour spot the thief in action but the police arrived, saw the alleged burglar who lied and said he lived inthe block, followed him and then the burglar ran off but leaving the whole bag of stolen items which was things like x box console, games and the boys have it all back now. The police man said the only reason he could not also catch the burglar who ran off was because he had flu ! (and we certainly don't hold that against him.

You have a point Millicent.

Bristol has some lovely restaurants and lots to do, but it helps to have money. Some DC there seem to spend an awful lot. Public transport is not great and train fares seem surprisingly expensive - there are rarely bargains.

Leeds, Leeds, Leeds. No other words needed.

That will be the case anywhere - some students are bette roff than others at most places. It gives people a chance to see how different people are and mixing with those worse and better off is part of the university and life experience whether that leads you to a vow of poverty and a life long career as a monk or makes you want to earn the filthy lucre in the City or the operating table because you realise just how much some people's parents are able to earn.

Bristol for my twins and their older sister was a really good experience (the twins graduate in the summer). All 3 of them are very positive people so that might be part of the reason but they all enjoy/enjoyed it - both the place, course, friends they made and the overall package. They have lots of friends who work part time jobs for extra cash which can be easier to do in better off towns like Bristol than in impoverished places too so it isn't necessarily a bad place if you are very badly off either.

Dd was at Exeter and Ds final year at Kent Canterbury campus. They both love(d) it but aren't massive party animals.

My top tip is to go to visit the places that appeal after course descriptions (although modules can change), try to visit places that reflect a range in terms of offers, and maybe a range of campus v city. Places can surprise you when you go and get a feel of the place. You (usually) get the chance to attend departments and sometimes sample lectures etc., check out the facilities, accommodation and city. Helps if it's good weather! Don't forget there are usually open days in September as well.

Some unis do have eye wateringly expensive accommodation and it isn't always even all that lovely. NTU (on campus) and Oxford Brookes are very pricy.

dd is at Bristol and loves it.

DD doing classics and theology at Glasgow. She loves it. Has made loads of friends and has a great social life.
First years guaranteed halls - hers cost about £4500 for the year and are the cheapest(not catered), but nice flat - 5 of them sharing.
She started at 17 and although I was nervous at first, she’s really flourished.

My eldest also at Bristol, first year. She absolutely loves it but she is a party girl. I get the impression some halls are more party oriented than others and she picked hers with that in mind.
Loves the city, loves her course and seems to have quite good support (she has ADHD).
From her school peer group it seems the university everyone slightly wishes they’d gone to is Leeds.
Obviously horses for courses though.....

Manchester and loves it. 'Bit stabby, though', he says.

The trains home never, ever make their connections. I think that's a reflection on where we live, though, not on Manchester.

DD loving Manchester and doing English. She wants to stay in the city after her degree. I think about 20% of Manchester students are from somewhere nearby and commute from home. In her uni flat of 8, all but 1 are from London. You will start to narrow down your choices when you focus on the course you want.

My dd did a masters in 2018 at Sheffield ( not Hallam). It's one of the best unis and Sheffield is a brilliant city to live in.
Very friendly, good mix of people.
My db went to Manchester mmyears ago, also a good uni and Manchester is a nice city and there's a lot of night life.

*many years

My ds is his second year at Warwick. Not great if you want to go clubbing - need to get the bus to Coventry or Leamington or Birmingham.
Sports facilities are very good - recently expanded.
Train from Coventry to London is a pretty decent connection.
Ds is not a drinker so Warwick suits him.
We live in China (city with a population of 8 million) and prefers being able to get out and go to a country pub rather than clubbing.

NTU (on campus) and Oxford Brookes are very pricy.

My eldest is at Brookes and is in very cheap university accommodation. It's a bit grotty: pretty similar to the halls I lived in in London 30+ years ago. But she chose to give up a flashier place to pay £60-odd a week less in rent so she can use that money for something more interesting. All of the accommodation becomes fairly grubby and damaged as soon as there are students living in it (all the kitchens I've seen at open days have borne no resemblance to ones I've seen in term-time). You have no control over the fact that half of your fellow students will be pigs.

I went to Cardiff and it was great. It's even better now with all the regeneration that has gone on since the 90s. Loads to do, and yes lots of students from other parts of the UK, not just Wales.

I also spent a year studying in York and am somewhat flummoxed by the idea that the nightlife there is "quiet". Anyway, Leeds is just down the road.

DS has done a couple of residential athletics camps in Leeds and it was a complete revelation to me as I'd not been since the 90s. It is a very interesting and lively city. I really like it. So does he but he's a bit worried about the cold, being a soft southerner :)

My mum is from Liverpool and I love it.

Cardiff, Leeds and Liverpool all have the advantage of having more than one university, so you could eg apply to both Leeds Uni and Leeds Beckett to hold an "easier" offer.

Exeter is a pleasant city but it doesn't really do anything for me as a student city. I would love to live there now but I'm not a late teen/early 20 something.

I liked Bristol and Manchester when I visited friends studying there as a student and again there are lots of options for variable levels of offers.

DS is considering Leeds, Cardiff, Warwick and Leicester.

DS is at Liverpool and loves it. Has made loads of friends from all 3 uni's and likes the fact that the city has loads going on.

I feel like I need to go back to Sheffield. We went to the open day in September and were around the science buildings and student union. When we were walking to and from the place we'd parked, it seemed quite rough? Lots of rough looking flats, run down shops etc. And it was quite a bus ride to the (very nice, granted) accommodation they showed us.

Did we need to walk into the city centre? We came away feeling like she wouldn't be safe there, but everyone I speak to, and from what I've read on MN it's really highly thought of.

That's odd toby as all the accommodation we saw at Brookes (including the grotty ones!) was far in excess of everywhere else we looked, apart from NTU . I guess expensive is relative but at some unis they had really smart accommodation for way less.

But, yes,, the 'nice' stuff at Brookes is the staff I meant was eye watering! It actually made me dissuade DS from applying.

berlin , I often suspect people who say that about York have never been there! Or if they have they did not see the Micklegate Run!!

That's odd toby as all the accommodation we saw at Brookes (including the grotty ones!) was far in excess of everywhere else we looked

The cheapest accommodation at Brookes is £88 a week. There are nicer options for about £115 a week. Similar to Keele or Hull, for example (both of which claim to be the cheapest place to live). The private halls are stupendously expensive, though, and the rooms aren't even particularly good, although the communal facilities are.

Hmm... maybe we just wrote off the cheap stuff as he was bit horrified. But the stuff nearest the lecture theatres was expensive.

Hull definitely is really cheap : and actually they were doing offers last year . Their accommodation is also really really lovely for the price. Really lovely full stop actually.

Nothing against OBU at all : I liked it. It pissed it down with rain the day we visited and that does influence views.

Worst accommodation I saw by a long chalk was Ziggurats at UEA.