Leeds or Loughborough for Design?

[Divoc2020]

(Namechange to protect the innocent!)

DS has to confirm his offers and can't decide on his first choice between Loughborough and Leeds for a design subject.
Both are the same offer. He likes both the courses.
Current thinking is:

Pros/Cons:

Leeds:

• Good reputation/Russell Group
  
• Bigger university/ more extra curricular (he's into performing arts)
  

• He didn't manage to get to an open day before lockdown, so hasn't actually seen the campus
• It's 300 miles from home

+ It's only an hour from where his brother is at uni

• The uni have been a bit rubbish at communication since covid - no emails reassuring prospective students or anything

Loughborough
+ top reputation for his subject & excellent employment prospects
+ Less than 2 hours from home
+ he liked the tutor he met

• he was put off by the sporty reputation
• is worried there won't be much to do by way of theatre/arts societies (or at least not as many as Leeds)

The distance from home is important (I think) as he has some mild learning difficulties and I think it would be useful for him to be able to escape home for the odd weekend, if necessary (although seeing his brother would also perhaps help)
I feel the smaller environment of Loughborough might be better for him, but I share his concern that it might be over-focused on sport, rather than the arts for extra curricular.
I worry that Leeds will overwhelm him a bit (tends to shut down in huge social situations) and everything I've heard is that Leeds has a reputation for being a 'party uni'?

His offers are for 2021 as he has deferred for a year, so I guess whatever he decides he could revisit unis after his results and reapply next year if he changes his mind.

Any advice/ thoughts/ experiences?

[BrigitsBigKnickers]

Yes she made lots of friends who were not that into sport- she was more into dance so attended lots of the classes for that and took part in shows and competitions. I believe there are lots of other societies which are non spelt related.

[Divoc2020]

That's good to know, Brigit. Did your DD find other like-minded 'less-sporty' friends?

DS really doesn't get on with the loud, rugby-playing party crowd at school and I think he's worried that ALL of Loughborough will be like them!

[BrigitsBigKnickers]

My DD did product design at Loughborough. It is by far and away one of, if not the best design school in the country. Amazing facilities and huge interest in graduates from industry. DD walked into an amazing job a few months after graduating and most of her friends on her course found employment in the industry relatively easily.

She had a brilliant four years there ( third year was in industry) Loughborough is a bit of an odd town but it's near to other larger cities like Leicester and Nottingham. she thought the social life there was really good and the accommodation she had was really nice too. It has a reputation for being a sporty place. DD wasn't particularly sporty but found lots of other societies that interested her.

[pumpkinpie01]

My dd18 is at a uni in Leeds and there is a big party culture there but if he stays in halls with like minded people I'm sure that could be avoided if he wanted to. Leeds as a city is lovely I think I really enjoy visiting. I have no experience of Loughborough although I imagine it's a lot smaller.