What are Leeds, York, Notts, Newcastle & Birmingham Universities and cities like? No open days = no clue!

[Notdonna]

DD yr12 and all open days cancelled. We haven’t done much UK travel and don’t know the cities at all that DD has on her list. So if anyone has an insight to Birmingham, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Nottingham - the cities and their unis it’d be very much appreciated. Huge thanks!

[BackforGood]

at Piggy's dh

[Piggywaspushed]

Bless him, he has just insisted I point out that Birmingham is acceptable.

[NotDonna]

These are all fabulous insights! Thank you. Your summaries are great @Phphion - I’ll send her that! And thank you @MarchingFrogs for the Leeds open day link. My DD is on it! The campus v city debate is interesting but she’s not particularly fussed either way. Yet, I expect proximity will be relevant @piggywaspushed
Warwick is definitely not one of her options by the way. Although she’s intrinsically motivated, determined and doesn’t need hand holding, an aggressive culture wouldn’t suit her.
Someone mentioned being able to just rock up and meander around; obviously not into the buildings but around the site. Is that true of all the universities on her list? I can imagine that for Leeds looking at google maps but Notts & York? Or even Birmingham?

[NotDonna]

Piggy your DH.... Leeds football team? Weren’t they ok in the 70’s? Guessing he’d prefer Manchester?

[mumsneedwine]

You can wander round the campus at Nottingham. Walk down to the Meadows to see the halls or residence and sports centre. It's a lovely walk round the lake.

[BackforGood]

I've not walked / ridden past in the last couple of weeks, but Birmingham University had all gates shut and pathways blocked off, with all entrances taped off during March to May. No staff were allowed on site even.
Can't speak for anywhere else but I wouldn't assume anything at the moment.

[Decorhate]

We went to Bath a few weeks ago to clear out Ds’ room & whilst there were no restrictions on walking around while we were there I think security would have stopped us going in if we hadn’t had paperwork. So I wouldn’t make any trips without checking first.

[Piggywaspushed]

He played for Leeds Uni, not actual Leeds! Not that good! He ended up playing for Bristol Rovers and Newport County so was actually good. Very boring though when going anywhere as he always goes 'played there'

[MrsPworkingmummy]

Newcastle is the kind of city that once you've visited it, you'll never want to leave. Stunning architecture, lots of history, great shopping, infectious atmosphere, culture coming out of your ears...and a bloody good uni to boot. Everything uni related is in walking distance. Safe and friendly.

[Newgirls]

I don’t think you could wander around Birmingham campus but you could explore the city to get a vibe.

[SabrinaThwaite]

I’m a Birmingham alumna and loved my three years there. My department was in the Aston Webb building, very red brick. Student accommodation was on The Vale, an easy walk to the uni buildings, most 2nd and 3rd years lived out in Selly Oak, Moseley, Bearwood, Kings Heath etc. Buses were really good, although I cycled everywhere to save money. We would venture into town but lots of social life stuff centred around the hall bars and The Guild, and the Selly Oak pubs and local curry houses.

DS has two friends currently studying economics at Lancaster, both very much enjoying both the course and the setting.

[DoAsDreamersDo]

For those asking about film production at Leeds Beckett - it’s based at the city campus. I think it’ll be moving into the new Arts Building next year.

[cologne4711]

Newcastle is the kind of city that once you've visited it, you'll never want to leave

I would say this about Liverpool, too.

[MarchingFrogs]

In normal circumstances, the campus at Birmingham is accessible (during daylight hours, at least) - you can do a self-guided tour, the Barber Institute (art gallery and the Lapworth Museum of Geology are open to the public and I'm sure the pupils from the KE schools who use University station don't all walk the long way round to and from school.
There are several halls of residence just off campus which are actually closer to some of the teaching areas than the Vale; DS1 was in Jarratt Hall on Dale Road and DD has 'just' vacated her room at Battery Park on Bristol Road next to the canal - both part of the 'Selly Oak Village' of the a accommodation. There are also the Pritchatts Park residences.

[SabrinaThwaite]

I was at UoB a long time ago so I’m not surprised there’s more accommodation closer to the uni buildings. Much of The Vale looks like it’s been completely rebuilt - only Maple Bank seems to have survived relatively unchanged (and maybe the Tennis Courts?).

[NotDonna]

DDs friend has told her that Birmingham is ‘very dodgy’ especially near the university & University accomadation and her mother won’t allow her to apply. I’m a tadge surprised that Birmingham Uni area is any ‘dodgier’ than other university cities. Is this just an over worried mother?

[MarchingFrogs]

www.adt.co.uk/crime-in-my-area

Total crimes in chosen postcode area, past 12 months:

a) 4616

b) 3623

One of these is the postcode for a street where there are lots of student lets, very close to the University of Birmingham campus. The other is for the postcode for Balliol College, Oxford. (Hint - not in that order).

So which universities will Mummy let her DD contemplate?

[NotMeNoNo]

Whenever I hear on MN that some place is too dangerous or awful to live (London, Bimingham, Derby etc) I think what about the millions of people/students who make their lives there absolutely fine every day? How did they not notice they were being mugged left right and centre? Why aren't they leaving in hordes? Maybe try thestudentroom for comments on actual universities. Birmingham is a completely liveable city these days.

[MarchingFrogs]

Okay, that is annoying. I am pretty sure that the last communication from York said virtual open days 266th and 27th June, but DS2 just checked and firstly, they are 4th to 6th July and secondly, now fully booked...

[MarchingFrogs]

4th, 6th 8th apparently (not that it makes any difference now!).

[MillyMolly123]

@ShaunaTheSheep

DS is hoping to go to Leeds in September. Once he’d established the course suited, his choice came down to the place he could see himself living. The uni is a small campus right on the edge of the city centre, best of both worlds. Plenty going on in both the uni and the city, accessible on foot or bike, cost of living and accommmodation not too expensive, decent train links home.

I don’t know the other cities, but a friend’s DC has loved being at Newcastle.

Im really surprised to hear the UoL main campus being described as small!

I worked there for over 16 years and still got lost on occasion. I would dread every September when campus was rife with lots of lost new people asking for directions (which I couldn’t give them, as I just didn’t know where everything was - it would be impossible to)

Are you thinking of Leeds Beckett, perhaps. Size wise, Leeds Beckett main campus is far smaller. They’re geographically very close to each other, so are often confused.

[Piggywaspushed]

Years and years ago my DM put her foot down about me applying to Birmingham.

She was a social worker and we lived in Glasgow...

I really am not sure why I listened to her! She is also American, From New York. And she let me apply to Manchester!

[SabrinaThwaite]

I was put off Manchester by some of the stories told by the students showing us round on Open Day - especially the ones about being mugged in the halls stairwells. I went to Birmingham where the biggest scandal was the posh brothel at the end of our road.

[NotDonna]

Oh piggy that’s hilarious!!! I’m not putting my foot down about anything. I’m trying very very hard to gather info in a non biased fashion and send her it, without being selective. She will of course listen to friends who have been influenced by their mothers. I’ve therefore sent her your stats. 😉

[RedHelenB]

One at Newcastle, one at Liverpool, both very happy.

I think it depends on what sort of an experience they want. Both Liverpool and Newcastle uni buildings are in the city centre
Some accommodation is, some isnt. But the 2nd year housing is in mainly in the nice parts of the city
We went to Nottingham but it isnt walkable to the city centre and felt claustrophobic despite being a large area. Dd2 said it felt like being at a big college. Neither liked the idea of waking up and then walking 3 mins to the lecture hall but that's perfect made for some kids.

I would visit though ,get a feel of the city vs campus.