Exeter University - Any insight, good or bad, tips, accomodation etc

[Baaaahhhhh]

Inspired by another thread for Year 12's unable to go to open days. Perhaps we can set up different threads for different uni's?

So, MN's, what are your DC's experience of Exeter main campus, and have you any wise words of wisdom, or just useful tips for accomodation etc.

Also is there anyone at all who has studied at the Falmouth campus?

Holland Hall was full of entitled rich kids who dumped their belongings in a skip at the end of term in my DS's experience. Of course, not all of them, but that was the very unpleasant impression I got.

Exeter main campus is mostly lovely but more and more green space being built on, so not as lovely as it used to be!

I’m amazed any skip was big enough for every single student to dump things in that hall. Good old class divisions raises its head immediately!

Being sensible: it’s well thought of, it’s got a great reputation and students love it. Anyone can go there. Falmouth is a bit remote. A different experience due to that.

Falmouth, is that the Penryn Campus? DD is looking at that too. I’ll park myself here if you don’t mind, see what people have to say

My son is going into 3rd Year at Exeter for medicine and has been very happy with everything. The city is very walkable and is a good size.

He is based at St Lukes but I think New Lafrowda is popular accommodation choice at the main campus.

Look at the grades required for the Cornwall campus. If they are lower and less competitive, employers know this. Yes, it’s Exeter but not necessarily as well respected.

My daughter is very happy there and has just finished her second year. It was always one of her top two choices (the other being Birmingham) and she fell in love with it on an offer holder's open day in February when it was unseasonably sunny and warm (in our first visit the previous July it has poured with rain the whole day)!

She loves the area and the proximity to the sea. Very easy to get to places like Exmouth, Dawlish and Teignmouth by train. It is a big enough city for her (we live in a small town) but I imagine those who are used to living in eg London or Birmingham might find it a bit dull in comparison.

She was lucky I think with her accommodation last year which was not one of her choices but it provided exactly what she wanted. Self catered accommodation on the main campus, with six students sharing a good sized kitchen/communal area, in a block of 6 flats (so 36 in her block).

I know someone who started last year who was very unlucky. She was one of a group of 6 freshers put in accommodation mainly consisting of post graduates in studio flats who kept themselves to themselves. It wasn't on campus either, and she felt quite isolated. A number of the 6 were unhappy and I think three of them left, including my friend's daughter. She loved the course though and everything else about Exeter and is looking forward to a fresh start in September, having been guaranteed a place on campus this time.

Hills.

Lots of them.

Attractive city and main campus (I'm sure the others are, too, but we only visited Streatham), walking distance from stations and the centre for high st shops. Outdoor pool on site (at least, there was in 2018). The wonderfully quirky Bill Douglas Cinema Museum. The B&B we stayed at on St David's Hill is to be recommended, assuming that it will have survived the past three months.

But hills...

(And yes, I had been to Exeter before, but never to the university. DH's rels obviously lived in a relatively flat bit. Even though it was on a hill).

The outdoor pool is definitely still there!

DD has just finished her first year there. I've asked her to look at this thread, and to add stuff if she has anything more to say.

Thank you so far - I should perhaps add we are looking at History.

@baaaahhhhh

DD 3rd Year History at Exeter Penryn. I'll DM you (not because I'm going to slag it off; it's fab!)

It was on the list for most of my 5 children (3 went to Bristol instead) and top for my older son although he didn't make the grades and went to Reading instead. Exeter is a good university. It's a bit far away for some people but that's not really a big issue.

If they are lower and less competitive, employers know this.

How would they know - no one puts the specific campus on their CV and the degree certificate doesn't have campus on it.

Yeah, it's hilly (why is the medical centre at the very top of Forum hill????) - fine for the young 'uns, not so good for us old unfit fatties

Holland and Penny C popular amongst the well off, the former full of ex-boarders. La Frow (self catered) and Lopes (catered) in good locations on campus - can avoid cardiac hill.... Town is within walking distance, small town centre but a few clubs. Good beaches and countryside nearby.

Sciency dd has absolutely loved every second though.

@My0My I think your appraisal of the Falmouth campus is fair fir subjects like English which are offered at the main exeter campus too. But Falmouth is also a specialist art school, so really comparable.

My son got put off for English because the old English was done in translation and he wanted to do it 'properly'. Went elsewhere instead. The offers are quite high but digging down on the open day one parent asked if there was wriggle room and it became apparent there was. Although the standards offer was A*AA it seemed people got in on three As or less. So high offer high status can be a red herring.

DD will be starting at Exeter in the autumn, on the 4 year history with study abroad course.
She chose Exeter over Durham (is on gap year so had unconditional offers from both) and has “met” a number of other students via the FB holders page for both unis who are doing the same.
We went to the offer holders day in February and were impressed by the uni, the campus and the staff we met.
Like all courses and universities it’s really important to choose the one that’s right for you.
DD visited both unis and has chosen the one that she preferred.

I read English at Exeter and bloody loved it.

My eldest went for a look, but it wasn't for him. He wanted a livelier city vibe - so went for Nottingham.

DD is looking at Exeter and HH because she would prefer not to cook. I have seen moomi post about students dumping stuff before so I investigated because it concerned me. Apparently charity shops in Exeter will only take smaller items because they get overwhelmed with donations at the end of the academic year. They specifically won't take duvets and pillows and other larger items so these have to be put in a skip. It does seem wasteful but apparently for overseas students dumping is the norm.

Like many others DD is undecided between Durham and Exeter as first choice, but I suspect it will be Exeter as it's more her vibe. Huge numbers went from DS1's school and they all love it.

I studied at Exeter main campus and Falmouth/Penryn. I have to disagree with the appraisal of the Cornwall campus. I found Falmouth Arty, vibrant and a brilliant place to live: it is small and at the end of the country but a fantastic place. I have also lived in Brighton and Sheffield and Falmouth has a similar vibe. Exeter is pretty but I thought pretty dull! It also felt although there was a subculture of very posh public school types that wasn't my thing. They weren't unpleasant but it just was quite alien to me. I would definitely consider the Cornwall campus

I went to Exeter. It is amazing! My accommodation has been demolished now- was pretty grim when I was there. They have quite a lot of halls with shared rooms which I wouldn't have liked personally so worth taking that into consideration when looking at choices. It's a lovely place to study though

My DD has lots of friends who went to Exeter together. I think that’s also a bit odd. People seem to go there to continue school friendships. It’s a university safety blanket for some and I haven’t noticed other universities attract this in the same way. DD was privately educated but other friends from the local grammar did exactly the same.

I think Durham has a better academic reputation than Exeter in some respects. If remains a top choice after Oxbridge. Vibe is one thing, getting a job is another. That depends on subject of course.

Falmouth was set up to ensure Cornwall had a university. It might be like Brighton and Sheffield (? I know Sheffield) but I still think it’s not the same as Exeter itself and feels remote. Yes, it’s a bit “alternative” but that’s not necessarily the undergrad experience students want. It might depend what they want to do after university as well.

DS did History at Exeter. He loved the course. Accommodation is expensive though and there's a fair bit of competition for decent housing once out of halls. But that is true of many places.

@My0My

My DD has lots of friends who went to Exeter together. I think that’s also a bit odd. People seem to go there to continue school friendships. It’s a university safety blanket for some and I haven’t noticed other universities attract this in the same way. DD was privately educated but other friends from the local grammar did exactly the same.

I think Durham has a better academic reputation than Exeter in some respects. If remains a top choice after Oxbridge. Vibe is one thing, getting a job is another. That depends on subject of course.

Falmouth was set up to ensure Cornwall had a university. It might be like Brighton and Sheffield (? I know Sheffield) but I still think it’s not the same as Exeter itself and feels remote. Yes, it’s a bit “alternative” but that’s not necessarily the undergrad experience students want. It might depend what they want to do after university as well.

I think you're right. And actually it's something that put my older daughter off Durham. It seemed to be a place for people that really wanted to go to Oxbridge but didn't get in. I know that's very unfair as it's an excellent university, but it's the impression she got.

I guess many Russell Group universities have people whose first choice was Oxbridge, and Exeter is no different, but it is so unlike Oxbridge in style that I think people are more likely to choose it for itself than because it is like somewhere else.

On the point about friends going together, that sounds a very weird thing to want to do to me! Every year around 10 students from my daughters' school go to Exeter. However when my daughter went none of her particular friends were planning to go. She runs into others from school from time to time but she doesn't socialise with them.

One of the reasons she chose Exeter over Birmingham (they were originally joint favourites) was that one of her best friends and a number of those in her wider friendship group were going to Birmingham and she wanted somewhere that she could start afresh and make a separate set of friends.

It wasn't true for ds that loads of his friends went together. There were a few from his school year group who went, but not existing friendship groups and not on the same courses. Although it wouldn't be surprising or odd imo, that friends, who have similar interests are drawn to the same universities?