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?

[My0My]

Lots of people north of Birmingham don’t look at London universities or Bristol and certainly not Exeter. It’s that many feel more comfortable close to home and don’t really want to meet people they think of as posh. It’s self limiting in my view.

History teaches great transferable skills and there are so many opportunities afterwards. Every humanity grad has to have something for the cv!!! But it’s rarely your love of the First World War or Ancient Greece that will get you into a career. It’s the other skills you learn and what else you have done to further your career.

It’s likely that in the next few years, the extras such as work experience, volunteering and doing more than the basics at university will be even more valued in a shrinking job market. So new students will find fellow students who love the subject but eyes will be firmly on the job market too.

[Fifthtimelucky]

@BackforGood two of my daughter's housemates are from the Midlands (one East and one West) but most are definitely from the south.

I guess many people from further north are put off the long distances to Exeter and might be more likely to prefer to go no further down than Bristol or Bath. Newcastle to Exeter would take over 6 hours.

From Surrey, my journey to Exeter takes just over 3 hours but can be much longer, depending on traffic on the A303. I like being able to drive there and back in a day, with time for lunch in between. I definitely wouldn't want to be doing 10-12 hours of driving in a day, but neither would I want to have to stay overnight.

[MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously]

History has a lot of transferable skills which are valued by employers. Going on to a career which is unrelated, doesn't mean the student didn't genuinely have a love for the subject of use the skills that studying History provides.

[aibutohavethisusername]

DD has Exeter History & Ancient History as her insurance and she is very passionate about the subject.

[MarchingFrogs]

It’s unrealistic to expect hundreds of students to feel the same as you

True, but just a wee bit depressing if you are particularly passionate about a subject and find the vast majority are just doing it because read History (or whatever) at Exeter is just cv fodder for something completely unrelated that likes its applicants to come with one of a narrow range of designer labels attached.

[BackforGood]

Really interesting thread to read through.
dd went to Exeter's open day without either dh or me, as neither of us could make that day and her friend's family were going so she jumped in with them.
First thing she told me about it was how weird it felt there, as everyone she spoke to seemed to be from south of a line across from about Bristol, and there was (at least visibly) a real lack of diversity.
She did like the course, and loved the setting and area of the country, but that did strike her as odd, so it is interesting to hear that she isn't the only one to perceive that.

[TudorChimney]

I studied History at Exeter over 30 years ago and loved it. Great social life, beautiful campus. My son is hoping to study Law there starting this year, and I am very excited by the idea of revisiting old haunts, if he will let us visit!

[My0My]

Most recruiters for regular jobs etc

[My0My]

Well of course they want to study History when they apply! If they don’t that would be an utter waste of time. My point was about getting a job and interview processes after that. Most applicants for regular jobs outside lecturing and teaching won’t be bothered about the details of what you studied.

As above some recruiters won’t even know where you studied or what you studied. So enjoy the course content for yourself but don’t expect anyone else to be particularly bothered.

It’s unrealistic to expect hundreds of students to feel the same as you. There are always differing amounts of engagement and all students tend to be friends with people who are like them. They also become friends with people they live with and they might be studying all sorts of subjects and have all sorts of ideas for careers and other interests. Just be realistic and enjoy others for their personalities and their interests - not just the subject they study.

[Jux]

CARDIAC HILL!!!!! DD talks of it a lot and boy has she got fit!

[Jux]

Baaahhh - my dd is the same. Don't worry, there are people who want to study history because they actually want to study history! She won't be alone, but she may be in a minority.

DD was living in Burke's Hall (or something! Can't remember the exact name), and was sharing a 7 person flat. They were mainly 1st years but there were a couple of people, I think PhD or 2nd year but not sure why they were mixed in.

She is going to be living in a private rental with 3 of them. They bonded pretty early on and have been good friends; they seem sensible and work out problems between themselves by talking and compromising etc.

DD has joined the Ale Society and the folk band, but has other similar things which aren't Uni. She's been having a really good time. She did find the historiography quite dull though but knows it has to be done!

I hope that if your dd goes there next year she will have the same sort of experience my dd has had. She does say Exeter has quite a few 'posh' kids who come from moneyed families and don't have the same sort of experience as she does because she has to consider every penny she spends and we can't give her any help.

[octoberfarm]

I went to Exeter. The location is fantastic - amazingly close to beaches, lovely town center, great for those (like me) who weren't huge on the clubbing scene and preferred more low key pubs and hanging out. I did psychology and didn't love it - felt that the research was vastly prioritized over students/teaching and never felt the teaching was of particularly good quality, bar one or two classes. Knew a couple of people (not well) who did history and they enjoyed it as far as I remember, though I remember their actual contact hours being really minimal.

I was in Penny C and loved it as a lower key catered option, as anyone going to Holland very much got lumped in with the rich kid priveleged bribe, even if they weren't. Lopes is gorgeous location wise, and Hope Hall was a lovely tight knit community. Sports Center is fantastic but at the top of the world's biggest hill. So many hills. But assuming you like the course and get lucky with roommates, Exeter is a really really lovely place to spend a few years.

[Fifthtimelucky]

Baaahhhhh: My daughter's boyfriend is studying history (at Exeter). He is really enjoying the course and there seems to be lots of choice. He'll be going into his final year in September

[errorofjudgement]

Dd has chosen History at Exeter because of the content. There are lots of students on the offer holders page discussing their favourite history topics (according to DD) so I don’t think your DD need worry.
Like all courses you just need to find your tribe. DD loves History - she also loves performing arts and socialising. A career that combines all 3 would be her ideal.

[Piggywaspushed]

Baahhh hoorah for your DD.

[Fifthtimelucky]

@SpringFan What a shame. Just goes to show what a difference can be made by one person.

Hope your son is enjoying his course. Leeds and Nottingham were on my daughter's shortlist too

[Baaaahhhhh]

She is very much focused on course content, and has discounted many uni's on the basis of what they offer. She is now a bit worried that others on her course won't be as interested as she is.....

[Baaaahhhhh]

I have obviously been showing DD the responses so far. She has a response the pp's who don't think content is important:

"Makes me a little sad to hear that there is so little importance based on the actual study of history as a subject in its own right. I'm going to study history, because I want to STUDY HISTORY, not as a stepping stone to be something else"

She is hoping that her desire to actually be an Historian, writer, teacher or academic, will put her at an advantage when applying.

[SpringFan]

@Fifthtimelucky
Interesting. Ds went to the learning support stand and explained he was dyslexic, and was hoping to find out about support, and the person on the stand asked him why he was bothering as he was obviously bright as they had offered him a place. Threw a leaflet at him and turned away.
It was the only place he had that response, Nottingham and Leeds were very, very helpful . Both arranged to see him later in the day at their office for a detailed chat.
He didn't take Exeter up on their offer to change his mind. Shame as DH was bought up there and we have family there.

[Fifthtimelucky]

@SpringFan that's interesting. One of the reasons my daughter was encouraged to make Exeter her first choice was that on the offer holders' open day we were wandering round in between tours looking a variety of leaflets on display, when she picked up one on dyslexia. A student spotted her and came over and started talking to her knowledgeably about the support that was available.

It made her confident that the university would be good at addressing any needs, and she hasn't had any problems.

[Lepetitpiggy]

Our ds started a physics degree there in 2018. He completed his first year, but changed to UEA after that. It was a very difficult time for him as he, in his words, didn't feel he fitted in. Obviously the subject itself is very hard, but he also said, despite making friends and enjoying the social life to a point, that he felt he wasn't 'good enough' for a lot of the students.
I know this is purely subjective, but I think it is a very academically pressured place - at least, from what he said, the physics department.
He loved the area and countryside though! Also, we live 250 miles away so that, which he thought would be a great thing, turned out to be harder! With UEA he is 50 miles away, and a hundred per cent happier.

[SpringFan]

Back to the grades. Ds was offered 3A to do history at Exeter and turned it down The main reason was the attitude from student support- he had been recently identified as dyslexic, which had been masked by high I Q, and they were seriously off hand on the post offer day. However he had an email, just before the results came out telling him he could change his mind and go to them. He had fluffed one of his grades as well.

[CherryPavlova]

Our youngest has just completed four years at Exeter and has loved every minute.
She started in PennyC Hall and made good friends easily plus found her boyfriend. Since then she’s been in shared houses which are surprisingly expensive.
She did a year abroad which was very well organised and supported.
It’s got a lovely safe feel in the city - a definite town and gown culture though. It might not be adventurous enough for slightly wilder youngsters who want a big city feel.
She loves its a short ride to the beach and Dartmoor. We like it’s a nice place to stay when visiting.
She’s going onto a good graduate scheme with one of big four but start deferred until January. She’s had two internships (one online this year) which have helped CV, both arranged via university.

Her boyfriend stayed on for his masters and has a very good training job he’s waiting to start. He’s also doing some short term consultancy design work arranged through university. He’s loved it too. He’s thing is golf and it’s good at Exeter.

[cakeisalwaystheanswer]

According to the above data there are 520 English students studying in Fife. That is a tiny number compared to the number of those studying at English universities. Durham has over 11,000.

[BCBG]

Interesting comments on this thread. DH is a lawyer (top three in his field in Chambers) and follows recruitment closely. We have had one DC at Cambridge, two at Durham and the youngest has chosen a non-RG university for Law due to aspects of the course. His London firm (and several others) now do the first part of the selection process university 'blind'. Eliminating perceived bias has become a really big thing in recruitment and that has to be good. Encourage your DCs to look wisely and choose the place they will be happy to study for three years in, and don't try and second guess future employability would be my advice. In the future that is likely to be much more about degree class and work experience.