Anyone with a dc at Exeter?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

How do they find it?

Dd has been redirected from Oxford and is now considering Exeter where she has an offer. The course is Ancient and Modern History but if she accepts she might see if she can transfer to straight History.

Any experiences good or bad would be welcome! Thank you.

Hi My DS is at Exeter and I can't fault at all he has been so happy there.
Loves the city, countryside going to beach in Summer.
Small safe city really happy with it!

I did my PhD at Exeter and I liked it. The city has a good vibe, has all the amenities you require for a smallish city.
I really like the Exeter campus it's open with lots of green space unlike most other unis I visited in the UK.
Theres loads of societies for almost anything you can think of as well. Also if it's for starting next year 🤞 these will be in face teaching and proper return to campus

My DD also has an offer to study history (with year abroad) at Exeter. She was due to start last year but with the pandemic and lock downs decided to be wait and reapply this year.
We visited last year and DD listened to some sample lectures. The campus felt airy, modern and well looked after. The grounds are gorgeous.
DD didn’t look at Oxbridge but did also have an offer from Durham, she preferred Exeter.

My DD is there studying History and Politics at Penryn Campus. She had always planned to go to a city university but went to an open day just before lockdown and loved it. She is thoroughly enjoying the course and has completely fallen in love with the place. The accommodation is amazing (if pricey) and there are lots of good options for living out after the first year.
Another relative went to Exeter, met his wife there and they have chosen to stay in the area for the last twenty years!

Most people want the main campus in Exeter if they wanted Oxford. Falmouth isn’t the same. As I said on your other thread, I cannot see what you wouldn’t like. It’s sought after and it’s quite like a giant boarding school.

My DD was interviewed at Oxford. She was very fortunate to attend the Open Day before lockdown as her actual impressions were very different to her preconceptions.

I cannot see what you wouldn’t like.

It’s sought after and it’s quite like a giant boarding school
.
The first part of the second sentence notwithstanding, if the second part of it is actually true, I for one am totally amazed that the Streatham campus ever gets enough applicants to e able to afford to be picky. And I attended a boarding school, of which I have overwhelmingly positive memories.

It has a reputation for being a "party university" - and with good reason. It's also quite snobby - a lot of private school kids. The accommodation is expensive - I think that some of it costs over £200 a week.

My ds went to Exeter and loved it, he didn't go to private school. Degrees from Exeter are looked upon highly by a lot of companies.

Dh and I went to Exeter.....it was quite a long time ago now (!) but I loved the campus, the town, the huge numbers of clubs, the sport, plus the ability to sail or ride and get out into lovely countryside at the weekend. We both went to boarding school, but many of my (still good) friends that I met there didn't.

I have three friends with DCs there currently - all very happy, and none of them went to private (secondary) schools.

Exeter has over 1/3 from independent schools. If you take out the RCM, RAM and the Courtauld art college Exeter is in the top 10 for most privately educated students and not far behind Oxford and Cambridge. It’s partly there because of London dc who are privately educated and those who educate their dc in the West Country or west of Lindon privately. It’s also certainly beloved of the grammar school dc near me too. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be on anyone’s list because state educated dc are the vast majority. So what’s not to like? And what’s wrong with privately educated dc?

Well DD will be going from 12 years in state education (state comp for y7-11) then 2 years at private boarding for 6th form. So I would definitely class her as state educated.

And as for the reputation as a party uni? I’ve seen that tag applied to many unis including Newcastle, Sheffield, Manchester and Bristol. And frankly after the last 12 months I think our DC are fully entitled to a party or two 🎉 - wish I could join them!

Sorry that should say all our DC are entitled to a party or two

What’s the difference between Streatham and Penryn? My eldest children have friends at Exeter but all at Streatham - everyone seems to like it. My DS has applied to courses at both but think he likes the Penryn course better.

Penryn is a completely separate campus, in Cornwall near Falmouth!!

@GaribaldiGirl

What’s the difference between Streatham and Penryn? My eldest children have friends at Exeter but all at Streatham - everyone seems to like it. My DS has applied to courses at both but think he likes the Penryn course better.

About 96 miles and 20,000 students...

Boarding 6th form is usually independent unless it’s state boarding. What they went before doesn’t count. So she’s possibly one of the 34 per cent but does it matter?

@PresentingPercy - I did say it was a private school at 6th form. It’s a shame the previous 12 years are not counted, but I do agree that the type of school shouldn’t matter and that is what I was trying to highlight.

Re Penryn/Streatham campus I think the expansion to Penryn is fairly recent and the grade requirements are sometimes a little lower. Possibly as it’s more remote?

I think that’s true @errorofjudgement. Some courses are also only available at one or the other. My DD was concerned that hers was only at Penryn but has thoroughly enjoyed both the course and the area so far.

Exeter sometimes offer Penryn to the near misses at Exeter. It was opened to enable Cornish students better access to a local university. A sort of outreach programme. Hence grades are often lower to attract wider participation.

Dd has a good offer from Exeter. Our only concern is that Exeter itself is a bit parochial - she's worried she might be bored there. Streatham, not Penryn (which she'd hate)

@PresentingPercy

Exeter sometimes offer Penryn to the near misses at Exeter. It was opened to enable Cornish students better access to a local university. A sort of outreach programme. Hence grades are often lower to attract wider participation.

This is slightly misleading. The campus at Penryn has two universities on it - Falmouth and Exeter - and while access to HE for Cornish students was part of the rationale for the campus when it was built nearly 20 years ago it's an excellent campus with excellent courses from both universities.

It's a different university experience, smaller town and student community, more rural/seaside than most which suits many but not all.

Exeter is essentially a campus university with easy access to Exeter city centre. The city isn’t huge so if you want a wide range of entertainment, you won’t get it. Many students are able to go home from time to time in term time because they are SW or London based. Visiting friends at Bristol university isn’t unheard of either. I would say Bristol has a lot more going on. It’s bigger and has more of everything. Some students love the smaller feeling of Exeter in that it’s a very safe transition from school. Some cities are more varied so I think you have to assess what type of person you are and what makes you tick.

Penryn has much lower entry requirements than Streatham.

Thanks for all the info!

For Business the course is AAA at Streatham and AAB for Penryn. Not sure I’d call that ‘much lower entry requirements’ or perhaps Penryn are more flexible if you miss your grades?

We like the course at Penryn because it has more coursework which I think would suit my DS. Being a bit smaller sounds nice too.

Is it a bit less public school than Streatham I wonder? My eldest daughter has lots of schoolfriends who went to Streatham - mostly her posh (or wannabes posh) friends 😂. They’re all loving it.

It’s so hard without going to see!!

Turns out he has been invited to offer holder days but hasn’t done anything about it. I despair!