Panicking now re LSE no news

[MiddleOfThePack]

My son applied in October and still hasn't had any 'email with an application ID'? He has emailed and had no response. He's now filling in a contact form and planning to phone tomorrow. Should he have heard something more concrete by now?

They asked him to send a questionnaire back which he's done, but that was a while ago now.

@Needmoresleep

I knew other expats who barely set for outside the expat bubble. Not elitist, just people who were more comfortable with the known

They'd moved to a foreign country to live and work, it's safe to say they were comfortable with some unknown or they'd have stayed put

I did not know that the proportion of French was so small

Yes, that's from LSE's official statistics. It's good to go off facts.

It was a bit of a throwaway comment.

Come now, that's not true. I recognised you telling that anecdote before. A search of the words "French", "LSE", "corridors" and your name shows you've told that anecdote at least four times over the past four years (more if you don't include the search term "corridors" ). That's not a throwaway comment, it's a pointed one.

(I'm assuming you didn't mean it was a throwaway comment from the students who told you, because surely someone as worldly as you wouldn't make assertions based on a student's throwaway comment.)

I’m not sure private school ever came into it.

Perhaps not for you, but with respect you must have gone to LSE over 30-40 years ago. I didn't go there, but I respect its expertise in statistics. Going by figures from LSE itself, in 2014:

The total number of undergrad offers it made to students from schools in the UK = 64%

The remaining 36% of undergrad offers would presumably have been made to international students (at non-UK schools).

Of that 64% of upgrade offers made to students from schools in the UK:
29% were made to students at private schools in the UK
39% were made to students at state schools in the UK

Source: www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/lse_2014_undergraduate_admission

That 29% v 39% percent is a telling statistic. Obviously not everyone who was made an offer would have accepted it, but it gives. credence to the perception by many that there are comparatively a lot of private school students at LSE. There would presumably have been so many more state applicants than private school ones, so if you were a private school DC applying for an undergrad place starting in 2014 you were in a rather nice position.

I appreciate and respect you want to promote and defend LSE as you and your son went there and it is of course a very acclaimed institution. But peddling personal emotive bias rather than facts isn't helpful to prospective students and their parents.

Anyone who has gone to University in London can identify with what needsmoresleep in saying. Don't think it is "peddling personal emotive bias"

I went to university in London....

It’s a big place, there’s lots of different colleges & schools forming LU and then the other universities, so generalities don’t fully apply and LSE has some particular differences... but you know all this really.

Nice of you to spring to Need’s defence but please do explain what it actually IS she’s saying and why my facts don’t apply.

To be honest @Aubaine there isn't any point is there? Unless you are a current student

I will put my hand up and say my info is just over 20 years old. And talking to friends who had children, nieces nephews in LSE and UCL recently, seems like things haven't changed much

But I am happy and hopeful to be wrong.

In any case I am far more concerned about how these Unis will adapt to the pandemic where they will need to cater for their large international student body

There is a point - this thread will be read by others besides you and it’s good to have correct information. I disputed what Needmoresleep said not on the basis of personal experience but LSE’s own statistics. Are you saying it’s not true that LSE’s French population is currently only around 2.7%? Are you disputing that LSE had/has a comparatively large ratio of U.K. private-schooled students than state ones? Both those things may be useful for someone reading to know.

Yes “in any case” you may be more concerned about how “these” universities adapt for their international community, but this thread isn’t just for or about you

Visited DC yesterday who has just started at LSE.

She had heard the rumours of "international students keeping themselves to themselves".
She mentioned (and it reminded me of this thread); "the Chinses and Asians are more social/open than the Europeans. Especially the French are bad, they just stay in groups talking to each other in French."

@Notagardener and .......? What did your DD think as a current student?

She loves it otherwise, had pumkinpie baked by someone from Canada, went out with someone from Germany, was hanging out with someone from Sinagpore etc etc.

@Notagardener so no segregation of students according to their ethnic backgrounds?
That's fantastic to hear!

Thanks for coming back and I hope your DD continues to have a good time. She needs to find a Chinese friend to take her for bubble tea in Soho. China Town is a lot more vibrant than it was in my day of cheap Cantonese food, with restaurants reflecting the breadth of East Asian cuisine and lots of young people.

I post positively about London Universities largely because I think we are very lucky to have a number of top ranked Universities in the UK, other than Oxbridge, and think it is a pity if people rule out places like LSE and Imperial because of what they have heard. LSE is a different experience. However it is a really good option for someone who is happy in an urban multi cultural environment and happy to go that bit extra to reach out to others from different backgrounds. It can also be good for those who are very subject focussed, and who make friends, regardless of background, because they share the same interest.

That said "peddling personal emotive bias" was a great quote.

My DS loves it so far.Its a global community and most are super friendly .Hes hoping to go and visit Japan after being invited by a current student.Theres plenty of English students too but likes the opportunity to socialize and learn from international students.
Some of the students are already planning a few days abroad in Europe if they can get cheap flights.Cost can be cheaper than travel to the north of England.

Yeah, Needmoresleep, DC did as an afterthought apply for Oxbridge, but when she got rejected she didn't mind very much (it was more that the rejection hurt than the fact not getting to Oxbridge). As she said "her heart wasn't really into it".
But younger DC finds London too overwhelming and has already said she prefers a campus uni...

DD is enjoying the LSE experience a lot more this year than last. She was not a fan of online learning and did not meet many people from her course. Her main friend was a third year, who has now graduated.

DD is finding the workload more manageable, has finally met a great group of friends, loves the party scene and has joined more societies. Sadly, 'The Itchy Feet' Society is no longer running so DD and two friends made their own. Three weekends ago they went to Krakow, then two weekends ago it was off to Riga for 3 days (the joys of no Monday classes). LSE do free travel PCR testing and with flights of £17 return it was cheaper to fly to Latvia than make the 40 minute train journey home. I have not asked the plans for 'Reading Week'!

Old Owl, that sounds great. Last year was sh*t. DD was taking a one year intercalation degree at Imperial and it was entirely online so she did not meet anyone until her graduation last week, when she got swept up in the post ceremony drinks, pre's and clubbing. A slightly bitter-sweet hint of what might have been. She is back for Halloween as one of her Imperial coursemates has invited her to a party. The silver lining was that the course was well organised and interesting, so probably the least worst option. As well as plenty of experience of working in on line project teams with members from different places and in different time zones, which could well be useful in the future.

She did not want to be in London when she first left school, but it would have suited her a few years on.

It's the clubs/societies that link in with her course that helps make it interesting.

So pleased @Oldowl your DD is having a much more positive experience.Sounds like she is having lots of fun and making up for last year.

DS loves living in central London and having everything at his doorstep.It can be overwhelming for some but all the universities he preferred were in big cities where there is alot to do.He really didn’t like campus or small town unis.

However for my DC2 it would be different.He likes quieter ,small places.
I think for reading week my DS is planning a trip to an European city for a couple of days too.How lucky are they with all these last minute opportunities and how lovely to be so carefree
@Oldowl hope you have adjusted well to both your DC moving away.

@Engley Thank you. Seeing both DC enjoying university so much certainly makes it easier. Our food bill has plummeted too!

We were supposed to see both DC today for DH 50th birthday, however, I have Covid so our break away has been cancelled. At least I did not give DH covid for his birthday! (He is still testing negative).

Oldowl, what a bummer, hopefully a catch-up celebration soon.

Wishing you a speedy recovery!Hope you get a chance to celebrate soonish.

@Oldowl sorry to hear about Covid and how lovely to hear of your DD's experiences

Interesting what you said about living in cities as opposed to small towns. Now that DS is at Uni in Durham I can get a feel for what Unis are like outside London.

Both have their pros and cons. The main difference I can see in London is being able to get cheap theater tickets 🤔. As a student I couldn't afford to eat in a variety of restaurants and whilst we sampled some nightlife most of the clubs we went to were on student nights. And I guess you do get to meet students from the whole of univ of London and not just your Uni

Theatre life was one of the reasons to chose London.
One of her friends went to Durham but didn't like it and after few weeks at the most quit. Re-applying next year to different unis(top student with A*s).