Maths

[beenrumbled]

DS has unconditional offers from Manchester Sheffield Liverpool Leeds and York.

He had initially not applied to university last year as he was looking at an apprenticeship but after supporting other students and taking a gap year as a support tutor he has decided he would like to be a Maths teacher and applied this year to the above universities. This means he has had no chance to do open days.

He has narrowed his choices to Manchester and York. Very different universities. Does anyone have experience of either for maths?

I did Maths at Manchester many moons ago. I loved it. Brilliant Maths department. Great city to live in and benefit from. Ranks very highly on the International Universities Rankings which take account of research. Was offered post graduate research at Harvard on the back of my degree. But this was ages ago.....

abetes thank you.

DS is currently doing maths at Manchester in his first year. Obviously it’s not been a normal year, but he’s quite happy with the course so far. He’s found it not too taxing, maybe because he did FM and not all have so first year gives them a chance to get everyone up to speed.

He also wants to be a maths teacher, an ambition since he was quite young. Manchester had a few options later on re maths education and some contacts with local secondary schools, which all seemed positive. He was asking questions re teaching at all his open days and all the unis he visited had some sort of teaching/education options in third year. Manchester is his only uni we have in common, though. Others were Birmingham, Nottingham, Southampton and Cardiff. I’d guess we’re further south!

My DS1 also lives in Manchester and loves, loves, loves the city, at least pre covid, which is one of the reasons it was on DS’s list.

@SusannahSophia thank you for this, that's really helpful.

DS did not do FM at college, but said when it was brought up in the online open event for Maths they were told it would be ok, and that provision was made for those who hadn't - good to know this is the case.

I'm glad your DS is enjoying the course.

At york doing maths currently, very good maths department. the first year everyone does the same modules, the second year is a choice of two streams, then third/fourth is free module choice. they've also got a very good online system and VLE. The first-year accommodation is also very good quality, even in the cheapest rooms. the city is lovely too, though there aren't as many nightclubs as manchester but more than enough pubs and the university societies have lots of range from gaming, cats, and sports, to Taylor swift and Louis Theroux. I chose york over manchester as it fitted my personality better and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

@mycatscausehell thank you - more for him to consider.