Another path to greatness - part III

[chopc]

Here is the new thread

Hi everyone.

Fairy - congrats on your DDs LSE offer! That’s amazing. I also have one awaiting news from LSE.

I have to be honest, DS is still not excited about the prospect of Durham at all. I’m not exactly sure where he gets his ideas from. He has been to Durham last summer with his dad on the way back from Scotland. He knows it absolutely beautiful (he even said it’s probably nicer than Cambridge) and this is why he applied. But now, he just doesn’t feel it’s his thing socially. Plus it’s a looong way for him.

Fairy, I think the difference between LSE and Manchester might be that even though both are cities and people might live in dispersed accommodation blocks, the actual ‘campus’ at LSE is very compact. All the buildings are together in a defined area so it would be easier to find people. It’s not as if such and such department is in one part of town and other departments elsewhere, as it can be in some unis. I think this would feel much more overwhelming and disparate.

Also, there are 4 or 5 accommodation blocks that are solely LSE and all within 25 mins walk from the campus, I’ve heard the main one is Bankside which is by the Tate Modern - there are far less scenic commutes into lectures than walking over the Millennium Bridge towards St Paul’s every morning!

I don’t know Manchester at all, I’m afraid, but I’m sure it has many positives too. Anyway, great dilemma to have!

Durham as opposed to LSE (if offered) or UCL (if not) would be such different experiences it’s hard to compare really. Also he has Bath too which we’ve never visited.

Pumpkin - did you get any further with Imperial accommodation? Or UCL?

I saw on TSR that people have started booking LSE accommodation already? So our DC unlikely to have the pick of accom anyway

@quest1on is he excited by LSE or UCL?

@vargas - I loved your bike story.

That is exactly the sort of thing my 2 DSs would do...... and DH!

Meanwhile DD would have called an Uber and charged it to my account.

@bendmeoverbackwards DS had Bristol Exeter and Manchester offers amongst his last year. He firmed Bristol and insured Manchester and binned off Exeter. (nothing to do with grades as 3 x A predictions). Manchester have him a reduced offer to AAB for no apparent reason from AAA and Exeter from AAA to ABB but seriously he was never not going to make an AAA from Bristol. So that was just to explain (like your DD) grades probably won't make a difference to decisions. He wanted a city uni and is particularly into music gigs so Manchester made insurance without even visiting.

Yes I’m worried about this booking up of accommodation already.

If offered LSE, I think he would probably decide to go there. He wrote his PS with LSE and UCL in mind because these are the best courses for him. In QS World rankings for geography, LSE is second only to Oxford. But UCL is about 6th, I think, so much of a muchness really. Its impossible to say, I think, until you actually have the offer, how you feel. UCL has its benefits too - maybe slightly less pressured? Also, he applied for the 4-year programme with a study or work placement abroad at UCL. At both of these unis, you can make one module a language, so would come out with that added you the degree title. I could see him at either. But he likes the perceived buzz at LSE and the fact it’s a leading research institution purely in the social sciences with so much overlap between the different disciplines. It’s all human / economic / political geog at LSE, though to be fair, I think UCL offer similar modules. The campus at UCL is more imposing and more self-contained too. Both have their benefits for sure. But maybe LSE has a slightly stronger international reputation?

My friend's son is on those Halls near the Tate modern. He says there are many international students who intend to socialise with each other in their own language to the exclusion of others and the some very rich RUK students who socialise in a way which is beyond his means. So he feels he has been left with a very small group of "others" but this may have been exacerbated by lockdown.

Yes if he wants a human geography style course then LSE is definitely the place!

Season - hmm yes, I’ve heard this said, but also, the Uber rich will tend to be in the more swanky, intercollegiate accommodations such as Urbanest with all mid cons and river views. He’s not bothered about internationals as that’s kind of his it is at his school now anyway. Also quite a few will be from India anyway, most probably. Plus he’s a very sociable type but not into pubs / drinking culture and that kind of thing.

If he goes to UCL, he could hopefully get a room in the Garden Halls which are a far cry from student accommodation as I remember it!

I am not sure you got the point about international students quest1on- they stick together so your DS wouldn't automatically make friends with them just because he went to a school with an international mix. Nothing to do with him but everything to do with them.

I am surprised to know that this hasn't changed though because the world has become a smaller place since my time at Uni. And plenty of international students in TSR who seems to want to mix and integrate.

Yeah, dc1 has (or had...) a walk to his campus across one of the bridges of London. He enjoyed being "in the middle of things" :when we would see protesters near Westmnister etc he would walk past them

@quest1on re Durham Plus it’s a looong way for him does he see himself travelling home much? By train? I can see why some universities seem incredibly far away and I say this as someone who was 6 hours from my parents when I went I only returned home in the actual holidays, not in term time.

Re Manchester, it is a very vibrant city, lots going on, lots to see and do. The accommodation is split into 3 areas all south of the uni, Victoria Park, City and Fallowfields. I think it can feel like you are disconnected somewhat from the uni but you they are living in student areas with lots of other students. It is an easy commute from the accommodation to the uni with a lot of people making the same journey either on foot or by bus. My nephew went there.

There are a number of videos on YouTube with students from all unis detailing their experiences which I think gives a good perspective. I have even watched stuff my local city uni just to see what people say about my city.

I would say as the deadline for decisions is still quite far away there is still time to visit, ponder and weigh up each one.

Thanks chopc, appreciate that.

Vargas and chopc I so relate to both those stories. DS brain the size of a planet - practicalities- not so much! I do think living in London will help him grow up as he has been quite sheltered living in a rural village. Think we may have some disasters along the way though 😁

@quest1on he's favouring the central London halls for first year I think - so Beit and the others, and will avoid choosing the North Acton ones.

I've heard that some of the uni events fall a bit flat when the North Acton posse have to leave to catch the tube home! Seems a shame to me that their accommodation is so far flung. Mind you I went to a campus uni where you could walk or cycle anywhere within ten/twenty minutes tops, rather than having an hour commute on public transport that seems ridiculous to me.

chop - to be honest, I think all unis have a certain reputation. At LSE there may well be some international students who keep themselves to themselves, but I’d be very surprised if they were the majority. LSE courses such as Geography, History, Social Anthropology, Language, Culture and Society etc attract less internationals anyway, than the law or finance courses. At Durham, there may be “rah rah” types, but I very much doubt they’re in the majority either. You can never know who’ll be on your corridor and you just have to give it time and hope for the best really, wherever you are.

That's true about the courses quest10n

Have you watched many YouTube clips on LSE? There was one asking 50 questions from a current student which was quite good

At LSE some international students stick together, some UK students stick together, but DS' experience was that most mixed. Very few would choose to go to the LSE if they did not want to meet people from other countries.

(Slightly unexpectedly it was the French who had the reputation for being the most cliquey. Lots of French was heard on campus but no one seemed to know anyone from France.)

DS made friends from just about everywhere. The US, Australia, South America, Nigeria, both East and Western Europe, and a number of Asian countries. Several, like him, are now in the US and they have stayed in touch.

In terms of halls, hall places are guaranteed for all first years. I don't think it matters when you book.
DS did not hear where he was allocated until August. We live less than 30 minutes walk away so I felt it was right that he was given a very low priority. I suspect that the older, shabbier LSE halls (Passfield, Carr Saunders and Rosebery) have the most Brits. However a lot happens on campus (in a normal year) so it should not matter too much.

My fingers are crossed, for all those still waiting.

[quote chopc]@bendmeoverbackwards I don't know how realistic it is, but if possible perhaps your DD can take a break from thinking about Uni? It has been an emotional rollercoaster for a lot of them and perhaps the time has come to simply focus on getting the best grades possible. She has too 10th June to make a decision about university [/quote]
I am really encouraging her to do this @chopc She needs to focus on her upcoming assessments without distraction. But she had a bit of a meltdown last night, I'm quite worried about her mental health actually. She said her brain can't just put it on hold and she needs to have some sort of plan about university before she can move on to revision. She's very down and I don't know how to help.

[quote Fairyfield]@bendmeoverbackwards, my DD has the same dilemma between Manchester and LSE. She is worried about imposter syndrome at LSE and feels Manchester may be a better fit. We live an hour from London but 4 hours from Manchester. Her siblings went to London universities but both went to super selective grammar schools. She did not get a high enough mark on the 11 plus so went to our local comprehensive. Although her predicted A level grades are on a par with the older siblings, she has never seen herself as worthy of a top university place.[/quote]
Well done to your dd @Fairyfield she should be really proud of herself. How does she feel about being further away from home?

@quest1on

If he goes to UCL, he could hopefully get a room in the Garden Halls which are a far cry from student accommodation as I remember it!

Are they the intercollegiate halls in Cartwright Gardens? I was at Hughes Parry Hall in the early 90s!

Thank you all for the helpful information about Manchester. I can 'see' dd more at Exeter for some reason but she needs to work that out for herself. So hard for this year's cohort not being able to visit.

Do you think it's time to get the school counsellor on board @bendmeoverbackwards ?

Hi bend. This sounds like a worry for you. It’s hard to see them so down. It could just be that overwhelmed feeling that’s so common before a run of exams, rather than the uni options themselves? When do her exams start?

DS had one at 8am this morning and had another later today. After that, he had two exams in his 18th birthday when schools go back! I’m planning to take DS to Bath for the day, over Easter, to see if he wants to put this as insurance. I’ve also said that for his 18th, he can book an outdoor table somewhere with the 6 friend max limit for mid April when the second exam phase is over.

I think if you could get down to Exeter, it might really do your DD good. Stay in a rental overnight if possible? Even just a change if scene could work wonders for them all at this point, I would think.

I really hope she’s ok today.

Bend - yes I think the Garden Halls are the ones on Cartwright Gardens.