Russell group universities - which are best for creatives ?

[Asparagusluvva]

Anyone have any knowledge on which RG universities would suit a creative , politically left leaning student type ? DD is considering Birmingham, Exeter, York and Warwick. She loves the look of Exeter but worries about fitting in there. Any advice/thoughts/experience would be welcome.

@MarchingFrogs - absolutely agree, Goldsmiths would fit the bill perfectly, I know people who have studied there/study there. But at the moment she wishes to avoid London. It’s also incredibly expensive for housing in the second and third years. But she hasn’t totally ruled London out. Also have heard Goldsmiths is in real financial trouble.

@Florabritannica , oh dear , I feared that may be the case.

My daughter did Theatre Studies at Leeds and had a fantastic academic and social life there. She opted for the international option and had her 4th year in Canada. places are assigned by course marks. She didn't get the Uni she wanted on Victoria Island, but ended up having a great time at McMaster in Hamilton. She now works in TV in Belfast.

Go with good for the course. Forget Russell group as not always the best and forget the political leaning perceptions from outside because she'll find her tribe anywhere. The course matters most because that's why she's going

Exeter’s Falmouth campus is adjacent to Falmouth University which runs a lot of well regarded creative courses. It is a small town. A friend of DDs was at Exeter University, reading for a non creative degree, but was able to do all sorts of drama and other stuff in his spare time.

@gogohm

Go with good for the course. Forget Russell group as not always the best and forget the political leaning perceptions from outside because she'll find her tribe anywhere. The course matters most because that's why she's going

This is great advice.

Birmingham has about 30 000 students, so I'm sure she'd find lots of like-minded people there. It also has a lovely campus.

Oi, what course is she doing?

@blueshoes

Oi, what course is she doing?

😂 did you mean OP?

A number of people have mentioned Bristol (tho not the OP to be fair); unless it has built one in the last 30 years it is very far from being a campus university, which it seems OP's DD is keen on.

OP there is good advice here about course, campus/city, accommodation, distance from home...perhaps over and above finding a left-leaning uni. I definitely think you should look at accommodation costs as IME these can vary hugely.

Oh yes, it really is special because it does have a campus feel, even though it's technically not a campus. The entire area around UCL is fabulous! It's right next to Regent's Park, The British Museum, the most amazing Waterstone's bookstore. That's the thing DS loves about it- its campus feel. I'm originally American (been here since 23, now 49), and you know how we yanks love our Big College Campuses. I adore the whole area and vibe of the place. It's just fun and alive with young people starting out on their extraordinary journeys.
I promise, check out UCL. Is she actually wanting to study art? The Slade at UCL is one of the best art schools out there.

Oh she wants to avoid London, I just read. What a shame. I understand. DS was dying to get out of London. He's always been down on it and didn't want to go to uni here. But he is absolutely loving UCL. He's in halls this year (his first year) but will likely come home next year. We're in West London, so it's very easy for us.
Whereabouts are you, OP?
Manchester was good when we saw it... nice campus. And Manchester is a proper campus uni. This has probably already been mentioned on the thread.
Falmouth is supposedly really lovely. DS's best friend goes to Exeter but is at the campus in Penryn, where Falmouth is. DS's other friend is at Falmouth Uni and loves it. Exeter shares the campus with Falmouth.

Manchester isn't a campus uni, surely?? Campus unis have everything, including accommodation on one site.

OP, is there a reason you keep not telling us what subject?

On a side note, the only time I ever heard the expression 'run with the crowd' was in Rebel Without A Cause!

I think it is fair enough to want to find 'your people' but they really do exist everywhere. Also, people do change when they fly the nest and go to uni.

It would be more helpful if you could say what course your DD is applying to.
My DD is arty and quirky, and studying a STEM degree. She has never been one of the "cool girls", nor has she wanted to be, but she has found her tribe at university.

If your DD wants to avoid the "rahs" then the following universities have over a third of students coming from private schools: Bristol, Durham, Exeter, and Edinburgh, plus Oxbridge. (Rah is a term coined by the state school students about the privately educated, and I believe this term is used at every university)

Also, Russell Group, universities don't necessarily offer the best courses. You really need to look at the best university for the course rather than a high ranking RG university. Bath, Lancaster and Loughborough are not part of the Russell Group, but are more highly regarded than most RG universities.

Manchester is most definitely not a campus university. DD looked at it twice and declared that she just didn't like Manchester as it is too big (we live rurally).

DD is at Newcastle and loves the city. It has a party reputation, but partying is optional. DD isn't a party girl and still has a great social life.

As a Tory who has had three children at Bristol, I am surprised that Bristol is not on the list! I felt it was fairly left wing.

I went to Birmingham and it was not at all left wing! Very stolidly centre right middle class. Didn't even have a students Union but an affiliated guild. That was 25 years ago though.

RampantIvy, is the "rah" thing also true of Exeter's Penryn's campus? My understanding is that it has quite a different feel. Both outdoorsy and arty. (It is a surprisingly long way from London, so no nipping back for weekend parties, in the way you can from Bristol or Oxford.)

UCL has the Slade right in the middle of the "campus", and RADA round the corner. Students from both are housed in UCL accommodation. UCL is also strong in sciences and social sciences and has a strong, and diverse, international contingent, so you are almost certain to find like minded people. Plus it is a great chance to live in Central London and explore the amazing range of culture in the city itself. Lots of free stuff, student discounts and last minute tickets.

Very brave of you to admit to being a Boris fan @Xenia

Bristol is well known for having a higher than average percentage of privately educated students.

No idea @Needmoresleep. TBH, I had never heard of the term "rah" until after DD started university. DD just looked at universities that she thought would be a good fit for what she wanted to study.

She looked at Bristol but didn't like it due to it being too hilly (she has knee joint problems, and finds hills a struggle). The journey back was horrendous as well as it is a long way for us. Exeter is just too far so she never considered it.

It never occurred to either of us to check out the demographic of the students at any university.

I think given the number of students at most unis, and the range of clubs/societies available at most, as well as choosing a course that you are interested in, it would be quite difficult not to find people with similar views and interests, as long as you are prepared to go and find them.

Really the most important thing is the choice of course - especially the modules provided at each uni. Then probably location and city/campus set up.

Russell Group is certainly not the be all and end all - many unis outrank RG unis in many different subjects.

OP - Better advice could be offered if you gave the subject area in which your DD wants to study.

I’m a left winger and at uni. Most of my friends are very posh Conservatives. All perfectly nice, interesting people. It’s just more fun that way.

I think she should look at the courses. Saying that, I think I picked my university because of the architecture so I really shouldn’t be giving advice.

Honestly, she'll find her crowd wherever she goes at any of those unis.

Uni is liberal in general. I would say the students at Warwick and Exeter tend to come from predominently wealthy Tory families, in my experience, but doesn't always mean their kids share their politics. Although one of my best friends went to Warwick. She was a local youth campaigner, really creative and arty, hated sport, and wanted to be an art therapist. She went to Warwick, randomly started playing for a polo team, going to debating clubs and now works in corporate law for a Magic Circle firm... it depends who you fall in with I guess!

I’m a tad confused. If she’s doing a creative course, ie art and design, they don’t tend to be at Russell group unis.

My son and his friends (all ex Eton) are now at Oxbridge (pretty much all of them), Edinburgh and Exeter. Not that this tells you that everyone at these universities is from public schools, but young people from these schools do tend to gravitate towards them.

Your DD would be best advised to choose the course that will suit her best, followed by cost, location, and campus/non campus (depending on her taste). She'll find like-minded people wherever she goes.

Publicly educated people can be very left wing. I offer you Tony Benn.

Bristol was at the heart of may student protests with BLM, for example. But absolutely not campus, so out of the picture.

Students seem much more conservative (small c ) these days. I think fees, loans , and changing aspirations and work ethic have combined to achieve this.