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.

Parker231 your father sounds amazing🤩

Thatcher was immoral.

Just find a university in a Labour voting city where there used to be Momentum! So Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester would be fine. All large and all sorts of students there with political affiliations very possible. Few Tories in Sheffield or Liverpool for example. Bristol and Exeter are very different.

But those students who helped chuck Colston in the water must have come from somewhere!

York absolutely fits the bill, and is wonderful for English Lit.

They were not students!!! Did you not read anything about what really happened? They were just activists. Most were not students at all. Bris student union is famously inactive!

Some of them were, absolutely. There are activists at every uni. Bristol has an excellent social policy degree and many of those students were involved in various aspects of the protests.

@TizerorFizz

They were not students!!! Did you not read anything about what really happened? They were just activists. Most were not students at all. Bris student union is famously inactive!

Some of them were most definitely students from UWE — don't know about the uni.

Bristol university students are famously not very political. As I said the Union is largely inactive. Why does a social policy degree mean students are politically active? Or even extreme left leaning? Or even involved in politics? I did social policy and I’m none of these things! Thank goodness all sorts of political beliefs are represented on such courses!

It was said very clearly at the time that Bristol university students were not engaged in destroying the statue. An article in The Guardian written by a Bristol University professor talks about local people wanting it removed for many many years. It was never ever a student battle. Students pass through. They are not long term residents who are politically active in most cases. If you know better, name names. They will be in the public domain.

It’s well known to be pretty quiet in Bristol. Plus why are people thinking the destruction of something is good? What student wanting a decent job does this? Its vandalism and you are on CCTV. Bristol and Exeter have little student unrest. Yes, they might have a few student activists but most decent students stay well clear. Ask @Xenia if her DC knew anyone involved? I’ll bet they didn’t. Any more than the vast majority would. They go to Bris uni and Exeter to escape such activism, not because they want it! (Can’t speak first UWE)

This may apply in your circle but the Social Policy students do tend to be more politically active . If you think most students doing soc pol aren't left leaning then you really need to look around more!

Obviously I know you have connections with Bristol but this assumption that because a large number are privately educated or very affluent they won't have values that are socialist is just wrong headed

There is a great deal of activism amongst a core of students about the names of various buildings. Google is your friend there. The uni itself indeed is proving rather resistant to change.

Whether or not the iconoclasm was wrong or not is a different debate (I didn't say it was or wasn't). There were definitely people from all backgrounds involved in the BLM protest : including lots of students.

The OP's child wouldn't select Bristol anyway , based on criteria but I don't know why you are trying to put her off an excellent university. Bristol as a city has a proper 'woke' reputation and is vibrant and creative.

I think people go to Bristol because it's an excellent uni - not to 'escape' anything!

Bristol is a great uni. The generalisations on here are silly.

And I know it might be anathema to some posters, but if the local ex poly has activists then it is actually possible to join them, unless ingrained snobbery prevents.

You can join activists anywhere. I only mentioned Bristol because it was highlighted by other posters as being suitable. You don’t have to go to ent university to protest! So who really cares about which one! I don’t. But Bristol uni isn’t known for political activism and I don’t care about certain courses. They are run nearly everywhere!

If a student is politically active then go to a city where there are people like them. It’s that simple. Ones that have a high number of private school DC tend to have less activism. Eg St Andrew’s!

7 June 2020 Bristol - the university was in lockdown. One of my sons was home from about Jan 2020 from memory and the other came back for Easter and for finals and went back for the last month. I just cannot remember if his friends were at the toppling. It is likely some of them were as it would be "exciting" for many. The idea Bristol students are not politically interested and are not left wing jsut seems laughable to me. Of course I wish they were Tories but no such luck. I think of all my sons' friends and one son was in the hall with more private school pupils of any in the whole UK only one is a Tory. Lovely boy - I should clasp him to my blue bosom.....

There is also massive support from the students for eco issues too of course which is politically a neutral issue as regards left and write I suppose. Certainly my sons were there when Greta T spoke in Bristol.

Apparently the gay groups or whatever we are supposed to call them these days at the university are very very radical, so weird and with such strident views that it can be best to avoid them.

So I really do doubt anyone could say Bristol students are not political. However I can understand that people like to put particularly universities into a box and they that is a Tory university of posh white rich people and to be avoided kind of thing as we would not want to sully our principles by spending any time with anyone who holds a different view from how we are. That would be a mistake.

Ona side note, I might select somewhere like Bristol for social policy because league tables tell me it is top 5 for the subject and I'd be based in an urban centre with pockets of affluence and deprivation so an interesting case study in that sense, excellent links for placements and work and volunteering opportunities and the fact that it is a Q step centre.

Didn't mean this to turn into a thread about social policy , just that I think a uni that offers subjects like this attracts liberal minded campaigning style people at least in that faculty area- certainly the way Essex badges those degrees very much highlights this,as do the various degrees in international disaster management and development. at eg Manchester (just as a uni that has lots of media and arts attracts certain creative types and Loughborough and Bath attract sporting people). But to correct a statement, Soc Pol specifically is not offered at every uni. It's actually quite niche.

OP, I am thinking a few nudges about Exeter here might nudge it down your DD's list. That would be a shame though as it is very good for English. But, in terms of your DD's subjects, York seems the best fit (does Warwick do History of Art?)

OP LEEDS!

I can’t believe Leeds hasn’t more mentions here. It’s a great English dept but also the student union is amazing for live music, drama etc and it has a decent art dept and fashion dept. The city is one of the most vibrant and arty. The students are a real mix but I would say on the whole more left leaning and campaigning than most. Just walk through Hyde park and headingly to get a feel for the student population. It’s a campus uni tho the accom is mostly a bus or walk away.

Activism isn’t the same as being in a political party. Of course there are people of all backgrounds at universities but political activism isn’t noted at some. So if that’s what’s wanted then decide how important the union activism is and find one where you fit in. As I said that could be a former poly or anywhere that is a politically active city. Northern ones tick more boxes because students join activities outside the uni in these cities. Bangor, Winchester or Surrey might be less attractive if you want a more politically active environment.,

Although I note OP wanted RG!!!

I mentioned Leeds upthread newgirls as a delightful ex student of mine chose it over unis mentioned by the OP for the same degree. I think OP said she was adding it to the list.

However, it really isn't a campus uni in the sense that York and Warwick are. Campus unis have accommodation on site.

I haven't seen anywhere from the OP that her daughter is interested in political activism, just that she is 'left leaning'. That gives her something in common with most students, I'd have thought.

@Piggywaspushed

I mentioned Leeds upthread newgirls as a delightful ex student of mine chose it over unis mentioned by the OP for the same degree. I think OP said she was adding it to the list.

However, it really isn't a campus uni in the sense that York and Warwick are. Campus unis have accommodation on site.

Ah missed that one.

Leeds does have two halls on campus. Possibly three not been for a while. Hard to get into those though. And a huge new block of flats right outside between the two unis.

Yeah it's kind of a hybrid!

Yes three, iirc - can't remember the names, but a modern and expensive one, a modern, srlf-catered one with pairs of rooms within the flats sharing a 'Jack and Jill' bathroom (DD was very taken with that one) and a smaller, older one like an old(ish)-fashioned boarding school house. I rather liked that one, but think it was catered(?), which none of our DC have wanted.

Leeds (the city) is great - though as one who started off in life well over the other side of the Pennines, I'm always slightly taken aback when I find myself being impressed by bits of Yorkshire