Choosing a chemistry degree / university

[persephone19]

DS1 is in y12, A levels in physics chemistry and maths at a state 6th form having gained a good set of GCSEs from the fabled 'bog standard comp'. He is set on a chemistry degree.
From a search on here I've established he needs to:
Ideally apply for a course with a sandwich year in industry
Be prepared to do a Phd/DPhil thereafter
Go for a generic chemistry degree from a good university
Make sure the course gives him membership to the Royal Society of Chemistry

Is there anything else he should consider regarding the courses before considering which universities he wants to visit and then apply to? (Obviously he needs to consider what type of university and location etc). The threads I've found on here are from a few years back.

Has anyone been through the chemistry degree application process recently with their DC?

Thank you!

That’s just one course at one university. What are the overall percentages? It’s likely to not be identical everywhere.

My D.C. is doing the 4 year MChem with a year in industry at Bristol.

They were sent loads of placement opportunities and had to apply for them. There was a session on CV presentation and interviews from the Uni.

Dc has a great placement, earning £26k plus relocation package for a job in the research department of a major company that do their research in affiliation with an Oxbridge Uni.

I don’t think course peers have had difficulty getting the year’s job.

They have to get the required level of grades at the end of the first year to progress to the second year of the 4 year course, and again the level of grades required to stay on the course for the year in industry.

If they don’t get those grades, or change their mind, they can revert to the 3 year MSc course.

My DS got a first class chemistry BSc from a Russell group uni in 2020. (I hesitate to say graduated, as he hasn’t yet 🤣🤣)

He did do a placement year, but in a non-chemistry industry that he is keen to work in long term.

None of his chemistry applications were successful, similar with most of his course friends.

As a pp said, it is so competitive getting placements, not enough to go around for too many students.

I think less than 5 on his course (of 160+) ended up doing a placement year, even though many wanted to.

At open days, they push the placement year as an incentive, but unless the dept has specific contacts with industry, the students are usually left to apply independently, in competition with students from other unis.

I was quite shocked at this when he started 2nd yr, having sat in presentations at open days where placement/working abroad was made a selling point.

This is something that he should ask about at open days this year - how much help is given.

I should add though - although his placement industry was badly affected by COVID, he has got a graduate role in a similar industry, working for managers who had previously worked at his placement company. So the placement definitely helped him secure his graduate role.

DD is doing a Masters in Chemistry at one of the top unis. DM me if you like.

DD is in her 3rd year of a Chemistry degree at Oxford. Next year is a research project only, but the students join a research group at Oxford. She will come out with an MChem.

I think they skipped the year in industry, but it’s a few years ago now, so I’m not sure. They did get a first and then went on to do medicine.

My DD left school and started uni in 2017. 2 of her closest friends studied Chemistry, one at Oxford, the other at Nottingham. The Nottingham one did a course with a year abroad and spent from September 2019 to March 2020 in the USA. She had a fantastic experience, graduated with a First and is now a PhD student. The other hated a lot of her Oxford course, graduated in 2021 and is now working in something environmental in the Midlands.

My own DD studied NatSci at Cambridge. Originally she thought she would opt for Chemistry but was more interested in Materials Science and has ended up starting a PhD in that discipline.

In your position, I would look for the course with the broadest base because a lot can change between y12 and graduation. Look at the modules available and contact people from school who have gone on to study that subject.

Ds studying chemistry in his first year at Oxford.
Also applied to bristol Nottingham Edinburgh Leeds. York also good. Warwick and Sheffield good too but he didn't like the cities. We did a lot of research on best unis for chemistry. Edinburgh was his second choice but all those mentioned above are good and just comes down to personal preference of the unis themselves. We excluded London so can't comment on those.

Thanks everyone
DS has decided he probably wants a city university. Hasn't completely ruled out oxford but seems keen on Bristol York Edinburgh Glasgow and maybe KCL.
Would be good to link up with other Mumsnetters whose children are applying to chemistry for 2023.

Dc is first year at Durham doing Chemistry. You are welcome to dm me if I can help in any way.

Best ones in the UK are probs oxbridge , imperial and UCL. Most prestigious and have the best graduate prospects. I'm thinking more Oxford chemistry due to the lack of further maths. Manchester is very very good as well.

Globally though I feel Oxbridge and Imperial have the better reputation.

My DD will also be applying for Chemistry. She wants to give Oxford a go and also likes the look of Bristol - she is thinking about the course with a year abroad in a modern language. Other than that she has Edinburgh and Nottingham on her short list at the moment.

She’s doing A levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Her college do Maths in Year 12 and Further Maths in Year 13 so she will be doing an A level in only a few weeks time. She seems quite relaxed about it at the moment!

My brother is an industrial chemist and recruits chemistry graduates. From experience he also rates Southampton graduates and really any of the classic industrial cities - Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Birmingham etc for quality of industry experience. But a good quality candidate could be from anywhere.