Southampton or Birmingham for Computer Science?

[Ozzie9523]

Our son has received similar offers for both. We loved the Birmingham campus, we haven't managed to get to Southampton yet but are going on 7 May for an offer holders day. Both are around 3 hours away from where we live so that doesn't come into it. They seem fairly level on the various league tables. We're so confused!

My DS started at Birmingham this year, he also looked at Southampton (online only unfortunately)
He loves Birmingham, it's close enough to the city, but selly Oak where the campus is has plenty of food shops and eating places as well.
The computer science society is very active too, so he's had no problem making friends on his course.

The obvious tie break is where would he like to live in years 2 and 3? You cannot split the universities so maybe look at the cities? Students do live away from a campus and what’s available in the area can help decide. What other interests does he have and what city meets any other requirements? I would look around more widely than the campus.

I'd look at the content of the courses for the three years. Is one course more examination base, more options and see how your DS feels about each etc ?

It may also be worth contacting the admissions tutor to see how the subjects are examined - for example are books allowed into coding exams ? (I ask this as in Imperial College they are (as in the real world) but Cambridge they are not - so universities do vary on this issue.

Birmingham has probably one of the best campuses but I think Southampton's is quite good to.
As pp has said, it's worth thinking about interests. A good thing about b'ham is it's easy to get into the city centre but a bad thing is that it's not easy to get out into countryside, if that matters to you.

@ErrolTheDragon it’s really easy to get out to the countryside from Birmingham. Just jump on the train at University station, get off 20 mins later in Barnt Green at the foot of the Lickey hills. There’s some lovely walks from Barnt Green.

My son graduated from Southampton in 2020, my daughter is in the last year at Birmingham. Both have been well supported academically but I think she has had the better student experience. The Birmingham campus is great and the first year accommodation was very nice. My son says the only decent club in Southampton has closed down now as well!

Well students might also look at sport, eg football, music venues, festivals, theatres, even religious venues. I am not sure many break out into the countryside or the sea, but both have options. Hunting, shooting and fishing are, presumably, available if required! Plus sailing.