Imperial

[Champagnecharleyismyname]

It looks like DD is going to make Imperial her first choice to study Biology. I've searched but can't find any old threads of what it's like to study there.

I'm keen to hear from anyone who had DC there or are considering it for this year.

What's the pros and cons of the accommodation and where do students live in yrs 2 & 3?

@Needmoresleep thanks so much. Your post has really helped. DD loves London and we don't live too far so I would say she's up there once a month or so. Different than living there though. She knows her way around the tubes though so it's a start.

She goes to a big sixth form college so is used to independent work. She's pretty self motivated.

Anyway she still needs to get the grades which is 3 As so a big ask.

Just spotted typo.

"loves visiting London and does not find it underwhelming, she will probably enjoy Imperial."

Overwhelming. Duh!

Another random positive. I know an academic who teaches within the biology department. I would love to be taught by her!

Well she's done it, firmed Imperial and Cardiff as her insurance.

So what happens now? Do we get an email about applying for finance?

Applications for student finance have been open for a while now (and the deadline to ensure payment will have been approved by the beginning of term must be fairly soon). Bit late now, but she could have started the process at any time since, nominating the most likely university that she would firm and changing that detail later if necessary.

www.gov.uk/apply-online-for-student-finance

(The afore-mentioned deadline is 20th May, btw).

Thank you @MarchingFrogs for confirming the deadline. We were not aware of it so managed to get everything in on time and have had the finance confirmation. DD's sixth form college did a presentation on the finance on the 18th May so all a bit late.

She has just found out three of her friends have firmed Manchester so she's now having a touch of the seconds!

Exams start a week Tuesday so hopefully that will give her focus.

Coming back to my post because DD got her grades and is off to Imperial on Oct 1st. She's been allocated Wilson House which is the halls in Paddington and a walk across Hyde Park to the campus.

We're going to go up next week and have a look and check out her journey from halls. She seems pleased with Wilson.

It's been really useful re reading the posts from people with experience

It’s around a 30 minute walk. 12 mins on a bike. Hyde Park is quite big: @Champagnecharleyismyname Well done to DD.

Congratulations.

Check out the different bike hire places, as Hyde Park provides great, safe cycle routes.

DD is back for two months working as a research assistant as the “elective” element of her Bristol medicine course, and is buzzing. No contact with students but she is being given more responsibility that she had expected, her colleagues are supportive and the project is really interesting. Apparently, if it gets published which it should, she should qualify as an author. Students come in all shapes and sizes. DD struggled, particularly during her first year at Bristol. In the end it is about fit. I hope your daughter has a great time.

@TizerorFizz thank you, she's very excited so I hope she has a great experience. She's realistic about the work I think but has some romantic notions about living in London!

We are not too far away though which is nice.

Congratulations to your DD!

The journey from Wilson House to Imperial is one of those TFL quirks where they are geographically near but the route by tube isn't any faster than walking because it takes you on a circuitous route. The bus is slow because of traffic. Cycling will be the fastest option. The route is through the quiet residential streets of the Hyde Park Estate then the cycle path through the park. No need to fight with double decker buses and HGVs!

My top tip would be (if there isn't surge pricing) it's actually often cheaper for 4 students to share an Uber than take the tube if they are only making the return trip to college that day so the Oyster daily cap doesn't come into play. Handy to know if it is pouring with rain or she is coming back late at night from the student union.

There are a big Waitrose, small Tesco and Sainsburys, and an M&S food hall a few minutes away on Edgware Road. A bit further up Edgware Road towards Maida Vale, there is an Aldi, the street market in Church Street for very cheap fruit and veg, and some pound shops on Church Street too. There is also an Argos (Edgware Road) and huge Primark (Oxford Street) if she finds she needs extra bedding or storage boxes or forgot to bring something essential every year there are queues of students buying laundry airers once they see the cost of the tumble dryer. Waitrose always seems to have JL homeware special offers for towels, saucepans etc during Freshers' Week.

Paddington Basin (on the canal behind the station) and Connaught Village have nice restaurants, bars, cafes and pubs away from the tourists if you fancy lunch on your recce trip.

Thanks @chesirecat99 that's so helpful! Good to know there are supermarkets nearby and a nice place for lunch. She may allow me to come to London and meet her on occasion.

I would also add, although it is a safe area with regular police street patrols on bikes and council street warden patrols dealing with antisocial behaviour (eg drunks or organised begging), there is some on street drug dealing and street prostitution around Wilson House. It's more of a nuisance than a danger, and a good chance she won't even notice. DS was oblivous until I pointed it out 😂I would suggest she avoids walking home alone late at night.

www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/london-benches-used-by-pimps-22150459

There’s often things going on you rather didn’t. Staying safe and not being alone after dark are important. Developing antennae for such things and avoiding them are important.

Bookmarking this thread as DS thinking of applying to Imperial for 2024 entry.

It's such a shame it's not a campus uni. It's perfect for him in every other way.

@Champagnecharleyismyname how is your DD getting on.

I hope she is enjoying it. London can be a great place to be a student.

@Needmoresleep thanks for asking. Loving London and has a lovely group of friends from her halls. She is though finding the work overwhelming and had a real wobble over her first set of exams in January. She's convinced she's failed and won't get the results until March.

I worried about living in London and meeting people and didn't consider the academics as she'd always been so disciplined.

She does seem better with these two modules.

Starting to think about where she lives next year. She can walk to campus now but it will be a tube ride next year.