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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Help re. Uni choice

28 replies

Extrahotchilli · 28/01/2023 19:55

My DS has done preliminary investigation of uni options (he’s in Y12) and fixated on Newcastle and Nottingham - primarily, I think, coz he follows current students on TikTok and they seem to party all the time #notagoodreason😂DS is not particularly motivated and very easily distracted so the idea of Newcastle or Nottingham makes me nervous - I don’t think he’d do much work! The courses at both unis are perfect, mind. I’d far rather he put down a few sleepy campuses - UEA, Reading, Surrey, Aberystwyth - with fewer distractions. What do you guys think?

OP posts:

lljkk · 28/01/2023 19:57

what subject?

UmmmBopDeeDooWhop · 28/01/2023 19:58

My dd is at Newcastle and we live in Nottingham. She's having a lovely time. She lives on campus and her nearest supermarket is M&S!

The good thing about Newcastle is there is loads of accommodation and it's a compact city.

I think there's plenty of distractions wherever you go. It's the people that are the distraction.

LIZS · 28/01/2023 20:01

Not sure UEA nor Reading are best described as "sleepy"!

What subject?

mumsneedwine · 28/01/2023 20:09

DD at Notts. She's had a v nice time. Loads of nightlife, fantastic sports and a beautiful campus. Newcastle is pretty nice too though.

Original poster

Extrahotchilli · 28/01/2023 20:14

his subject would be French with Business/Management. And you are right @UmmmBopDeeDooWhop - it’s the people who would distract him. He gets distracted merely by his phone and X-box at home FGS so that’s not going to change wherever he ends up! Any preferences for Notts or Newcastle? Leicester also on his list btw

OP posts:

Original poster

Extrahotchilli · 28/01/2023 20:15

Campus at Nottingham looks lovely but told catered accommodation is very £££££

OP posts:

UsherBobble · 28/01/2023 20:19

Not everyone parties hard at Nottingham. My DS has had a really balanced first year so far. Although he's on a very full on course.

Tumbleton · 28/01/2023 20:19

DS is in his first year at UEA and there seems to be no shortage of parties and student union nights (on campus) and club nights (in Norwich). I think the susceptibility to distraction depends on the individual as much as the location.

gogohmm · 28/01/2023 20:21

East mids has the advantage of housing being reasonable, think Newcastle is similar. I would consider travel time to your house too.

Beachhutnut · 28/01/2023 20:22

They are very different. Nottingham is a campus uni and Newcastle a city one. So depends what he wants. Newcastle is lovely though and Geordies super friendly.

mumsneedwine · 28/01/2023 20:22

@Extrahotchilli first year on a par ££ wine with most places. But once they move out it's v v cheap !!!

gogohmm · 28/01/2023 20:22

Leicester isn't really particularly a party university, slightly lower tariff to get in too. Main halls are in a nice leafy suburb

mumsneedwine · 28/01/2023 20:22

With. Not wine. That's what's in my left hand 🍷

Original poster

Extrahotchilli · 28/01/2023 20:22

You are of course correct @Tumbleton. Glad your son is enjoying UEA - so is our goddaughter!

@usherbobble oh if only my son did balance!

OP posts:

PritiPatelsMaker · 28/01/2023 20:22

Campus at Nottingham looks lovely but told catered accommodation is very ££££

Catered is expensive but there is non-catered available. I wouldn't discount it until you've done an Open Day.

Original poster

Extrahotchilli · 28/01/2023 20:27

We shall do the open days. Can anyone recommend decent but reasonably priced hotels near Nottingham or Newcastle please (yes, I know there’s tripadvisor!)

OP posts:

cptartapp · 28/01/2023 20:29

DS1 is at Nottingham. Second year now in private accommodation which is reasonable. DS2 is keen on York and Notts halls don't seem particularly expensive in comparison. The catered option was great for his first year.
He's having a fab time. Notts is a great city to be a student and the campus is gorgeous with quick, cheap trams into the centre.

HeddaGarbled · 28/01/2023 20:31

Ha, I can see what you’re hoping for but you know it’s not going to work. He’ll have to find his own way now.

Both very good universities and nice cities.

mumsneedwine · 28/01/2023 20:53

@Extrahotchilli there's a fab hotel on campus, Orchard, at Notts and depends what you mean by cheap. Usually about £90 for a double. Can park for free. And it's right next to halls on campus. It's v nice

Showdogworkingdog · 28/01/2023 21:58

DS graduated from Nottingham Uni last year and he absolutely loved it, despite covid messing up much of it. He was in catered halls the first year and that actually worked out ok for him as he’s a swimmer who consumes his own body weight in food daily so he was able to get his money’s worth. I wasn’t impressed with the uni’s careers support though. As he was drawing close to graduating I hassled encouraged him to seek help with CV, job hunting etc and support was there but oversubscribed and he didn’t seem to realise it was available (tbf, that might be him) which made me wonder how hard they tried once students were coming to the end of their courses. That might well be the case at other unis too, but I thought that was poor. Glorious campus and sports centre though.

clary · 28/01/2023 22:46

Yes Nottingham on-campys accommodation is all catered so v expensive.

Ds2 had Newcastle on his list and we loved the city and the halls have a range of prices too. He went somewhere else but that was bc he preferred the course.

Dd was at Leicester (graduated last year) and it was very good, supportive dept (english) and nice city. Halls are a way from uni but good range of options and private accommodation is also cheap.

UsherBobble · 28/01/2023 22:52

@Extrahotchilli 🤣

Also good to remember that if they are staying in catered halls they get a £25 food allowance every week in the form of a daily bites card that they can use for lunches.

MarchingFrogs · 29/01/2023 09:31

Has he looked at Birmingham?
www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/lang/mod-lang-business.aspx

Obviously close to the real world social distractions of the city centre, though, and quite a lot going on on campus, as well - but then it woukd br a bit boring if there was nothing to do in the evening

mumonthehill · 29/01/2023 09:37

Ds at nottingham trent and is now in final year. Nightlife has been good as is transport around the city.private rent has also been reasonable in years 2 and 3 which has been good for the bank balance! Loads of hotel options in Nottingham, we have stayed in the Hilton, premier inn just have a search to find a good price.

RampantIvy · 29/01/2023 20:24

Any preferences for Notts or Newcastle?

Newcastle has a very good MFL department and is a great city to be a student in. Partying is, of course, optional. Regardless of where he goes to university he needs to remember that the tutors and leturers don't chase the students for work. They get emails with deadlines, and if the work is handed in late it gets marks deducted. And if it doen't get handed in at all they get zero marks. The onus is completely on the students to keep on top of their work. There is no spoon feeding at university. If you are concerned that he won't keep on top of his work then maybe he isn't ready for univerity yet.

Also, MFL is pretty intensive with lots of work and contact hours.

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