Help re. Uni choice

[Extrahotchilli]

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?

I know people who are at all three (Newcastle, Nottingham and Leicester) and all are very happy. I don’t think any particular university would be better for motivating your DS if he isn’t motivated himself.
I think the business school at Nottingham is very good but I don’t have personal knowledge. In terms of graduate prospects I would say Nottingham is probably the most prestigious of the three.

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.

Absolutely this. OP, I appreciate your DS is still in Year 12, so has some time to go before he starts university, but at some point I think you should have a serious discussion with your DS about this aspect. But you won't get him to do more work by pushing him into going to a quieter uni town. If he's not happy where he is, he'll probably get less work done. Personally when my son went off to university I continued to have conversations with him in which I raised the need to get down to work and asked about looming deadlines and plans for meeting them. <Awaits backlash from the "18-year-olds are adults and shouldn't need parental support of any kind" brigade.>

If DS likes a good time he will find like people more or less everywhere. He won’t fit into the quiet stay in type of life. So he’s just going to have to learn how to balance work and life, like anyone else. You cannot manage it for him.

I think Nottingham is best. Employers won’t know much about MFL at Newcastle. If they are employing Dc for MFL skills, they just want the skills, not the curriculum details. Especially as it’s with business. Newcastle would be next.

Leicester is marmite. For various reasons. Sound insurance choice maybe? I think it attracts local students. Reading is pleasant but London is in reach so some go home for the weekend. UEA is “nice”. It’s not Newcastle which has long been a fun city.

However don’t choose for him. He will have to manage and he needs to be happy with his choice. Not where you think he won’t meet anyone to distract him. As for Aber? Won’t he feel like it’s a secluded prison?