Campus universities

[PinaColadaBaby]

I know most universities have a campus of sorts but DD is looking for a traditional campus university - where all the teaching, 1st year accommodation and sport are in one place. So, by this criterion, Leicester and Leeds for example are not campus, whereas Nottingham is.

Traditional campus universities that occur to me: Nottingham, Birmingham, Exeter, Warwick, Essex, York. Do you know of any others please?

DD has MFL offers from 5 unis, Lancaster is the lowest (ABB dropping to BBB if she firms) but not sure why as they seem to rank highly? She's completely stuck as to which to go for. Her other options are Nottingham (crossed off after offer day), Warwick (liked) Exeter (also liked) and Durham (visiting next week for the first time). I don't think I can offer any advice as I am reading this thread with interest!

Congrats to your DD @InDIYHell - great list to choose from! All I know is that, of those on her list, Durham’s course has the reputation for being literature heavy - your DD may like that but mine won’t hence not on list of possibles. She loves Lancaster and her teachers say it is right up there for MFL. She also likes Exeter and Nottingham (and also Brum and Newcastle - though latter not a campus uni ofc). What put your DD off Nottingham if I may ask - the place or the course?

Re. Nottingham she was really excited when looking online but was disappointed with a taster session and she felt the people weren't so friendly. Campus is lovely though.

She looked at the Durham prospectus and thought it was ok / had enough options for her (I don't know details). But truth be told, she picked it due to Harry Potter filming location/vibe and the idea of wafting around in gowns 🤣.

I forgot to add that Brum was no. 6 on her list. We discounted for 2 reasons;

2 of her friends dropped out in year 1 due to not feeling safe.

A friend of mine used to be a lecturer there and said it's a lovely uni but knowing DD well suggested she would probably prefer Exeter.

Gosh @InDIYHell I hadn’t heard that Brum particularly unsafe - that’s worrying. My DD used to rocking around sarf London though so hopefully it’s just all relative

@InDIYHell Lancaster at BBB would be an awesome insurance if she decides to firm elsewhere. My DD will be green with envy! X

Kent simply isn’t on a par with Lancaster. If she gets the predicted grades, am as high as you can!

@clary DD did MFL at Bristol too. I did say the Clifton halls were really close to MFL department. The sport is further away but the university has its own area of the city but I fully accept it’s not campus.

If anyone could get to Oxford or Durham, would you rule them out because they are not campus? That would be shortsighted in my view: and going for Kent would be even more shortsighted if the DC could get to Oxford.

In Scotland, MFL at many universities is 5 years. Yes, some are 4 but choice is then limited.

I'd PM you re. Brum if I could work out how! But I wouldn't let it put you off as there's bound to be isolated incidents and I don't know the full story.

We're visiting Lancaster next weekend and DD is hoping that she'll love it.

Good luck with your research!

Kent being looked at as insurance option @TizerorFizz. Other insurance options are Essex and Leicester

@@PinaColadaBaby
Why not RG plus? The reason the Lancaster offer is low is bums on seats. There are not enough MFL students to go round. Lancaster is so much better then the others you mention. What are her predicted grades? Only a few universities want AAA. You have a huge choice for a bit under that. It’s pretty easy to get offers.

Has anyone said Bradford? Might have changed since my day but main campus just outside the city centre. 5 min walk to a second campus with more accomodation and sports pitches. I had many friends who did MFL.

DD also looked at Surrey as insurance, plus I think Reading might have lower offers? (Both campus unis)

Actually I agree with TizerorFizz. DDs strategy is to aim high and go through clearing or take a year out if she doesn't hit the grades (given MFL isn't so popular). I wouldn't suggest this for other courses though!

Kent is such a great campus university and it's the UK's "European University" as so close to the continent so perfect for French

I agree with @TizerorFizz too @InDIYHell. However, no way my DD is as sanguine as yours about going into clearing or taking a year out (MFL degrees are long enough) and clearing means mad scramble for accomm. DD is only likely to be predicted ABB so does need at least one BBB uni (Surrey/Reading/Leicester in practice). My brain now fried with all the research she’s done!

Swansea

mine too 🤞🏼 what’s she hoping to study?

Sadly Bradford no longer offer MFL. One of the many unis no longer to do so. No idea how recently they scrapped it but certainly not option now 🥲

That’s horrendously naive. If you’re a middle income family with multiple children wanting to go into higher education and your dc only gets minimum maintenance loan then you will be topping them up to the tune of thousands of pounds a year payable out of taxed income. Throw in a cost of living crisis and it means many families simply can’t afford for their dc to add an extra year to their studies for no extra value.

the student loan itself is only part of the story (although why you want to pay extra interest on a higher amount is beyond me)

@NeverApologiseNeverExplain we're paying £150pw for dd to be at university so that's a huge impact on our day to day living.

Wow we won't have 150£ a week in a few years time when my eldest wants to go 😳

@PinaColadaBaby
You don’t need to drop down to anything lower than RG plus with ABB. See what offers she gets. If Lancaster offer BBB that would be an insurance. With MFL you might as well go for ABB for all universities, except maybe one, because the BBBs will take BCC! (Not all!). is this just for single honours French?

I do not see why being close to France (Kent) should ever be part of the decision making process. Also posters should check if a university does MFL- lots of lower ranking ones don’t.

We are also in the ABB camp for mfl and have offers from Lancaster, Newcastle, UCL , Liverpool and Manchester. Liverpool is BBB amd Lancaster BBB if firmed. Dd seems a bit keener in city living so currently looking at UCL and either Newcastle or Liverpool. Not decided yet..Lancaster lovely campus and I went there so.biased. (loved it). She liked the feel of Liverpool because its a city but the uni had a campus feel to it.

Really hard to decide.

Also pretty sure she will drop one of the Bs to a C (chemistry) and therefore is thinking that she needs somewhere a bit more flexible on results day. Liverpool might fit that but who knows !!

Hartpury - a bit niche for courses but a stunning campus and top rated.

I've been very impressed with Lancaster University on the open days I've attended with my daughter. Preferred it to Loughborough, Durham and Leeds. The campus is very clean and well maintained and the open day was very well run and friendly. The sports fields and facilities are excellent. Looked at 3 of the accomodation blocks and they were very good too.