This is not a good uni filter is it?!!!

[Tinygardener]

NC as don’t want to embarrass DD or her school!

DD is looking at unis for applying to this November and school had a year group meeting last week. They gave good advice about how to narrow down uni choices and then chucked in this (probs meant light-heartedly): “a deciding factor could be proximity to what matters to you (eg. restaurants, shops, sports)”. It was also written on the PowerPoint handout.

DD has taken this very seriously (she has ASD) and has now decided she wants to be by the sea in a place with a Nando’s and a Zara! I only found this out after seeing tabs open on the family PC of Zara stores and Nando’s locations and gently enquiring what she was up to (not expecting AT ALL for it to be uni related!) What’s worse is that she says she has actually found some unis that meet these requirements! Seeing the look on my face she then clammed up and won’t tell me which ones though so can anyone hazard a guess? I can then look them up to see if they are good for her course which is Maths. I am both amused and exasperated!

@boys3 I am surprised no Nando’s in Aberystwyth as it is such a student town. I suppose it wouldn’t make much money outside of term time though… DD did look at Aber but was horrified at the lack of retail - “there’s not even a H&M, mum!!!l

It has to make do with a Michelin star restaurant instead.

not convinced students frequent it necessarily.😄

DS3 does moan about there being no Nando’s there. Although the nearest one when he’s home is over 20 miles away.

I'm 20mins from Edinburgh, it would be lovely, lots of options to get by the water. Good shopping, bars etc and she will have the bonus of being able to "escape" student life should she need too.

Hahaha, OP.

I am a former Russell Group STEM admissions tutor and I think she could do a lot worse. The beauty of your DD’s filters is that when combined with her predicted grades it will probably yield three or four obvious choices. It is an eccentric methodology, but an effective one. Good for her.

I haven’t RTFT but what about Lancaster? Not RG but come a long way in both research and teaching excellence recently

I chose Glasgow because having grown up in the back of beyond I wanted to go to the biggest city in Scotland. I made full use of the night life. Luckily for me it's one of the best Universities in the country for my subject. I knew a LOT of people who went to Aberdeen because it was the closest to home.

As someone who picked my university based on nightclubs and music venues, with an interesting course thrown in, I wholly approve.

If you’ve got to leave home and live there for three years, you want to enjoy it. No regrets here!

Exeter?

I love this. My daughter also wants to study maths. Although she has a couple more years to go she’s already been thinking about locations, but so far looking at league tables and predicted grades needed. I’m going to suggest she investigates her version of beach, Zara and nandos too! 🙌

Swansea fits the bill!

Whoops- missed your update. Swansea is a great choice for the university experience. I have no idea what it’s like for maths though.

My NT DC chose her uni based on the fact she loved it when we went there on a holiday when she was younger.

she then decided she also liked the course structure they offered for her chosen subject.

Bristol is perfect! Is a great uni, has a Nandos and a Zara at Cabot Circus and is coastal.

Belfast should tick the boxes too. Not a seaside town as such but 15 minutes on a bus will bring you to a beach or the same on a train- different beaches in both directions. For the other times she can join the rowing team and row along the Lagan, or cycle all along the Lagan tow path with would also bring you to a beach. Or just walk along the Titanic quarter which has the sea running all along. It has a massive Zara and a couple of Nando’s, and Queens is a Russel Group university. Cheap accommodation too.

Bristol is 10 miles from the closest beach - it's not coastal

I thought that, like yours, my daughter would look at league tables FIRST and then narrow down but she says this way is actually much better as her filters are non-negotiable and they have meant she’s got it down to 8 unis in a matter of days 😂😂. All best to your DD

I chose my university because it was by the sea🤣

Best decision I ever made! Left my course but stayed in the area and built an amazing life for myself here.

There has to be some way of narrowing choices down but she is being very specific. At least she has a way of deciding though, it can be tough.

DS2 had it easy as his course was only taught at 5 universities so that’s where he applied🤣

Looked at the LinkedIn profiles of new graduates hired in jobs you want and see where they went and work back from that.

Of the list
I would have Exeter first as in England, but possibly Edinburgh jointly with it although it can be a bit complex if it is a 4 year course in Scotland I suppose. The others I would put below those two.

Strong disagree! I would say that the St Andrews beaches (note: plural, there are three) leave all others standing. Don’t forget, the Chariots of Fire beach is there!

If she can live without Zara.

Just RTFT. Hugely enjoyable read and thought-provoking as we can all get obsessed with league tables and uni so much more than that. Your DD and you sound great OP.

With her analytical brain, your DD will do well in the Maths world!

Seems quite reasonable. I chose mine based on the free cream cakes they gave out on open day!

I love this. Might have swung it for me too 😂

Sheffield isn't near the sea! We are pretty much landlocked, definitely not coastal! Not sure I'd count a minimum of 90-120 minutes drive to the nearest beach coastal tbh.

Night clubs were on DD’s list of must haves. She rejected St Andrews as too quiet.