York, Durham, Exeter

[GodessOfThunder]

These universities seem feature in a disproportionate amount of discussion on Mumsnet as institutions commenters see as desirable for their DC to attend. Obviously they are well regarded universities, but why do they attract more discussion here than other Russell group universities, especially those in northern and midlands post-industrial cities such as Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham and Birmingham?

A few possible reasons were suggested by DH:

• They enjoy an undue level of perceived prestige due to being in smaller old cities/towns like Oxbridge
• The Mumsnet user base is skewed towards the SE and biased against post-industrial cities. Mumsnetters are less likely to be familiar with them and hold “grim up north” perceptions.
• There is a “showing off” factor in starting threads and commenting that DC has applied for, or attends, these institutions - the same goes for the “Oxbridge support” threads, the like of which you never see for red bricks.

Does anyone agree, or are there other explanatory factors?

But, the “most weatherspoons” criteria would necessitate studying in (limiting this to cities) Sheffield, which has the highest number of outlets seemingly, or Nottingham which has the greatest number per head.

@Zimunya top of the tracklist when you drop your DD @ University has to be Common People by Pulp!

I do think it's great she wants to broaden her social mix though. Whether people like it to be pointed out or not, children who are privately educated have been in a less diverse cohort. Like many comprehensive school educated kids who attended a red brick university I was bemused at why so many conversations were about which school people had attended as this was definitely more of a private school trait. So Universities do work both ways in widening access to people from different backgrounds.

Less economically diverse for sure, but in the SW private school is often more ethnically diverse.

@Socrates you may be right about voting but you are not right about Newcastle which is a magnificent toon

Much enjoying the love for Newcastle on this thread 😂

A beautiful city - I am not a fan of places which are uniformly pretty, I always feel like it's a bit twee and that there is something unpleasant lurking under the surface 😳

(Bath and Saffron Walden, I am looking at you.)

If people think Newcastle is grey, don't go to Scotland fgs!

I love Scotland. The monroes rather that the cities - Edinburgh is pretty grim and underwhelming. Lovely people, but pretty depressing in many places.

I almost think you are trolling us now!

Most people think Edinburgh is pretty , but the people are grim!

Bath is a beautiful city but a lot of people say it has weird, supernatural vibes. York is pretty, so is Cambridge. Durham is attractive in a more Northern way. In Edinburgh, the buildings look very austere and black, but this is because (apparently) they can't clean the grime off buildings without dissolving the stone. But the grimmest of grim is Aberdeen. I couldn't cope with that. I think parents do just like attractive uni cities where they would like to go on a weekend break and afternoon tea! Same as tourists really.

Exeter was a bit 'characterless' tbh, except for the bit around the cathedral. Canterbury is more interesting, but nobody mentions UKC on here.

I’m intrigued what is the Northern way Durham looks attractive? I grew up in Winchester and in many ways they are not dissimilar.

im intrigued by Northern beauty 😂

Exeter isn't great as it was bombed heavily, ditto Bristol. A lot of lovely countryside around it though.

I'm more intrigued by the 'weird supernatural vibes' that 'a lot of people' notice! I clearly don't have the tingly senses.

I'm not sure exactly about Durham but the style of the buildings and the cobbles just (to me) seemed more 'northern' in style - maybe it was the type of stone (more grey / darker in tone)? Also the architecture is a bit less ornate and grandiose, compared to say, Cambridge. But Durham is lovely in its own way, I think.

We couldn't get phone reception in Bath for ages. This was very traumatic for all teens on the trip! It's in a valley, but lots of people say they get strange vibes in Bath, or a kind of deja vu? I can't really describe it, but a bit like the vibe at Stonehenge.

Didn't notice the vibe (isn't lay lines or radon?) but the uni is at the top of the steepest hill and everyone has to catch the bus. That put my DC right off despite loving the campus and the course.

@jooon - we were at an Open Day there last weekend and absolutely loved it.

That's because the council keeps refusing planning permission for upgraded masts. Central Bath phone reception really depends on the carrier/location (as does much of rural Somerset/Wiltshire/Dorset).

Just realised this post wasn’t clear - we were at Canterbury, not Exeter.

I am from Newcastle and as the photos show it is a beautiful city with the best countryside of the UK next to it in Northumberland. However as I ahve said above better to choose a university based on which is the hardest to get into based on what the teenager can achieve for A level grades plus where do employers where you might want to work have newly hired graduates from.

I am going to bed now but I just did E&Y graduate trainee linkedin quick google search. First hit went to Durham got a first and was at a UK state grammar. Next one a first from Northern Ireland.

Its not trolling, that just how I feel about those places, visually. I liked the people, but the cities are Meh! Edinburgh has has some lovely architecture but the just feels grey, wander a little from the centre and like most cities its it a bit grim. Most places have a feel - I didn't get supernatural vibes from Bath, it is pretty but soulless.

Whist the Big Four / Top 6/10 do have relatively high standards they struggle to recruit and retain in the numbers required, so having a 1st from Durham will not buy you a significant advantage on the way in but may be advantageous on your way out.

Even with Durham, Bristol or Exeter on a CV someone might struggle to make the move to the mega bucks paying MBB's of the world. The debate will rage on forever as to who, other than Oxbridge, are the Target Uni's but LinkedIn stats don't lie.

You will never change Xenia's out of date view about top 10 universities @Socrateswasrightaboutvoting.

Mumsnet is very old-fashioned about careers and universities. Mention Swansea or Liverpool and you might be forgiven for thinking you were reading the comments underneath a Times article about Sports Science.

@GodessOfThunder your small minded stereotypical and sweeping generalisations scattered throughout are rather giving the lie to your original "hubby says" 🙄 OP.

Mancunians steal phones etc.

I was born in Nottingham, studied in Manchester, lived in Liverpool, work in Canterbury and went to holder's days last year to Exeter and Bath.

Nottingham well respected university for many courses.

See also Manchester and Liverpool

Canterbury pre COVID had the highest number of alcoholics and people living on the street per capita of any city in the UK. Not sure that any of its courses are particularly lauded. One of my students has gone there in recent years, loved every second. Happiness is not to be underestimated.

Exeter town centre was a dump. Highly respected university

Bath has little WiFi reception being, as it is, in a hollow. Highly respected university.

Etc etc