Exeter uni reassurance please!

[seymour]

Hi there, my daughter just got into Exeter uni through clearing but while she liked it when she visited ahead of the application process, she didn’t plump for it as her first choice as she felt it was quite “posh” and wasn’t sure if she would fit in. We are from a big city and she went to a comprehensive. Not trying to cause offence to anyone from a privileged background btw, we very much take every person as we find them, as does my daughter but just wondered if anyone could share their kids’ experiences? Thanks so much.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies brilliant, same course as my daughter. Thanks for replying.

My DS has just graduated from Exeter based at St Luke's and loved his time there. He was studying medicine on a 5 year course so knows the city very well. He graduated in July but is still there as has chosen not to leave for his Foundation training.

@singingstones Ha, brilliant, he sounds hardcore! To be honest, being from a big UK city, I am a bit worried my daughter will feel similar but if so, she can definitely get her dose of edgy when she’s back in the holidays!

@Lovecatsanddogs thank you, so nice to hear. My daughter’s course will also be based at St Luke’s.

@seymour Isn’t St Luke’s a lot smaller? Does it have the same mix of students for example?

My DD both went to unis in big cities from living in the country. Quite often DC want an alternative to home. My DDs live in London, but still like their “fix” of countryside back with us. Neither could do their jobs here though!

@TizerorFizz Yes, it is smaller but she knew that when she looked round earlier this year and wasn’t bothered. Not sure about the mix. Think it’s mainly sports and medicine/science? I am the same, live in London and love it but also like going back “home” for a bit of fresh air and sea breeze!

@seymour I think the courses at St Luke’s might lean more towards state DC - possibly? As they are a bit more vocational I think DC get stuck in and really don’t care about the background of others.

I’m not sure, I have barely done any research- not just because it wasn’t her first choice, I didn’t do much for that either! She likes to be very independent but I’ve stepped in now to sort out accommodation etc as she’s a bit of a last minute person and would probably end up in a tent outside Exeter if I hadn’t chivvied her along! I mean that’s a privilege in itself. Hats off to the kids whose parents don’’t speak English or don’t care or are unable to support for valid reasons.

@TizerorFizz you think the courses at St Luke's might lean more towards state DC - possibly? That's a bit of a reach isn't it? Are you implying that private school DC don't want to get their hands dirty? Surely not!

Education, Health and Sport and Medicine. So vocational courses and a small number of students. Not saying no private school but I bet there’s fewer!

I think it’s a kind of imagined British version of the American dream: “all you have to do is work really hard and it can all be yours!”

It’s bubble talk: the view from some affluent Home Counties bubble erroneously transposed across the entire country to every cohort.

@seymour I work in a very working class London Comp and we send loads to Exeter. No issues at all with not being part of the green welly brigade (what my year at Uni called Exeter students - but that was over 30 years ago 😂). Very hilly is the worst thing they've ever told me.

Well there are bound to be fewer in absolute terms if there is a small number of students overall. I would imagine private school students are pretty well represented on courses like medicine.

Yes but 30%? Not sure these days.

Why these days? What has changed?

I would imagine private school students are pretty well represented on courses like medicine.

Yes but 30%? Not sure these days.

UCL's 2021 intake for medicine was 30% from private schools. Edge Hill's was about 8%. And everywhere else was somewhere inbetween.

@mumsneedwine Brill! Thank you. Well she’s a lot fitter then me so hopefully hills will be ok!

@NorthRunReady Wider participation and measures to recruit from less privileged areas. Bristol have drastically reduced the private school cohort by their wider participation policy. It includes medicine. I think Exeter would not be dissimilar. Not sure sports science is heavily laden with private school Dc. Someone will know.

Interesting @TizerorFizz.

Sloanes, is what we called them in the 90’s. And the green welly brigade.

Only read a few more responses here tonight but St Luke’s, Sports, teaching all had more of a spread of state school students when I was there. In memory, private school students did more of the following : law, languages, classics, maths , Engineering, English (which I did). Just a pattern and not a rule. Seemed to be what their schools encouraged them into. St Luke’s was a bit of an outpost from the main campus, only knew it for the Lukey Bop disco !

@HedgehogB Classics and MFLs are sadly semi-abandoned by many state school pupils and the schools. I would be surprised about engineering being private school heavy. Although lots of engineers go into city jobs. Having said that, Exeter is not an engineering powerhouse. It only offers a few disciplines so maybe students chose destination over a highly regarded department?

My daughter’s comp recently introduced Classics to the curriculum but I think it was driven by a young teacher who had done a Classics degree who just pushed for it.

I think some poster are being naive assuming all 18 year olds are the same and have a welcoming, inclusive mindset when they go off to University. Exeter is certainly known for having a subset of private school pupils who go out of their way to flaunt their identity of wealthy and privileged in order to attract others the same. Much more likely to be boarding school pupils who are from super wealthy families and loved boarding and who are drawn to Exeter, (and Durham) as they know they'll find their people there. With a sense of superiority and self confidence, they can tend to
dominate , particularly in certain sports and societies and parts of a university and their interests are specifically honed to be exclusive, like spending weekends at the races. They will be choosing the most expensive catered accommodation.

Of course there are many private school students and wealthy young people who are not like that but Exeter tends to have that reputation and so attracts more of that type of person.

However, despite their dominance, most students won't be like that and all universities give young people opportunities to meet other friendly students and Exeter appears to be a university that on the whole, people who study there love. If my DD or DS wished to study there I would be happy and would not put them off.

@Promface And you know this for certain at St Luke’s? Any ex boarding students are in a tiny minority. Dominate? Is everyone else incapable of being themselves at sport or in societies?

My DD went racing at uni. Who says that’s not allowed? It’s cheap for students! Fun day out. If you don’t want to go, don’t.