Loughborough University

[Souvenir81]

DD is considering applying for Loughborough University for an Engineering degree. She really likes the course and I know it has a good reputation for Engineering but I read a few negative comments in mumsnet which are putting me off a bit. I know nowhere is perfect but have not heard anything negative from Bath and Sheffield for instance, just positive comments.

Any advice? Thank you

Thank you. It looks like Loughborough is a really good option for DD, it has the degree she wants to do, excellent teaching, great industrial links, cheap accommodation and not too far from home. Maybe she gets into sports again, not competitive but she used to play netball.

To be fair, until you get anywhere you have no idea if teaching is excellent. Many lecturers don’t “teach” as you might expect in a school. Students are expected to be self starters and what you should expect is lecturers who know their subject.

The university is also very supportive of women in engineering, one of the professors in the EE department was the inaugural awardee of the Men as Allies award by the Women's Engineering Society

@Souvenir81 I know lots of posters have pointed this out as have others it is all universities. I think when it is your first child going it seems to go against all our protective instincts to say yes, yes, off you go to a place where you know there is sexual violence or drink spiking.

Several years ago some Warwick uni students had a "rape chat" group that talked of who they wanted to rape, the uni basically did nothing until a massive light was shone on it, still a few years later students did a sit in protest saying nothing had changed.

I think it was Durham that had a fuck a poor person whatsapp group and a member of Oxford University’s women’s boat club said she had been failed by the institution's handling of her rape allegation. You can find it everywhere.

We live in a city so Ds has always known about potential dangers when out and about in the centre, not just night time but day time too. There are scam artists and people with mental health problems approaching people and harassing them plus pickpockets.

Loughborough is a highly regarded uni and I know it is different because I have a son so the safety issue is different but Ds2 has applied and has an offer from Loughborough.

That’s great to hear.

This is sad; I know universities can’t control everything and everyone but they should have safeguarding departments and at least make an additional effort to stop these things/not tolerate them.

@Souvenir81 Why do you think they don’t? They all have a safeguarding policy and named officers.

You simply do not know who will turn up at a uni or who might be in a bar. For most students, learning about keeping safe is important but they are adults and cannot be shielded from everything life throws at them. Dc do need to learn about keeping themselves safe. Not sure many choose a uni based on perceived safety. How do you know loads of students turning up won’t be horrors? The chances of that at Loughborough is probably no different to Sheffield or Exeter. You have to assume most are decent people but sports clubs can be pretty lairy too!

Ds is planning on Materials Science there, and I was really impressed at the open day - lots of new development at the engineering end of the campus with shiny new lab building for engineering/ mat sci and a giant gym at that end too. His girlfriends sister is there currently (non eng) and loves it. She decided to live in Nottingham in her third year for more of a city experience and apparently that is very easy too.

That’s good to know. I think my daughter would prefer to live in a a city so glad this is an option if she gets tired of Loughborough.

I mean if she would prefer to live in a city I can't see the point of choosing Lboro tbh. City it ain't.

Pal of DS's was commuting fro our home town and he said it was a real pain, they missed out on lots of things.

Just go to uni in a city - there are loads! I am with her on this btw - I grew up very rurally and couldn't wait to go live in a big city for uni.

@clary @Souvenir81 I also think if she wants a city - go to one! Loughborough has nothing for students who want greater variety. Your DD needs to know what she wants and parents should not worry about safety and make this the defining reason for choosing a uni for their DC. Yes, you can commute into or out of Loughborough but that will never be the same as living in Sheffield, Bristol, Nottingham or Newcastle and going to those unis. The huge choice of things to see and do in cities makes the uni experience different. My DDs liked gigs, theatre, art galleries, nightlife (not clubs) a wide choice of cafes and shops etc. They did not spend all their waking hours at uni. I agree that some students love campus life and it’s definitely a sheltered environment. If you yearn for more though (as my DDs did) it would feel like a prison.

My DS is studying engineering at Loughborough and loves it!

The facilities are incredible, especially the new STEM building. He says his lecturers/ tutors are all approachable and helpful, plus lectures are recorded so easy to review notes or catch up if you miss one. They have great industry links and professional guidance from the start- from the first year they have optional sessions to speak to people to share your career aspirations and get guidance on how to achieve it, available placements and help to put a CV together etc.

Accommodation in halls is good, not too expensive and the committee are so great at organising the social side and getting everyone involved. There is so much to do on campus and that he hasn’t felt that he’s needed a bigger city. Loughborough ranks really highly in terms of student experience for good reason. Loughborough itself has plenty of shops and there are supermarkets near campus. Everything is walkable but there are also campus buses which take them into town and to the train station. He’s only been out in Nottingham one night and didn’t rate it too much, plus he regularly travels to other cities for uni sports fixtures anyway.

From the parent point of view, I have to say that Loughborough as been excellent in terms of communication during application and during the run up to him starting. My DS also loves the mobile apps he has on his phone to manage his timetable, checking into lectures, book sports and much more- they have been so helpful in managing his time.

All in all, he’s really happy with his choice of uni and thriving.

Loughborough and sport - a great combination. Undoubtedly wonderful for those who do it and a means of escape! It’s limited for others who want other things. What does everyone else do for entertainment?

Well I went to gigs in the SU and saw loads of bands - some before they were really famous. Went to Nottingham on Saturday to see football, socialised in local pubs and the SU with friends, and did most of the hall social stuff. And as it was quite a long time ago, I also had 30 timetabled hours a week so had to do an awful lot of studying in the evening!

As a local resident, all I can say is how dare you! They can visit one of our our two cinemas of course 😉

I can’t comment on the actual university as I didn’t go there, however safety wise, I would take those posts with a pinch of salt. Drink spiking (and unfortunately worse) goes on everywhere, however what I will say is that Loughborough is in some respects safer for students as everything is on / around campus and there are nearly always other students about. I am in no way trying to deny that these things happen but I noticed one of the posts stated that the ‘head of Leicestershire police’ got someone to drop a rape case. The Chief Constable absolutely does not get involved in individual rape cases and so something else is at play there.

From what you have said about your DD potentially preferring a city, I’m not sure Loughborough would be for her. I jest but there literally is one cinema (the other is awful), a few bars and restaurants and shop wise, a Primark, Next, TK Maxx and a New Look. It really isn’t a city lifestyle at all.

See a post from me below @TizerorFizz.

There's lots of inter-hall activities and loads to do in the union - drama, music, student politics, all sorts of societies.

dd had pals who went there whom she knew through orchestra and who were not sporty but played musical instruments and they had plenty to do.

I should say that I am a massive fan of lboro btw. It’s not a city with all that that offers, and @Souvenir81 ‘s dd may be happier elsewhere, but I think it is a great place to be a student.

Yes if it suits you. My DH went to zillions of gigs years ago but they are a bit ? these days. I used to go to ones at unis too when you could just turn up and buy a ticket. Just don’t really happen any more in the same way. Inter hall competition is hardly professional theatre! Just not the same. DDs did inter house competition at school. I think they wanted to move on. It’s fine though if you want that type of entertainment otherwise it’s very limited. Apologies to the two cinemas of course. And no doubt the quiz teams are ace.

I meant acting in student plays. Some people enjoy that kind of thing. A student I know at Cambridge has found that a main source of fun and socialising.

Yes. DD still does it as an adult! Musical theatre. However it’s great to see professional high class theatre in your uni city.

There are no lots of uni that offer the course she wants and not to the standard that Loughborough. It is an option and DD can decide where to live closer to University for convenience and further away for a bit of a City experience too.

Fair enough then @Souvenir81 - agree she needs to weigh up the pros and cons.

Loughborough is an excellent university for engineering. We have someone doing the year in industry in our team at work (Nottingham) and they are loving it. Short train journey to Leicester and Nottingham for shops if you are desperate.

Plenty of time to experience a city when you graduate, or in the industrial year. For engineering she will have a very full workload anyway.

sounds good; during the week you are busy with studies anyway and if she still wants the city experience sometimes, Nottingham is not too far for the weekends when she has time.

My Dc is loving it , not an elite sportsperson and in a stem course.

Excellent uni and great teaching