Fee-free (Scotland) or higher ranking (England)

[Pantsnomore]

DS currently has a mix of conditional and unconditional offers for Economics in England and Scotland. He is currently leaning to Bath over an easier offer which is tuition fee-free from Glasgow.

It is obviously his decision but I’d like to make sure that he’s aware of all the considerations. This is where we are at so far:

Bath (3 years)
Pros
Better ranked
Employment prospects
Prefers the aesthetics & thinks it’s more his vibe (rugby & pubs over clubs)

Cons
Fees
Distance from home / associated costs
His age (he will leave school at 17 and so I think would be bonkers to go this year - not yet sure if Bath would accept a deferred place
Terms of the condition are aspirational

Glasgow (4 years)
Pros
Fees
4 Years
Flexibility if he decides he doesn’t like Econ at Uni
Easy to achieve offer

Cons
Sees it as less prestigious
Too close to home
Thinks it’s more of a clubbing based social scene.

Are we missing anything? Is he mad to consider either a gap year for econ, or to go to England at 17? Anyone know anything about econ at Glasgow and/ or whether there is a more sports / pub based scene there.

Don't know about econ at Glasgow. The one of mine who went there was already a party boy so it suited him.

Has he narrowed the Scottish options to just Glasgow (Edinburgh closer to Bath in rugby/pub vibes and StA more academically serious)?

Good point about switching. My DD switched out economics at Edinburgh after 1st year (too mathsy ). I think this quite common as I remember another Scottish student doing same.

Bath has good reputation on placements but maybe not so important for economic/banking/finance as plenty of summer internships.

Waiting for St A - but suspecting it will be a rejection as several offers already out. Live in Edinburgh so that’s out.

Still might get StA. My DD got a late March rejection but there were offers at the same time. I presume he's tracking StA econ on tsr.

DDs Edinburgh class is full of StA rejects. I suspect Glasgow is the same (it can't just be full of party people as it's such a big course). Would he get 2nd year entry at Glasgow? Thinking of my son, partying definitely decreased over time so perhaps that would work if your son is easily distracted.

@SandyIrving thanks. Good to know. I’m tracking. I think 4 years would be good for emotional and academic progress!

Could he firm Bath and insure Glasgow?

No way is Bath better than Glasgow, reputationwise! Glasgow is one of the top economics schools.

If he's going for Bath I'd wait a year. It's rubbish being 17 and a Fresher. My nephews both found their experiences were adversely affected until they got fake IDs

Reality is though that Bath is really not worth £30k of debt plus interest

I went to Glasgow (albeit a long time ago) and it had 2 scenes
Rock/Indie - QMU
Rugby and beer - GUU

Also when I wen, you could do 3 years only
3 years was a standards degree. 4 years was a honours degree
(not sure if it has changed though)

Surely Glasgow is seen as a top uni? Or have things changed a lot since my day? I think you'd be mad to pay fees for an English Uni when you have a spot at Glasgow but maybe I'm missing something here.

Glasgow definitely. I’m a Glasgow alumni (ages ago) and have a DC who did maths and economics. Bath is much lower in the league tables than Glasgow and I genuinely think you find your tribe whichever university you go to. And no fees is a massive help. Also lot more younger students at Glasgow, rare to get under 18 yo in English universities.

Bath is not a university that will necessarily open doors or impress in the way that, say LSE, would. I am genuinely surprised it now ranks higher than Glasgow! I think it would be mad to get student debt to go to Bath, especially if the advantages are rugby/pubs. I'm sure your son will find his tribe at Glasgow and not everyone will be into clubbing etc. Glasgow is a lovely city and it's so easy to access the country from and to get home to Edinburgh. There will be plenty of international and rest of UK students. Bath is nice but absolutely tiny and I can't imagine many places more boring to be a student in!

Thank you. Couldn’t agree more about Glasgow (nothing against Bath). It’s a brilliant city, university and the people are generally fantastic.

Its helpful to see others see things the same as I do.

Secretly hoping Bath say no deferrals and he decides going at 17 a very bad idea.

Some on here seem not to know how highly ranked Bath is! It has an extremely good reputation for economics especially.

That said, I don't understand why you/ he don't think Glasgow is prestigious? Is that your Edinburgh showing? 😉

Bath is a VERY long way from you. Don't underestimate that.

U of Bath has built a reputation for 'employability' and it is true that, based on its origins as an Advanced Technical College, it was one (but only one) of the pioneers of placement years.

However, U of Bath's apparent outperformance in relation to employability is largely about attracting high achieving students who live in the SE, who can more easily access lucrative placements in and around London and whose career ambitions are focus very much on the SE. So it is more about the prior attainment of students and their prior domicile.

U of Bath is an excellent uni but, if you live outside the SE core and perhaps looking for career options outside the SE, then the 'Bath effect' is likely to be very much more muted. I note also that your DS has applied for a non-placement year variant of their course, perhaps further blunting the likely positive impact on that score.

@Pantsnomore Where does he want to work? Is he looking at Scotland or London? Bath is probably more focussed on SE and London.

Bath has a higher tariff because it’s harder to get into because it is a huge favourite with students from London and SE. These students don’t apply in droves to Glasgow. That doesn’t mean the Glasgow course is not good. In the CUG, Bath is 8 and Glasgow 14. Edinburgh 12. There’s so little beteeen them! Grad prospects are over 90% at both so I think he needs to do a bit more research about Glasgow. It’s never 100% clubbing anywhere!

I hadn’t thought about the make up of students and how their ability and possible connections might help drive employability. I knew it would be more attractive to SE students. I have a theory that most students generally prefer to go within a few hours of home.

DS would love to go to London but with the cost of housing I wonder if he would even be able to afford to live there on a graduate salary.

@PerpetualOptimist - agree re placements. I had wondered if he might be able to swap to a 4 year program.

@Piggywaspushed I think there is some snob factor going on - not mine I might add. Suspect it’s party because Glasgow has a reputation of giving offers to most that apply with the right grades.

IMO Bath is a depressing area with an odd vibe. I wouldn’t want to go on a day trip, let alone spend three years there.

I don’t understand why he’d consider paying for something for the rest of his (working) life that he could get for free. It’s a decent degree from all of those places.

Not all of the kids at Glasgow can be into rugby and/or clubbing. There’s an art school. There must be nuance.

@Pantsnomore Bath is a campus uni with its own vibe so no doubt he sussed that out. It’s got enough going on for most.

If you get a decently paid job, of course he can move to London. Lots of Bath grads will do that or already be there, or close enough to commute there. London and SE students are keen on Durham, Newcastle and Edinburgh, to name just 3 more than 2 hours from London but I think northern DC don’t travel south so much!

I literally didn't know Bath had a university until this thread. I work with economists and have recruited a couple in my time!

I'm sure it's great and reputations are sort of artificially made up to a point I just can't believe this is even a dilemma.

Seriously??

https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/the-university-of-bath-is-named-one-of-the-worlds-top-150-universities/#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Bath%20is%20the%20The%20Times%20and%20Sunday,Complete%20University%20Guide%202024%20ranking.

https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/bath-named-university-of-the-year-by-the-times-and-sunday-times-good-university-guide-2023/