Any experiences of Aberystwyth or UEA - clearing

[Womanontop]

DS didn't get his predicted grades so has lost his offer at an RG uni.

He now has offers for Aberystwyth and UEA, but we have no experience of either and cannot get visits in in time!!

We're in the NW so both are a trek (3.5/4.5 hours).

Aberystwyth has much much cheaper accommodation (£60 a week cheaper). Whilst he likes to go out he's quieter (so not a lads, lads lads type) but he worries it'll be too dead and he won't get a part time job etc. He also prefers the course at UEA, but the expense and extra hour away are off putting.

Any reviews/advice would be gratefully received - he's spent the day in panic mode!

My son studied Financial mathematics at Aber, although he too graduated about 10 years ago now ( time flies!) He was in halls for 3 of his 4 years- he repeated a year due to ill health and had no trouble finding decent accommodation either in halls or privately- he was right on the sea front during the storms which was fun but scary, they were all evacuated to higher ground! He really loved his time there, my only issue was the 5 and a half hour drive each way to get him there and back !

someone said you could go weeks without speaking to a real person

Did they spend all their time trying to coax the Gormley statues down from the roof?

what did he decide, OP?

UEA is excellent for history. Norwich is lovely.

Aberystwyth is far more remote! And the town is way smaller. It is beloved amongst those who go there and is not quiet. The history course might have quite a lot of Welsh emphasis. Might not be an issue but might not be preferred.

In this scenario, I'd pick UEA . But they are both solid choices.

Thanks everyone, I read out the comments to DS1 and DH and everything was taken on board.

He has gone for UEA, he looked more into the course and really does prefer it.

Also he is an avid collector of vinyl and discovered the nearest record shop to the Uni was in Manchester (where we live!) That seemed to make us all realise how remote it is, and how much he does like going into town etc.

We are going to Norwich next Friday.

Sorry, closest record shop to Aberystwyth was Mcr!!

Am glad your son has made his choice OP but I’m afraid it’s just not true about there being no record shop in Aber!

www.facebook.com/AndysRecordsAber/

Hahaha!

His basic Google skills are clearly lacking

Tell him to sign up for the study skills course when he gets to uni!! 😂 best of luck to him.

Computer Science was actually the grade that went wrong! (I know CS isn't about search engines!)

Aberystwyth is a lovely, lovely place. I spent most weekends there when I was in my 3rd year because my then-boyfriend was doing his MA there (I was at Swansea) and it had a fantastic atmosphere, lovely places to eat, nice pubs, quirky little shops, and the uni itself was really friendly and had loads of societies etc. This was a good few years ago, admittedly, but I remember it very fondly.

@Womanontop if tour DS likes 'old' stuff generally, be prepared to have ro rescue him with the odd end of the term / month food parcel, because there are loads of places in Norwich to not manage to not spend money on things retro, iyswim. Check out Looses in Magdalen Street, amongst others.

On campus, after a stroll around the Broad (and a brief word with a Gormley, of course), for a nice lunch there is the Modern Life Café aat the Sainsbury Centre, biut in the city, the market is also a great place to get food. And if you've got time and / feel the need to chill out and the weather's nice, do try to visit Plantarion Garden, which is on Earlham Road near the RC cathedral.

Thanks for the heads up and I'll let him know about the places you have mentioned

It is sure going to be an expensive few years, he gets minimal loan but the accommodation alone is £191 a week! This was a reason DH and I liked the prices at Aber!

Which halls will he be in? Is that Hickling Barton?

heartily recommend the Goat Shed if you approaching Norwich from the A17

We are also in the NW. There is a direct train from Norwich to Man/L’pool

Dd has just done her first year at UEA. I cant praise the place enough, its a gem of a uni. One of her good friends on her course is from Bolton.

It was her insurance choice and hand on heart its been the best thing that has happened for her.

Her accom was in Barton/Hickling/Cromer. The rooms were lovely and a cleaner came in to keep communal areas clean. Really safe, lots of visible staff around when the pubs/ clubs close.

Lovely safe, green campus, accommodation has been great, made lots of friends and is raring to get back in Sept.

Norwich is a lovely little town. Think its similar in size and vibe to Chester. Nightclubs/ pubs for the kids to socialise and a very reasonable on site nightclub/bar

Hope your DC love it as much as my daughter .

It’s on the edge of a park… not the countryside!!

My DS is at UEA, going into his final year having just returned from a year in the States as part of his degree. As someone said earlier, it’s a gem of a university (although I’m probably biased as I’m a UEA alumni from way back in the dark ages) and Norwich is a great, vibrant, safe little city with loads going on and something for everyone. 2nd and 3rd year accommodation is plentiful and (relatively) cheap - and definitely cheaper than on campus. It’s a 10 minute bus ride into town from the campus - absolutely not in the back of beyond! There are loads of clubs and societies and fantastic sports facilities. DM me if you have any questions, but I’m sure your DS is going to love it.

Grrrr
I haven't read the whole.thtead as I became TOO CROSS.
This is university - where you go to learn the things you need to know to qualify for your job. And life. And salary.
The early answers said ( in response to him doing not as well as he needed to follow his desired course, ultimately to employment) "X uni has good kayaking / socials / easy to get to."
FFS.
Is it me?

Er, yes @Peasnbeans I’d say it’s ’just you’.

The OP asked for advice/information on Aber and UEA as they’d never visited either and wanted to get a feel for the places, hence the posters on this thread imparting their knowledge and experiences of the two universities and cities. The OP’s son has already checked out the different course modules - we are just trying to fill in the rest.

As for university simply being a place ‘you go to learn the things you need to know to qualify for your job, life and salary’ - the social side, the extra-curricular activities, the accommodation costs, the part-time jobs, and the distance from home - you know, the ‘life’ bit - all contribute to the overall university experience and, ultimately, how well they do on their chosen course. You appear to think that students should spend their entire time scooting between the library, the lecture halls and their dorm room before they leave to join the rat-race.

None of us knows what the world of employment is going to look like in the next 5 years, let alone 10.

They’re allowed to have a bit of fun along the way, kayaking or otherwise.

FFS

@Womanontop DD graduated from UEA with an undergrad in History and just finished History Masters.
After the History lecture on Offer Holders day I wanted to go too!!

Please feel free to DM me with any questions.

Aberystwyth is lovely and very lively when the college is in session - gets quieter when students move out.
I've spent many holidays in Aber and I really love the place. Make sure to get an eBike or eScooter to get around, it's quite hilly if you're doing lots of walking.

For clarity, he didn't do as well because he coasts and took his eye off the ball. He was on the Oxbridge scheme and he got lazy. I do not doubt his ability to succeed and this seems to have been a real wake up call.

We live in Manchester, there are well over a dozen unis he could drive to and from every day if it was purely about the course. He could also get into employment locally.

He wants to try living out and I wanted answers on the best far away uni for things other than the course.

He is the first to go to Uni in both our families, DH and I are from blue collar backgrounds, left education at 16 and had kids in our 20s. But we have both been lucky enough to do well at work and have been able to give the kids experiences, opportunities, and support I never thought possible.

This is a new world to us and I am beyond grateful for the information given. We fully understand uni is about education, I asked for experiences and opinions other than that.

Sorry, quoted the wrong poster!!

@Womanontop no problem at all! 🤗