Cardiff for economics or Exeter for business studies

[andwhy]

That's it really. My daughter unfortunately slipped one grade and lost her place at Bath. She has to decide by tomorrow between doing economics at Cardiff (her original degree at Bath was to be economics) or to go to Exeter to do business studies. Or she could take a gap year. Just after people's advice/ thoughts really. Thank you

Econ at Cardiff is a popular subject/university combination at our local (huge) sixth form college.
My nephew has a deferred place for next year at Cardiff to read Economics (his first choice with A star AA).

yes, that would be about 20 minutes too far, I suspect, for both the GF and DS lol.

😂 fair enough!

I mean, Cardiff is about 10 places lower than Exeter in the CUG league tables for both subjects, and overall.

The answer is it doesn’t matter, both good unis and both good courses. You are choosing between very similar quality. Two of my children slipped a grade - one went to their insurance choice the other took a gap year, resat an exam and got into the first choice. The one that took his insurance choice struggled for a few months but ended up having a great time, the other hated his gap year working with all his friends away but then had an amazing time at chosen uni. One of my other children chose a ‘lesser’ uni as a first choice found it easy and did incredibly well. One got into a very top uni as first choice and really struggled all the way though. They all landed excellent professional jobs / careers afterwards. Choose one, go for it and she will be fine.

Thanks for all your help. She is still undecided so will have to see what decision the morning brings. But think I feel that there is no wrong decision, so that's helped a lot

I would look at the course content as they are quite different. If she really isn't sure then a year out might offer a chance to earn money, have more time to think and maybe travel and different options. I think any of the options could be fine, really depends on what your DD enjoys and feels happy about. Years ago I was given a deferred offer for uni and the year out I would never have considered but was very beneficial. Though if you are doing that option I don't know if you ring the admissions dept of an option she might be interested in if they can tell you chances of an offer with those grades.

Economics is about a certain set of skills and a way of looking at the world and problems/issues. An economists can look at gender, household decision making, poverty, climate change, political behaviour as well as "markets" and firms. Business is more about understanding the topics from various different perspectives. So economics is more skill based business is more knowledge based. Most people with an analytical brain prefer the former

Op what did she choose? IMO Cardiff all the way - I have lived in both cities as a young person and it’s far superior. Great university and brilliant fun.

But Exeter is a better university.

I don’t think there’s a wrong decision here. Two Russell Group unis, two nice cities. She’ll be employable and she’ll have a good time. As PPs said, she should look carefully at the courses themselves and decide. If she hasn’t already!

She has decided to take a gap year. May well end up at Cardiff anyway because she does think that she really wants to do economics, but, she's not comfortable with going off to a uni she's not seen and the process just seems such a rush. Hopefully the right decision, but very difficult to make. So thank you everyone who's given advice - always happy to receive more if people have knowledge because the decision still has to be made at some point, it's just been delayed.

I just know a shed load of students who went there from DS’s year and they were definitely stereotypes as you put it. One of the reasons DS refused to even consider it as an option. He’d had enough of the “cool” kids at school. It’s also the insurance offer for those attempting to get into Durham so has a similar high percentage of privately educated students.

Great if you want to remain in that bubble, but as we move into a world where privilege is no longer going to automatically open doors, getting down with the riff raff may actually be an advantage.

i think she has made a good decision. DS was able to make a much more informed decision by taking a bit more time. He also had plenty of feed back from friends around the country and sound advice about courses at different unis. He has grown up and having worked in the construction industry, has seen a whole different side to life. He’s thoroughly enjoyed it but has admitted that it is mind numbing work. He works hard because he doesn’t like sitting around doing nothing. Hopefully this is a good sign his work ethic has returned. Pre pandemic he was very disciplined about school work but everything slipped after the lockdowns. There is no better motivator than facing a job where you sweep floors for 6 hrs a day.

You sound charming!

Agreed. User name fits 😂

Hi OP I can’t advise between the universities but still giving the general advice that whatever she chooses will be the right one. Also important to have a proper gap year plan, it’s easy for it to drift by and expect them to feel pretty down until Christmas as their friends are away having fun.