Economics - Exeter, Nottingham or Loughborough?

[Ocean59]

Can anyone advise on any of these please?

DD likes different bits of each one!

My DS1 went to Exeter ( not Economics) and had a great time there. It feels very safe and is a lovely place to visit.

I’d go for Exeter - DS just finished there - really enjoyed it . I went to school in Loughborough- I know it has lots of students but it’s very dull. Nottingham is a good city but was there the other day and it’s not as nice as it used to be ,

Those are quite different places for sure.

I guess you know but Nottingham is a lovely campus on the edge of a super big city - great place to be a student. The on-campus halls are all catered so cost £££. Friend's DS is doing econ there and loves it.

Loughborough is a small town so not the big city experience. Otoh it is a great campus with an excellent on-campus offer - great for sport at all levels ofc and also for other student activities. Good links to your hall if you want it. Good range of accommodation on campus £ to ££££.

Both those very central in UK so easy to get to and from.

Exeter I don't know much about at all except that it is a bit far flung (unless you are in the south west) - which may or may not be an issue.

All good unis, none especially outstanding for econ AFAIK. If you want more Luffers info then I can give you plenty as DS is there.

Thanks all.

she is predicted 3 A* but not interested in Oxford, Warwick, Durham or London so Exeter etc 3 seem to be among the best for Econ unless anyone knows better???

DD doing economics at Nottingham & loving it.
AAA at A level
League tables wise
Nottingham 12th in country for econ
Exeter 14th
Loughborough 20th

www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/economics

Nottingham Trent is quite good.

I have a relative doing Engineering at Loughborough and loves it. I know plenty of people who went to Exeter and loved being near the sea. I also know a couple of students currently at Nottingham, but also aware that is has been sliding recently, in terms of overall popularity. Not sure why.

My son went to Loughborough and did economics. He loved it there, made great friends, had the best time. Did well as got a first and the Dean's prize too.

wow 3 x A-star is amazing. DC I know at Notts also applied to London and Leeds - I have heard that Leeds is pretty competitive for econ so that might be worth a look - or are these three the focus for other reasons?

We liked Leeds uni v much when we looked for DS. I'm not really up on where's best in general for economics apart from the obvious LSE/UCL/Oxford/Cambridge/Warwick tho. I can see why someone might not want London but why does she not want to apply to Warwick?

Her sibling went to Warwick and she's always felt she's been in their shadow so has always discounted it.

She wants a campus or small city Uni so that's why Leeds is out.

Thanks for all the comments so far.

If her maths is strong, why not Cambridge?

Op said "not interested in Oxford...etc"
its not unusual. my son is the same

I studied at The University of Nottingham, worked for a while near Exeter, and currently live in Loughborough. I would recommend Nottingham Uni for the campus life. I'm not sure about the economics ranking but if very similar, she'd have the best time living on campus or one of the private ones. Loughborough Uni is world class for sports science etc but I wouldn't have enjoyed studying here as much as I loved my time at Nottingham. I graduated in 2015. All the best for her studies x

Probably no help - but dd was predicted AAB and applied and got a place at Exeter. She actually got 3 x A * and really regrets now that she didn't apply to Bath or even Oxbridge! I'd try for one really aspirational even if she doesn't think at the moment she'll like it.

Just to hastily add that she's going to Exeter and looking forward to it. Just a bit sad about what could have been.

DS's friend is super bright and does economics at Warwick. His other choices were Cambridge, Leeds and York. Leeds rejected him!

Worth looking at York?

DS did his MSc in economics at Nottingham. I think it's the best department out of all of them. I do think Exeter is on the same level of Nottingham.

Loughborough I feel is more of a "business school"

Look at Lancaster for economics. Beautiful big green and very safe campus with a collegiate system so nine bars on campus alone. Small city but great student nightlife (the university has its own nightclub). Great new sports centre, guaranteed accommodation for first years (and lots available also for second third and fourth years who want to stay in university accomodation) It ranks well for economics and is top ten in overall rankings - higher than Nottingham and Exeter overall.

People overlook lancaster because its often in clearing but thats simply because it operates a major/minor system where you can do 1 or 2 other subjects alongside your major and then switch between them if you want to change your major or pursue joint honours. It means they have more space on the courses in year 1 and far more flexibility.

I studied at Loughborough and loved it. It was a choice for me between Nottingham and Loughborough, after visiting both 3 times I preferred the atmosphere at Loughborough. I liked the fact that it was so campus based, the town is small so you knew you were everyone was socialising each day of the week, which is a good or bad thing depending on your viewpoint! We did still have nights out and shopping trips to Nottingham. In my day there it was very man heavy though, 9 men to 1 woman if I remember correctly!

My husband did business, economics and finance as a degree at Loughborough and his cohort that he’s in touch with have gone on to do very well- he qualified as an accountant having several exemptions in the accountancy exams from his degree. Anyway, 15 years on he’s now a CFO, his friends from his course followed similar routes and a few work at the big 4 now. Ditto my old housemate, trained at Deloitte I think and is now a CFO too.. I know the degree course is a bit different and it was a while ago for us now but we’ve all done well and remember our time at Lboro fondly!

I think a lot comes down to your gut feeling when you visit somewhere though, if they’re all good unis it’s often just a case of finding a good fit.

DD was predicted Astar, Astar, A and applied for Cambridge, Durham and Warwick as well as Exeter. Rejected after interview at Cambridge and got offers from other two. She had a hard decision to make between Durham and Exeter. She preferred the course, university and location at Exeter but struggled to turn down Durham because of the prestige. Eventually though she went with Exeter and is currently enjoying freshers week there. She’s confident that she’s made the right choice.

I guess my point is just because a uni is seen as aspirational/prestigious doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice.

My DD had a straight choice between Exeter and Loughborough. In the end she based her decision on ease of getting back home. Exeter was at least a 4 hour journey by train and Loughborough 1.5 hours so that's also something to bear in mind.

Yes, other way round for us so that helped her to choose Exeter.

Bath is very well regarded and their year in industry really helps with employment prospects. St Andrews?

Both Nottingham and Loughborough were in clearing for economics this year !

I’d got for Nottingham. Great city, lots of student life, best ranked econ dept.

Luffers is in the middle of nowhere.

Exeter is a MN fave but the town is dull, students are a bit posho.