Any interest in a non-Oxbridge/ non-RG parents chat?

[SockFluffInTheBath]

There are lots of threads about applying to Oxbridge and other ‘top’ unis, anyone interested in a thread for those of us with DC looking elsewhere? Not trying to be divisive, but there’s no ‘drop in centre’ thread for other unis, and I thought it might be good to have a space to chat sometimes.

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

If you’d like any info about life in Swansea let me know. It’s a great place to live. Accommodation and cost of living is noticeably lower than elsewhere. Morriston is a regional hospital so lots of opportunity for a trainee Nurse. We have fab beaches too!

We live near Aberdeen and lots of the local kids who’ve gone there are very happy with the university but I don’t know anyone taking Real Estate, sorry! I hear really good things from the students about the teaching and rent is also affordable compared to other cities. My neighbour is in second year and lived in residence first year and is renting a flat this year as we are not an easy distance to commute by bus and she is 100% thriving.

My eldest has just started at Strathclyde (in Glasgow) and seems happy (it’s early days but it’s going well). My youngest is leaning to Heriot-Watt (outside of Edinburgh) if he gets the grades he’s hoping for, both are non RG but have good programmes in their chosen areas and strong links with industry and jobs.

@llareggub thank you! Swansea is the only one we haven't seen yet but it ticks many boxes - including proximity of hospital to campus, which is not something we'd really considered previously (we aren't a medical family at all -DD1's decision was a curveball but I think it will suit her very well).

DS got a Lancaster offer today! Now to try to get the grades..

Well done to your DS, and good luck.

Ooh, congratulations!
I keep forgetting about the difficult bit in between choices and actually going there...😬

How exciting! Congratulations, he must be thrilled. I imagine. Or is it uncool to be happy? 😅

Congratulations @user746016 ! Thanks @abdnhiker for the feedback on Aberdeen. I think it sounds great, but ds has just said it makes no sense for him to do an extra year with no benefit, so he's ruling it out. He sounded more positive about Northumbria though.

He's been talking to his two best friends who are also on gap years. They want to go to the same place 😫. It's weird as ds is incredibly independent, street smart etc and would certainly be fine going somewhere on his own. We moved areas when he was 16 and he went to a new sixth form where he knew no one. I think he just likes the idea of sharing a house with these mates, as they're old friends from our previous area and they're very like him. But one is retaking his A Levels and looking to do Economics so he really wants an RG. I've suggested he looks at Newcastle Uni.

Newcastle is interesting since it has a zero tolerance policy. If you fail year 1 that's it you are out. As a result, many end up starting again at Northumbria. It's the go to university for DS's school (they do lots of promotional activity at his school) and I know a number of kids this has happened to.

@user746016 I wonder if it is subject dependent. DD had a medical student friend who retook a year.

I have just checked the Newcastle University website and they show resits on their exam timetable.

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/exams/exam-dates/

Ah quite possibly and it might be that it only applies to failing Year 1 (or that you get a slightly different story from the parents than the reality of the situation)

or that you get a slightly different story from the parents than the reality of the situation

I think this ^^ is more likely. Universities are keen to get student tuition fees so don't kick students out that easily.

@crazycrofter Real Estate at UWE is very good. DS we know has done brilliantly with his degree.

Thanks @TizerorFizz, appreciate the info. I know Bristol is an expensive city though, so I'm trying to steer ds towards cheaper options if possible. The uni accommodation prices on the UWE site are eye-watering, even higher than at Reading! He's already expecting to have to continue working at Tesco, if he can get his contract transferred. At least with Reading, it's near enough to home that if he can't transfer, he can at least come home fairly regularly to do shifts. But ideally I'd like him to be somewhere where he doesn't have to work just to help us pay his rent. His sister works purely for socialising/holiday money which is great. If he went to Northumbria or Ulster, for example, his loan would pretty much cover rent, so he could choose to work for extra cash, or not to work in term time and focus on studying.

@crazycrofter Yes. I totally get that. Northumbria is definitely worth a look. Has he considered planning or surveying? I’m not sure about grades needed but certainly planners are in demand.

Not sure Oxford is cheap either. Not like the NE,

Yes, I'm thinking of maybe ditching Oxford Brookes - except it's even nearer home so the ability to come back and work is relevant. He's looked at surveying too, but thinks real estate sounds more interesting for him.

Has anyone on here any experience of Harper Adams? It’s one I don’t think I’ve ever heard mentioned by anyone.

I live not too far from HA. It's very agricultural/land management focussed. Loads of farming kids go there along with quite a few foreign business students. A few years back it had an issue with young men (rugby playing types) generally being obnoxious sexist twats, I'm not sure whether that's still true.

I think it's become more well known since it set up a vet school with Keele.

HA is land, agriculture and animal based degrees, mostly. They certainly do land and property management. Royal Agricultural Uni (formerly College) does Real Estate too.

Thanks @Sweetpeasaremadeforbees and @TizerorFizz
I should explain - ds is on a gap year and holding a deferred place at a uni close to home. HA was always where he wanted to go (for a niche degree not offered any closer to home) but it’s a fair bit away. After a horrendous year of ill health he settled for second best to be closer to home.
He still thinks sometimes he should just go for it and give up his place and reapply.
It is so hard to know. He is quiet and a non-drinker/ non-party goer and I’m worried he might not enjoy it as I think it has a bit of a party reputation but he also might regret if he doesn’t.

Dd was so much easier!!

That's a tough decision. Has he been to any open days there? That might give you a bit of a feel for the place.

What’s the non-Welsh concern @Cranular? Just over half the UK undergrads at Bangor are from England, similar to Swansea, and bigger English percentages again (not far off 65%) at Cardiff Uni and Aber. Cardiff Met slightly different at 60% undergrads from Wales. Bangor and Aber both have a slightly higher proportion of international undergrads as compared with either Cardiff Uni or Swansea.

I'd love to know more! DD is an aspiring artist - she loves ceramics and glass and is beginning to develop an interest in metalwork and making jewellery. The art school process is a bit of a learning curve for me, but she only in Y12 so we have time.