Warwick, Exeter or Lancaster for Natural Science

[Bellyb]

As the UCAS deadline is approaching I wondered if anyone could offer some thoughts on DD's dilemma? Sorry for the long post. DD has offers from Warwick, Exeter and Lancaster for Natural Science and is struggling to make a decision on firm and insurance, as she liked aspects of all 3. The fact she's gone for Natural Science in the first place is because she couldn't decide between Biology, Chemistry and Maths (she didn't do further Maths as she started off doing Drama A Level but had go drop this due to workload).
She had AAA offers from all 3 but Exeter and Lancaster are now reduced by a grade because of her EPQ. Logically she would place Warwick as firm and one of the others as insurance.
She's had a look at course content online and I've suggested she contact the relative departments for more detail (she is less keen on lab work than lectures and studying).
Outside study she loves acting and the theatre. Based on social media all 3 universities seem to have a good drama scene. We live just outside London, so she's used to just popping in to see a show. Warwick is therefore the most accessible and nearest to home.
She loved the campus at Warwick and some friends from various drama groups go there (she's has a bit of social anxiety but is pretty good at throwing herself into new situations). She liked Exeter as a city and campus, and I felt the Natural Science students and staff on the open day were very friendly. We know a lot of people who have firmed Exeter, which is both a pro and a con though (as DD sometimes likes go be alone and felt there was space in the Warwick campus to do that).

We visited Lancaster almost hoping to exclude it, but DD really like the campus and the fact that students who were not even involved with the Offer Holders' day were so happy to help. DD also liked the town. I was a bit worried she might get bored as it is very nice but small, although I know that the students will make their own social life (I went to St Andrews so have lived it).

We seem to be going round in circles! DD has asked for thoughts on TSR as well.

I know nothing about the Natural Sciences course but my DS is just about to graduate from Lancaster. It was a decision between Exeter and Lancaster as his firm too.

In the end gut feel from the open day and the college system are what made him decide on Lancaster and he's had a fantastic experience there. The college system is so supportive and made it so easy for him to settle. It opens up many more opportunities to get involved in things like sport, when you might not be good enough to get into Uni teams. He's got involved in so many different things and has had some brilliant opportunities from being there. The campus is beautiful, the pastoral support he's had has been excellent both from academic and college staff. The city might not be the biggest and if you're massively into clubbing it's probably not for you, but it's been perfect for him. There's a big social scene on campus with college bars, regular college events and society socials. They occasionally head to Manchester for bigger nights out or shopping, but Lancaster has some good pubs and bars and it's definitely been enough. He's made some fantastic friends, grown in confidence and developed skills for life. It was the perfect choice for him.

From a finance/cost of living perspective, Lancaster is a much more reasonable option. On average his rent has been about £6-£7K a year - which is significantly less than I know friends' children are paying in Exeter.

All 3 are excellent Universities so I think it's about knowing your child and where they'll be happiest. Sometimes that's just a gut feeling! Good luck

my DS is currently at Cambridge doing NatSci. He really really liked the look of Lancaster though especially the fact they seemed (at the open day) to say how supportive they were in helping if they wanted to do a year overseas, to the extent of helping with accommodation /visas etc.

i know he discounted Exeter as he said there wasn’t a dedicated chemistry course there and so he wondered how good/big the chemistry facilities would be.

I didn’t know that Warwick did NatSci. Is it a relatively new course?

the only other thing I would say is that you need to check what combinations of subjects are possible. Quite often natsci seem to just join specific modules from other courses so it’s helpful to find out how flexible they are. I know DS has a friend at Durham doing NatSci and said for one of his options it clashed with another so he would have had to basically learn one module from the recorded lectures

sorry I am waffling and probably not answering your specific question. But I think it’s a really good course to do if you’re not entirely sure which science to pick. My DS was sure that he would be specialising in physics but after the first year that was the one he wanted to drop!

Just looked at Warwick and yes I think it is quite new. I think my DS might have discounted it as more biology leaning.
but everyone who I know who has children there has been really happy with the overall uni experience

I have a DC at Lancaster. It's truly excellent and I'm so pleased she chose it. As per PP the college system means that there is so much going on and so many opportunities to get involved in things. She would not have made the university netball team but plays for the college team and loves it. It's very sporty. There is the annual varsity event called Roses with York university which is a massive thing even if you're not into sport and then there are inter college competitions as well as departmental teams. There is also a very very big social scene so I always chuckle a bit when people come on worrying that it would be too quiet. It really isn't since there are loads of bars on campus and then the University club in town (very safe) as well as a couple of others. There are also lots of regular college social events, lots of live music on campus etc. It's a really pretty city, campus is truly beautiful (we had a picnic looking out to the lake and then wandered up the hill a bit more and could see the sea), accommodation is plentiful and it's cheap to live. They have a theatre on campus and a cinema and then there is also a theatre in the city. There is very little not to like about it. I went to Warwick and Warwick is still a nice campus (far more buildings there now than there was in my day) but there is not nearly as much in the way of a social scene on campus as there is at Lancaster.

I love Lancaster for lots of reasons, but as she’s into theatre, Exeter has the edge on that. So I’d firm Warwick and insure Exeter. With the caveat of getting that further detail on courses first as that’s the really important thing and it should hopefully be clear which has the right emphasis for her tastes.

I’d also add that Lancaster is pretty cold and wet. Whenever we visited mates at uni there, they lived in loads of extra layers. I come from the north west and like that weather, but just mentioning in case it’s a consideration.

I think the Complete University Guide has the best weighting of components for undergraduate concerns. It ranks Warwick 6th, Lancaster 7th and Exeter 9th in the UK. That would have been my ordering.

So all very good from an academic perspective. I have always thought Warwick a great place for STEM students, and that they seem a happy lot on the whole. In recent years Lancaster has invested hugely on the academic side and it has really paid off in terms of both research rankings and Teaching and Learning reputation. Lancaster has a Gold Award in the TEF, which is still relatively rare.

I don’t know so much about Exeter but many on this board are very happy with it.

Great choices for lucky DD. She can afford to follow her heart.

I'd go Warwick for the combination of an excellent arts scene and an exceptional academic reputation in the sciences.

But with these three unis, I'd say gut feel, travel and costs are most important.

My DD is at Exeter doing a medical science course. She is very happy there, but I wouldn't say the uni is particularly helpful, informative or supportive. This might be because she HATES to seek out support though.
There are only 2 clubs in Exeter and you have to have a ticket in advance to go - they sell out in minutes and there's a thriving black market of resales!
I agree with the PP who mentioned the cost of accommodation. First year was around £7500. Next year will be nearer £11,000 😕

Thank you all so much for your feedback. I really appreciate it and it's very helpful to hear different perspectives. I agree that DD is very lucky to have this choice to make. I think the one thing she hasn't really looked at yet is cost. Ouch! That's a big cost increase in Exeter! More food for thought...

The campus accommodation costs for Warwick are reasonable, the 2nd and 3rd years in Leaming spa are fun with lots of accommodation options and more reasonable costs. The social life on campus is active with loads of societies etc. It's easy to get to London, my dc will come home for a night for a family event or theatre trip etc.

Thank you. That's really useful to know. I think DD does quite like the idea of being able to pop home if she needs to.

Thought that Warwick and Lancaster were 10th = in the Complete University Guide 2025? Is this a different league table?

They are equal 10th and Exeter is 14th (in the overall rankings)

I should have clarified that I am looking at Nat Sci only, which I reckon is more important than the overall ranking. However when I went to check just now it appears that Lancaster is 6th, Warwick 7th and Exeter 9th.

Apologies for both.

You were right the first time!

Frantic day, @Piggywaspushed

Agree with everything that @pistachioicecream has written. My son was so happy at Lancaster ,the college system is brilliant,fabulous campus ,great outdoors and very sociable! His degree was environmental sciences and he is an ecologist.

DD had Exeter and Warwick as first and second, albeit in History. One of her main criteria was weather, so she didn't look further North than Warwick! She doesn't like the cold or rain. She went to Exeter, and it rained, a lot. But it was warm.

She found Exeter to be very supportive academically, and enjoyed her time there. Best thing about Exeter is that it is compact, even in second and third year, living out, she never needed to catch a bus or cab. Walked everywhere. Trained up and down in her first year, drove in her second and third.

Days out at the beach were a big bonus.

Thank you for this, and yes I agree the ranking for Nat Sci is most important They all seem so closely matched.

Thank you again for all your responses. DD has read through everything and is getting nearer to making a decision. I'm glad it's not me who is having to decide!

Just want to reiterate the point made above by @Pearssoap re Exeter - my DC ruled it out because lack of Chemistry dept. DC also was a NatSci and had Durham and Lancaster on the list. (Also Chemistry at Imperial and York). Good luck with it. NatSci is a great degree for serious scientists!

Thank you. I'll definitely get her to think about that.