Exeter: uni de jour ! Why ? Everyone we know wants it ?

[PaperTyger]

My DD is high achieving and has offers from all she wants but she's thinking of Exeter.,it was the most popular place at her school last year and everyone else I'm chatting to says their DC want it.
We didn't visit but I can see it's in a beautiful place. Any thoughts ?

I hope she goes somewhere she really wants not becsuee it's the fashion.

UCL is still overwhelmingly a rich kids’ university though. Rich Home Counties and London kids, and rich international students.

I applied when I was young and thought it was too posh for me, I didn't get in anyway. DS applied and when i visited again I thought it was gorgeous. He didn't go as ended up doing an apprenticeship but it is so lovely IMO now.

DS1 went there and was there happy there. Exeter is lovely. The university and Exeter itself is not very diverse. It’s a very white campus.

Exeter was always a well -regarded university academically (I’m talking back to the 80’s, my day). So if the course is good and matches your daughter’s strengths and interests, great. But it seems to me that strong links with business and industry via the careers’ service is also important these days, and good educational and welfare support. Exeter is a rather dull city, and the last time I visited the cathedral close was very full of drug users- the underpass leading from the carpark towards the city was lined with people smoking crack. I guess this is a feature of all cities (I live in south east London, regularly in Brixton and Soho, I’m not shocked by visible drug use) but I was surprised to see it in a supposedly chichi historical part of a fairly staid city. It is on the doorstep of great coastal and countryside thought- would that be attractive to your daughter?

DS went to Leeds and loved it (the city and social life more than the course, but that’s my lad all day long really). Lots of big city kids, London very much so, but also lots of students from small villages who were keen to stay on and put down roots in the city as there were many more opportunities there than home. I suspect Exeter would be more of a place you pass through- nothing wrong with that but it’s a different atmosphere.

My DS has an offer from Exeter for Geography. I saw mention on The Student Room that they often lower the offer by a grade if you Firm them. Has anyone experienced this?

DS has done 2 years at Exeter and going back for his 3rd year in September - currently doing a placement year in London.

Loves Exeter. Went to a NI Grammar School and has made friends with a wide range of people from varied backgrounds. Travel isn't an issue for him.as would have to fly wherever he went.

Its a smallish city - everywhere walkable - and seems very safe. Nightlife is good enough for him - plenty of pubs and a couple of nightclubs. Sport is very good - plenty of choices and plenty of levels (he played Rugby 3rds for 2nd year, and Fresh 2s in 1st year)

Accommodation wise its not as cheap as say Newcastle or Liverpool, but comparable to Bristol, Edinburgh, Durham.

Aside from the collegiate system, its comparable to Durham in terms of city size, social life ans student mix

I turned up in my decade old mud splattered car for the open day, and drove past rows of new minis or Range Rovers. I think my young person would have been fine there though. It has an outdoor swimming pool and a lovely campus. I can see why many people want to go there.

I loved it when we visited at the open day. Such a green, lovely campus. If I was going to Uni now (in my 40s!) I would pick somewhere like Exeter. But I can see that it wouldn't be great for young people who love living in a more vibrant city or enjoy clubbing and it isn't as high prestige as Durham/Bristol/UCL. DC will probably put it as insurance. @Treylime DC was offered a grade down if it was the firm choice and have heard other people say the same.

We went to an open day and my DD crossed it off her list - it might look good on paper but she didn’t like the vibes. I did join for the subject talk and thought it interesting but my DD wasn’t so impressed, even though she did talk afterwards to the student who also spoke. The campus is fine but it’s the course that matters, and the inexplicable ‘vibe’. So go to an offer holder day.

@clary We are an hour away from Reading and we are 3.5 hours from Exeter non stop. M4 corridor via M5 is ok. I don’t think dc who really want to go there are bothered by 3 hours plus. We know dc who have happily gone to Durham and Edinburgh. Reading to Exeter on the train is 1 hr 43 mins so pretty quick really.

I don’t get this loathing of universities on an open day. Neither do I get anyone being surprised at drugs in Exeter. They are everywhere. Shame about vibes! We thought it was a day out for whole families when we went to the open day. Ludicrously busy and DD didn’t glean much. Didn’t loath it though - many of her friends loved it and they would never look at Sheffield or Liverpool.

Yes - we had this both times; combined with the early offer it’s a good tactic and also combines with their early entry into clearing to make an attractive proposition!

@clary no it's a about 3 to 4 hours also.

We’re not posh but my dc goes to a v posh school and was totally put off by the level of poshness at
Exeter. It would be possibly an insurance but I have heard that they only guarantee campus rooms if you firm them.

@Ritasueandbobtoo9 an outdoor swimming pool wow!
I also didn't realise it has a collegiate system

Great responses thanks everyone.

Does anyone know if the accmd has en suite and where do they live in years 2 and 3

What was the accmd nightmare last year ?

@Stopsnowing

We are not posh DD isn't posh.

What does it mean no accmd unless you firm the. Eg does that mean right now she has the offer or when ? ..do they at least wait until offer holders days ?

It’s not on the Radar at all round here. It was Birmingham with 28 of my eldests year group going there. Currently Leeds is the place to go, 32 of them went last year followed by about 25 to Nottingham

Majority of accom is ensuite- some shared bathrooms and some studios. Lots of accom refurb going on so they were unable to guarantee campus accom for all first years in Sept. Partnered with private halls in the city so all 1st years got accom.

@PaperTygerExeter doesn't have a collegiate system. I was comparing it to Durham - which is collegiate.

In terms of 1st year accommodation, see https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/accommodation/room-finder/ for details of all the on-campus options.

If you pick them as your first choice- not insurance choice or thro clearing- they guarentee accom in first year

For 2nd and 3rd year, there is a plentiful supply of student housing within walking distance of the campus.

My DS shared a 7 bedroom house in a 2nd year and will be going into a 5 bedroom house next year, both off Pennsylvania Road - 10 mins walk to campus and 10 mins walk to town centre

If you make them your first choice you start the process for choosing their accom prior to results day- there is a date the portal opens and you can make your 1/2/3 choice for accom for if you get a place when you get your grades in Aug. Like most unis best not to get too hung up on what you want- generally all works out and there is scope to move after term starts if you need to with people dropping out/ no shows etc

And don’t worry about the posh comments- I drive a 15 year old car and didnt feel it was full of fancy cars and posh people on moving in day!Yes there are private school students but not the majority and not been the experience mine has had

I was in Exeter on Saturday. It’s very run down.

@imsoverytired82- guessing you were at the Sidwell Street end then? The other end of the town is far smarter/not run down