Exeter or Lougborough - help deciding!

[soundof]

DS has offers for Accounting & Finance from both. Is firming Bath. Is stuck trying to decide on Exeter or Loughborough for Insurance. Bath is aspirational AAA so there is a good chance he could get insurance AAB. He really liked both but is worried about a) cliquiness/friendliness at Exeter and b) not being sporty enough at Loughborough/boring town. I know these are all massive generalisations and stereoptypes and I have told him he will meet his people at either, but due to a tough couple of years due to illness & bereavement, he is a little delicate so I want him to choose the one that will be best for his mental health. He is also ambitious and interested in perception/prestige. Wants to do a placement particularly (knows that that is increasingly hard to get).

Any ideas how to choose? They are nexk and neck pretty much in terms of league tables. We live outdie London do not much in it distance-wise.

I don't think Exeter is unfriendly or is Loughborough only for the sporty. We had both unis in the mix at one point as they're both great.

DS is insuring Loughborough. I think accommodation for insurance people will be easier at Loughborough and much cheaper than Exeter. For us it's also easier to get to as we're north London.

In terms of placements Loughborough is nearer London and Birmingham - so may have closer links, I don't know whether that makes a difference.

Yes agree that Luffers not only for sporty and yy accommodation is a lot cheaper. DS is there and has never paid more than about £580 pm (still a lot but less than Exeter I gather).

Loughborough is a very small town and yes pretty dull in terms of shops, clubs, theatre, cinema. It's near Leicester and Nottingham which offer more (but then why not just go there?). The effect of this tho is that the whole town is very student focused. The campus is huge and offers so much in the way of student activity. Whatever you like it's is there – yes sport at every level but also music, theatre, volunteering, chances to do media work, so much. DS has really enjoyed his time there and doesn't seem to want to leave.

I don't know Exeter at all but its location by the sea may appeal. It’s also quite small in terms of cultural offer and not very near anywhere bigger (Bristol is quite a way) if that's a concern (it may not be). I have also never heard an "unfriendly" vibe.

I don't know any current students at Exeter. At Loughborough I know of several very sporty boys who love it and one of DD's female friends who is enjoying her course but finding the Uni pretty dull. There's not much to do outside of campus stuff and she's taken up a sport to get out and socialise rather than because she enjoys the sport! Despite trying to shake off the sporty image, I think it's still a very strong culture there.

Rents are very expensive in Exeter, something to bear in mind. Not unfriendly in our experience.

I would agree @Beamur that Loughborough has a big focus on sport – with the idea of encouraging all to join in even if at a very friendly level. But I guess if that is not your bag it might seem a bit much.

I do think it’s so important (in general!) to have a hobby at uni that will lead you to meet others. Play flute, play cricket, join a book group, stand for the union, surf, rock climb, join the finance society or the chess club.

DD plays an instrument which was and continues to be a great way to meet ppl, and she had friends who went to Lboro and played in ensembles and met ppl that way.

I definitely agree that the focus in the town is the uni and the campus. If what you want from university is a lively city with lots of big-name gigs and amazing shops and clubs and big-name theatre productions (fair enough; that's what I wanted) then it is not the place for you. Mate of DS's started there and then switched to Birmingham for those reasons.

Thanks guys, great food for thought, will pass to DS. My feeling is he would be fine at either but somehow needs to make a decision, soon..

DC loved Exeter - the campus, the town, being near the sea and the general vibe on the open day. Certainly felt that it was somewhere they would be very happy.

However, they didn't put it as an insurance choice in the end due to the availability of accommodation. Exeter are having lots of refurb work done on the halls which I understand will continue into 2027 so there are fewer options, even for students that have it as their Firm offer. Cost was less of an issue but I would expect Loughborough to be significantly cheaper. As an insurance it just felt like added stress if it was as difficult to find somewhere to live as we'd been led to believe.

Yes indeed and I think he is realistic that it will be private accomodation near the campus if he goes there as insurance. However, I have started looking into this and there does seem to be quite a lot near the campus and, becasue of the building work, lots of first years in it this year (and projected next year) so I am hoping that, and the fact it is a small city, would mitigate that a little bit and you wouldn't feel isolated? His medical condition might get consideration for on campus accomodation, possibly, I don't know.

What are his other insurance options?

My son was in a very similar position last year (was considering Business at Bath or Exeter for first preference and then Loughbough for 2nd). He did not decide until the very last afternoon he had to pick ie I think its June? He wanted to see how he felt he went in his exams. Bath can in theory be flexible on grades but its such a popular choice they don't have to be so less likely to accept a lower grade. He ended up choosing Exeter as he wanted assured accommodation. He went off Loughborough due to the town being far away and concern about social life. He ended up having the grades where he could have gone to Bath but he is still happy with his choice at Exeter.

We now have two children as freshers at exeter - you are right in saying due to building works a lot of kids off campus so not an issue if that's what happens to him. Also with a doctor's note he could still get a place on campus with exeter as insurance as I think they keep the disability rooms back and fill them last minute with non disabled kids if not used for disability - plus kids leave in the first few weeks so rooms come up. But I would add that I thought first year in halls was a bit pricey but the second year accommodation is eye watering so if funds are an issue worth researching into that.

No experience of either but we went to the Loughborough open day last year and ds was very keen - unfortunately he didn't get the grades.

The main thing that struck us (other than the sports facilities!) was how career focused it seemed to be. Ds talked to two girls at length about how they'd got placement years and grad jobs and this was really stressed in all the talks. They help organise mini internships for students from year 1 onwards and just seemed really set up for that sort of stuff - much more so than Lancaster, where we went the following week, which seemed much more about the academics. We didn't look at Exeter though.

DC1, who is probably the least sporty person to ever walk this planet, went to Loughborough and loved it. The town is small, but very geared up to the students. DC1 found it within walking distance, but there is a bus that runs either through the campus should you want it. If Lboro had offered the right post grad course, DC1 would happily have stayed there. Accommodation on campus was good, with a range of prices. We also found the university to be very good at looking after their students. One year when DC1 returned after the Christmas break, there had been a huge problem with a burst water pipe meaning their halls had no water or heating. The university housed all the affected students in other halls which were the next level up. DC1 halls were self catering and the temporary accommodation was catered, so the university gave all the affected students vouchers to buy food in the various on campus hot food places. DC1 said there was more than enough allowance to buy three good meals plus snacks and drinks every day.
All in all, DC 1 had a very successful and enjoyable time there, despite not being at all sporty.

@soundof Great unis to consider! My YP only visited two unis before applying and one of them was Exeter. They knew lots of people who were also going to apply. Was gutted when they dropped a grade and didn't get in there. Their friends all did so it was quite a stressful time during clearing.

Having said that, having had offers from multiple unis (e.g. Cardiff, Southampton, York, Lancaster and alternative courses at Exeter), they quickly snapped up a clearing offer from Loughborough.

They LOVE Loughborough. It's semi-collegiate in that the halls are a real landing ground for them, with lots of socials and inclusion events organised by the hall they live in. This really helps with them settling in and YP has found some amazing friends.

Accommodation is really very reasonable and a lot cheaper than at Exeter. Think the catered option was roughly the same as non-catered, admittedly with a shared bathroom.

Maybe because Loughborough town is not brilliant and certainly not much to 'look at', their student union really makes an effort and they put on some great events and it's very well-frequented. Their halls will also put on trips to the races and winter and summer balls (don't think this happens at Exeter). And of course, they also head to Nottingham which is very close!

Even though playing at district level in a sport, they did go in with eyes wide open that it would be unlikely they'd get on the BUCS team, which proved right. But they've been playing a couple of sports via IMS (their halls competitions) and goes to the gym.

What was interesting is that the friends who went to Exeter didn't find it as sociable as we'd thought it would be. It's been very difficult for them to get tickets for events at various venues and some who had firmed early still didn't get their accommodation (but could be because they are refurbishing lots of halls). I found this surprising as I know previous cohorts who were very positive about Exeter. This is genuinely not sour grapes but feedback from those kids' parents.

My YP has also got involved in lots of societies at Lboro which has helped with them getting internships etc. They are likely to go for a 4-year course with placement year (you can chop and change).

The one thing my YP is now saying they'd like more at Exeter is that they don't have any lectures after Easter. Not one! Plus they had a reading week both in October AND February, and the friends he knows, only has one exam. Admittedly different courses, but YP had only 3 weeks off at Easter at Loughborough and has 5 exams May-mid June. Exeter lot have their lost exam early/mid May (bearing in mind they didn't have any lectures since before Easter. From a parental point of view, it feels like Lboro is more value for money!

Whatever they opt for, they're all great unis but I thought it would be useful for feedback.