Arrrrgh! How to support DC in uni choice

[SinuousTendrils]

So DD has finally decided on PPE for her course having pivoted between literature and maths all year.
At last year's open days she loved Warwick's philosophy and maths courses but was not keen on the campus or the idea of living near Coventry.
She loved Durham, loved the PPE course but is concerned about the number of public school types (after ruling out oxbridge for this reason) It is also far away from home.
She felt right at home in Sheffield but isn't sure if the course is as good....
She has no idea what to do but wishes she could take the Warwick course in Sheffield.
Dors anyone have knowledge about the PPE course at Sheff? Warwick was a particular draw as they teach continental.
Thank you.

Coventry is grim. All of it. I lived and worked there for 5 years and DH for 25! The only nice bits are Warwickshire and not Coventry!
I have four good friends from Coventry, they are very proud of their city. Like I said, good and bad in all cities.

If she doesn't want to mix with public school types she shouldn't do PPE- it's a very popular course amongst the elites, she will also be competing for jobs with them when she leaves.
Sounds like she would be best at Warwick- what's wrong with Coventry? It seems a funny reason not to want to go to Warwick.

My son did Maths and Philosophy at York (NOT into the Continentals, very analytical!) and loved it (a few years ago now).

A relative of mine is a philosophy professor at Sheffield and he's very good

If she didn’t like the campus feel of Warwick she’s unlikely to like Lancaster. Although Lancaster is a nicer city than Coventry.

Manchester might suit though

I was thinking exactly the same. This isn’t an acceptable comment in either direction.

Perhaps PPE isn’t the right course for someone who seems to lack objective critical thinking skills. Or maybe it is exactly the right course given that she seems to be starting from ground zero.

As an aside, my god daughter is just about to start her second year studying PPE at Leeds and is loving it so far. She’s made great friends (from a variety of backgrounds) and seems to be relishing the whole experience there. However, she did go to one of the most expensive public schools in the South East so perhaps she is exactly who the daughter wants to avoid. 🙄Fortunately for me, my god daughter is a lot more open minded it seems than the OP’s daughter and merrily embraces her god mother’s Northern comprehensive background despite me being working class and very very common.

You sound nice 🙃

They didn’t teach ‘nice’ at my state school. Budget cuts.

I taught a student who was rejected by Cambridge for philosophy. Then she missed her Durham offer ...they would not wait for her ( as it turned out successful) remark. She is now at Sheffield and having a great time.

DS2 has just finished a Sheffield Master's and was really impressed with the university and the city.

No, it’s just short hand. As it happens, my son went to private school in sixth form so is quite comfortable among them but the type we are talking about are the really snobby ones, and I think you know that. One such was overheard saying that he only socialises with people whose surnames are in his father’s address book. Those are the types my son swerved, but he didn’t have to try too hard since his name isn’t in the dad’s book. Win win.

I’ve got DC at Bristol and Oxford. The former encountered way more ex private school students than the latter. That was my point about Oxbridge - its access programmes and emphasis on excellence mean it’s a lot more egalitarian than people imagine (I don’t have the stats to hand but would think Exeter, Durham and Bristol may be more private school heavy). The idea that it’s a uni for poshos is very outdated now I’d have thought.

As a poster mentioned above, given the cost of fees / accommodation etc it’s hard to think of any RG / well rated uni now that isn’t going to have significant numbers of private school or otherwise wealthy students. Don’t forget there are plenty of families who could afford private but kids have gone to state for various reasons.

Sheffield PPE is outstanding. Teaching good and it’s incredibly well regarded. Mine walked into a related job

OP I think your daughter sounds fab! Clever and a proper lefty politically! My DS loved loved loved LOVED Sheffield and he too is a clever leftie and certainly found his tribe there!

Durham is excellent!

There’s nothing to suggest OP’s daughter is a “lefty/leftie” other than the fact she doesn’t like people who went to independent schools 🤔

To quote the OP “she finds private education as a concept morally repugnant”.

I’d say that is pretty left leaning politically?!

Thank you, this is what I was hoping to hear. Brilliant to hear of your DC's success too.

Thank you, she is pretty awesome and has always had a very deep sense of justice. I'm so proud of her and haven't missed the import of a proper socialist wanting to study PPE 💪

And so brilliant to hear about your son. You must be exyremely proud too. I feel excited for DD now....fingers crossed Sheffield offer her a place after all this!

🤣🥰

Yes, it's ironic dd discounted oxbridge when Durham has highest % (40%) i think oxbridge is 25-30%
I expect she'll apply to Durham, Sheffield, York and Liverpool and see where she gets offers from then go to them all again on offer holder days. I'll suggest Leeds too.

You are going to really struggle to find continental philosophy here. My DS went to Dundee which is the only place to do it seriously, but they don't do PPE, as such. I sympathise with her. Analytical philosophy is the outs - and some if the worst places for it are Durham, Oxford, Cambridge

I had a funny conversation with a lovely philosophy lecturer at the Durham open day. They do a 70/30 split analytic/continental weirdly; he said, if you're interested in philosophy, go to Warwick. Hence the conundrum. DD doesn't want to be too far from home so Scottish unis are out unfortunately. Newcastle have just started a PPE course and they're continental but she wasn't keen on the Toon. We did visit on a Sunday though, so everyone was a bit hungover I think 😆

@rhabarbarmarmelade wow, just looked up the course, wish I could go. Interesting that the entry requirements are so low...I might have thought a c grade student would struggle with Heidegger et al. Must be superb teaching. Maybe a wildcard for DD if she could fly there 🤔

I live in Kenilworth, idk if there's much student housing here but it's way nicer than Coventry and Leam (I'm from Coventry originally). The 11 bus goes from the town centre to the uni directly too :). I lived in Cov from birth until I was 25 & I really dislike it myself.

I’m not looking for an argument here - I just want to gently mention to OP and her daughter that some children’s needs can’t be met in state schools. I would counter that it is not “morally repugnant” or “buying into your tribe” if state education is an impossibility for that child.