University choice: UEA versus Sussex

[nlondondad]

My daughter has conditional offers through UCAS for UEA and Sussex to study English and History Combined.

She is trying to decide which of these two to make her fist preference, ie which to choose. The two are very narrowly balanced in her mind, and for what its worth, ours.

any suggestions/advice?

Which is easiest/hardest to get to?
Does she want sea or fens?

(I went for fens, as far from home as possible!)

Where do you live? How far away does she want to be?

Brighton & Norwich both nice towns, Brighton somewhat (!) livelier.

UEA is a nice campus - they have built a lot of new student accommodation over the past couple of years. It's a 10 minute bus ride to Norwich city centre. The English dept is very very good (have 2 friends who teach there ) - don't know about History.

10 years ago I would have described Norwich as the epitome of provincial - it's become a lot livelier and a lot more multicultural. By comparison to Brighton it's positively sleepy, though.

We live in North London. Either is far enough as it were, altho Sussex is obviously closer. I dont think distance matters.

So far it would seem from the contributions (for which much thanks) that the main difference is the perceived liveliness of the town...

I seem to remember that UEA has a strength in English Lit, don't they? Creative writing, American literature etc. Not so sure about Sussex. I would certainly say that UEA stands our more in my mind for the subject at least.

UEA better at English, Sussex better at History according to latest research assessment! That helps doesn't it....

Both are decent universities with roughly similar reputations, so yes I think the choice does boil down to Norwich vs Brighton.

Sussex always had a great reputation as a left-wing uni, if she's politically minded. Not sure if it's still true.

Better night-life, too, IIRC! Though living costs marginally more expensive, as Brighton is a touristy town

uea?

no way - end up on the audience for jeremy kyle

has she had a look at thestudentroom.co.uk

Sussex was always second only to Oxford for English - at least when I read there in the 80s! Always had a very, very good reputation. UEA better for creative writing - can't vouch for the History dept. Sussex v hip and Brighton a beautiful place + 50 mins to London Victoria.

could do comparison here

My DD has just put UEA as her first choice for Biology based on the student satisfaction ratings (she's met a few people who are already at UEA and they raved about it as well). I think there's plenty of social life on campus and nightclubs in the city as well as the students union is on the circuit for some of the bands she likes. Also the course there is better suited to her interests.

student experience is usually rated as high at UEA (don't know about Sussex).

Latest student satisfaction survey