QMU/Napier Unis

[Sturmundcalm]

My DS is now planning to apply (late) for uni this year. QMU and Napier both have courses available that he's interested in, and I think he'd have a decent chance of getting into either with his existing qualifications.

He did an open day at QMU last year and really liked the feel but he's only just been for a wander round Napier as he missed the open day. We're from the other side of Glasgow and don't really know anyone who has gone to either uni - any thoughts or experiences from people more east coast based? He'd be moving through as it's too far to travel to either on a daily basis, and it would be to do marketing/comms type courses.

Can you say what subject? DD is in her first year at Napier doing film. We looked at QMU and really liked the campus, but the tech for filmmaking was ancient in comparison to Napier. If QMU had been equal to Napier I think she may have gone there. However, for film Napier is the best in Scotland and one of the best inj the UK so if was an easy decision. She’s enjoyed her time so far. Accommodation is OK, a bit basic but they are en-suite. It’s opposite Fountainpark with a cinema, restaurants, bowling etc. We’re bracing ourselves for the cost of accommodation once DD gets to the second year as she needs to go private.

Napier is a good university and is also not struggling financially. I know this naive my DH is on the Napier university court. He really rates it.

My DD has offers for Napier and QMU. She likes the campus and town at QMU but it’s a new course so is leaning more towards Napier as they have a proven track record. We attended the Offer Holder Day at Napier and I have to say I was very impressed (more than I had expected to be!) with their approach to teaching, facilities and student support. Its course dependant but the campus she would attend is in Merchiston which is really close to Bruntsfield,Morningside and Marchmont areas which we are quite familiar with as my older DD lives there. I can’t comment on the other campuses though.

As for your DS moving over to the East Coast, I have some experience of this as we are in Ayrshire and my elder DD started at UoE in September. She absolutely loves Edinburgh, she’s found navigating the city to be a doddle as it’s really walkable and the transport is really good (compared to what she was used to here 🙈) she can travel to Glasgow easily to meet with her friends who are at Uni there, she’s also been to Aberdeen and Dundee to visit friends. It’s not some kind of Utopia as it’s a city that has its own issues the same as anywhere else but she feels relatively safe there and although I still worry about her, it’s a lot less than I thought I would.

If he chooses QMU it’s a 6 minute train journey to/from Edinburgh and also has the benefit of being in its own smaller town, The 1st year accommodation looks nice (haven’t seen it in person) and is also en-suite, it’s a bit cheaper as well than others we’ve looked at.

@Ineedcoffeenow Has your DD considered becoming a Resident Assistant at Napier for next year? Applications close on the 12th April. My DD has been successful in getting an RA post at UoE and it’s a bit of a relief knowing that she has guaranteed accommodation (even without the discount!)

https://my.napier.ac.uk/accommodation/work-with-us#:~:text=Want%20to%20work%20with%20us,procedures%20outside%20regular%20office%20hours.

My dd was interested in both and we visited both on open days and offer holder days. She got similar offers from both. However despite being a lot further away she preferred the feel and the attitude of staff at QMU. To give an example, at open day she wanted to ask a question about the Napier course and queued up and when she was next and asked the question the staff member said that they couldn't answer the question and nobody from that department was available. We went to a presentation about the course and the lecturer talked for the whole time about an airline package that she had developed and added at the end that they also do x courses.
At QMU offer holders when we went for a coffee break a lecturer came and sat at our table. He spoke to dd and asked her how she was getting on. She was really impressed with the informal conversation. She accepted that offer and it turned out he was her tutor!
Everyone's experiences are different but it is important to go with what feels right.

Absolutely agree with you on this. I think it’s definitely course dependent. If the course DD has applied for had been running a few years then she’d likely be 50/50 between the two. Not that she’s actually made a decision yet as she’s still
waiting to hear from UoE.

Thanks all. The comments about the welcome at QMU would chime with DS's experience, he did a few of the Glasgow unis open days and QMU was his favourite of all.

I don't have the exact courses to hand (on train just now) but I think it's mass communication at Napier and PR/digital marketing at QMU.

He is working (retail) at the moment but did HNC in film and TV last year and has A,B,B,C for his highers the year before.

And would be Merchiston campus for Napier.

Dd goes to napier. She is studying music at Merchiston campus. First year she stayed in bainfield, opposite fountain park and this year she has a flat share which has actually worked out cheaper for rent. She is moving flat again soon and has managed to get one £150 cheaper a month again.

She has had a really positive experience at napier and it is a very sociable course she is doing. She has joined clubs and society's and seems to be really busy all the time. Thankfully is managing to squeeze in her part time job too.

Have taught at both and preferred working for QMU. More of a family feel, better pastoral support for students. Felt more valued there as a staff member.

If he’d like to be in the thick of it a bit more Napier would be better. The Merchiston campus is close to nice buzzy areas popular with students, including from Univ of Edinburgh. If he’s a quieter soul QMU might work better.

Universities are all v keen to recruit at the moment, so it might be that if he drops the course contact a line he could arrange a visit or at least a chat about the course.

She’s looked at it but isn’t interested. Her flatmates are being unreasonable—expecting the most amazing flat, everything brand new, multiple bathrooms, in the perfect area for less than £150 per week including bills.