UK University City / Location Help

[Iced_Bullet]

Right, the time has come, Iced_Bullet is heading off to Uni (in theory!). :lol:

 

I will be studying Architecture (3/4 years full-time), with an extra 2/3 years to get the full Achitecture Qualification. Yes, it is a long course! But something I enjoy - Technical Drawing and the like.

 

I study Advanced Level (A or A2 Level), Geography, ICT and Graphics). Predicted grades - A in ICT and Graphics, B in Geography.

 

I have chosen courses which are not AAA, but will put 1 down in my final selection of 5, just in case.

Listed in order of preference and The Times Online Uni Guide for Architecture , excluding most of the AAA (A-Level Entry Qualifications).

 

AAA -

- Cardiff

- Bath

 

Under AAA -

- Manchester - AAB

- Dundee - BBB

- Edinburgh - BBB

- Liverpool - AAB

- Sheffield Hallam -

- Oxford Brookes - AAB

- Leicester - Demontford - CCC

- Brighton - ABB

- Potrsmouth - CCC to ABB

- Northumbria - BBB

- Lincoln - BBC

- Nottingham Trent - BBB

- Liverpool John Moores - BBC

- Plymouth - ABB

- Huddersfield - CCC

 

I would appreciate your input and some feedback on different cities / the Unis themselves which are listed above.

 

Any comments (constructive) are welcome!

 

:thumbsup:

 

E:

 

To be honest, I'm not bothered how far away from home I go, as it will all be new. Just not the Uni in Norwich (it's too close).

 

As for student / social life. Somewhere were I wont be shot / stabbed. I don't go out as much as the hardcore (go out every other night) drinkers, but the option to go somewhere where that's available is good.

 

I can pretty much live anywhere, as long as it's not on the edge of the earth. Scotland probably wont be too cold, just it gets dark earleir and for longer.

[Nodz86]

I was gonna be an architect but then when I realised I would be 27 before I was earnin decent money I worked down the ladder to the trades and decided to be a sparks.

 

I thought it was 3yrs at college then Uni afterwards??

 

Good luck Iced.

 

Edit:

Just found this for you, its on the RIBA site, hope this helps

http://www.architecture.com/EducationAndCareers/BecomingAnArchitect/Becominganarchitect.aspx

[Iced_Bullet]

3 years Uni, 1 year in work, then 2 more years at Uni (also still working part-time).

 

Thanks :)

 

E: Yeah thanks, all listed exempt you from part 1. Then after that, the extra 2 years are for parts 2 + 3.

[Nodz86]

You looking to be nearer home or where to go where the best results are or foam parties and school nights etc??

[Iced_Bullet]

To be honest, I'm not bothered how far away from home I go, as it will all be new. Just not the Uni in Norwich (it's too close).

 

As for student / social life. Somewhere were I wont be shot / stabbed. I don't go out as much as the hardcore (go out every other night) drinkers, but the option to go somewhere where that's available is good.

 

I can pretty much live anywhere, as long as it's not on the edge of the earth. Scotland probably wont be too cold, just it gets dark earleir and for longer.

[Speedtouch]

Don't go to Dundee... David's there remember.

 

Other than that - go to open days. They really do help (I've been to 2 already). It gives you an idea of the place if its a city centre campus and some places you really just don't like from the start. It can be a way to travel, but if you can go to open days, then do.

[iBilo]

If you go Oxford Brookes you may see me there in 2 years time, oh god I'll have to cope with the Bullet!

 

But Oxford Brookes looks pretty good. :D Apparantly its good in Oxford, no stabbings etc etc. A nice community.

[Pherelas]

I've just sent off my UCAS form so hopefully know a bit about all this if you need some help :) Doing business though.

 

First Oxford Brooks as Chrisicus mentioned it, that's a high grade for what it is. Its a good uni and seemed quite modern but all the time I was looking around on the open day you felt that people we're looking down on you for being the lesser Oxford and some of the people there we're really rude. I was letting some people on the bus in front of me for example as I was in know rush and some woman said, "yes i was here before you" I was just in shock and her husband looked apologetically at me. I don't know if I could put up with it though have put it down as my lower choice (want BBC for me).

 

Manchester. This is a strange one because some of it is really nice and some of it is rubbish. First the place is huge, over 30,000 students in that uni with the metropolitan uni right next door with another 30,000 students. There is also another uni in the city and other higher educational stuff so really 100,000 students in all. Depends on what you like to make this a positive or a negative. The buildings are another thing. Its all based on oxford road and if walking towards Manchester the building on the left are really old and really nice, proper uni building. On the right is more mixed styles, some fell cold, others look nice. Depends where your building would be, you need to visit. The library is very strange as well, the main bit is a bit rubbish but if you need somewhere to work without being disturbed this must be brilliant. Its made up of a few really old buildings tat have been joined, this means its full of knocks and crannies with tables. Can get nice and lost in there, brilliant :) . There is also a huge swimming pool there from the commonwealth games with all sorts of stuff. I liked this place but the business building was a bit lacking so certainly worth checking out if the big city is right for you.

 

Cardiff and Bath are both suppose to be stunning if you can get into these (bath more so). Didn't go to either, but my mate loved Cardiff again apart from the business school building, which again you won't care about :). Bath again friends went to and fell in love, but can't go because they can't get it.

 

Portsmouth is the only other one I can really mention but never been there (live remotely close though). Its growing and is building a good reputation. Know someone who is going there this year, will try and find out how he Is doing and find out for you. I live closer to Southampton so there is rivalry so I'll be a bit bia's ;) but the student accommodation looked a bit evil and walking back from a Jimmy Carr gig there I did feel like I was about to get stabbed. Got a ticket for free entry to a strip club there if your into that kinda stuff ;)

 

Anyway overall out of that list I'd would go for Bath, Cardiff (if you can) and Manchester because of there great reputations. My top tip will be to go and see as many as you can, I left it a bit late and missed out on a lot, start early and go and see them, talk to people. You will also find a lot on-line. Ciao have good uni review if you search the uni name and then reviews in google (e.g. 'exeter uni reviews' brings up http://www.ciao.co.uk/Reviews/Exeter_University__22791 ).

 

Also http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk has a lot of information that's great to look through. The Wiki (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/TSR_Wiki) is brilliant and loads of stuff to read through on their forum.

 

Also just seen you are doing A2 which means my open day thing is redundant because they are all but finished but hope the rest is some help.

 

Hope this helps

 

Phil.

[Iced_Bullet]

Don't go to Dundee... David's there remember.

 

Other than that - go to open days. They really do help (I've been to 2 already). It gives you an idea of the place if its a city centre campus and some places you really just don't like from the start. It can be a way to travel, but if you can go to open days, then do.

Yeah, however I think I've missed most of my open days :(

 

-snip-

 

Hope this helps

 

Phil.

Thank you for your lengthy reply :D Really helps and reconfirms some of my ideas and thoughts.

 

Manchester reviews seem to say the crime rate is quite high ... which is something to think about.

 

Out of Bath and Cardiff I think I'm going for Cardiff, mainly as well, it maybe a little bit more cheaper to live in. They seem to be similarly compared. I'm not applying to both, as if I don't get AAA, those are wasted options.

 

Dundee and Liverpool seem to be very good, and have excellent prospectuses! Which always helps. Whereas the Northumbria one, I just could not get on with and gave up. It was too much like a highstreet magasine. Only got 1/3 of the the way through efore I threw it on the floor :twisted:

 

Havn't read Sheffield Hallam's in detail yet, that's a job for today :)

 

And already said, I'm a bit late for open days, but some offer virtual tours online, so might give them a try :lol:

 

 

 

Thanks all for the help so far, +rep for youuuuuuuuu all

 

 

 

Doesn't anyone else have an opinion on a city in the UK? Not just students, but you old folk :p *ahem* baldy ;) etc

 

j/k

[The Queen]

Haha. Don't miss out Dundee because i'm there. Speedtouch is just being silly and personal. I do actually think Dundee University is a very good one and one of the best in Scotland or even England.

 

I'm probably not going to University next year as I will go to a college or something as I probably won't have the qualifications and have missed the UCAS form thingy etc..

[Speed]

I do actually think Dundee University is a very good one and one of the best in Scotland or even England.

 

Dundee. One of the best universities in England. You heard it here first ;)

[kalniel]

Bath, Edinburgh and Manchester are the stand out choices there mate. They are all fantastic places and universities. Bath and Edinburgh have a smaller, more traditional feel to their cities, while Manchester has so much life and choice it's a great place to be (and is much improved recently - you won't be shot/stabbed unless you end up in the wrong part, but it's so huge you won't ever need to).

 

Dundee, Nottingham Trent and Liverpool are the next ones down in terms of uni, though the cities aren't that great (avoid nottingham if you don't want to get shot - and they have the worst football team in the entire world), and the rest I don't rate particularly well at all.

 

While Oxford is a nice enough place (I suppose, for being the wrong blue and all), you'll get very annoyed with everyone who's at the 'real' university there.. ;)

[YeOldeTDUMan]

OK I don't know anything about Architecture ... I'm an Engineer!

 

Well here's my advice ...

 

Talk to a few large Architecture companies about the job you want to do and ask them what Unis they recommend, most places will talk to you if you ask them nicely. A degree at one Uni will have more respect than another and so will give you better chances of getting you a job afterwards. Some Unis are better at one type of subject than another.

 

As to locations ... I went to Salford (Manchester for the un-initiated) but obviously that was back in the dark ages before some of you were born! Manchester was a great place to be a student, it had the highest percentage student population of any UK city (as in you were more likely to bump into a student there than anywhere else in the country), it had lots of great night clubs and bars too ... and for me was 250 miles from home so my parents couldn't be 'just passing by'. Crime was an issue ... my mini got broken into while I was there and some idiot stole my stereo (which was worth about a tenner) but then it was no worse than anywhere else as long as you're a little street-wise. If you go to any Uni where the locals have a different accent to yours you'll stick out and you'll just have to be wary ... I soon learnt what pubs us 'poofy southern students' weren't welcome in. and wherever you go a lot of locals might also have a 'pop' at students and unfortunately most of the times student digs aren't in the best parts of town no matter where you study.

 

My best advice is to find out what course best suits your needs in terms of what job you want to do, ans as I said above if you can get the grades what is the best place for the subject you want to do, and also pay a visit to the uni/city to see what it's like.

[Iced_Bullet]

OK I don't know anything about Architecture ... I'm an Engineer!

:twisted: *shakes fist*

Talk to a few large Architecture companies about the job you want to do and ask them what Unis they recommend, most places will talk to you if you ask them nicely. A degree at one Uni will have more respect than another and so will give you better chances of getting you a job afterwards. Some Unis are better at one type of subject than another.

Good plan :) I did ask Dad to phone the Architects he uses (based in Cambridge), for Mars, as they're not too big and have another office up north or somewhere. So a medium sized firm which would have realistic university ideas :) But I think we both forgot to discuss the findings, cheers to reminding me.

As to locations ... I went to Salford (Manchester for the un-initiated) but obviously that was back in the dark ages before some of you were born! Manchester was a great place to be a student, it had the highest percentage student population of any UK city (as in you were more likely to bump into a student there than anywhere else in the country), it had lots of great night clubs and bars too ... and for me was 250 miles from home so my parents couldn't be 'just passing by'. Crime was an issue ... my mini got broken into while I was there and some idiot stole my stereo (which was worth about a tenner) but then it was no worse than anywhere else as long as you're a little street-wise. If you go to any Uni where the locals have a different accent to yours you'll stick out and you'll just have to be wary ... I soon learnt what pubs us 'poofy southern students' weren't welcome in. and wherever you go a lot of locals might also have a 'pop' at students and unfortunately most of the times student digs aren't in the best parts of town no matter where you study.

Thanks. I was kind of thinking the same thing, you've just reiterated it in my mind :) The campuses say they're 24 hours staffed and have various security measures to stop any riff raff getting in :cheeky: So yeah, just being streetwise should suffice. I don't think I'm taking my car there to start with, but then 6 years down the line, I guess I will be having some form of automotive transport. I'll be a student, so obviously nothing too flash to draw attention and also if it;s insured it's no problemo.

 

Thanks again :D +rep (not that it means much, but it's all I can offer).

[Nodz86]

The campuses say they're 24 hours staffed and have various security measures to stop any riff raff getting in :cheeky:

 

So how are you gonna get in :cheeky:

[Iced_Bullet]

So how are you gonna get in :cheeky:

[imglink]http://th08.deviantart.com/fs25/300W/f/2008/156/d/d/Angry_Ami_by_yumifan.png[/imglink]

[YeOldeTDUMan]

No probs Iced ... glad I could help (I hope)

 

I chose my uni as at it's time it was one of the best for Aeronautical Engineering, it was a big city and it was miles from my parents.

 

I wouldn't worry about the crime thing ... sort of teaches you a little about life to some extent. As to cars ... the same as ever ... just be carefull with where you park it and make sure nothing is on display inside the car ... the reason why my car is spotless inside with everything away in the cubby-holes

[me™]

Why isn't Robert Gordon University on that list?

 

Come to Aberdeen! The oil capital of Europe! I'm here too! Yaaaay, do you like sitting in pubs with goths, having strange philosophical discussions (and the odd weird one, like talking about furries for an hour)? :lol:

 

If you are ever up this way, look out for a red 2002 fiat punto 5 door, half covered in mud and being driven like a proper italian hatchback should be driven. I haven't actually hit any pedestrians... yet.

 

I just read the post above. I agree, don't leave anything on display. I had a £70 CD player in my car, it got broken into and the CD player was nicked. When it was parked RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. The window cost £150. *facepalm. I just have the factory spec cassette player now, with an adapter for my mp3 player.