Universities - your experience

[Vanguard_Ex]

Howdy y'all. I'm doing a bit of late night research into universities, for I'm hoping to study Journalism at university in the next couple of years. It's only just occured to me I have a whole community to call upon for their experiences.

So, to any and all of you who have studied, or are studying, at a university in the UK I ask you: can you recommend any good unis? Or warn me of any bad ones? The towns or cities they're situated in are also a massive factor. Little or no chavs if possible!

 

[PureChaos]

i just graduated from Exeter University and i loved it there. would recommend it to anyone. although, i was on St Luke's campus which is away from the man campus but the main campus is great, too.

 

[plastic_window]

I'm currently in the journalism course at Glasgow Caledonian - it's apparently the best course in Scotland and one of the best in the country. That's largely down to the NCTJ that you can earn as part of the course syllabus (probably wrong spelling here).

The best part of my course is that they teach you about radio and TV journalism in the first year. However, they also weigh us down with Governance and Economics - I can see the relevance in those, but what I can't see the relevance in is Managerial Finance. I failed that part of the course and I'm busting my balls trying to study the damn thing.

So, in short, if you're interested in a UK course, the requirements for mine don't require a ton of grades and it's a pretty prestigious one if you're dead-set on journalism. There's work in the TV and radio aspects so you've got the means to move into editing, and there's also newswriting where they teach you exactly what you should be putting into your news-stories.

But it is depressing. You'll study things you don't want to. And then on top of that, you add in shorthand. You'll learn that regardless of where you study - providing it's a credible course - and it's a pain in the ass at first.

 

[WrongSprite]

Great idea vanguard. I want to do History next year.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

I'm currently in the journalism course at Glasgow Caledonian - it's apparently the best course in Scotland and one of the best in counry. That's largely down to the NCTJ that you can earn as part of the course syllabus (probably wrong spelling here).

The best part of my course is that they teach you about radio and TV journalism in the first year. However, they also weigh us down with Governance and Economics - I can see the relevance in those, but what I can't see the relevance in is Managerial Finance. I failed that part of the course and I'm busting my balls trying to study the damn thing.

So, in short, if you're interested in a UK course, the requirements for mine don't require a ton of grades and it's a pretty prestigious one if you're dead-set on journalism. There's work in the TV and radio aspects so you've got the means to move into editing, and there's also newswriting where they teach you exactly what you should be putting into your news-stories.

But it is depressing. You'll study things you don't want to. And then on top of that, you add in shorthand. You'll learn that regardless of where you study - providing it's a credible course - and it's a pain in the ass at first.

Thank you, I appreciate your advice

Great idea vanguard. I want to do History next year.

Thanks WrongSprite, I was hoping that other people would be able to use this thread as their own gauge to good places

 

[FightThePower]

I'm going to York in October. I already know Uni's an awesome place.

So yeah, fun times.

 

[Time Travelling Toaster]

I'm going to Glasgow Caledonia next year, and have heard a lot of good things about it so hopefully it will live up to it's reputation.

 

[Kif]

I went to Aberystwyth and I'd certainly recommend the place anyone, however, most of their courses are sciencey so I don't think there's a journalism orientated thing.

 

[Shoqiyqa]

For campus: Stirling, Exeter.

Look into the universities' reputations, but also into their course requirements and examination formats. Some weigh coursework heavily. Others base your entire success or failure on the ability to choose, write and illustrate two 2,500-word essays without references in a total of three hours. Some may have several exams rather than just one.

One warning: Warwich University isn't in Warwick. It's south-west of Coventry, and south-west Coventry is the shitty part of town, in spades. Nice enough university, lousy area to live off-campus after year one.

Don't go spending all your money joining every club in the place at freshers' fair. You won't get to take part in all of them. Pick three or four at most.

Go to all your lectures, lectures from other modules too and as many of other people's lectures as you can.

Learn to cook before you go.

Don't be afraid to abandon a drink unfinished and get a fresh one, and don't minesweep girls' unfinished drinks. You never know what's been slipped into them.

 

[Wadders]

Great idea vanguard. I want to do History next year.

Same here! At Aberystwyth And you're going to Sonisphere (if I remember rightly). This is getting creepy... Well, kinda, but not really...

But anyway, I don't have any experiences of uni, 'cos I've not gone there yet, but I am totally looking forward to it! If what I've been told is true, its one of the best times of your life

I went to Aberystwyth and I'd certainly recommend the place anyone, however, most of their courses are sciencey so I don't think there's a journalism orientated thing.

What was the social/ night life thing like? (if there is any, what with it being a small-ish town) Are there places to be, and places to avoid as far as clubs/ pubs go? Waht did you study there by the way?

 

[pigeon_of_doom]

Best of luck avoiding chavs, pretty hard to do. I'm going to Kent at the end of September, shouldn't run into too many chavs in Canterbury. Good Uni's? There's plenty of listings that, while they aren't gospel truth, still give a pretty good indicator. Cities? Depends what you want out of it.

 

[wewontdie11]

Come to Sunderland. It was voted the best in the country for the "student experience".

 

[annoyinglizardvoice]

Biology at Chester
Best years of my life (mainly because school and work were so shit)

 

[Jharry5]

I'm going to Nottingham Trent Uni - start my second year in two months. I like it there. (Just don't believe the stories saying its one long piss-up, that never happened to me). If you stick to the right areas, Nottingham is a pretty nice city, but stray too far, and things get rough.
The uni itself is excellent; I'd recommend it to anyone. (Just don't know if it teaches Journalism - I did English and Creative Writing myself...)

 

[fix-the-spade]

I go to Loughborough Uni.

All I can say about it is this, don't go there for a good time. The place is competitive, aggressive and entirely geared towards working your fingers numb. Some courses have an easy first year but don't count on it.

On the plus side graduates from L'boro stand a good chance of getting work in their chosen field, the sports facilities are fantastic (just don't get involved with the Athletic Union, they're useless twats) and there's plenty of drinking (you'll need it).

Loughborough itself is a nice tiny little town with a few decent shops, cheapish to live in, not many chavs, 20 minutes on the train to Nottingham and 30 minutes on the bus to Leicester, don't go to Leicester...


I've also been at college in Lincoln, as a place Lincoln is a lot nicer than Loughborough but the Uni isn't quite so great at getting good qualifications out of people.

 

[Moochkin]

i know 3 guys who go to sunderland uni.... they all hate it lol

as far as uni's go id try visit a few, see which ones you like the feel of, everyone has there own preferences

 

[ConstantJoe]

I'd love to go to England or Scotland for college, that would be awesome.

And if the fees come in, they'll be even cheaper than back home.

Too bad the mother wouldn't dare let her little darling off into the world, across a great big ocean, at such a young age...

 

[plunky]

I studied Computer Games Technology at Abertay in Dundee, and I know thats pretty much the only course recommended at that Uni. Im not too sure about Dundee Uni, I think its specialty is biochemistry, although i did meet alot of people who were studying psychology there!

As for the city, Dundee is nice, its quite a small city and the nightlife is ok. I guess it just depends what you are used to really.

I live in Glasgow now and tbh if there is a good university there that has a good Journalism course, I would certainly recommend it, the nightlife is fantastic!

 

[Jumping_Over_Fences]

I am not from the UK, but I think that I can still offer some pretty good advice to you as a prospective Journalism student. Do not research colleges as much as you research their newspapers. Find college newspaper that has won the most awards, or at least is pretty well recognized. This is where you will want to go. A well known school is well and good, but if no one knows their newspaper it means nothing. As a journalism student you main goal is to gain yourself some clout.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

Biology at Chester
Best years of my life (mainly because school and work were so shit)

That's good to hear, because Chester is on my list of considerations.
And I can relate, because quite frankly sixth form at my school is often a joke and I live in Kidderminster so pretty much any escape will be a nice one.