University Choice Mayhem!

[new_age_reject]

Am I the only person that struggles with choosing the right university course?
I am talking mostly about the system in the UK as I know not of the workings over that strange land of the pond but it seems to me like despite all of the supposed help sites out there, I can't seem to find the diamond in the rough.
For example, I want to do a BSc in Audio Production/Music Technology, I search for 'Music Technology' on the UCAS course search and it gives me nearly 300 results.
How am I supposed to know which ones are any good?
So please, does anybody have any helpful hints on this topic?
(Not just referring to my particular course.)

 

[Anachronism]

I'd suggest checking the university guides and rankings in the major newspapers, like The Times Good University Guide. You can buy quite a lot of books on the subject, which should detail the various courses at different universities, and give you an idea of each university's research rating.

Other than that, I can only suggest that you see which universities offer courses that particularly interest you, and then go to the open day.

I'm going through much the same thing, to be honest; I'll be going to uni in 2010, and the madness has already begun.

 

[Eskay]

If you have any idea what job you want to do look into what courses people doing it already have.

Largely ignore university prospectuses, things are full no substance, just superlatives and mixed race groups laughing.

 

[new_age_reject]

If you have any idea what job you want to do look into what courses people doing it already have.

Largely ignore university prospectuses, things are full no substance, just superlatives and mixed race groups laughing.

That's why I distrust the prospectuses, makes this job even harder!

 

[super_smash_jesus]

Well, you normally have to take introductory classes, and work your way from there. Is this your first time in University? Because you will get used to how stupid the organizations are run, and how stupidly constructed any of their websites are.

So if this is your first go around the post secondary school, make sure you look at each class you were thinking of taking, and make sure there are no prerequisites necessary to take the class. Intro classes will generally be the smallest numbers on your list (ie - music technology 101, as opposed to music technology 200, which would be a second year senior course and require music technology 101 to be completed before you could take it).

I hope some of that helps, although I am basing this solely off of my Canadian University, so things might be a bit different.

 

[new_age_reject]

I'd suggest checking the university guides and rankings in the major newspapers, like The Times Good University Guide. You can buy quite a lot of books on the subject, which should detail the various courses at different universities, and give you an idea of each university's research rating.

Other than that, I can only suggest that you see which universities offer courses that particularly interest you, and then go to the open day.

I'm going through much the same thing, to be honest; I'll be going to uni in 2010, and the madness has already begun.

Yeah, shed loads of reading and research for me then.

 

[bodyklok]

I search for 'Music Technology' on the UCAS course search and it gives me nearly 300 results.

 Are you sure it didn't give you [b]over 9000[/b] results? Harr harrr har, but seriously dude. It can be a hard decision but just try and get a balanced view of all the different courses, google each one and the university to find out more or try asking the university it's self.

 

[Trivun]

I did a weekend staying at the University of Leeds as a taster session, to see what the School of Mathematics was like. It turns out it's one of the best places in the country for Maths and Leeds is one of the six members of the Russell Group (basically the top six UK universities for research, including Oxford and Cambridge). I actually put it as a choice on UCAS but I simply looked at the Times university league tables to see what was best for Maths, and put a few not so good ones as insurance choices. You need to decide where you want to go and what you want to do and make a decision based on that. One word of advice though. Don't go to Cardiff, I went to visit the university there and it was pretty shit. Or maybe that was just the School of Mathematics there... :s

EDIT: For the record, I applied to do Maths at:

Durham
Bristol
Leeds
Aberystwyth
Cardiff

Bristol and Durham rejected me, Cardiff was shit and I picked Leeds as my main choice and Aberystwyth as my insurance offer. I managed to get into Leeds despite getting 2 A's and a B, when they wanted 3 A's. The offers they'll give you are important for your choice as well, as well as the modules offered, as some universities have different module choices to others for exactly the same subject. It all depends on what you want, really.

 

[FallToYourDeath]

I took ages choosing, my friend on the otherhand narrowed it down to 6 and rolled a dice.

 

[Kogarian]

Try educationplanner.com.

I'm currently using it, but I'm not sure how well it is for U.K. universities. A look-see won't hurt, though.

 

[new_age_reject]

Well, you normally have to take introductory classes, and work your way from there. Is this your first time in University? Because you will get used to how stupid the organizations are run, and how stupidly constructed any of their websites are.

So if this is your first go around the post secondary school, make sure you look at each class you were thinking of taking, and make sure there are no prerequisites necessary to take the class. Intro classes will generally be the smallest numbers on your list (ie - music technology 101, as opposed to music technology 200, which would be a second year senior course and require music technology 101 to be completed before you could take it).

I hope some of that helps, although I am basing this solely off of my Canadian University, so things might be a bit different.

Thanks anyway, but we do things a little different here.
I am doing my music tech A-level at college level (although I am in a 6th form college), which will give me the grades I need to get into university.
Much appreciated all the same.

 

[Anachronism]

Yeah, shed loads of reading and research for me then.

That's pretty much all you can do, to be honest. It's a slog, but it has to be done. Sorry I can't be more help.

 

[new_age_reject]

I search for 'Music Technology' on the UCAS course search and it gives me nearly 300 results.

 Are you sure it didn't give you [b]over 9000[/b] results? Harr harrr har, but seriously dude. It can be a hard decision but just try and get a balanced view of all the different courses, google each one and the university to find out more or try asking the university it's self.

Hardeharrr might as well have been
Yeah it's the balanced view that I am struggling to find really.
League tables it is I think.

 

[new_age_reject]

I took ages choosing, my friend on the otherhand narrowed it down to 6 and rolled a dice.

I may have to do that once I have narrowed it down.

 

[new_age_reject]

Yeah, shed loads of reading and research for me then.

That's pretty much all you can do, to be honest. It's a slog, but it has to be done. Sorry I can't be more help.

Thanks anyway!

Try educationplanner.com.

I'm currently using it, but I'm not sure how well it is for U.K. universities. A look-see won't hurt, though.

I gave it a quick ganders and it looks pretty much none-uk
Thanks anyway.

I did a weekend staying at the University of Leeds as a taster session, to see what the School of Mathematics was like. It turns out it's one of the best places in the country for Maths and Leeds is one of the six members of the Russell Group (basically the top six UK universities for research, including Oxford and Cambridge). I actually put it as a choice on UCAS but I simply looked at the Times university league tables to see what was best for Maths, and put a few not so good ones as insurance choices. You need to decide where you want to go and what you want to do and make a decision based on that. One word of advice though. Don't go to Cardiff, I went to visit the university there and it was pretty shit. Or maybe that was just the School of Mathematics there... :s

EDIT: For the record, I applied to do Maths at:

Durham
Bristol
Leeds
Aberystwyth
Cardiff

Bristol and Durham rejected me, Cardiff was shit and I picked Leeds as my main choice and Aberystwyth as my insurance offer. I managed to get into Leeds despite getting 2 A's and a B, when they wanted 3 A's. The offers they'll give you are important for your choice as well, as well as the modules offered, as some universities have different module choices to others for exactly the same subject. It all depends on what you want, really.

Thanks, I will stay away from Cardiff
But I do believe I will be delving into the league tables!

 

[Lord George]

I'm in a similar situation to you, I'm so torn between study English literature or Law. But everywhere seems to do these courses. Seems like one of the Canterbury colleges might be so good so far.

There was a big convention at Kent university a month ago where they had all the universities there with representatives. Shame you missed out on that it sounds like it could have been useful to you.

 

[new_age_reject]

Am I the only person that struggles with choosing the right university course?
I am talking mostly about the system in the UK as I know not of the workings over that strange land of the pond but it seems to me like despite all of the supposed help sites out there, I can't seem to find the diamond in the rough.
For example, I want to do a BSc in Audio Production/Music Technology, I search for 'Music Technology' on the UCAS course search and it gives me nearly 300 results.
How am I supposed to know which ones are any good?
So please, does anybody have any helpful hints on this topic?
(Not just referring to my particular course.)

Even though it's not a redbrick, Huddersfield is meant to be good for audio.
For a generic list, stick to redbrick universities and stay the hell away from old polytechnics as any degree from them is worthless e.g. John Moores, Hope, Edge Hill etc.
Also for the record, York university is shit if your degree has anything maths based, as their maths lecturers are ridiculously bad.
Durham is okay, but a bit boring and dull
Liverpool is meh, not exactly great accommodation, and the city has a lot to be desired.
York is fine, full of wet people though, and not a great night-life too.
Newcastle has a great night-life and is good, especially in Civil Engineering.
Bristol and Warwick are good, but get a few Oxbridge rejects, so beware of them...
Edinburgh is a good uni, full of snobs though.
Glasgow is again good, but has a problem with discipline in the lectures as it costs Scots nothing to go to uni. In English unis, bad behaviour is unheard of.
And stay away from Bangor. It's full of retards and is a waste of money =p

Yeah, in general I am a little sceptical about the polytechnics but the one in Leicester has a decent music tech course.

 

[Lukeje]

For a generic list, stick to redbrick universities and stay the hell away from old polytechnics as any degree from them is worthless e.g. John Moores, Hope, Edge Hill etc.

Since he's thinking of doing an applied degree, I should imagine that it will be mainly the ex-polys that are offering the course. And some of them are good, e.g. Oxford Brookes.

Bristol and Warwick are good, but get a few Oxbridge rejects, so beware of them...

What's wrong with Oxford rejects?

And stay away from Bangor. It's full of retards and is a waste of money =p

What's wrong with Bangor? Most of my old school friends (well... the ones that actually went to University) went to Bangor. Wait; scratch that. Don't go to Bangor, it's full of retards.

 Are you sure it didn't give you [b]over 9000[/b] results? Harr harrr har, but seriously dude. It can be a hard decision but just try and get a balanced view of all the different courses, google each one and the university to find out more or try asking the university it's self.

Why are wou writing in

 tags? [/off-topic]

 

[Hobofisherman]

Scarborough is very good for music tech, the facilities are awesome. Take a look.

 

[new_age_reject]

For a generic list, stick to redbrick universities and stay the hell away from old polytechnics as any degree from them is worthless e.g. John Moores, Hope, Edge Hill etc.

Since he's thinking of doing an applied degree, I should imagine that it will be mainly the ex-polys that are offering the course. And some of them are good, e.g. Oxford Brookes.

Bristol and Warwick are good, but get a few Oxbridge rejects, so beware of them...

What's wrong with Oxford rejects?

And stay away from Bangor. It's full of retards and is a waste of money =p

What's wrong with Bangor? Most of my old school friends (well... the ones that actually went to University) went to Bangor. Wait; scratch that. Don't go to Bangor, it's full of retards.

 Are you sure it didn't give you [b]over 9000[/b] results? Harr harrr har, but seriously dude. It can be a hard decision but just try and get a balanced view of all the different courses, google each one and the university to find out more or try asking the university it's self.

Why are wou writing in

 tags? [/off-topic][/quote]
You'd be surprised. York offers a large amount of audio design courses, which obviously holds more weight then any polytechnic.
And Oxbridge rejects are usually snobby & usually socially inept from what I've seen and been told. As uni is only as good as the friends you make at uni, you want a good footing.
See =p  Don't go to Bangor for the love of God/Allah/Space Turtles.[/quote]
Ok, ok. Bangor is out of the question :P