Another question post...

[rurounihime]

This one has nothing to do with HP and everything to do with colleges in the UK.

I am looking into various grad school programs in the British Isles, and I am wondering if you, my lovely f-list, can help me out...

If you do or did attend school at these universities:

Leeds
Sussex
Newcastle
Kingston, London
Bangor, Wales

...what did/do you think? Now's the time to tote your school! Even if you didn't actually attend school there, but you know something about these places, please comment. I want the opinions of my peers because, as much as I love the prospectuses (prospecti?) I've been receiving, of course each university is going to talk itself up. So I want candid opinions on anything: living arrangements, scholarships, financial aid, professors, the cities and areas nearby, travel within town and to other towns, and of course... THE ACADEMICS.

Thanks so much everyone! This will be really, really helpful to me. ♥

Comments

[ellie-nor.livejournal.com]

First of all, we don't call them schools; schools are what children go to over here (unless you're talking about a subject-specific part of a university, which is called a School, e.g. School of African Studies).

Leeds is a fine city, I'm sure, but grey in a 'grim up North' kind of way, and from what I remember (I had a boyfriend at uni there in the late 1980s) the areas of the city that students usually rent in are pretty grotty.

Sussex uni is actually on the edge of Brighton, which is a brilliant place if you're into music or gay (men's) culture or alternative-y things or organic food or crafts or any aspect of 'counter-culture'. It's also on the coast and only an hour's train ride from London.

Newcastle is very far north, so cold in winter, but drier than you might expect in summer. The people are friendly and, along with Sunderland, just over the River Tyne, it's an up-and-coming centre for the arts.

I hope that's the kind of info you were after.

[fireelemental79.livejournal.com]

Cool idea. I hope more of your f-list comes through with talking up the various (doesn't know what to call them so they are now called:) Berts. Cuz all the Berts over here in Caliland suck. Especially SF state. ~FLIPS OFF SF STATE WITH TWO FINGERS!!!~

All right, that's my 2 cents. Thank you.

[alex-s9.livejournal.com]

I know nothing of the university there, but I'd love to live in Newcastle.

It's all Susanna Clarke's fault.

BTW, what happened to your plan of going to Japan?

[luci0logy.livejournal.com]

Ru, I LOVE Newcastle: fabulous city, stunning coastline, northumberland mooors and close to Alnwick castle. If I could, I would move further North.

Then again, I like Brighton too, beware the London prices.

Leeds is 30 miles from me. Buzzing city and night life. I went to Nottingham Uni - shame it doesn't do the type of course your after.

[elektrik-storm.livejournal.com]

I live about 10 miles away from Bangor. A really nice small city [only really a cit due to the Cathedral - doesn't really fill the population quota] which is right by the sea.

I think it depends really what you want to study! It is one of the top universities [3rd next to Oxford and Cambridge] in Psychology and there is a great atmosphere within the town. A little of everything! Beautiful scenary and yet shops and buses and a train station etc.

The library and main hall is amazing! really looks like the great hall for Hogwarts from the outside.

IN terms of expenses, the accomodation is below average price for Britain but the food and neccessities are quite cheap, especially in comparison to London and other big cities.

Problem is i guess, most people think it is a little cut off from the rest of the country as there is only one route to get to England which goes east along the coast. However, it is really close to Hollyhead if you were ever interested in going over to Ireland!

ummm... yeah! I personally go to Aberystwyth which is in mid-Wales, but my boyfriend studies Chemistry at Bangor and he seems to really like it... you know, beyond the whole work thing!

Anyway, I hope that was of some use to you! :P

[tipgardner.livejournal.com]

I'd probably want to be in or near London, but I admit I'm biased. I understand the longing for Scotland, having Scottish relatives. I think something to remember, that is often hard for Americans to understand, is how small our country is. You can get anywhere fairly easily/quickly by rail. So I would probably choose someplace where there is a lot going on that you can make use of if you choose, but from which you can go travelling as whim and necessity demand (hence my London preference).

As for the programmes you've mentioned, I'd gone up to Oxford, so I've not got a personal view on those other than to say that you should apply to one of the Oxford colleges and sit for a programme there! :)

[queenbarwench]

Yay for Newcastle!! I don't know that much about the Uni, other than it has a good reputation (depending on the course you do). But I live here and adore it! Best city in the country! Yes, I am probably biased, but I spent seven years in London and was only too glad to move home.

We have nightlife, shopping, culture, countryside, music, beaches... And it's not really any colder than the rest of the UK. We get more bright sunny days than the South East and London, just because of the way the weather patterns flow over the geography.

Shout me if you want more info on anything :D

Wales and Newcastle

[hestia-lacey.livejournal.com]

I'm a native of the North-East (of England, that is) and have spent the last several years studying at the University of wales in Lampeter. I'm studying archaeology, and can really only speak knowledgably about the departments related to that, so speaking academically, I can't really give you much helpful information. In terms of place, however, I can speak highly of both Wales and Newcastle as a place of study, though for very different reasons.

Wales is a beautiful country. Although I don't study at Bangor, I've heard very good things about it as a place; night life isn;t exactly rocking, but the selection of pubs available seems to be good. However, I haven't always heard only good things about the academic staff, though the comments I've encoutnered seemed to relate mostly to the geography types. If you're an outdoors type, or simply enjoy walking in the countryside, Wales is perfect; wherever you are, you're not every far from National Parks, mountains and a very pretty, often dramatic coastline. Getting places in Wales and around Wales vcan, in my experience at least, be difficult, so that's definately something to be wary of.

I live less than twenty minutes from Newcastle, and have done all my life. My best friend is just about to enter the final year of her Business Management degree there too. Academically, it's reputation is very good. However, the class sizes are large and unless you really, really make an effort with your lecturers you tend to be just another face inthe crowd. Of course, it's different with postgrad, depending on your course etc. etc, and you have to bear in mind that I'm used to really, really small lectures (my biggest this year had all of twenty people in it and my smallest just three). Socially, Newcastle is fantastic. It has good cinemas, good club scene (if that's your thing), but also many good pubs. Restaurants are varied, the shopping is good, and if you want to get out of the city and visit other places both locally and nationally, the transport connections are really good; Newcastle Airport and train station are easily accessible and buses run almost everywhere regularly (though not always reliably but hey, that's public transport).

I hope that ramble was useful! If you have any questions about anything, please do let me know and I'll do the best i can to answer them for you. Oh, and I used to be a representative to the Student Union from Lampeter University (Iwas the Raising and Giving Officer), so if you have any Union related questions, I can possibly help you out with them too.

[nissaba.livejournal.com]

Heya, I've been stalking your journal for fic and just saw this post and grinned. I would love it if you would let us know what uni you decide on. I am also going to be going for my MA in Writing in another about two years and have though about Leeds, so this post has been helping me lots too!