unis...

Former Member

Hi,
I'm a Norwegian female trying to decide on a UK uni for my BSc in psychology...and somewhat confused. There's no way I can afford attending the really good places (international tuition fees are...kind of monstrous), so I've narrowed it down to one of the following: Huddersfield, Anglia Polytechnic, King Alfred's Winchester, Coventry, Derby, Luton, Portsmouth, Luton, Lincoln or York St. John's... As I've never even been to England, and certainly not to any of the unis I could use some help. Are these places crap, or is there any other reason why they're a LOT cheaper than i.e. York, Durham, Essex etc? I'm leaning towards Anglia Polytechnic, as I'd be situated in Cambridge and so close to London, Stanstead and Harwich (expect travel bug to strike again fairly soon) - anyone familiar with the place?

Help?

Former Member

Not Lincoln! It's too quiet! If you're on a very tight budget it is cheap to live here and Sheffield is close by for a good night out. It depends on whether you want small and quiet or big and loud <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/confused.gif"&gt;

Former Member

Preferrably medium-sized town (100-200,000 or so), close to larger city and relatively close to budget flying companies' airports, i.e Stanstead...
Cambridge sounds great, except that I've heard it's a bit snobbish and expensive? Tuition quality is what I'm mainly concerned about though, don't wanna pay heaps of money to go to some really low-class rubbish uni...

Former Member

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Former Member

Gotta be one of those I listed, as I can't afford any of the others.
Are they all crap since costs are considerably lower than at any of the well-reputed unis?

Former Member

HI

I would suggest studying somewhere in the north of the country because it is considerably cheaper than the south...for rent etc.

I have a friend at portsmouth and her rent is a lot more than mine (im in lancaster)

Hope u find somewhere u

Former Member

Winchester is a protected city which means there isn't much of a nightlife and everything closes pretty early, rent's quite high there too, saying that I know people who loved it...

Former Member

Originally posted by kirikou:
Are they all crap since costs are considerably lower than at any of the well-reputed unis?

well, i wouldnt say they were 'crap' as such. it is true that they will not carry nearly as much weight academically as the same degree from York or Durham. of the ones you mention, probably Anglia Polytechnic, Coventry and Portsmouth are the more respected. having said that, a degree is a degree these days.

the reason York & Durham will seem expensive is because they are almost as good as Oxford & Cambridge, so lots of people want to go there. . . . . . .

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Because I want more stars.

Former Member

DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT go to King Alfreds.

If walking up the bloody huge hills doesnt kill you then the massive boredom will..Of course it might be different for women considering Winchester is where all new army recruits go for training so theres a lot of squaddies round the town.

Its quite reassuring being right next to a major hospital <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;

Former Member

Derby is quite a nice place. Its in an ideal location on the rail network. Cost of living ain't to bad compared to the south. It was recently voted the best city in England and Wales to live!
Its not too big a place. Its not big and impersonal place. I think of Derby more of a town than a city.

The University of Derby got a teaching mark of 21/24 for psychology.

If i quote from the Student Book 2002:

Students are friendly, not politically active, strong community spirit, very easly to integrate; you will have a fantastic time

Can't say fairer then that!

Anyway, hope you make the right decision <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;

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Now, have a big toke on this South African drugs-reefer-style spliff doobie.

Former Member

Bloody hell Dan, they should get you on the Derby tourist board..

You keep promoting the city on all the forums <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;

Former Member

Aye, well i try me best <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;

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Now, have a big toke on this South African drugs-reefer-style spliff doobie.

Former Member

Hmm. I'll probably put Anglia Polytechnic (Cambridge campus), Portsmouth, Derby and Cambridge on the application... But, someone tell me about Cambridge? Extremely snobbish? Nice place? Hellishly expensive, or just like anywhere else in the south? Chances for part-time jobs good?

And what's a reasonable budget for a year (tuition fees excluded, they don't come near the word reasonable) - £5000? £6000? More? Less? (I don't drink alcohol, which should save me some expenses I guess)

Former Member

give me about a week, then i can tell u about cambridge first hand. <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/wink.gif"&gt;

i've applied there on the basis, mainly, of acedemic reputation - it's got a great record, it's top of the tables in almost every survey, and once u say "cambridge graduate" people think "eexxcelent".

yeah, fairly expensive - normal, top quality university fees (ie about £8000 for a humanities/arts course)...worth applying, but only if ur willing to work your ass off for three years. the end result, however, has the potential to be great.

good luck with ur choices. it's never easy, especially from overseas (i should know :P)

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If there's anything more important than my ego around here, i want it caught and shot now

Former Member

There's simply no way I can raise enough money to study at the University of Cambridge (need a BSc in psychology, science based courses are incredibly expensive), but I'm likely to be in the town though...so any first impressions would be nice.

Former Member

My nan lives in Cambridge so I go there a lot. It's a very attractive town with all the old uni buildings and the Cam, a river where you can go punting. However, it's quite an expensive place to live and there is not much nightlife compared to other places. Personally I find the people not as friendly as in other places. Oh, and it's very flat, so everyone rides bikes. My uncle has a bike hire shop. I don't know how great a student town it is to be honest.

Former Member

I've only been once, to a ball. It was wild we all got completely wrecked, i was discovered at 6.30am adrift in a punt <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/eek.gif"&gt;

Former Member

Originally posted by kirikou:

I'm a Norwegian female trying to decide on a UK uni for my BSc in psychology...and somewhat confused.

kirikou, I'd be interested to know why you want to do a degree in the UK in the first place. Remember you could always do postgrad studies in this country which may only be a year, and would therefore be considerably cheaper.

BTW, out of that bunch, I'd pick Anglia in Cambridge.

Former Member

Kentish:

Well, why...I'm tired of Norway and I feel like improving my English, sound like a Texan these days. And I'll become a psychologist faster this way (5 yrs vs. 6,5 in Norway). I'm doing undergrad in UK as that's where it's easiest to get into, then I transfer to Denmark for postgrad as there are no tuition fees and education from a Nordic country guarantees me a practising license in Norway as well. UKish postgrad wouldn't, so then I'd be stuck there, which is a bit risky as I have no idea whether I like the country. Guess I'll go for Anglia Polytechnic.

Oh, and the hats. It's almost worth three years of studying to get to wear those hilarious hats and robes...

Former Member

Originally posted by SpinSugarK:
<STRONG>HI

I would suggest studying somewhere in the north of the country because it is considerably cheaper than the south...for rent etc.

I have a friend at portsmouth and her rent is a lot more than mine (im in lancaster)

Hope u find somewhere u</STRONG>

Hey, so am I!! What college are you in? I'm in Lonsdale.

Lancaster is a great uni. It's top 15 in the UK with a really cool collegiate system that influences the social life (surprisingly
goo for a rural area) and ease in settling in. In the first term I've met loads of people and made some really good friends. Plus everything is close at hand because it is a campus set-up. Plus Manchester and Liverpool are within reach for gigs and shopping expeditions (if that floats your boat).

On the other hand, you may find it quite insular and claustrophobic, and may prefer to be in an urban evironment.

Overall though, I love it there and I'm looking forward to going back next month.

Former Member

wow all these people in lancaster.

Me 2.

I am Pendle student, though I think pendle is crapity poo poo and spend much more time in cartmel and bowland bars.

I also think the uni has a lot of wankers within it's walls and is too sporty by half.

HAving said that I do really like the uni in lots and lots and lots of ways.

the best things for me are the conveince of the layout, the shops + bars on campus (I rekon is best campus uni in country) and the cheap poster stall. ANd the theatre.


<IMG alt="image" SRC="eek.gif" border="0">

Former Member

Im in cartmel <IMG alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">

are u both 1st yrs?im second so imliving off campus and it makes it somuch more awkward! <IMG alt="image" SRC="frown.gif" border="0">

U been out much this yr? i havent asmuch as last year 1st term but then ive gotloads more workto do!

i totally agree with the whoole thing bout the uni being great! <IMG alt="image" SRC="biggrin.gif" border="0"> ,oh and that pendle bar is crap! v.boring!!!!!!!!!!


when have we gotta be back for nexterm? imgoing back early..which is a good thing bout a house tho <IMG alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">

sorry this is boring but ima littlebrain dead 2nite!

TMK