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Academically, there's just this attitude here that because we're in the top 10 (and Uni of the Year when I came here :rolleyes: ) we have to be as elitist as possible. Hence the uni does all it can to make the average student's life frustrating - the opening hours of the Politics Office where you hand in work are 10-12 and 2-4! The library never has the books you need, I've just had to lay out a hundred quid on books for two essays, you can't use the internet for sources either because they aren't "academic" enough. I have a grand total of five hours a week and pay the same fees as my housemates who do computer science and electronics - they have special labs and full weeks - is that fair? The course is also dull, over the past 18 months I have been made to do economics and history - I signed up for a politics course! The course (when it is politics) also has about 3 options for foreign politics for every British module which I want to do - they also cancelled one of my two term British courses because the lecturer is going on leave (!) so I have been forced to do International Relations instead because it was the least worst available. Don't even think the lecturers are much help - they all hate teaching and would much rather be off doing research, I even went to one of this module I was really struggling with and told him and he just said "Good." when I told him.
Socially, the town is really nice and I love it here as a place. The Uni is called the University of Dork by others (apparently) because of the lack of things to do in the town. I don't think it's true. There's a few clubs and plenty of pubs and bars, I think it's more down to your typical York student (which I'm not) who in my experience, wouldn't know a good night out if it came up and bit them on the arse because they're too busy moralising and being scared of their own shadow. I have made a small group of good friends here, who are some of the best people I have ever met but in general the uni's social life is so crashingly dull. I even went up on campus yesterday to get my timetable and I just wanted to get the hell out of there.
I often think (or dream!) about leaving and I probably would if I had any idea what I could do instead. But as it is I just think I'd be wasting the 18 months I've been up here, how disappointed my parents would be, that I'd be forced to quit my job up here which pays really well for a student and I actually quite enjoy and has a graduate scheme which it's been hinted to me that I could take up if I wanted, that if I quit and went somewhere else I'd have to pay top-up fees, I'd be putting my housemates in a bind with the rent by walking out etc. That said, I have actually stopped caring about my degree. I have two exams this week and two 5000 word essays due in on Monday, all I've done is 590 words of one essay. I know how bad this is, and I am so depressed about it all but I just can't focus enough to do any work because I hate it so much.
So my advice would be - 1. Don't come to York Uni. 2. Choose as specialised a course as you can find so that you limit the uni's opportunity to screw you by putting in crap you don't want to study. 3. Make sure you check out the social side and what the students are like. 4. Don't let anybody's snobby comments about "good" and "bad" universities affect you, there was a lot of that at my school and it put me off checking out some of the "bad" universities where I might have been happier.
Sorry this has been such a long rant everyone, guess I just needed to vent!
Its a really good course, with loads of travel oppertunities, a good reputation and really nice staff who are at the edge of research. Thats always a good thing. A lot of the course material in one of my lectures isn't in any textbooks or anything becuase its only just been published in the lit. Thats always a good thing in the sciences.
The have an open door policy aswell, which means that if you ever have any problems yoy can just go talk to someone about it without having to book appointments oe anything (which is how my school worked).
I wouldnt worry about the expense too much...I get the full financial support but I still manage to live and go out n have a good time...the positives outweigh such negatives big style IMO.
UCL is a nice enough uni...the buildings n everything do make u feel kinda special...the location is good too...just a minute walk from Tottenham Court Road...everyone says the Union is good...its OK, but there is too much emphasis on getting pissed...but variety is not a problem with SOAS union (for all the cool/individual music/cultural nights - also u can blaze there if u want) and University of London Union a 5 minute walk away (they do gigs n stuff)
Is that the course that's four years instead of three, with a year in Finland?
I nearly went to Kent to do that, but didn't fancy a campus uni and wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to graduate in, so I chose Edinburgh instead, which allows me to do three different courses for the first two years and then do a Masters in one of them in the last two years. I think it was a good plan, because now I want to do Politics rather than Social Anthropology.
Just out of interest, what year are you in? I'm at Edinburgh as well, doing second year Psychology but one of my mates does Politics, also second year.
your so lucky get the chance to be doing that; you should feel proud!
Roll on next year
I'm just in first year, got my exams next week and then that's me! Staying on in Edinburgh til the end of May though. How are you liking uni at Edinburgh? I think it's pretty good, both the uni and generally.
Yea, finishing my exams next week as well. I love Edinburgh, great city, great character about the place. Too many fucking yahs though. You've just got to know the right places to go.
So, knowing that there's an abundance of people interested in Business and with everybody telling me that it's a degree for those who wish to be unemployed in the future, I decided to be as picky as possible. I ultimately chose the smallest uni with one of the best reputations, a uni where I would get to move away from home and try the whole living on my own thing. Also, it was the uni that offered the most group work and a lot depends on how well you work. I need a lot of work to keep me "awake". I could also do with learning how to work with people better. I'm a bit of a loner sometimes.
It didn't spoil things that now is the first time they're offering students to finish the BS in two years. A nice incentive to work well so that I can join that program.
However, it'll be kinda costly. A laptop is a requirement (mine got stolen a month ago) and I'm likely to get housing far enough to require me to buy a car. Added to that I recently bought a horse I'm planning to take with me. It's exciting though and I hope the uni will live up to my expectations.