University Towns

[Tim Bennet.]

Top places Newcastle and Manchester

Avoid Lancaster - badly designed campus stuck on top of a bleak, windy hill, on edge of sad little run down town.

 

[dellzeqq]

interesting that nobody has disagreed with my premise that London isn't good for students. Both my daughters came to London to study, and didn't want to go anywhere else. The presence of a free flat might have helped, but they still had to do the rush hour travel thing.

The Kid treats the prospect of going anywhere else as a joke.

 

[User169]

interesting that nobody has disagreed with my premise that London isn't good for students. Both my daughters came to London to study, and didn't want to go anywhere else. The presence of a free flat might have helped, but they still had to do the rush hour travel thing.

The Kid treats the prospect of going anywhere else as a joke.

I think he/she's got a point.

I don't have any first hand experience, but I do regret hugely not having taken up an offer at UCL - I opted for Norwich instead. Looking back, the decision beggars belief.

Whilst Norwich isn't too bad and the campus has some interesting architecture (no doubt you'll disagree), it's a bit out on a limb.

Incidentally, I suspect Cambridge/Oxford are probably just about as cheap as you can get - the colleges massively subsidise accomodation.

 

[User482]

Top places Newcastle and Manchester

Avoid Lancaster - badly designed campus stuck on top of a bleak, windy hill, on edge of sad little run down town.

How very dare you! I had a great 3 years there. The campus is set in lovely parkland, the town is full of history, and has a real studenty feel about it. It's very handy for the Lakes, Forest of Bowland & Yorkshire Dales, so outdoors types are well served, plus Manchester is only 1 hour by train.

Admittedly, the campus is windy, and could charitably be described as an exemplar of avantagarde 1960s brutalist architecture.

 

[User482]

Incidentally, I suspect Cambridge/Oxford are probably just about as cheap as you can get - the colleges massively subsidise accomodation.

That's assuming you get university owned accom in the ballot. Those that don't are forced to pay ludicrously high rents, and the general cost of living in Oxford is high.

 

[User169]

That's assuming you get university owned accom in the ballot. Those that don't are forced to pay ludicrously high rents, and the general cost of living in Oxford is high.

Around the time I was applying to University, Lancaster had the reputation as having the highest suicide rate for an English UNiversity.

 

[User482]

Around the time I was applying to University, Lancaster had the reputation as having the highest suicide rate for an English UNiversity.

It was a myth, due to one high profile case when a student jumped off the tower in the middle of campus. I knew the porter who was first on the scene. Not nice.

It was also reputed to have the most attractive women when I was there, but again, I can't comment on the accuracy of that claim!

 

[User169]

It was a myth, due to one high profile case when a student jumped off the tower in the middle of campus. I knew the porter who was first on the scene. Not nice.

It was also reputed to have the most attractive women when I was there, but again, I can't comment on the accuracy of that claim!

Ah, I see. I remember the tower bit featuring in the story I was told.

 

[Calum]

I'm at Leeds and having a great time. The city centre is a bit over-run with multi-nationals, but so's everywhere I guess. There's plenty of bars and clubs aswell as some amazing (and very cheap) pubs. It has all the shops you could ever possibly need aswell. Then there's all the museums, cinemas, art gallaries and libraries too. For great cycling, you just have head north and you're in rolling hills and beautiful countryside immediately!

Leeds rocks!

 

[MajorMantra]

I'm at Leeds and having a great time. The city centre is a bit over-run with multi-nationals, but so's everywhere I guess. There's plenty of bars and clubs aswell as some amazing (and very cheap) pubs. It has all the shops you could ever possibly need aswell. Then there's all the museums, cinemas, art gallaries and libraries too. For great cycling, you just have head north and you're in rolling hills and beautiful countryside immediately!

Leeds rocks!

Matthew

 

[Flying_Monkey]

The city centre is a bit over-run with multi-nationals, but so's everywhere I guess.

I'm not so sure about that. Leeds really has the most soulless city centre of any of the major cities I have been to in recent years... it was actually quite a shock to see just how bland a place can get after 'regeneration' (even if you know the theory)...

 

[gavintc]

My daughter went to Edinburgh and my son is at Newcastle. Both enjoyed their cities. Although as a Dad paying for it all. Newcastle is cheaper and seems to be no less enjoyable.

 

[User482]

I'm not so sure about that. Leeds really has the most soulless city centre of any of the major cities I have been to in recent years... it was actually quite a shock to see just how bland a place can get after 'regeneration' (even if you know the theory)...

It does have some fine buildings though - the town hall and the covered market to name two.

 

[User169]

It does have some fine buildings though - the town hall and the covered market to name two.

And these beauties

I lived here with my family on the 17th (top) floor

 

[Bodger]

Birmingham (University of Birmingham) - plusses:
Accomodation is, I think, a little cheaper than some of the more shall we say 'refined' cities.
Real nice campus that has it's old railway station so it's easy to get to city centre but is slightly seperated from it.
Has a hospital attached to it (which I assume would be good for nursing).
Generally has a good rep: Russell Grp, etc.
Bad sides:
Well, it's Birmingham ain't it.

Coventry:
Cheap.
Everything is within easy reach in the city centre or there abouts.
Mushy pea and faggot batches.
Bike museum.
Has a pink student union building.
Some might suggest that Coventy isn't the most 'refined' of places even compared to Birmingham! Yes, when I was there, a while back (last ressession/last time they won the FA cup in fact), it did seem to have an air of grot and menace to it (walking home through Hillfields at night, etc) on first arrival. But, once I got to know it, I liked it: it also had an air of honesty, of real people (tm) and real life about it.