Hey y'all
Being a wee nipper, I need help! I'm off to University in September, and I've got unconditional offers from Lampeter and from Staffordshire. Lampeter is second best in the country for Philosophy according to inner circles, wheres Staffordshire is less so. But Lampeter is in the middle of nowhere, and while part of me would really like that, it could be a wee bit tedious, being unable to visit people easily.
What do you think is better for me to do? (don't worry, I won't be basing my final decision on what you say, I just want to know what people with a little more experience in these matters think - not to be cheeky!)
The other thing is, does anyone live in Stoke on Trent? Cos if I went to Staffordshire I'd be going with my girlfriend, meaning we'd have to rent a place and I have a few questions about housing...
That's all basically... If you want any other details, I'll clarify!
Laters!
Well, at a campus university you are part of a community of 'scholars'. And if it has the best department and you do enjoy the subject then that might be a good idea.
But then, there is the relative lack of nightlife. But compared to Stoke, is that a bad thing?
Me, I'd have chosen Lamepeter from waht you said. As it was I chose York (then Leeds, now Cardiff).
i thought the point of university was to have slotsa sexing with random ladees?
thats why im going at least... or something.
You don't want a lotta 'random' women. You want a highly select group. You want an 'elite' university.
I didn't get random or select women mind. Was that the point. Has my life been wasted?
is that your cup of tea so to speak then Pella?
I didn't do enough random sexing.. got serious with someone within the first year.
Not being in the middle of nowhere would be an advangtage I think.
I used to see a girl who lived in Alsager which is in Stoke and I used to visit a lot. If there are any specific questions I might be able to help.
I've seen a fair amount of the country and Stoke is vile... and it's not just me, on some lifestyle test it officaly the worse place in the country. As the say only mugs come from the Potteries
Thats the sort of thing I want to know really... specific 'how good/bad are places'?
Just checked on that - it WAS number one, but now it isn't even in the top 50 - that caused a lot of controversy. Hm, right or wrong?
Sometime a key academic can be pouched or as happened when I was an undergraduate fall out with the head of department and leave and it screws up the whole course
as long as you are doing the subject you want to do and the best place possible to do it, does isolation matter.
I went to college to do a subject which i found intersesting, but knew it would have no bearing on my life. i did it because god forbide i shouldn't go on to further education. i didn't enjoy the course and i found my lecturers to be uninspiring and dull. It was a copleate anti climax and i am now trying to decide whether i should go on and try something i know i will enjoy, or work to pay of student loans.
i hate to go all hollywood heart warming fil on you, but do whatever your heart tells you
*Insert cheesy emotional piano music here*
It was in Plymouth, not really the middle of nowhere.
Well, and I don't want to suggest this really, but if the department that you thought was the best is now outside the top fifty, and if you do have a look at Stoke and agree with what most people think when they have a look at the place, why no re-apply next year?
It is better to go to university at 19 having made the right choice (or at least a more considered choice), than go at 18 and balls it up. And, applying after your A-levels have been awarded means that you do not need to select 'insurance' places (though I don't understand the logic there anyway). If you already have say, BCC, then you can apply to 6 courses all offering philsopophy at BCC (and above - it's worth a try with one slot).
IMHO If you think you are doing the wrong course run away... I 'stuck it out', worse mistake I've ever made (and I've made plenty)
Orange shirt, anyone?
;)
Well of course I bow down to your sartorial elegence which brings so much to conventions... well I would if perhaps your wife would actually let you out from under her thumb for five minutes to attend one... ;-)
Ok, I'm going to provide a few more details as I've got some time now:
I'm 19. I've taken a year out. I know I want to study Philosophy, as I love it, and I've applied to 6 places and got 4 offers. Unfortunately my two first choices rejected me, so it's down to my two 'backup' choices: Lampeter and Staffordshire.
Lampeter IS 2nd in the country for Philosophy in such circles apparently (Leeds being number 1) - my comment about the top 50 was badly pphrased, but I was referring to Stoke and the 'worst cities' list - it used to be number one, but now it's dropped out of the top 50 altogether.
I'm not going to get into a should I/should I not do higher education debate, as I want to basically! So thats alright. I don't have the best opinion of humanity, and I'm hoping to get the following from life:
Wealth.
And that's about it.
Anyhow, Lampeter should be a no-brainer, but there IS the relative lack of nightlife, I don't necessarily want to be that cut off, and if I went there, my girlfriend wouldn't be able to move too.
Hm, I think that covers it for now... I'll chip in again soon!
Thanks for all your comments, some useful, some funny!
Cheers
I'd say go for Lampeter. The last thing you need is a second-rate university.
Mine's a total scam. It seems to be run by blag-merchants for people with no interest in getting the qualification.
One guy in particular told me he's happy to stay on the course and not put any effort in, as it's being paid for by the EU, and it's a choice between studying for free or getting a job. He's decided he's not going back to Greece (where he'll either have to get a job or join the army). He's decided to stay in the UK & claim benefit instead. Git.
Anyway, sorry - I'm going off on a rant. Didn't mean to derail your thread. I'd say choose the best university you can get & worry about the other stuff later.
Given that you are actually really keen on philosophy, it'll be worth checking out what your potential tutors write about/are specialists in. If you stay on for postgraduate study it'll be these people, or their network that'll be your best chance of getting a funded place.
It can be difficult to get academic papers/books unless you are actually in a university. If you need any (not too many), just ask.
Hm, that's a VERY good point - and one that hadn't occured to me! Thanks, I'll look into it...
Oops, sorry - at Bony's house with my dad... forgot he'd be signed in!
ha ha? are you all mates then? or a hive mind hell bent on undermining the board?
just read yur thread, its a tuff choice . i got a lotta mates from stoke, but worryingly they all live up here now... i'll ask them about teh place.
i would check out the tutors, where they're coming from ( or not ) does effect what you study & end up doing in the subject.
good luck.
aye any ignore the random sex, its terribly dull.
If it's a campus university, it doesn't really matter where you go as you're probably only going to associate with the 10,000 or so people of a similar age at the university. And that's what the Students' Union was invented for - as well as being a Random Sex Generator(TM).
Have you been to visit both of them? If so, I bet you already know which one you want to go to - base it on what the tutors seemed like, what the place felt like, and hopefully from chatting to random students. If Stafford's only a few places down from Lampeter, nobody's going to take a blind bit of notice.
Link: Try looking here
Hm... looking at the important stuff here, Antony Hopkins and TE Lawrence (of Arabia) went to Lampeter.
But then Lemmy went to Staffordshire. LEMMY!!
So I'm no closer to deciding ;-)
By the way, is it just my computer or have you lost half your icon?
I've lost all of mine...
Just don't end up in Stafford.
M@
"Well of course I bow down to your sartorial elegence which brings so much to conventions... well I would if perhaps your wife would actually let you out from under her thumb for five minutes to attend one... ;-)"
Piffle! Believe me- Sara can't *wait* to kick me out of the house for the weekend. I'm just scared of being beaten up by a load of Dr Who fans that think I'm actually *with* you and are offended by your outlandish- nay- *clownish* attire...
:p
You can't outrun the Whovians. Beleive me, I've tried.
Now I'm thinking of Kitchener chased by gay Tom Baker clones at Benny Hill speed...
Heh heh heh... well if we eventually see you I'm expected you to put even, Comics Best Dressed Man, Dom Reardon to shame...
It's not *very* likely. I'll just try to avoid a disasterous orange/black combo and hope for the best!
Sorry Gary- I reckon if one rotten bastard (who wasn't even there, I hasten to add) didn't keep bringing it up, the whole world would have forgotten all about your fashion faux pas by now!
I'll try not to mention it again. It's about time for a new piss take anyway...
:D (is that the 'laughing hysterically' emoticon?)
heh heh heh... just keep going, revenge will be sweet.
Actually I used to have an even worse shirt than the orange one. I got from one of those vintage cloathing companys. It was from the 70s, was made from some wonder fabric (Rayon I think) and was bright green. Unfortuntaly it eventually shrunk down to a child size. I'll have to start haunting the charity shops again before the next con...
"Shrunk down"? Hmmm... I have a few items of clothing that I've 'shrunk' out of as well, Gary...
That's it- I'm never going to a con now!