Uni-what should we be looking for?

I've no experience with UK universities.  My daughter has three visits in the next few weeks to look at unis where she's been accepted.  What should we be looking for/asking?  What makes a good university?  What things should we be wary of? 

Thank you thank you.

I would try and check out (discreetly) whether the department concerned is well funded. Also, see if you can get a list of the teaching staff (you might already have it, in the prospectus), see what their quals are, and any specialisations. You can always Google them for more info (yes I'm serious! most of the senior staff should have tons of publications to their name and be all over the internet).

Your daughter might also want to consider what the campus is like, how active the student union is & what it has to offer in the way of arts, sports and/or social activities (face it, she is going to do some partying!).

I would try and check out (discreetly) whether the department concerned is well funded. Also, see if you can get a list of the teaching staff (you might already have it, in the prospectus), see what their quals are, and any specialisations. You can always Google them for more info (yes I'm serious! most of the senior staff should have tons of publications to their name and be all over the internet).

Your daughter might also want to consider what the campus is like, how active the student union is & what it has to offer in the way of arts, sports and/or social activities

Thanks. 


 

(face it, she is going to do some partying!).

SHUT UP!

This is a good place to see official university rankings for a particular subject. Choose your daughter's subject from the drop-down box at the top and it will show you the highest-ranked universities for that subject.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide2006/0,,1595180,00.html

This is a good place to see official university rankings for a particular subject. Choose your daughter's subject from the drop-down box at the top and it will show you the highest-ranked universities for that subject.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide2006/0,,1595180,00.html

Thanks, I will check that out. 

Most departments will have their own web site within the Uni one. From there, if they are on the ball, there should be links to their staff and details about them - even lists of courses she will take.

What Unis will you visit and what programme is she looking at?

How exciting!

What Unis will you visit and what programme is she looking at?

Glasgow, Manchester and Goldsmiths for History/History of Art.

I know you didn't ask for opinions, but I have to say that Goldsmiths is great for both history and art.  It has a really good reputation for being a bit avant garde, which will feed the arty side, and has a reknown for history.  My brother went there for his undergrad and Masters in history, and did really well.  It seems to have a good mix of social and academic, and it has quite a mix of students, not just the usual 18 yr old staright from school brigade, which might make things more interesting and give her a wider range of friends.  It also has the advantage of being a smallish college on the outskirts, which gives it a close, almost villagey feel, but as it is part of the University of London there are great resources and networking if she wants to be part of a bigger thing.

My brother also went to Manchester briefly, and hated it!

 

Vicky

I would try and check out (discreetly) whether the department concerned is well funded. Also, see if you can get a list of the teaching staff (you might already have it, in the prospectus), see what their quals are, and any specialisations. You can always Google them for more info (yes I'm serious! most of the senior staff should have tons of publications to their name and be all over the internet).

I can help with that..  that's a big part of my job here, finding academics and then finding out what they actually do.  Google is quite effective to find things out about those kind of people!

Also, find out if she will be taught by grad students or lecturer/readers.  That will make a difference as well. 

I can help with that..  that's a big part of my job here, finding academics and then finding out what they actually do.  Google is quite effective to find things out about those kind of people!

Also, find out if she will be taught by grad students or lecturer/readers.  That will make a difference as well. 

Thanks, I didn't even know to ask that! 

I know you didn't ask for opinions, but I have to say that Goldsmiths is great for both history and art.  It has a really good reputation for being a bit avant garde, which will feed the arty side, and has a reknown for history.  My brother went there for his undergrad and Masters in history, and did really well.  It seems to have a good mix of social and academic, and it has quite a mix of students, not just the usual 18 yr old staright from school brigade, which might make things more interesting and give her a wider range of friends.  It also has the advantage of being a smallish college on the outskirts, which gives it a close, almost villagey feel, but as it is part of the University of London there are great resources and networking if she wants to be part of a bigger thing.

My brother also went to Manchester briefly, and hated it!

 

Vicky

Thanks.  I'd never even heard of it.  She's got an unconditional for Goldsmith's so we'll be looking at that one really closely. 

My brother also went to Manchester briefly, and hated it!

 

Vicky

Oi!!  I am studying law at the University of Manchester and I love it!!!   

Heheh!  Sorry, everyone's different, and I'm glad you're having a better time than he did.

Vicky

I think Manchester is now in the top 20 universities in the world league table. It's up there with the best.

For me the biggest adjustment was not having a 24 hour comouter lab when I studied at Glasgow, since I was, and am a late worker.  I know they only had a 24 hour lab for science students as late as 2002.  We didn't have internet connections in our room, so that might be something to check for.