university choices

[Becs]

She could do worse than looking at Aberystwyth. I don't think snobbery's in the vocabulary there! There's a pretty good International Politics Dept, a brilliant environment and way of life and a general down to earth, grounded feel to the place and it's people. There's something really special about Aber, hard to put your finger on really, but anyone who went will know what I mean.

very true - my ex went there and studied International Relations at BSc then topped it up with a masters from LSE if I remember rightly, last time I spoke to him he was a researcher for the lib dems. He seemed to do quite well out of his choices.

By the sounds of things you seem to have your head in the right place. Call it intelectual snobbery if you will but where you go does count a lot, especially in an ever more competitive job market. A first from Oxbridge, Durham, Imperial, LSE, Bristol etc will mean a lot more than a first from a university where the entry requirements are Bs and below. There will always exceptions to this but if she's got the brains then she'd be a fool not to try for the best uni she can get into (has she thought about the USA by the way?), as long as it's what she wants to do. It might be different for the less traditional courses but in general the best uni's are the best uni's for a reason - it will also expose her to the more gifted academics that will have interesting research, useful contacts etc.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

There are plenty of world class unis outside the Russell Group.
The 1994 group for example, includes "Top 10 unis" Durham, St Andrews, Lancaster (ahem), plus Bath, York, Exeter etc.

good point, i sort of assumed the russell group included all the old unis. some of your list were considered only just below oxbridge when i was applying for unis.

 

[Red Light]

If she wants to go to Oxford its not about getting AAA. Everybody who applies will be predicted AAA or better. Only one if four of them gets an offer. So it's all about standing out from other AAA students so you get that offer. That means having an interesting CV and personal statement that shows she is really interested in PPE and has extracurricular activities the demonstrate both her passion for PPE and that she is an interesting person as well. Volunteering or working in something that gives PPE experience is a good way to demonstrate that, particularly in the summer holidays. Have a knowledge of the subject that extends way beyond the course material and be up to date with what is going on. One subject to definitely consider doing is Maths

Go to the Open Days and get to meet the admissions tutor. Find out which colleges are known for PPE and which one suits her personality - they are all different. Go and visit and get to know the admissions people there because the college people are the ones that will choosing, not the university. Go to talks and be seen and be seen to be interested. There is some really sound advice and information on The Student Room about PPE at Oxford.

Getting in to Oxbridge is tough but that's what makes you so much more employable when you graduate. Other good places for PPE are Warwick, York, Durham or Manchester. You can also do Government and Economics at LSE and add in philosophy modules.

Good luck

 

[Bromptonaut]

If I'm reading this correctly Alex's daughter is 13 and, as is the current fashion, required to settle on her GCSE's before year nine. Life, interests and the state of the uni landscape could change massively in the five years before she actually needs to firm up her Uni application. I'd say keep her options open with a good balanced spread of GCSEs including a science as well as humanities. Assume English and Maths are mandatory but what about a foreign language?

Like Vernon I think the 'new' Universities have a good and improving tale to tell*. It may be that if you're aiming to be a career politician that PPE from Oxbridge or the LSE is a way to go but time and money invested in a degree outside the Russell Group isn't wasted. And don't get too hung up on the 'debt' thing. It's not a some hanging over you with the threat of default = whole sum due and payable. Think of it as a graduate tax made a bit too complicated.

*Declaration of interest. My daughter is doing her first year of History and Politics at Sheff Hall and loving it. Her first choice was Liverpool but she didn't meet the offer. The school's advice to make sure your insurance offer was just that and not too close to your first choice stood her well. One or two of her cohort ignored and are now sitting out an enforced gap year and will be paying the new fees (though that's not as bad as it's painted - higher start salary for payback etc.)

 

[alecstilleyedye]

good stuff bromp't. she loves languages and as oxford's ppe does not require a levels in the component subjects, she'll probably be doing french and maths at a level.

for gcse she'll be doing an english bacc with three sciences, two langauges, re and drama. apparently these days unis also take account of gcse grades, not just predicted grades.

still, a long way to go, and uni admission procedures are due for review in between...

 

[Ludwig]

The world is awash with unemployed university graduates and I would say that learning something practical and that there is a demand for is the way to go whether it is welding, carpentry, computer programming, planning or whatever. People will always need to eat so why not consider commercial horticulture at somewhere like Pershore and you will learn lots of other things on the course and you will be located in a beautiful part of the world.

 

[Becs]

good stuff bromp't. she loves languages and as oxford's ppe does not require a levels in the component subjects, she'll probably be doing french and maths at a level.

for gcse she'll be doing an english bacc with three sciences, two langauges, re and drama. apparently these days unis also take account of gcse grades, not just predicted grades.

still, a long way to go, and uni admission procedures are due for review in between...

yep, I could see my UCAS form at my interview at Cambridge (in 2000) and they'd highlighted any GSCE grade that wasn't an A* with red lines under the 2 Bs (IT and English lit) - somewhat unnerving! These days so many people get As and A*s she needs to do something else to stand out as well ideally.

 

[DCLane]

OK - I'll add my bias first; I'm an academic at an ex-Poly, but studied at an older university.

My suggestion here would be course first, university second. Too many applicants choose their university without knowing too much about the course and often regret it later.

A lot of ex-Poly's still have a vocational focus, certainly my area does in teaching marketing. All of my fellow academics have a practitioner background, whilst more traditional universities have a research basis. It's about personal preference.

 

[Red Light]

There are plenty of world class unis outside the Russell Group.
The 1994 group for example, includes "Top 10 unis" Durham, St Andrews, Lancaster (ahem), plus Bath, York, Exeter etc.

Durham is the only non-Russell Group university in the Times top ten. But having said that York and Durham from the 94 Group are good places for PPE.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

[QUOTE 1701993, member: 1314"]When they spoke to me, and realised I was not a "medic" they thought I was "strange".[/quote]

And?

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I think we all get to go to th euniversity of life sooner or later...so what harm in having a kick start at university anyway...cant hurt.

 

[Archie_tect]

[QUOTE 1701993, member: 1314"]Dundee is the place to go to study Eng Lit (one of the top 5 Eng lit departments in the UK for quality of research output). Not to study Medicine, though. Place was full of asian nerdy medics too lazy/unimaginative/stupid to do anything else apart from become a doctor. When they spoke to me, and realised I was not a "medic" they thought I was "strange".[/quote]
When were you at Dundee Crock [DJCA?].... anytime between 77 and 83? Ninewells was remote- no wonder the medics were insular!

 

[Archie_tect]

The world is awash with unemployed university graduates and I would say that learning something practical and that there is a demand for is the way to go whether it is welding, carpentry, computer programming, planning or whatever. People will always need to eat so why not consider commercial horticulture at somewhere like Pershore and you will learn lots of other things on the course and you will be located in a beautiful part of the world.

You were doing so well until you said 'planning'.

 

[Archie_tect]

Durham is the only non-Russell Group university in the Times top ten. But having said that York and Durham from the 94 Group are good places for PPE.

Nottingham, Warwick and Southampton?
*cough*

 

[swee'pea99]

It does sound like PPE at Oxford would be right up her street, given what you say about her interests and ambitions, and I'd suggest that given what you say about her interests and ambitions, she's exactly the kind of person they love to take. Not that she might not get an excellent time elsewhere (not to mention that much can change between 13 and uni), but I'd certainly give Oxford and PPE serious consideration.