University choice - Notthingham??

[Binky]

I'm in the process of shortlisting universities for my son for entry next year (2007). He is looking at Bath, Lancaster, Notthingham, Warwick, and Manchester.

At the moment Nottingham is coming out tops. However, I have heard that there are crime issues in the city. We live near London. Is Notthingham worse than London? Can anyone enlighten me? Does anyone have any knowledge/thoughts on the other choices?

[minimonkey]

well he has a variety of city centre or campus universities there...i would go for manchester out of that lot any day but i have many friends that went to nottingham and had a fantastic time. there is crime everywhere....i guess it is on a few estates from what you hear on the news but i don't know if that is where the students would live?!?!?

[zebedee1691]

My daughter is going to Bath next month to study Biosciences. We loved the campus which is very green and attractive but with Bath and Bristol pretty much on the doorstep. She also had an offer from Nottingham and we were fairly impressed with the university but she was put off by the crime rate and the fairly poor accommodation that was on offer.

We have recently visited Warwick with my younger daughter who is looking to do English next year, and were very impressed with the campus and the staff.

Can't comment on the others.

[aristotle]

If he's old enough to go to university, surely he's old enough to make his own choice.

[pingping]

have to agree with aristotle here - surely this is your son's choice. One of the most important decisions he will need to make, so the choice of university should be his, and his alone. Don't forget that he will be the one to spend three years (or more depending on the degree), so he has got to like it and feel comfortable/happy there.

To answer the question though, my sister went to Nottingham and loved it. I went to Southampton and loved it. It is just as much about the course studied as the location of the university when making the choice.

[Hapus]

I lived in Nottingham until 2 years ago and its a nightmare of a place crime wise. Unless you can afford to live in a posh area, then you hear gun-shots, your car will be burnt out (and I lived in a good area) , and your house burgled.

[Binky]

Perhaps I didn't phrase the question very well Aristotle. What I meant was that my son is looking at universities and I am helping him. Obviously, the choice is his (and to a certain extent the university).

He has short listed the various universities listed in my question on the basis of the courses.

Thanks for all your answers.

[saxy_jag]

Nottingham is a god-awful place to live. I'd rather be in London any day.

I wouldn't give you time for Manchester either. My experience of people from that city leads me to think that it's a very racist and bigoted community.

[Gef]

Let him decide on educational grounds and ignore the stupid answers from hapus and saxy.

[minimonkey]

how completely ridiculous you have obviously not actually been to Manchester if you think it is racist! and you prefer london???????? weird

[123paul]

Why are you short-listing universities for your son?

If he is incapable of doing this for himself he should stay at home where he will have ready acess to your apron strings.

The university at Nottingham is not too bad; the area has no more of a crime problem than any other major conurbation.

London is possibly a little safer; the university is of a higher standing too.

[Binky]

I refer paul123 to my earlier answer given on 30 August.