Help with choosing a UNI???

nonnatus

Hello!

My Daughter is coming up to the stage where she has to choose a University for NEXT year and this summer we have to go and look at some Open Days which we're really looking forward to. Distance is no object. She has a preference for Wales for some reason (we're not Welsh and don't live in Wales, so I don't know why but she thinks Wales is "cool" like Brighton apparently!):o:cool:

Anyhoo, the course she wants is Paediatric Nursing, so obviously it has to offer that as an option, and she would LIKE to live in Halls for the first year. So any personal recommendations or suggestions would be terrific. Equally, she has a list of six below and if any scream anything bad out at any of you, please also comment.
Myself, I went to Nottingham Uni 25 years ago and adored it, but that didn't make it anywhere near the shortlist!!

Her choices so far are:

Cardiff
Brighton
Swansea
Bangor
South Wales
East Anglia

...............................................................:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

missbiggles1

nonnatus wrote: »

Hello!

My Daughter is coming up to the stage where she has to choose a University for NEXT year and this summer we have to go and look at some Open Days which we're really looking forward to. Distance is no object. She has a preference for Wales for some reason (we're not Welsh and don't live in Wales, so I don't know why but she thinks Wales is "cool" like Brighton apparently!):o:cool:

Anyhoo, the course she wants is Paediatric Nursing, so obviously it has to offer that as an option, and she would LIKE to live in Halls for the first year. So any personal recommendations or suggestions would be terrific. Equally, she has a list of six below and if any scream anything bad out at any of you, please also comment.
Myself, I went to Nottingham Uni 25 years ago and adored it, but that didn't make it anywhere near the shortlist!!

Her choices so far are:

Cardiff
Brighton
Swansea
Bangor
South Wales
East Anglia

...............................................................:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Rather than personal recommendations, which will be subjective and possibly out of date, get her to have a look at the course ratings and current student comments.

http://www.whatuni.com/degrees/courses/degree-courses/childrens-nursing-degree-courses-united-kingdom/m/united+kingdom/r/8915/page.html

How many UCAS points is she expecting to get?

flea72

As shes looking at nhs course, the likelihood of her coming home often is minimal due to shift patterns, so having good, direct transport links home isnt such a concern

Also checkout which hospitals each uni has as their placement site. Does she want big/small hospital. Does she hope to get a job at her placement hospital upon completion (checkout emolyment rates).

Get on forums for the various unis/courses she wants to attend and see what previous years students say. Obvs most big up their own uni, but nhs students do like to offload about their placement sites, so again valuable information as to whether you think you wld fit or cope with the demands (some hosps, are harder on their students)

Visit as many unis as you can. You know yr daughter and invariably know what suits them. However you spend so little time in lectures, compared to time on placment, that the uni isnt the be all. Although having lecturers you feel are approachable is a godsend as you will need their support alot (emotional rather than educational)

Try and get tours of the unis with students currently on nursing courses. Then pump them for information. Ie how quick their uni is at processing expense claims (when on placment you pay for accommodation, travel yourself upfront and then claim it back off nhs, via uni). What attiriton rates are like. Cost of accommodation at placement sites, is it easy to get from day one (some hosps,give preference to staff, so students come second in allocating rooms). What hosps are favoured by the students at that uni (so you can compile a rough list. Some unis ask you to rank yr choices at interview, so best to be prepared shoukd you apply there). Also ask current students what they like/dislike about their placement site

I know most propspective students get blinded by the state of the accommodation, and uni facilities, rathe than the course dynamics. But as the accompanying parent its yr chance to find out the hum drum stuff. Take a ticksheet with you so that you can compare each uni on the same terms. Also note down figures for all types if accommodation as its confusing. Some give you yearly prices, some weekly. But depending on how many weeks the tenancy is for you cld end up paying for weeks you wnt use.

Hth

Savvy_Sue

By all means help your DD gather the information, but then pass it on to her and leave her to it!

I toured a few Unis with my DSs, but kept my opinions to myself, apart from how I'd found the local shops. :rotfl: Fortunately they made the right choices!

roosterpotatoes

Hi,

There is also this website

http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings?o=Student+Satisfaction&s=nursing

Rambosmum

Be aware that nursing students (obviously) need to travel to hospitals and in a uni which is fairly remote (which Bangor for example is) the number of hospitals is reduced and increases the likelihood of her having to travel far for a placement. Most universities allow a travel time of 1.5hour via public transport EACH WAY to placement, so if she is doing a 12 hour shift and using public transport and at a remote uni she is likely to have a 15 hour day, plus assignments! If she drives and has a car the journey time is likely to be less. It may be work her considering a more central location such as Manchester (which is a very cool city) or Warwick/ Birmingham.

clairec79

Not sure if it is still the case but used to be when I did my training that the bursary situation was far better at the Welsh unis

AngelOfTheNorth

Rambosmum wrote: »

Be aware that nursing students (obviously) need to travel to hospitals and in a uni which is fairly remote (which Bangor for example is) the number of hospitals is reduced and increases the likelihood of her having to travel far for a placement. Most universities allow a travel time of 1.5hour via public transport EACH WAY to placement, so if she is doing a 12 hour shift and using public transport and at a remote uni she is likely to have a 15 hour day, plus assignments! If she drives and has a car the journey time is likely to be less. It may be work her considering a more central location such as Manchester (which is a very cool city) or Warwick/ Birmingham.

Yep. I've a family member doing a healthcare related degree (not nursing) at Bangor and the placements are basically halfway across North Wales sometimes. Fortunately he has a car. If your daughter doesn't, I would agree an urban setting may be more practical. Saying that, it would be worth researching where exactly the placements might be, I don't know how many paediatric facilities there are around Bangor and for all I know they do everything in the one hospital. My family member is doing a course where placements are in a wide variety of areas.

gettingtheresometime

Both Cardiff has a large student population anyway as does Swansea.

In Cardiff the big teaching hospital is the University Hospital of Wales where in Swansea its the Singleton Hospital.

Both cities have lots of accommodation nearby and have excellent transport links.

Swansea Uni is practically opposite the beach - ideal when (occasionally) it doesn't rain!

My choice though would be for Cardiff out of the two

rev229

Whatever her options remember that those on nursing/midwifery course are working while at uni! This is always an issue while living in halls as the uni party life and arriving for a work placement at 7am are not always compatible! I see it all the time as a health professional. Student arriving for work with little or no sleep due to noisy residents! They also have to work nights so living with others on the course is more beneficial. Our students have issues with accommodation during summer breaks as they are often not available as nursing student are all year round students! Also the need to drive and have a car is almost essential as public transport cannot be relied upon particularly at the weekends/bank holidays or when a shift runs late etc. I would get her driving ASAP it will make life so much easier!

bouncydog1

When DD was choosing her Uni we (she asked her dad and I to help) looked at course content first of all to narrow down the Unis.

Then we trotted off and looked at a total of 9 on open days where possible and spoke to existing students. The reality of some of the Unis is very different to how they appear on their websites. Ond of DD's favourites (on paper) turned out to have a huge population of ducks - as she has a bit of a phobia about them that went out of the window!

Another was a 2 hour commute to the airport (we live offshore) and turning up on a Friday, it was clear that many of the students went home for the weekend.

The student accommodation in others was awful. Also if your daughter will need to drive, will her Uni choices allow her to take a car - DD's didn't in the first year and there were very strict rules about taking cars onto campus thereafter.

All things to be taken into account before she puts down her choices. Also go onto https://www.thestudentroom.com for good advice on course content and the view of current students.