>>1104
I'm actually from the Newcastle area so I know it's a crackin city. IRC nick's kalimari if I see you on there.

>>16

What wrong with Middlesbrough? What you studying
Seems pretty good to me?

>>69

Yes, they discourage it. Which means all the bars have difficult closing times to make it harder for you to do and meaning you have to walk twice as far. So if you do it, which you should, start early.

Royal Holloway, University of London.

It's not in London at all- biggest let down since the treaty of Versailles.

>>1215

What year are you in, and what do you study?

this thread reminded me of a case in point, jeff baxter, self taught weapons expert and later defence consultant.

>>1224

What about courses that allow you access to equipment you would not normally have access to, and which is important for your learning, for example, a photography lab or a recording studio?

Not that I'm desperately trying to justify my degree or anything.

>>1226

I believe he specified these exceptions when he mentioned "people who studied things other than medicine/engineering/sciences". Although to be fair, you could probably just read all my textbooks and reading lists for the next 3 years and know just as much I will at the end of my MSci, save for perhaps lab skills. Read enough journals and with an amount of intelligence you can apply your knowledge of theory to most things.

>few [universities] publish reading lists for the subjects [they teach]
Oh really?
http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=50&hl=en&q=economics+%22reading+list%22+site%3Aac.uk+OR+site%3Aedu

Some universities even organise the reading lists of seemingly every module they teach into one concise index. Even moderately respectable ones.
http://lib5.leeds.ac.uk/rlists/

Even if they didn't publish reading lists, most will probably publish timetables. Walking into an introductory lecture and making note of the reading list is probably as easy as it sounds. You can get into every single one of my lectures without needing an ID or a pass of any kind.

>>1193
>>NVQs are the poor mans equivalent of degrees and all those other special things, yes?

I'd say so, but I'm not an employer, and this doesn't mean they are useless. I speculate that they are good for getting practical jobs such as plumbing, hairdressing, health care etc.

If you go the NVQ route you will have a hard time competing for more prestigious jobs against students from the top unis, but If I had to choose between student X from a not so good university or student Y who has done NVQs, I'd just go for the one with the most work experience.

>>1207
It goes GCSEs<A levels<Undergraduate Bachelors(~3 years)<Postgraduate Masters(~1 year)<Postgraduate PhD(~3 years)

>>1209

>It goes GCSEs<A levels<Undergraduate Bachelors(~3 years)<Postgraduate Masters(~1 year)<Postgraduate PhD(~3 years)

Alternately Access courses and Foundation Degrees in place of GCSE/A levels, a Master's isn't required if you get a 2:1 or above (generally) and have done a dissertation, you can get a post-PhD if you have a certain amount of published work, you don't actually need any qualifications for a University to award you a Bachelors, Masters or PhD (at their discretion), the first two years of a Bachelors can sometimes be taken as a HND..

My mothers been assessing these NVQ's for years and years, I'll ask her next time I see her.

I've got both - a degree from ages ago, and an NVQ quite recently.
NVQs seem (from my limited exposure) to be what they say on the tin - a Nationally accepted Vocational Qualification. mine's essentially in metalwork and CNC stuff. If I was hiring someone to work in that sort of environment, I'd absolutely take the NVQ over an unrelated degree. There's simply no comparison. Likewise, if I wanted someone to run a fabrication sideline to my main business, I'd take the NVQ guy.
The recent drive to a 'degree, or nothing' approach is witless. There are millions of people, and jobs, for which a decent vocational qualification, is the perfect fit.
Degrees are losing value and credibility at a scary rate. An NVQ that says you're safe and competent to do a real job has some authority. Of course, some lackwit gimps are going to get NVQs, and need weeding out. Don't be one of those.
There _is_ the theory that degrees let you get higher up in a company. This is possibly true - pretty much everyone I work with, day to day, has a degree or higher. And we work like stressed monkeys, for not terribly good wages, on the assumption it'll all get better when we hit the big time / get bought by Google / whatever. A degree is so far from a guarantee of riches and an easy life that it's not funny. And this is is Cambridge...
If you want to go and work for a rigidly ordered huge company (or the civil service), or do a job for which a degree is mandatory, then go for the degree. Otherwise, it's not clear cut.
(also, getting a degree later, while harder than just rolling out of school, doing your 3 years, paying your dues, and getting the paper, is entirely possible, and is regarded as well as, or better, than the 'conventional' route. You'll also be older, wiser, and know slightly more what you want to do)

I doubt that helped at all. Good luck, chap. Whatever you do, do it well. Don't just dick around and scrape through. Nobody's impressed by a shit degree - or half-assed NVQ.

Cheers guys, you've all been most helpful.

>>1213
That actually helped alot.

You lanky streak of piss.

>>1051
That's just going to confuse him, it's not really the same thing now is it?

>>1052
Streaking is what I do best.

>>1043

>>1212
Strange bump. Incidentally I noticed the capital-lettered exclamation in the Cyrillic of the OP's picture, presumably expressing confusion towards the idiom. Can Stalin tell us what it means?

Warwick was my first choice but ended up going to Nottingham. Never heard of it being slagged off.

>>1162

The University is well respected but the city is a shithole.

>>1162 Nottingham!? Me as well.

What campus?

>>1164

Shagged a girl from Nottingham, whey. I get the impression it's a drug infested place, judging from the kind of guys from my school who ended up there, but now I realise that Newcastle is much better for that and I don't understand why any of them went where they did.

>>1174

Only as drug infested as anywhere else, I reckon. But it does have more clubs/bars than anywhere else so maybe thats why they went. My ex is there so I got to know it pretty well and sure it goes on, but I haven't been to enough other places to be able to compare.

Don't take a fridge, OP. You might get away with a mini one, but don't be a lazy bastard, just use the one in the kitchen. Many halls don't allow you to have fridges in your room also.

As for the other stuff, I'd only recommend taking a TV if you know for certain you will have a car available to take your stuff there and back. I wouldn't like to lug one onto a train, same with a desktop PC. I took a big PC to halls, and for all I used it I needn't have bothered, I just used the laptop mainly. It was a nice luxury but not vital. Bear in mind also you'll be expected to pay a license for your TV for your room, though almost everywhere you will get away with not, but it's a consideration nonetheless.

Nothing will be nicked, you'll have a lock on your door, and a lock on your flat, and you'll have contents insurance (Endsleigh offer many of the countries halls free insurance up to £2000, but you can and should arrange your own if not)

I like to travel light, and if I was doing halls again I'd take my laptop, clothes and not much else, but that's me. It's not uncommon to have those items in halls, my flatmate last year had a 42" plasma in his room, though it was obviously ridiculously too big, he got on fine with it.

TL;DR take them if you know you can transport them hassle free.

>>1199
I was thinking a mini one for fruits and soft drinks.
I probably will get a car eventually, but I don't have a 'home' to lug back and forth there, coming from far far away.

My main consideration is that rooms look small and, like you said a TV could be just too large - and secondly I don't know what the norm is etc.

I think I'll get a desktop, if not maybe some shitty all-in-one pc, I'll be there for fifty fucking weeks I need a large screen for work if not for fun.

>>1201

Like I say, you might get away with a mini fridge, but you might not - my halls didn't allow them (they do room checks occasionally, I suppose you could hide it)

You will have limited space, my flatmate's TV took up most of his desk - I think a happy medium would be a desktop with a reasonably sized screen. Like you say the rooms are never exactly spacious, even a 22 inch monitor will be fine for watching films etc. lying in bed.

>>1202
I see, I checked the website to see if they wrote anything relevant but couldn't find anything on fridges - TV's are pretty common apparently as they mentioned the licensing fee though.

But I also noticed that I was allowed one wired internet connection, and use of wireless hubs etc. weren't allowed. Maybe I should just get an apartment...

>>1187

A mini fridge is fine, for drinks and stuff. A TV in your room might make you rather anti-social though.

I found having no TV in my room meant I mingled with my housemates a lot more.

A PC is hella impractical tbh. I dont see a need for it at all unless youre a hard core gamer.

Dorm rooms are small as they are, you dont want to fill it with non necessities

>>1180

I've just come out of a psych ward, and the NHS are giving me *at the most* one appointment every six weeks for half an hour with a consultant psych so he can fuck about with my medication. I'm using my DLA to pay for some form of talking therapy, my prescriptions (7.50 and I'm generally prescribed a weeks worth at a time), and occasionally I expect to use it on a taxi to the mental health centre, which is out of town, and buses into another nearby town should I need to visit the psychiatric ward on an outpatient basis.

>>1182

Also, I am OP, and I am in Clearing now because I decided to decline my offers. That was a really shit idea on my part, I've found. Clearing sucks.

>>1183
and you must wait until exam results, right?

>>1184

Yep. Shit sucks.

>>1185
do you know where i can find what places were available in clearing last yera?

>>1156
I wouldn't worry about it. I'm not going to apply until August. There will probably be a grand fuck up just like last year and the university will be sympathetic for that reason.

I'm sure the past two years (for my second and third year finances respectively) I applied around this time and got the payments on time. No need to worry, just apply now. The closing date they have on their site is only for new applications afaik.

It seems as though they've proper changed the application format. I don't recall having to have my parents prove they're still supporting my application last year, but now they're sending them both a letter with something to fill out and then send back to my local council.

My loans came in late last year and both halls and Uni were very understanding. In fact I didn't really get bothered at all by anyone except a letter every now and then saying rent/fees were late. YMMV though.

Right now my gripe with Student Finance is that the online application system isn't working for me and I'm having to print out and post the form.

>>1170
well that isn't all bad then. To be honest the standard of UK Higher Education is good (when compared internationally) even at the "lower end" new/post 1994 universities (like Abertay Dundee) which used to be Polytechnics.

What branch of Engineering?

I don't know anything specifically about the engineering department, but in general the uni is pretty good.
Nice location and the halls are decent, though they use websense, which is very annoying.

Ignore anyone telling you not to go to a uni, unless they give you specific reasons about the course itself.
Even a crap university (which this isn't) generally has a course or two that are great.

>>1171
probably civil.

>>1175
Well to be honest you'll find that a B/MEng Civil Engineering degree anywhere in the UK is going to be pretty damn good, and will open up doors for you post graduation. Go for it.

>>1173
No they fucking aren't. I stayed in Lyon Street Halls and Hillside Halls -both fucking over priced shitholes.
And the new ones the've built by the Round about cost a fuckton in rent (Though all bills paid.)

>>1072

Oh, I see. My mistake. I have sinusitis and am very woolly-minded right now. Forgive me for sounding like an arse, I thought you meant you avoided judgment altogether.

>>1073

No problem, I can see how my post sounded quite a bit like that's what I meant. I'm sure it's impossible to avoid all judgement, anyway.

>>1054
I always think I'll like people at first, and then the more I get to know them, the more I find to annoy me. I end up disliking most people, and have very few friends. Any further advice?

>>1137
Learn a little bit of tolerance, and ask these questions in the correct forum (this is me saying gb2emo politely).

>>991
Me. I stayed in my hometown, lived at home for a year, then with a friend for 2 years and now living on myself.

After school and civil service I never got out of my "procrastination mode", I didn't get to know new people, stayed with the same bunch of lads, kept my old habits etc.
I can't blame it all on my decision (or lack thereof, staying was just the easiest choice) to stay, but it certainly didn't help ; ;

>>968
Similar story but not quite as bad; I had a university interview the day after St. Patricks day. I was so hungover (and possibly still stoned) that I couldn't figure out the coffee urn and ended up pouring coffee on the floor. The interviewers opening question was "So tell me a bit about yourself". I just sort of stared confusedly at him until he asked a less open ended question.

I absolutely detest this aspect of our culture. Whether or not I get the job should depend on how well I can work, not my fashion sense.

Although, saying that, I managed once to get a job going to an interview in an old scruffy hoodie and jeans.

I had a job interview with Tesco when I was 18, I wore a polo-shirt, jeans and dress shoes. I was still one of the smartest looking people there.

I've only ever had one interview.
My first job was literally given to me because my sister got me in as a KP in a holiday camp kitchen. Stayed there on and off for a few years, never needing an interview because apparently i was "the best KP ive ever seen" (says the boss).
Second job my mom got me, KP at a restaurant she was managing. Again i was commended on being a very good KP.
Third and current job, aunt offered me a job as a tea lady in a residential home. I took the interview and passed, though i think i already had the job anyway and the interview was just so they had it for record. Tea lady later turned into carer, now im starting to go into KPing again for the same place.

Feels bad being unqualified. Being good at a shit job isnt much better either.

>>1012

>aspect of culture

It's not an aspect of culture, it's common bloody sense. Turn out well, make a good impression. It's not an aspect of culture, it's a method of communication. Want the job or fuck off.

>>1122

Ah, fair then. In most of the ground floor flats, there are panels which can be/have already been cut out of the carpet, from which you can access these small tunnels which run along the length of the halls. I've only ever been about 20 metres down one, but a few other people have made the journey to other flats. My own didn't have an access, sadly. They're pretty cramped, about 3 feet high. A second year told me he managed to transport a door through there, which would probably be possible.
I assume they're some kind of precaution, but I really have no idea.

We did this:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1996865.ece

Wasn't so funny when it got into the Telegraph, the BBC, and finally Farmers Weekly.

>>1140

DRUNKEN toffs from a posh college wrecked a country pub in a two-hour rampage – politely.

>politely

Very well played.

>>1140

Please elaborate, how did you manage to be so damaging yet so polite?

>>1140 And why? And are you going to pay for it? And are you going to prison?

>>1129

With the economy in the state it's in, and heading following the cuts, more and more people will be in that position.

>>1127

It wasn't as bad as expected for me, I just waffled a bit though, what came up in yours exactly? I've actually forgotten what was in mine, but I'm sure if yours is the same it'll refresh my memory.

>>1131

Some bollocks about international agreements, various shit about exchange rates, trade and something else major i've forgotten

GRADUATING TOMORROW LADS

WISH ME LUCK

>>1135
glm9

>>982
Edinburgh are dicks. That's not to say you won't get in if you don't quite make the grade, but it'll largely be down to luck regarding how many places there are on the course.

>>983
I was predicted AAA, two other unis gave me AAA offers for pol, so I was so happy at the Ed offer. I haven't dossed this year (I might make out that to look cool), I've genuinely struggled. I just hope that if I fuck up they be all 'he safe n1gz' but TSR make them out to be heartless. Thanks anyway man.

>>984

forgot my pic

>>982
If the A or even the B is in a relevant subject you'll get in.

>>982
I'm this guy. Sorry ladm8s. Anyone know what kind of courses are lowly subscribed. If I missed the grades at Ed I would consider - East Asian studies, Chinese (of which I have been studying) or South Asian Studies with Arabic. I'm unsure whether these (particularly the latter) are 'lol soo randum ^_^' so they'll have places free on the course OR, are so specific that 20 nerds will be all they will take. Thoughts? thanks