I’m taking my son David to the open day at Nottingham University today. I can still remember him on his first day at school. He had just turned four and was the youngest boy in his class. I was the one left standing at the school gates feeling bereft. So how am I going to feel when he flies the nest for good? And where did those last 12 years go to?
David wants to do business studies and will hopefully start next September. I’m wondering what exactly we should be looking for on our visit, what are the important questions to ask in choosing the right university to ensure he will be happy and have good tutors. How are we going to afford it? I wish I had asked this yesterday now. Still, it’s not too late, we have other open days lined up too in the next couple of weeks. And definitely not in Scotland, that’s far too far away…
A question he might ask is “Is your department involved in research”? It gives the impression that the prospective student is interested in the department and could have a continuing interest in the subject. Good luck anyway.
As for affording it, he will undoubtedly need a student loan. These are paid back after graduation an a scale that relates to his income. The university should be able to offer advice on this, or you could look here.
Being Belgian, living in Brussels and speaking several languages ( I am Flemish so you have to learn other languages ) I would ask about languages and exchanges with other European Universities. The Erasmus exchange program for instance.
Possibly the most important thing is that he likes the campus environment. It is where he would spend the best part of the next three years of his life, so that has to be important in the decisions he makes. If you are taken around by a student, ask them about the extra-curricular activities on offer. If he has any hobbies or activities that he does now, find out if there is a club or society that does it there – it is a good and easy way to make friends. Also, ask about the social life.
University is more than just a place where you go for lectures – it is your home for three years. It’s not like a workplace which you leave at the end of the day, but where you work, play, and live.
I have a feeling it will be an instinctive choice – he’ll either like it or not. It’s a great University, and I wish him every happiness and success no matter where his final choice is…. even Scotland!
Michelle
You could ask which City firms do the recruitment milk run looking for grads to be at Nottingham
You could ask which books the tutors have published, and or which tutors have direct experience in which businesses, or which tutors are directors in which firms. Networking is everything. Mostly so in businesss.
You could ask how many Bill Gates-like or Richard Branson-like students graduated from Nottingham in the last 10 (or twenty) years.
But hell, what do I need to tell you.
How about innovation and research – you know the real green revolution – the next generation of business opportunities. And don’t forget Space, the final frontier!
I’m with Michelle on that, he will make an instinctive choice. Whether he follows up on it is another matter. Both mine went to the local university but when it came to graduate school it was a terrible choice for both of them. My son made a terrible choice in Toronto, as it turned out and left after an MSc and putting 5 years towards a PhD in theoretical physics, but never finished it. Now he’s a CA. My daughter on the other hand, worried that she wouldn’t be accepted anywhere so applied everywhere (all USA universities so couldn’t visit them) and was accepted everywhere so that was a horrible choice for her. Still it all worked out well in the long run, as it will for your son.
I wouldn’t want to be that age again for anything because the choice nowadays is mind-boggling.
regards
jmb
What was particularly interesting about the business course at this uni is that they say they include a module on entrepreunurship – the only place in the UK to do so. One of their business degrees includes studying Chinese or Asian business and studying from their campus in those countries for the second year of their course. It sounds excellent. David seems interested on the business/insurance course – they are allplaced with good jobs in the city after graduating.
We are off to Leicester and Norwich in the next week. I don’t see how they can compete with Nottingham.
Looking at the research output of the department will help your son – if a department has a good research output, then it employs good, dedicated people. Another good tip is look at the employment statistics of that particular degree at that particular university (although beware – they are sometimes fudged and are a blunt instrument).
Alan, thanks. Nottingham’s research dept seems excellent – they did some research for the Olympics bid – and they are extremely well supported by leading businesses. The presentation made it sound like getting a job at the end of the course was almost certain. Some graduates even started their own businesses from projects they had worked on during the course.
What an exciting life move!
Maalie, I have just checked out your link re student loans, and thanks, it is really helpful. We had a look around the halls of residence too and they looked great and served fantastic food.
My eldest worked as a nanny the summer before she went to university so the actually going to university was fine. Mind you her third year in university was totally stressful for me,a year spent in Russia learning Russian.Many sleepless nights worrying about her.
Number 2 daughter studied American studies and her third year was spent in Mississippi, her hasty exit north during Katrina was even more stressful than her sisters year in Russia.Daughter number 3 stayed in Cardiff and studied Textiles, nothing more stressful than her having to walk through town on Cup Final day.
Daughter number 5 is going to study Fashion in Newport, Gwent from home,only because she needs her mother to get her out of bed in the morning!
And as for daughter number 4(I bet you thought I’d forgotten her……how could I)she intends to study Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies in Exeter in September, which means a year studying Arabic in Damascus AND then she wants to do officer training in the army.What can I say? Russia and Katrina seem like a walk in the park compared to Damascus and the army!
My niece went to Nottingham and loved it,I’m sure that David will enjoy it there.
Allyson, wow, it certainly sounds like you have a very talented family. It’s great that some have travelled so widely as part of their course, but nice to have them at home too studying locally. Have they all left home now? Very best wishes to daughter 4 with her Arabic studies in Damascus. Thanks for the feedback re your niece. I believe Nottingham’s campus is the biggest in the UK and the second biggest in Europe.
Another thing to ask is who actually does the teaching. It is one thing for a department to have high flying researchers, entirely another whether your son will actually see them.
Also, eing good in research doesn’t mean that they are good at teaching at university level – they are entirely different skills. You could ask how many staff are accredited with the Higher Education Academy.
I would be wary of departments that over-rely on teaching assistants because their staff are too busy doing research to teach.
I spent three happy years at Nottingham University studying geography (1995-98).
I lived on campus in my first year (Derby Hall) and then in Lenton for two years.
Have been back a few times since – Nottingham’s really changed a lot, mostly for the better I think, although there it seems there’s more gun crime now than when I was there (or should that be more reporting of gun crime?)
cheers,
sw
What a handsome young man!
Does it really fly by that fast? That makes me sad.
I wish you well on your university visit. I hope it’s a great fit.
Handsome boy – and with hair !!!
Good luck !
Hypnocentre, I like your idea and will certain ask that.
Simon, The accommodation we visited was at Derby Hall. I would be very happy for David to go to Nottingham, but as others have said, he will know by instinct which place is right for him, and we have more visits lined up this week.
Yes, he is handsome. Even friends my age are starting to fancy him!
Elle;It was not my intention to be anonymous in my comment above. I just forgot to fill in my details.
I was at Nottingham too, though from 1989 – 92, and to be honest the mix of great campus, good teaching, and a decent sized city for the every-once-in-a-while (?!) night out was perfect. You’ll know if you like it when you see it.
Perish the thought – but I don’t know of many places which look at which uni your degree is from – more what you did with the time when you were there, either as part of the course, or on your own. So my advice would be to just get stuck in to campus and course life at a place you like…
[…] Off to Nottingham uni […]
If I was you sons age, and you were my Mother, I’d have disowned you for putting my photo on your sad Tory blog.
In all seriousness my best advice is not to do business studies, everyone does it, and organisations like to train people in their own way of doing business not recruit some 21 year old with a head full of irrelevant theories.
Steven L, thanks, that’s a bit of a mixed message,. You sound a sceptic, but I think the proof of the success of these degrees is what jobs are offered at the end of it. But I do take your point about organisations wishing to train recruits themselves. That would happen whatever job you took on, everyone has their own personal style of operating a business.
Hi Ellee,
I remember looking around Nottingham and my mum coming with me and being very excited that the first person from our family was going to university. I was going to study Russian and Serbo-Croat, which seems almost unbelievable to me now.
I ended up choosing a poly much closer to home as I was more keen on joining the local paper there. I visited Nottingham a few times after that as I had a friend there and my one abiding memory is that there are lots more women than men in the city – or perhaps it was the other way around! Good luck whatever the outcome….and happy birthday, best wishes, Linda.
[…] Thanks to everyone for the really helpful comments following our recent visit to Nottingham University, I shall bear them all in mind. […]
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