Anyones kids at Durham University?

My niece goes there, she went to a decent grammar school, is very grounded and is loving it. There are the colleges where dinner is served on a silver plate - she's not anywhere close to that. She lives in a house with 8 friends and piss leaking through the ceilings.

Deffo don’t avoid going there just because of a silly preconceived notion. I went and loved my time there and met my beautiful wife. Van mildert was the ‘comp on the hill’ by reputation but I had a great time and managed good grades (eventually!)

Experience sort of depends on the college but less so than oxbridge as teaching is all central. Even so I think after a week at even the poshest colleges everyone bonds and gets on. She will have a great time

Was there ages ago (1996-7) for my MSc. I remember one night in Castle College the rugby team were drinking sick out of their shoes, and being utter boorish bellends (thats rugby lads everywhere though, right?)...rest of the time it was great.
She HAS to go, just to be a regular at Klute nightclub. A dive, but had so much fun dancing upstairs with sweat dripping off the low ceiling!

There’s nothing quite like dodgy university nightclubs is there? I went to Leeds in the 90s and Ricky’s in Chapeltown was ace - if you got in alive!

Daughter is at Durham. Well she’s currently doing a placement year but will return for her final year next year. She seems pretty happy with it. Not that she’s got anything to compare it with of course but she is enjoying it.

She did say that when Scouting for Girls played there Posh Girls went down a storm😀

She went to a state school as did most of the group she lived with I think. There are a few of the Bullingdon type. There was certainly one guy that I marked out as a dick the day I dropped her off, but that’s all part of the fun of university life and (without me saying anything) she (and her friends) formed the same opinion pretty quickly. Everyone else I’ve met on various trips to pick up and drop her off has seemed like your typical university student really.

Left a while ago but happy to offer my 2p. It has changed significantly since I was there (01-05). They have let men into Mary's!

It's relative, Durham isn't particularly diverse, especially if you compare it to the any of the universities in big cities. It attracts a particular segment of students in greater number (Oxbridge rejects mostly) so you do get a larger percentage of private school pupils.

Generally the Bailey colleges were considered "posher" particularly Hatfield and Castle.

The hill colleges were considered more diverse.

That said, I met my wife at Grey college* on the hill and she went to Wycombe Abbey which is like the girl's equivalent of Eton. I went to a private school, but it was in Bolton and I grew up in Farnworth 😉 so I'm not sure that counts. Had friends from all colleges, some lived up to the stereotypes others didn't. Its a big enough place that you just find people you get along with and ignore those you don't. Most of my friends were outside the college system - did a lot of kayaking (Join the Canoe Club it's brilliant). Being able to walk everywhere was great. It made life simpler and cheaper. There's not much night life but that was never my thing.

Look at the smaller Bailey Colleges or the larger Hill colleges. Don't over think it, it will be fine if you like the rest of the university offer.

*I chose Grey after a detailed study and realised it was closest to the Chemistry department so I'd get longer in bed.

30 years ago but I went to Durham / Castle (not Castle College you doofus! Castle or University College)

It's now massively oversubscribed, when I went I put no preference for college and was given it, it was that 'unpopular'. How times change. Yes, even then there were some pretentious nobbers but I captained college at football so was instantly excluded from the rugby elite and those circles. I mixed with normal kids from a mix of schools and had a great time.

The posh element may have increased since but we go back up once a year for a reunion, and there's still a lot of normal kids there (well normal for students)

Last time I was up though - was hugely impressed having a walk around on Sunday by the more modern hill colleges, some fantastic buildings and facilities.

Not Mildert poly though, that's still a hole 😉

Klute was mainly a locals club when I was there; anyone of the same era going to Q-ball tonight?

My daughter went to a state school and the local sixth form college. She chose Durham because (outside Oxford and Cambridge, which she refused to contemplate) it has the best course. So far she loves it, and I'm very chuffed for her. She seems to have a mixture of friends, some appear to be absurdly rich but most aren't. You can choose, or at least give a preference for, your college. She chose one of the new ones up the hill (Josephine Butler, opposite Van Mildert) which has a reputation for being more "normal", as opposed to the colleges in the old part of the city (the Bailey Colleges).

I remember one night in Castle College the rugby team were drinking sick out of their shoes, and being utter boorish bellends (thats rugby lads everywhere though, right?)

That's one of the reasons I chose not to go there after I was offered a place. There'd been a bit of a thing about students dying from overconsumption of alcohol around that time. I figured I'd be surrounded by Ra-Ras, have nothing to do but drink stupidly cheap beer, play Rugby and be an obvious student. I decided instead to go the bright shiny lights of London, be anonymous in a sea of millions, have diverse cultural experiences and come out a more rounded person... and it was supposed to be the best course in the country. So I went to London, was surrounded by Ra-Ras (many of whom turned out to be thoroughly decent people), drank marginally more expensive beer in the Unions played football, went to the Tate (original) once.

If she loves the course, she should get on it. Living with people from different backgrounds is a really good experience and challenges your preconceptions, there are left-wing people in all parts of society, especially at universities. And she'll still probably meet friends for life.

Much like a number of other posters I went to Durham decades ago so some things are likely to have changed and some not. I went to a normal comprehensive prior and ended up on the hill at Trev's. Most of my friends were also from a similar background and some were from different walks of life. Everyone's experience of Uni is different but personally I loved the mix of the collegiate system for social etc and the central teaching. I felt it meant you have a mix of friends both within and outside the course so there was more diversity.

Take a trip and walk around / visit some of the colleges - you'll quickly get a feel for some of the differences.

We visited for an open day last year and both loved the feel of the place. It was her favourite course, even above Cambridge. She didn’t get an offer from Cambridge anyway (perfectly fits the Oxbridge reject stereotype now!). She flits between coming across super confident and feeling super anxious - losing 2 years socially to Covid didn’t help!

I think she will fly there but it’s her decision obviously. Thanks for all the inputs.

I was there 04-07 at Hild Bede. Loved the space and being on the river, wasn't far from town but bit more of a walk to the science site than other colleges. As above, liked the college set-up, especially for sports.

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned (although you might have seen it on the news) is that rental prices have gone crazy. Not a problem for the first year as she should be in halls but they have to sign up for private rental places really early (like October) and it’s very expensive. I think my daughter may be paying as much for rent next year as her fees 😮

I was a Grey college UG 03-06, and then stayed 10 more years as a PhD student and staff. As you can gather, I really loved it. However, having now left 6.5 years ago to Leeds, I can attest to it not being the most diverse place. However it is lovely and for certain people it is an ideal place to be an UG (it certainly was for me - I was shy and nervous and the college structure helped me find my feet). Yes there are some Burlington club types (as said above Castle and Hatfield do have a reputation) but I also had friends from a wide range of (admittedly white middle class) school backgrounds. You can find your people - often those on your course can have similar mindsets.

I know it has received a lot of negative press over the last few years; but I also know the deputy VC who has just retired, very well (he was my old boss), and I know that behind the headlines there are people who really care about the place.

If her gut instinct is she likes it, go for it. That’s what did it for me. That said, she might find she feels more settled in a hill college. My friend is Vice Principle of St Chads (having working at Trevs for a long time) and she is really lovely and down to earth, so that comes with a personal recommendation too.

I'd seen the issues with housing. Im seriously considering the possibility of buying a house for her + friends. The economics of it certainly stack up.

St Chads looks nice. The only issue is its small and oversubscribed, so you could end up with something you really don't want.

St Chads looks nice. The only issue is its small and oversubscribed, so you could end up with something you really don’t want.

Yes I’m sure that’s true as it was when I was applying 20 years ago. That said I did end up choosing Grey partly as it was so close to Geography. Ha!

Think the other thing to add is that generally you live in college in first year; but after that you can have relatively little to do with the place afterwards. I certainly didn’t do a lot back in college, preferring to spend my time with my subject friends.

My brother was a St Mary’s boy. He didn’t enjoy Uni (for a variety of mental health issues rather than Durham) and only stayed for a year. They did do a pretty good job of trying to support him in that time, though.

I'd say go for it. My left wing son with his failing academy background is surviving Cambridge, despite being great mates with the chair of the Conservative Union.

Some people are arseholes, wherever they go, but unis are less tomerant of the antics now.

MCJnr has been through a few selection activities for internships next summer, and has said there's a "type" who think studying at Durham makes them superior, but apparently Cambridge trumps Durham in the bullshit stakes.

It's a lovely city, though I gather lack of student accommodation is an issue, it made the news a few months ago

Im seriously considering the possibility of buying a house for her + friends. The economics of it certainly stack up.

A friend is doing that for his son, at Durham. He did the same for his daughter in Preston but says the economic case in Durham is much stronger.

It's really important not to let our politics define us.

She was gutted not to get a cambridge offer as she really loved the collegiate teaching style, but prefers the course content and feel of the department in Durham. Still waiting to hear from Edinburgh, but as a non scottish student it's hard to get in there. She hasnt made it easy as all 5 are top oversubscribed unis.

Considering she is at a very high achieving super selective girls grammar, NONE of her year got cambridge offers and only 1 oxford, which was contextual. Westminster had 72 cambridge offers apparently.

Deffo don’t avoid going there just because of a silly preconceived notion. I went and loved my time there

I love this reply. Patronising, condescending and dismissive of any facts that point to a different conclusion.

Says it all really.

For what it's worth I got an unconditional offer from Durham, but didn't consider it for a second. From start to finish on the open/ interview day every second sentence started with " at Oxford and Cambridge they do x, at Durham we do..."
" just like Oxford and Cambridge, we do...."

It was a complete eye opener

I was rejected by Durham at undergrad and ended up teaching there. Revenge, cold, etc... The students in my classes came from a variety of backgrounds, posh, not posh, international, local. The standared was always high and the atmosphere was good and inclusive - as far as I could tell. The college I applied to was Grey and it was a dump. Also, being next to the science site it had a preponderance of science students, who tend to the spoddy end of humanity (generalisation alert).

The downsides would be accommodation as previously mentioned which also leads to "town and gown" friction, and that Durham is a small town with limited amenities outside of the uni. Sure it's a nice little city but it's in a sea of not-so-nice towns.

Interestingly I’ve just looked at the stats for private vs state pupils at Durham. Yes it’s highest outside oxbridge, but all Russel Group unis are within a few % of each other so it’s no different really.

The reports would have you believe it’s a complete outlier, but it isn’t.

Interestingly I’ve just looked at the stats for private vs state pupils at Durham. Yes it’s highest outside oxbridge, but all Russel Group unis are within a few % of each other so it’s no different really.

The reports would have you believe it’s a complete outlier, but it isn’t.

Depends how they define "state" - Cambridge figures suggest state pupils outnumber private, but a large number of them are from selective state grammar schools, rather than Rundown Academy group

Absolutely, but so are most of the Russel Group. Figures are from the Sutton Trust , who are trying to drive change and encourage pupils who haven’t been to those top grammars.

SUTTON TRUST link if interested.

SUTTON TRUST link if interested

Thanks for that, will look at it properly later

I remember one night in Castle College the rugby team were drinking sick out of their shoes

Plebs. Anyone with real money knows sick is to be drunk from jodpur boots.

Still waiting to hear from Edinburgh, but as a non scottish student it’s hard to get in there.

Huh? There are more E/W/NI students at Edinburgh than Scottish students, and more foreign students than Scottish students.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Edinburgh

My mate was there from undergrad- masters then phd - I did an MA there.

There’s certainly the Bullingdon type bullshit there in Castle and Hatfield  but tbh it’s easily avoided dependant on course and clubs/societies she gets involved in - you will get the “good lads” in the rugby clubs going head to head with the rowers but that was always a comedic sideshow for the rest of us.

Accomodation is the biggest issue up there- some proper pokey places and if I recall, some of highest rent for student property in the country. Worth bearing that in mind.

Cycling club is  good - lots of decent riding to be had

I was there about a decade ago. As most people say, there's a fair mix of people across all colleges, so no problem finding friends either way. Very 'small town' feel which you can either love or hate.

If she went to an ultra selective grammar and her dad is buying her a house, I wouldn't worry about her not being middle class enough to fit in...

I went to Durham 20 years ago. I'm sure a lot has changed, but I'm sure a lot is still (broadly) the same:

* It's a small place, and nightlife tends toward the scruffy college bar and ironic nightclub rather than glitz and glamour. Live music was always hard to come by. Nearby Newcastle seems like a good option for a night out but poorly planned train timetables made it practically difficult to do (I think I went out in Newcastle a couple of times a year at most).

* It is very white and middle-class. The Hooray Henr(y/ietta) stereotype is alive and well, especially in the bailey colleges. When I went 90% of people you'd meet could start a sentence with "Oh, on my gap year...". And frequently did.

* Private student accomodation in the City is quite a mixed bag, and you have to live out of college accomodation for at least a year. Living out suited me better, but getting a place for each year was a real anxiety: we actually had to interview prior to signing a rental contract!

* Town/gown friction is a real thing, the city is small enough that students are a big chunk of the population when they're around, and there's a definite culture clash between gap-year 18 year olds and middle aged blokes living in e.g. Langley Moor coming into town on a Saturday night for a pissup.

Academically I think you won't go far wrong. Durham's real superpower though is the city itself and how compact it is: everything is walkable, and there are loads of these little vistas because of how hilly it is.

*Jodhpur….

30 years ago but I went to Durham / Castle (not Castle College you doofus! Castle or University College)

Me too!I was at Castle '90-'93. I was of very few state school students, but it didn't hold me back. I embraced all aspects of College life and captained the hockey team. I've no idea what it is like now, but I wouldn't imagine it is a diverse as the big cities. I chose it as, at the time, it was meant to have the best Geography course in the country (better than Oxbridge).

So we nearly crossed. Did you get three years in halls still (2 years on Bailey Court for me and then third years on Hall Stairs). Looking back it was amazing to get fed and watered and socialise in the castle, let alone live in it.

it was meant to have the best Geography course in the country

I'm still amazed you can get a degree for colouring maps in

Yep, I think mine was the first year when some had to live out (although not what we were told when applied). Again, I was Bailey Court for 2 years. Spoilt!
My shading of choropleth maps is on point!