Impressed!
So, today we went to visit Coventry University to see what their media course was like and to see if the uni as a whole could live up to the impressiveness that was Bournemouth.
I was really expecting to be completely underwhelmed, or possibly just whelmed, but I found myself being rather pleasantly surprised!
The university staff were brilliant, extremely informed and capable of answering any questions you threw at them. The student ambassadors and volunteers were just as knowledgable, happy to give you any information you wanted from a student perspective and were completely honest with their answers (Yes, there is noise. No, you won't get on with EVERYone. Yes, you will miss home alot.) but they all gave the same response when you asked them if they were happy - YES.
Coventry may not have the best grades or reputation but they are completely focussed on the student. The fees are banded dependant on the course. Class based courses (English, History, and the like) were all in the bottom fee bracket whereas the highly practical stuff (sciences, medicine and whathaveyou) were at the top end. Their reasoning? Why should someone who is not going to be using expensive equipment that needs constant upgrading, calibrating and replacing be expected to pay for it? And in their fees they include the core books, help towards trips, help with taking a year's placement abroad, extra credit for learning a foreign laguage, equipment (Flo would get a Mac Book on the media course!) and so much more. Accomodation includes sports membership, broadband and contents insurance and is all walking distance from the city centre ( which has the BIGGEST Primani I have ever seen!)
I really could not have been more impressed. They are high on security, work with West Midlands Police with their own liason officer and sell students safety and security equipment at cost price.
And, most importantly, Flo likes the course. The media department is in a beautiful Art Deco Odeon cinema with fully modern and up to date equipment inside. She said it was quite a contrast! It's a very hands on course, more practical than the Bournemouth one.
Yes, Bournemouth may have the better reputation for Media but we both feel that Coventry would be better for Flo. I do like being pleasantly surprised, I really do!
I was really expecting to be completely underwhelmed, or possibly just whelmed, but I found myself being rather pleasantly surprised!
The university staff were brilliant, extremely informed and capable of answering any questions you threw at them. The student ambassadors and volunteers were just as knowledgable, happy to give you any information you wanted from a student perspective and were completely honest with their answers (Yes, there is noise. No, you won't get on with EVERYone. Yes, you will miss home alot.) but they all gave the same response when you asked them if they were happy - YES.
Coventry may not have the best grades or reputation but they are completely focussed on the student. The fees are banded dependant on the course. Class based courses (English, History, and the like) were all in the bottom fee bracket whereas the highly practical stuff (sciences, medicine and whathaveyou) were at the top end. Their reasoning? Why should someone who is not going to be using expensive equipment that needs constant upgrading, calibrating and replacing be expected to pay for it? And in their fees they include the core books, help towards trips, help with taking a year's placement abroad, extra credit for learning a foreign laguage, equipment (Flo would get a Mac Book on the media course!) and so much more. Accomodation includes sports membership, broadband and contents insurance and is all walking distance from the city centre ( which has the BIGGEST Primani I have ever seen!)
I really could not have been more impressed. They are high on security, work with West Midlands Police with their own liason officer and sell students safety and security equipment at cost price.
And, most importantly, Flo likes the course. The media department is in a beautiful Art Deco Odeon cinema with fully modern and up to date equipment inside. She said it was quite a contrast! It's a very hands on course, more practical than the Bournemouth one.
Yes, Bournemouth may have the better reputation for Media but we both feel that Coventry would be better for Flo. I do like being pleasantly surprised, I really do!