I studied at City for 3 years, and have to say I enjoyed my time there very much. It was very daunting at first - arriving as a fresher, first time away from home, family & friends into a pretty harsh looking concrete jungle.
I spent my first year in halls (Finsbury Hall) which was definitely ... Read review
Advantages: Being in the heart of London, diversity of its students Disadvantages: The Union, facilities
I studied at City for 3 years, and have to say I enjoyed my time there very much. It was very daunting at first - arriving as a fresher, first time away from home, family & friends into a pretty harsh looking concrete jungle.
I spent my first year in halls (Finsbury Hall) which was definitely the rigth decision. Although the rooms are nothing to write home about, and neither is the 'meals' provided for those with catered accommodation, ... ...why the Student Union at City lets itself down so badly. I tried to throw myself into the scene there, but the main bar is like a barn with a dreadful sound system (shocking considering City has one of the best Music depts in the country, with plenty of students studying sound recording and production). Drinks are not cheap either - we soon discovered that we'd get more for our money in the local Weatherspoons.
Amongst the biggest failures ... more
I studied at City for 3 years, and have to say I enjoyed my time there very much. It was very daunting at first - arriving as a fresher, first time away from home, family & friends into a pretty harsh looking concrete jungle.
I spent my first year in halls (Finsbury Hall) which was definitely the rigth decision. Although the rooms are nothing to write home about, and neither is the 'meals' provided for those with catered accommodation, the social aspect, location and relative cheapness of rent more than makes up for it! Located just off Goswell Road, you are around 5-10 minutes walk from the main part of the University, about 30 minutes walk to Oxford street and the West End, and with some of London's most famous landmarks are within 20 minutes walk (St. Pauls, the Guildhall, the Thames).
Needless to say, being in London the nightlife is fantastic: so varied, and with plenty of bargains to be had for cash-strapped students. Perhaps this is why the Student Union at City lets itself down so badly. I tried to throw myself into the scene there, but the main bar is like a barn with a dreadful sound system (shocking considering City has one of the best Music depts in the country, with plenty of students studying sound recording and production). Drinks are not cheap either - we soon discovered that we'd get more for our money in the local Weatherspoons. Amongst the biggest failures was a truly dreadful 'comedy' night (I didn't even manage a chuckle, and I wasn't alone), and also the great Summer Ball which was cancelled at a week's notice in my final year there: my friends and I were so disappointed, not to mention angry, having already bought our posh frocks!
The positive things at City outweigh this by a million though. The students are on the whole very friendly, and from all walks of life, from all parts of the country (and across the world), from so many different cultural backgrounds and all following a hugely diverse range of covurses (from actuarial science to music, journalism to IT, optometry to sociology).
The facilities in my department were by no means the best that I'd encountered on open days at other universities, due largely to the lack of space (being in Central London). However, the quality of the students and the teaching staff soon made up for this, along with the diverse nature of the music course I followed. The course was modular, and covered areas from traditional musicology (studying various periods and styles in western classical music), through ethnomusicology (including music from South-East Asia, Africa, South America and many more), sound recording (in the University's own professional-standard recording suite), study of music used in the media (films, tv, advertising) and multi-media authoring.
The library at City is good, and of course you are only 10 minutes from the Barbican which houses a fantastic library (as well as one of the best music sections in London). The computer facilities are pretty good too - I never had a problem finding a terminal to work at, and there are some rooms that open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for people burning the midnight oil before their deadline! If you are in University accomodation, all rooms have a data point which enable you to access the university network from the comfort of your own room too, which inclues free internet and email access.
I enjoyed my time at City greatly, and while I wouldn't say that I learned anything tremendously relevant to the world of work formally, I did come away having met some amazing people, having learnt a lot of skills (research, self-motivation, determination) that I'm not sure you'd learn at any old university. The location, for me, was essential too: the music industry in the UK operates mostly in London, so I was able to gain some valuable work experience whilst studying there (as well as help to minimise my overdraft!)
I would say that City does concentrate (financially anyway) largely on its Business School, and I did find the careers advice for music students seriously lacking. If you wanted a career in music, it seemed you had to fight your own corner, and find your own way (not always easy given the number of people trying to gain work in this field). However, I think the diversity of what I learnt at City has given me a pretty broad overview, and armed me a lot better for the 'real world' than a music degree at Oxford or a conservatoire might have done. Whether I'd perhaps have been better off studying Law or another rather more lucrative profession is another story entirely!
...completed my first year at City University and I am heading into my second year! My experience of City has been overall positive. The year before I did a year at Goldsmiths University and decided it was not right for me and did not go back. Everything that I thought lacked in Goldsmiths for me, I found at City University! City is a decent university, admittedly not one of the very top but is still respected in its own way. I stayed at Walter Sickert ... ...to the social life at city is the union. A tiny place with not much on. Although that is fine as there is lots of places around you can go, especially with you being so close to central! Having said that, I think the union is in midst of shaking it up, so I guess ill see what's happened to it when I go back! The university is known for having excellent rates of going into jobs. In order to do this you have to work hard. I am always annoyed by people ...
pepsipin 02.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of City University London
Advantages: good rep, ..... ? Disadvantages: Expensive, poor facilities, lack of student support, student union,
...Universities, Greenwich, Coventry, Birmingham and City University. Initially I worked out the costs of all the Universities and City/ or Greenwich was the cheapest of them. I'd live at home, commute, and work weekends. 1st problem is that commuting doesn't take the average hour that it used to, especially in the morning, I have commuted befotre at this time but obviously not continuiously throughout the week, boy was I in for a shock. 2 hours each ... ...and if they were helpful, City came outright the top, next was Greenwich and the others followed. I would have to say I was pleasantly surprised at City's factilities but wouldn't realised how much I was tricked into seeing, as a student and from an open day..you'll see what they want you to not necessily what you will have access to, they can and will try to impress you as much as possible with leaflets and brochures but this doesn't necessarily ...
chris_ray 04.06.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of City University London
...a second year student at city university - This is definitely a university for those who want the vibrant town life and arent looking for a campus university - Although the uni has a small student union the amount of vibrant nightlife in the surrounding area makes up for this fact. The university itself provides a very good base to go onto a job and the employment service is excellent - However, be warned this uni is for hard working students if ...
nickdilworth 15.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of City University London
Advantages: it's in London. Disadvantages: read the above summary!
...final year journalism student at City so I thought I'd come online and share some very, ahem, interesting experiences. Or something like that; unfortunately, life at City isn't as much a breeze as a very small wave of air moving about an inch a day. Kicking, it ain't. One of the major problems is that very few people actually go out on 'campus' (there isn't one really), preferring instead to travel around London and go to the many other worthwhile ... ...traitor to the City cause in this sense). The bars aren't too bad, although there is a sad sense of an ethnic minority split - sad but true. Most Asian students frequent the Wonderbar, most white students go in Saddlers. It's not a question of racism, just the way things seem to be. The uni library is pretty terrible, and in two and a half years I've had about a 15 per cent success rate in finding books shortlisted as coursework aids. However, to ...
BennyRialto 15.12.2000 (16.12.2000)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of City University London
Well I have just finished my first year at the university and I must admit I enjoyed it completely.
The university as a whole isnt amazing fot those looking for a great social life as it offers very little in terms of sport, night life and societies, compared to some other more well established unis.
What this uni does offer is prime location, as what it doesnt offer london does. I you want to do anything there is a place to do it in london, whether ...
cmj226 20.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of City University London
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Advantages: bargain price Disadvantages: only an introductory course
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Advantages: High reputation, good location, good social life, friendly Disadvantages: can't think of any, except the general cost of living in the South East
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the University where I was a student in the 70s with a group of students who are taught by me. The university is situated within easy reach of London, yet the city of Guildford is just a short walk away.
The University has a growing reputation - now appearing in the "Division One" of UK universities. It specialises in Science, Engineering and Technology but has other smaller departments such as Hotel and Catering Management, Languages and Music.
It tops ALL UK universities in its Graduate Employment - less Surrey students find themselves unemployed 6 months after graduation than any other UK university, including Oxford or Cambridge.
When I was a student, the nightlife in and around Guildford was superb - anyway if you felt bored with the local places, Waterloo Station and the Bright Lights ...
