Glamorgan University

Okay, so Glamorgan....

Unlike some of the other negative reviews, I actually attended the University for the full 3 years. Rather than go on a mad rant, I'll just list some of the major issues. TL;DR - Study elsewhere.

1) Some reviews have said this is a cheap university. It's not realistically, to travel in and out of Treforest is relatively expensive (£6 on the train, £25 for a taxi to Cardiff), the shops are small, which mean food and basics are more expensive, there is very little to do in Treforest (and Pontypridd is dangerous quite frankly) so to do anything other than drink at he local pub becomes expensive, time consuming and just... Rubbish. Compared to being in a city, it adds up. Even housing isn't *cheap* enough to write home about.

2) Facilities. One of the things I was excited about with university was this fountain of knowledge I thought I'd have at the tip of my fingers whenever I desired. The Libraries where my biggest disappointment. I struggle to find books which where written in this DECADE, a shame unless you study history. You'll also find they close at 10'oclock week days (seems late you say? Not when you're a student trying to balance sleep/social life/good grades), then Sundays it's closed altogether. This is inconvient.

It's difficult to get a computer a lot of the time (if you disregard this review and attend Glam, invest in your own printer btw). Other facilities are fairly standard. Gym is kinda small but workable if you know when to go. Also - and this is a marmite topic with student - I like the Student Union.

3) STAFF. The staff have been the bain of my education this year. Nightmare. I think I've had 3 lecturers I've really liked, most I've been fine wit but some... Some lecturers there would rather not see or support pupils at all. They are there to continue their own research and not help YOU at all. Throughout my time we've constantly had essay handed back late, little or no feedback on work, missing lectures without warning, one of my lectures went AWOL for over a month this year - just as we where meant to be taught on a piece of coursework worth 70% of our final grade! In first year I was being 'taught' about the history of Racism in the UK by someone who didn't know what the I was talking about when I mentioned the 'Rivers of Blood' speech. Seriously?! Students are not encouraged onto placements, oh, and references? I asked for one 6 months ago from a lecturer - still waiting. My female friend request one and it refers to her as a bloke!

Now not lecture staff. This year, 4 days before I was due to hand in my dissertation, I was excluded from University and told I was not to return till Sept the following year. This was due to an error THEY made in the system. It took me two days, which should have given me more time on my dissertation to convince them there was a mistake. I was only given ONE email address to appeal to by the Cash Office AND Counselling service. I've NEVER cried so much/been so worried. No one cared. Remember this is you do want pastoral care at university. I've had friends leave because they where having problems and the support is so poor.

Go somewhere else.