Aeronautical Engineering and Universities

[lavalamp]

This isn't exacly a question about engineering, more of a question about where is best to do it. If it is better suited to a different forum then I am sorry.

I live in England and I just got my A-Level results today, I got ABB. I had Loughborough Uni down as my firm choice (they required AAB) and Durham down as my insurance choice (they required ABB/AAC).

Now when I phoned up Loughborough to make sure that they passed my details onto Durham I found out that they had accepted me anyway. You might thing I'd be overjoyed, but no.
Even though I put Loughborough down as my first choice I think I would prefer to go to Durham, so when I phoned up Durham to ask if I could still go there they said no because they were a bit full. However they also said that if Loughborough were to reject me then they would have to take me by law.

So now, I have a choice to make and if you would help me I would be very thankful.

Do I phone up Loughborough and ask them to reject me so that I can go to Durham or do I just leave things be and go to Loughborough?
I guess what I'm really asking is which is better, then if Durham is better, is it worth the risk of asking to be rejected by Loughborough?
If I ask to be rejected and they say no so I have to go there, I may start off on the wrong foot with them. 4 years is an awful long time to be on the wrong foot.

 

[brewnog]

Firstly congratulations, secondly why not choose UMIST?

Thirdly, pros and cons of Loughborough:
Cheap beer, excellent eng department, crap town, crap clubs, excellent sports teams and the like. Near to Nottingham which is an excellent city, centre of country so easy to get to (depending on where you live). Australians pronounce the town "Loogabaruga" which is frankly hilarious.

Fourthly, pros and cons of Durham:
Full of pompous Oxbridge rejects, expensive accomodation, nice city, it's in the north, rather good eng reputation. Good formula student (I think) though you're a wingy anyway so that doesn't matter much.

Fifthly, both are excellent for engineering, and having spoken to eng recruitment people, they tend not to discriminate between the best 20 engineering departments by Times Uni Guide standards (which both your choices are in) so your choice of uni won't matter as much as your class of degree.

Sixthly, you will have a great time wherever you go.

Seventhly, you will have trouble "asking" Loughborough to reject you, they have to pay a ridiculous amount for every vacant place on their course.

Personally, I'd choose Loughborough (I applied there). Alternatively sack both of them off and ring Tracey North at the Mech & Aero department of UMIST, tell her I told you to, and she'll most likely give you a place at the new University of Manchester :-)

 

[brewnog]

Also, don't worry about getting off on the wrong foot with ANYONE at uni. They don't care, and there have been occasions where I've told the head of department *what I really think*, it really doesn't matter! Just do your work and don't be one of the annoying "PDA Brigade" who sit on the front row with laser pointers and dictaphones, asking meaningless questions every 2 minutes.

 

[lavalamp]

Hey wow, thanks man. You've kind of put me at ease about this, I think I'll choose the safe bet and go to Loughborough then, I try and avoid taking risks where possible. ;)

 

[brewnog]

Just watch out for the nightlife, - my boss just described the Luffbra clubs quite aptly as "fooking embarassing, even when you're twatted"

 

[eccentric_physicist]

Hey, just thought you may be interested to know I am beginning the Aeronautical Engineering course at Loughborough this year (I'm assuming you applied to this course too).