Anyone study at Bolton University / or have you studied there? - halls Q

R B Customs

R B Customs

R B Customs

Soldato
Joined
22 Sep 2005
Posts
3,267
Location
Manchester
Hey guys,

after my big long thread last time, I've been going through the process of applying for uni'

I've been made an unconditional offer at bolton University, on the BDes Special effects development degree course.

I'm pretty excited; I'm a 'mature student' at 21, so it's a little weird going to university now, not 3 year ago...

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone could give me any insight into the accomodation, in particular the halls of Residence. I'm moving home from 140 mile away so the HoR will be a wise choice. I know that there are 2 halls; Hollins and Orlando, I kow that the hollins is further away, yet newer and nicer, but the Orlando is closer and older.

I went to the open day, and had a look around the Orlando HoR, While I wasnt expecting it to be like the Ritz, I was expecting something a little more... fresh? They were trying to sell it over the Hollins though, probabl trying to fill it up.


Ta,
Rick


[Edit]

INTERNET CONNECTION - in the halls... any good? game-able?
 
Last edited:
I didn't go there, I went to Nott Trent. ust saying do not worry at all that you are 21, I am living with three 21 year olds in halls right now, and we all get on great, so dont worry about that aspect.
 
Solac said:
I didn't go there, I went to Nott Trent. ust saying do not worry at all that you are 21, I am living with three 21 year olds in halls right now, and we all get on great, so dont worry about that aspect.
Click to expand...

Ah, I'm not too worried about it, just I'm so far out of school mode right now. it's kinda alien.

mglover070588 said:
http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/tol_gug/gooduniversityguide.php

2nd to bottom. Oh dear....
Is the course you want offered elsewhere?
Click to expand...

unfortunatly not, There are similar courses but nothing to the standard that I saw; other uni's courses are mostly focused around beauty and seem a little 'mickey mouse' in comparrison. I've been to the open day, managed to hook a student on the course I was looking at and he give me a grand tour of all of the facilities, which were fantastic, then I got the cut down standard tour with the open day after that. Got to speak to some of the students when theyr were not put on the spot by the open day police, and got answers I felt were true. I went out of my way to make sure I got to the bottom of things, I tried to look through and past the preaching.

I know what you're saying, but I Havn't really taken rankings into account with this type of course as it is a very speciality subject. I was happy with what I saw.
 
Watch out for poor organisation between tutors and on your first day. Then realise the course will not be all its cracked up to be.


I left after two weeks.
 
R B Customs said:
I know what you're saying, but I Havn't really taken rankings into account with this type of course as it is a very speciality subject. I was happy with what I saw.
Click to expand...

The University as a whole is abysmal and most students there will have very poor Alevels and get drunk solidly for 3 years as no matter what the course is, it will be very easy and not much value in the real world.

If you truly believe it is right for you, then by all means do it. However it is pretty much the worst Higher Education Institute in England and Wales and a graduate from there will have severe issues in getting good pay upon graduation.

Just a word of warning. These days the phrase 'I have a degree' can not mean much because of Universities like this damaging the meaning the words 'degree' and 'University'.
 
Last edited:
Bolton has a University?

Nothing like dumbing down further education is there. What other crap towns or cities have managed to tag a University to their name, Worksop, Dagenham, Llanelli, Corby?

It was much better in the past when there were 50 or 60 decent Universities the rest where called Polytechnics, everyone knew that those with a University degree were smart intelligent and going to be leaders of industry, those with a Polytechnic degree were just going to flip burgers.

How times change, now a Oxbridge , Bristol, Warwick, Durham, St. Andrews graduate has to compete with the likes of a Colchester, Barnsley, Stranraer, Cleethorpes graduate.
 
Last edited:
digipeep said:
Bolton has a University?

Nothing like dumbing down further education is there. What other crap towns or cities have managed to tag a University to their name, Worksop, Dagenham, Llanelli, Corby?

It was much better in the past when there were 50 or 60 decent Universitys the rest where called Polytechnics, everyone new that those with a University degree were smart intelligent and going to be leaders of industry, those with a Polytechnic degree were just going to flip burgers.

How times change
Click to expand...

was granted University status in 2005.

I read the reviews before, and didnt really understand them; on second glance, it seems that Bolton has a very high drop out rate, which slams the rankings down; its a new uni, so it starts at the 'foot of the table' according to the times review.

from what I gather, the reason for the high amount of dropouts is that they get 70% of their students from local partner state-schools, based on A-level results. Doesnt look like they pick their students out and go over them with a fine-toothed-comb.

student satisfaction seems to be reasonably high, so if the reasons for the dropouts is not because of the, erm can I say 'quality' of students then I need to find out why.


I may go to the second open day (june) for a further look around, this time bringing some of my family with me.

Thanks for the input fellas, but if those with issues could be a little more specific it would be helpful.

if anyone can point me to positive or negative indipendant reviews please do, What uni Etc. is just the same on every page, for every uni - everyone says their own uni is 'fab fab fab' I'm looking for something a little more constructive lol.
 
digipeep said:
Bolton has a University?

Nothing like dumbing down further education is there. What other crap towns or cities have managed to tag a University to their name, Worksop, Dagenham, Llanelli, Corby?

It was much better in the past when there were 50 or 60 decent Universities the rest where called Polytechnics, everyone knew that those with a University degree were smart intelligent and going to be leaders of industry, those with a Polytechnic degree were just going to flip burgers.

How times change, now a Oxbridge , Bristol, Warwick, Durham, St. Andrews graduate has to compete with the likes of a Colchester, Barnsley, Stranraer, Cleethorpes graduate.
Click to expand...


You definitely have a point in that there is an over saturation of universities and graduates, we should have kept the polytechnics offering specialist more practical courses. But alas as our country is obsessed with prestige, we had to make specialist colleges into universities, which ultimately has done them no good or the other older universities. We should have implemented a two tier system that was not hierarchical, you as an individual go to the place of higher education that suits your skills, either a polytechnic or uni.

Anyway that’s another debate and to be fair the man has made his choice and has researched it well, so good luck and I would advise checking out the student room for some Bolton specific advice.
 
Don't go to Bolton Uni. The Uni is crap, the halls are crap, the nightlife is crap, and the shopping is crap. It's only a 10 min train journey to Manchester though I guess so all is not lost if you MUST go there.

From my time mooching around Bolton campuses and halls they seem to be filled with foreigners, didn't seem to be much of a student atmosphere at all.
 
Last edited:
I was at Bolton doing BSc Computer & Electronic Engineering, my advice is to stay at Orlando If the majority of your course is on Eagle Campus however be warned that the rooms in Orlando are like prisoner cells and are not good for those who suffer from claustraphobia.
If however your lessons are on the other campus Hollins is the far greater choice and they actually have a real oven in their kitchens not just the ****** multi-purpose microwaves that are in Orlando's Kitchens.
 
karlbbb said:
A BSc in Sound Engineering & Design.
Click to expand...


I think that may be under the same management as the course I'm doing. when did you start it? I ask because have been said to have come on leaps and bounds since. any more info would be helpful mate.

Capn' $qu!ff said:
I was at Bolton doing BSc Computer & Electronic Engineering, my advice is to stay at Orlando If the majority of your course is on Eagle Campus however be warned that the rooms in Orlando are like prisoner cells and are not good for those who suffer from claustraphobia.
If however your lessons are on the other campus Hollins is the far greater choice and they actually have a real oven in their kitchens not just the ****** multi-purpose microwaves that are in Orlando's Kitchens.
Click to expand...


Thanks mate, I think Chadwisck campus has been all but closed now, everything is taking place at Deane. It's completly Catch 22 between the 2 halls, there does not seem to be a bettter choice.

creature comforts for living further away, reduced creature comforts for living closer.


I'm booking to goto another openday on the 20th, with my family and girlfriend this time. I'll raise some of my concerns. In the mean time my mother is getting some real information about the uni (she is a secondry school teacher, knows a lot of people and has access to more related stuff than me) so far she has found nothing but positive to extremly positive things.

seems to be a case of those who have a good experience may tell one person; A bad experience and they tell ten.

I'll keep digging, as I still need to consider both sides of the coin! It's a big move! slowly getting to the bottom of it.

thanks again guys.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom