Which Pharmacy School I should choose

[e_gold8806]

As I have to make my final decision for 2010 entry, I have got offers from Cardiff, Manchester and Bath. For Bath, I need to pay international fee, and home fee for the other two. Is there any difference in terms of prospect for the three uni? Thanks a lot.

[DavidS]

Not as far as I'm aware. What counts at the end of the day is qualifying, and all three are approved.

If you are going into industry or academia then there may be a hierarchy: in which case I might go for Manchester. Others might argue.

[bleepholder]

i guess depends if you want to pay 10x as much for inetrnational fees when you can get away with paying home fees for the other 2 unis.

May be worth looking at the UCAS ranking system for pharmacy for each of the 3 uni's..that might sway your choice

all 3 are reputable for pharmacy so you wouldn't be at a disadvantage career wise if you went to any of them

[laurabuk]

I know people who are at / have recently been at all three - and all would argue their course is the best.

I've never been to Bath so can't comment but have been told that the course is "very academic" (as opposed to the non-academic courses run in other Schools?? Lol) and students can be in lectures up to 8pm at night. I'm told the city is very nice but again, have never been.

I've visited Cardiff University, the buildings are lovely and although it's not a campus University per se all the building and the SU are close together. Cardiff as a city is very pretty and is quite small and also very "old" in that it has a lot of historical buildings.

Manchester University is basically based on one long main road with lots of buildings down a 2 mile stretch. Personally, I don't like Manchester as a city as I find it grungy and busy. But then, I'm from Liverpool so I would say that! As mentioned, the course is very industry focused but they third and fourth years do get a lot of clinical teaching by teacher practitioners from the local hospitals (Salford Royal and Central Manchester to name two) and they do do ward-based placements.

You mentioned home fees, so if you're in the UK why not pick one off your list and go and visit it? That will give you a feel for the place - as you need to be comfortable there at the end of the day as you will be spending four years in the city you choose. If you can't - have a look on their website and at the city council's website to give you a feel for the place - though not as good as seeing something in real life.

Also, personally - I would rather choose Cardiff or Manchester and pay home fees and not have to fork out extra for the international fee. The course is centrally validated so the same topics are covered just in different ways. You wouldn't be disadvantaged going to any one over the other.

Congratulations on getting your offers, and good luck for your future career!

Laura

[e_gold8806]

Thank you for all your advice. In fact, my son's 1st choice is Bath if he can be offered home fee status. But unfortunately he is not, Cardiff is his 2nd choice. He did visit the 3 uni, he doesn't like Manchester, too busy as Laura said (my son also comes from Liverpool). It is now the problem of the parents. To justify the worthiness to pay the money 4 times higher? Or let him go to his 2nd choice if he would receive somewhat similar standard of training. Why we are confusing, it is because some people said Bath has higher rank and reputation, easier to get a job after graduation so and so... That's why I hope somebody can give me advice on the career prospect, if it is the same, then I think better go to Cardiff. If not, I will have to think about finance. So please help, thanks a lot.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

speaking as a bath graduate both the uni and the city were great, although the course was very intensive. Having qualified and gone down the community path (which the majority of graduates choose) i have found employers don't give two hoots where your degree was obtained as long as you've passed the registration exam. The only employers who care about your degree and the level you attained are industry employers (again this fades over time as your experience comes more to the fore - and industry jobs are few & far between) and application for postgraduate courses / PhD and university teaching positions.

[johnep]

In my day SOP London based then at Bloomsbury Square was regarded as the top. I went there because could then live at home. Also pressure from my gf and parents who wanted to keep me away from wine and women.
Noticed how most girls want to get as far from home as possible.
johnep

[roper]

I agree that the choice of university won't matter to an employer after qualifying. I really don't understand how you get "home" status for some but not all of them. The cost of living will also vary from one to the next - but also the quality of accommodation etc. I graduated at Bradford in 1994 which allowed me to be debt free, but I had lived in several houses that were not up to the standards they should have been (and with dodgy landlord's benefit cheque coming through in the post in a few I suspect.)