University of Lancaster www.lancs.ac.uk

Lancaster University has a real community feel, with something for everyone! The accomodation is mostly really good, with only a few halls of residence falling below par, yet other universities such as Newcastle have awful accomodation in comparision! The proffessors are 100% commited to helping you along the way, and you wont feel as though you are being shunned away!

An appalling experience I learned little and ended up with a large debt and no degree through going to the University of Lancaster. I left after the bullying became so severe it interfered with trying to do my work. As a mature transsexual student studying the degree in Drama (BA(Hons) Theatre Studies). The treatment and ignorance towards minorities was appalling (in Drama anyway). I was subjected to very bad treatment, the student union did nothing, despite taking it to their headquarters. In a university drama society production that had a transsexual in it (about Warhol) despite having much more experienced and better qualifications, I as a transsexual was left with no part. This was fine apparently according to the university chancellor. This about sums up my experience. There is absolutely no help with bullying either - I was bullied because I dared to say something about this.

Having only ever had the need to study for one degree I can't really compare Lancaster to any other Uni but I've visited a couple and others just don't seem to compare. There is a culture at Lancaster which can only be described as fun. Carnage and mayhem are frequent or nights out. I like to think of Lancaster as the University for people who could have achieved greatness if only they could be bothered. I met a lot of people there that I would consider more intelligent than any Cambridge or Oxford graduate but they also wanted to have fun. Obviously you still get the studious types who seem to have completely missed the point of university. While I'm here I might as well mention the the quality of lecturing, I was in the business school and on the whole it was very good. There were a few rumours of alcoholic tutors in other departments and a few courses being not up to scratch but I never really experienced any of this. The other pluses of Lancaster include it being a campus based uni which really creates a cool atmosphere, cheap northern prices for rent and beer, it's pretty safe and town is pretty much centred around the students. You also get regular trips to Morecombe's premier night club, The Carlton. For the Carlton image a cross between early 90's Sarajevo, a northern Bingo hall, and a School Disco, Carnage-a-trois! But absolutely fantastic. My advice, if you get the chance go to Lancaster. It is being redeveloped at the moment too and they are knocking down all the scabby prison cells that we used to call home during our first year.