I was there in the Eighties. In retrospect, I can't see the attraction of doing the middle-class stuff most Durham students will be doing for the rest of their lives in the brief flower of their youth.
It's a tedious place, both as a town and a univeristy.
Look elsewhere.

Michael, Athens

Michael, Athens, Greece

I agree with Johnny Marr the Queens campus set shouldn't be looked down on because we are not at the main campus. I'm a memeber of Snow but to be honest all my friends are in Stevo which is weird because of the hatred they filled us up with during freshers week. We are in no way a Polytechnic!

Imriel Morgan, Stockton-on-tees,

I went to St. Chad's college which I would recommend for anyone who would like a close-knit student community where you feel part of a group very quickly! I graduated in 2002 and had three fantastic years in Durham! I loved every minute of it, apply now!

Y Lintner, London,

I went to Durham (way back) in the 1970s.... it still sounds basically the same but with more mod cons. I agree that the location is fantastic, but it is a very "ivory tower" setting: unfortunately I think I only appreciated this afterwards!!

Joan, Milan, Italy

Don't listen to anyone who puts Snow and Stephenson Colleges down, we're proud colleges (i'm a fresher at Stephenson) and even though we're not in Durham itself, we feel just as much a part of Durham as anyone else, it's a much less tense atmosphere, better facilities and residences and we aren't all public school boys and girls. Durham is a fantastic Uni and anyone who applies for it will enjoy it so much.

Jonny Marr, Stockton-on-Tees (Stephenson),

In response to Joel at the bottom of the thread;

"Don't go to Durham" - what a stupid thing to say. Are the readers of your comment going to be swayed by someone who clearly cannot adapt and settle to their environment ("I did two years at Aberdeen Uni before transferring here")?

I have just graduated from Durham and despite some reservations (yes, the public school feel to the colleges and sadly my course did not live up to my expectations) I had the time of my life and I am so sad to have left.

Whatever type of person you are there is a place for you in Durham --- all you have to do is show a little personal integrity and independence.

Well done to the writer; a very fair and realistic account of the best university city in the country!

Emma, Leeds, Yorkshire

I was interested by the comments made in this article for many reasons, not least that my daughter is about to embark on the whole "looking for uni" thing soon. However, as a local (albeit not having been back for about a couple of centuries), I found the comments about accents and fitting in with the locals rather superficial : I would have expected David McNicoll to know better, given that he is now an alumnus. Durham IS NOT ANYTHING to do with the group most people call Geordies !! They are from the Newcastle area. Durham people are simply Durham people, and anyway, the accent is completely different to antone with a discerning ear (which I would have hoped he had attuned in the time spent there).
I have always found it insulting to be labelled a Geordie, although I am happy to acknowledge my North Eastern roots.
Those who are pleasant are like that because they are simply pleasant people - it has bugger all to do with the accent!

Fearabbit, Exeter,

Joel Howells is partially correct in that that many, but not by any means all, of the people running the University are insufferable vulgarians with MBA's. However the colleges are emphatically not glorified halls of residence. With the exception of the former Polytechnic at Stockton and the new Josephine Butler college, which have the architectural charm of an airport departure lounge and which are more like halls of residence, the established colleges do a great deal in terms of admissions, pastoral care, library and academic provision and provide students with a network of friends and tutors that serve them for the rest of their lives. A great deal of behind-the-scenes work goes on at the colleges, at both student and staff levels, to thwart the Philistines who do wish to turn the colleges into halls of residence. Outside of Oxbridge very few academic institutions come close to providing the all-round education offered by Durham and its colleges.

Michael, Durham, UK

The whole public school thing really does depend on which college you go to. I would say, in general, you tend to find that the "hill" colleges (Mildert, Trevs, Collingwood) have more state school students, and the "bailey" colleges (castle, hatfield) have more private school students ("Rahs" as the more pashmina and pearl wearing ones are coined!). OK, I would agree that OVERALL there is a slightly greater proportion of pupils with a private school background, but in my experience it's pretty much down to chance how surrounded you are by this (the corridor you get placed in, who you happen to sit by in your lectures,etc etc). Your friends are your friends, and you can choose who to socialise with, so if you have a problem with private school people, or vice versa, then move on. I certainly wouldn't say it's a "concern". Variety is the spice of life after all :)

Jacqui, Durham Uni,

I definitely think it's a good idea to look around a few colleges before applying to one, but don't get stressed or spend too long deciding. Just get a vague idea of the size and atmosphere and if it seems OK then go for it. Everything changes once you get there, and you can't predict this at all. I know people who love and hate (well, never hate, but you know what I mean!) the same college, and it all depends on your friends and where you happen to be placed in your corridor. Most of these things are down to chance, and you can't plan for them at all. And if it all goes wrong you can change college once you get there anyway!! :)

Jacqui, Durham Uni,

"the fact that the Oxfam has just been replaced by a Jack Wills store serves to highlight this"

This is a silly thing to say. The Oxfam shop was located in a premium location for no particular reason and has now relocated to a new shop with (presumably) lower overheads and a more suitable layout; Jack Wills has moved into the old Oxfam building. To my mind this is not the same as replacing Oxfam.

However, the concerns about the public school nature of the university are certainly well-founded in my experience.

James, Durham,

I would have to echo Katherine's comments. I am a student who is about to enter his final year in Modern Languages at Collingwood College in Durham and am pleased that I chose Durham over places such as Nottingham and Leeds because I wanted to be a part of the collegiate system and all the camaraderie that comes with it. However, there is a strange feeling that you are part of a enormous public school-like insitution where everybody has more than you and, while this is a generalisation, the fact that the Oxfam has just been replaced by a Jack Wills store serves to highlight this. However, if you are an active, sporty student (ie you want to study at the same time as doing all those studenty things), you could do a lot worse than spend a few years in such beautiful and historic surroundings.

Chris, Bracknell, BERKSHIRE

not suitable for grown-ups

rick, durham,

I got accepted but didn't go to Durham - I regret this with regards to the course but not the town. I'd recommend a visit before you decide on Durham, for me it was a deal breaker, but for a friend of mine who didn't like 'the sound of it', it totally changed her mind and she loved her time there.

Kat, Manchester,

Pretty but not for people trying to move away from a public school feel...

Katherine, Llandudno,

Having experienced life in both American Halls of Residence and Durham Colleges, I can categorically say that there is an immense difference between the two. Durham colleges provide a unique atmosphere that is not as closed-off as Oxbridge colleges but still retain an incredibly strong sense of community. The sense of loyalty and pride in your college (and college bar) is certainly something to behold.
Any frostiness in town/gown relations, is almost certainly created by a minority of idiot 'rahs' who are stupid enough to be continually disparaging about those not as fortunate as themselves.

Ali B, Essex,

I love Durham. There are hundreds upon hundreds of societies and being in a college really gives you a sense of community. Admittedly there are a lot of "rahs" here, some of whom can be unbearable, but I have also met plenty of nice and interesting people. The student bars are aall really cheap and, unlike most universities, who generally just have their Union bar, there are a lot of them. Thus, bar crawls can be really cheap! This can lead to a lot of drunken behaviour but nearly all of it is good natured. I sometimes pity the residents, though - I beautiful historic city is swamped by pretentious students in term-time and nearly deserted in the holidays.

Jessica Elkin, Dorset,

Durham is a fabulous place to live and study. The City is beautiful and the collegiate system is a bonus - students get the social benefits of living with hundreds of other people, doing different things, whilst being able to mix with your subject peers from other colleges in lectures/tutorials. The uni has an excellent reputation as the standard of teaching is very high. What's more: Newcastle is just up the road, beer's cheap and there's a wealth of great scenery on the doorstep. What more could students want? I was very sad to leave.

c smith , london,

The Castle was not used in the Harry Potter the films. The Cathedral one hundred yards across Palace Green was used for filming.

Don't go to Durham - the colleges are glorified halls of residence and the people running the university tend to be insufferable vulgarians with MBAs who have never been academics and have no appreciation of tradition. I did two years at Aberdeen Uni before transferring here and there really is little difference.

Joel Howells, Durham/South Shields, United Kingdom