Having initially toyed with the idea that university might not be for him, 19-year-old Lawson Glasby was pleased to discover he had made the right decision moving north to study at Northumbria University.
The engineering student, originally from Worksop, Nottinghamshire, had initially studied for his A-levels at Retford Post 16 Centre, but he wasn't sure what his next step was going to be.
It was a recommendation from a friend who works at Northumbria University that helped Lawson make up his mind to apply for the BSc Physics with Astrophysics course.
Lawson said: “My friend Craig works at Northumbria University, which he said was up-and-coming and he persuaded me to apply. I wasn't sure if going to university was right for me at that point because I felt an apprenticeship might be the way forward but my friend, who is a sports leader at Northumbria, convinced me to give it a go."
Lawson found the process of securing a place at Northumbria University very straightforward and also found staff to be really helpful along the way when it came to finding available accommodation.
He said: "The accommodation, Stephenson Building, suited my needs perfectly and it had everything. It was only a stone's throw away from supermarkets, a huge park and the pub.
"It was hard at first moving to a new city from a small town, but it's also been very rewarding meeting some amazing new people and I would definitely recommend Northumbria University to my friends.
"Northumbria University is located in an amazing city, it has a good reputation and is becoming increasingly more respected and reputable."
Lawson said he received a warm welcome from both staff and students during the induction week.
He said: "Induction week was really fun; there were a lot of different things to do every night. I didn't get involved in everything but it definitely helped to make new friends and to get to know the campus and Newcastle a lot better."
During his first year, Lawson also took advantage of the extensive sporting opportunities available at Northumbria and is a member of the University's ice hockey team, which he really enjoys. His Physics course has also lived up to his expectations and he's looking forward to moving into the second year of his studies.
He said: "The course is great, the content is quite varied so a lot of assignments are different and don't feel repetitive. It's quite challenging at times so when you get things right or finish pieces of work, it's a lot more satisfying.
"I get along very well with the people who I live and study with. It's been an interesting year and so far not too demanding. I feel as though I have made a great deal of progress academically and I'm excited for next year."
He added: "My advice to students getting their A-level results this summer would be not to rush. You have weeks to decide, there may be courses out there that are better suited to you if you look into it and take your time."
Search online to view our courses in clearing. If you don’t quite have our standard entry requirements but are close to them then do give us a call as it may still be possible to consider you.
We know you probably have lots of questions and/or even worries around results day, so, we thought you might find our brand new Clearing Guide app a useful source of information to help you through the UCAS Clearing and Confirmation process!
You may not be aware but Northumbria University accept a number of ‘additional’ qualifications which can be counted towards your UCAS points total*
Back to top
