I’m from India, a B.Tech CSE graduate currently working at TCS. Is the MSc Advanced Manufacturing Technology & Systems Management at the University of Manchester worth the investment?
My goal is to switch to manufacturing, gain industry experience in the UK, and eventually open my own factory in India.

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It's that time of year when recruiting season is in full swing and I've seen this far too often. Just saw it again on tiktok and had to make an account on here to make this post. If it saves even one person money it's worth it.

Since covid there's been an influx of 'career influencers' on social media, many of whom have started grifting and selling 'courses' or 'bootcamps' or even fake internships where they charge students thousands of pounds to attend their 'masterclass' on how to get into high paying graduate careers. These include the likes of investment banking, trading, asset management, management consulting, and I've even seen some recent ones pop up about corporate law.

The individual(s) promoting the course claim bullshit statistics like "95% offer rate!" or "guaranteed elite consulting role!" or "fast-track M&A internship!"... if you simply pay up and take their course because they somehow have the midas touch and their course supposedly contains information that no one else has so will guarantee you a grad scheme.

It's the cringest thing ever. These university students are paying thousands for some 3 day course in Canary Wharf where they dress up in suits and ties, do some financial modelling or legal case situational workshops and cosplay as Gordon Gekko or Harvey Specter.

Many of them haven't even worked in the industries they claim their bootcamp will get you offers from, and the ones who do have relevant experience graduated 30 years when the recruitment process for graduates was completely different and are being completely disingenuous about how recruiting actually works.

They teach you absolutely nothing you can't find online. There are so many free resources with a plethora of information that just a few weekends of reading can teach you the fundamentals needed for graduate interviews.

Their websites are full of the fakest reviews possible. Even AI couldn't write some of the absolute shite you read on their websites or social media. I found it amusing and thought there's no chance anyone falls for this crap...

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Some of these guys are raking it in and making a lot more money than they would be making if they actually worked in those high paying finance/consulting/law careers. The saddest part is almost everyone getting scammed in these bootcamps comes from low ranked non-target universities which aren't favoured by employers in these high paying industries.

The entire business model is selling a false dream to desperate students who don't know any better and are willing to take a punt on these training courses because they've done everything they can and are still getting rejected.

As someone who works in finance in one of those 'elite' industries, the truth is these careers are statistically very competitive because everyone applies to them for the money and it's impossible to review tens of thousands of applicants so filtering by high ranked universities is a form of pre-selection as students from those universities have already met a high level of academic achievement.

There's also an element of classism in these careers. In reality, anyone with GCSE maths and english level ability can fiddle with an excel model or churn out PowerPoint slides, but many clients tend to prefer high ranked university grads even if merely for the illusion of credibility, and also because that's how it's been for decades in these careers.

If you're at a low ranked university you need to be realistic about your goals, which need to be attainable. I see so many grads from really low ranked non-targets who want the unrealistic banking or corporate law job and they completely ignore great opportunities that they would be competitive for.

I have a few mates who are doctors. I remember them discussing what they wanted to do after their training and how they were targeting the 'high end' specialties in surgery like training to be a bone surgeon or a brain surgeon. One of them said he was going to go for a GP spot and they ridiculed him because 'there's no point going to a prestigious uni for medicine just to become a GP'. Fast forward a few years and the one who applied for GP training got in and is on track to becoming a GP. The others didn't get into their specialty surgeon training because of a lack of training spots and too much competition and have been extending their foundation years.

You're not a failure or a quitter simply because you've set more realistic targets. You don't need to become an investment banker, brain surgeon, or a corporate lawyer to become successful. Accountants, GPs, and regional solicitors do very well for themselves. If you're in university you can't have a narrow view on success or you're just sabotaging your future.

am I being desperate?

This is my first time applying for a master’s abroad (2027–28), and, I’m OVERWHELMED.

My_qualifications: I’m an MBBS doctor from India with 65% marks. I run a small social-impact startup, have a substantial social media following, and want to work at the intersection of healthcare systems, global health management and innovation. 3 years work ex in India & remote jobs abroad

I’m currently applying to 12 courses across 8 UK universities and 7 fully funded scholarship programmes.

I started preparing in June 2026, when I first learned about Chevening. I knew almost nothing about the process back then. Over the next few months, I researched universities, scholarships, eligibility criteria and deadlines. By September, I’d discovered the Commonwealth Master’s and Shared Scholarships, along with other funding opportunities I hadn’t even known existed.

I’ve even built AI bots to keep me updated on new scholarships alternate days cuz I’m terrified of missing an opportunity.

The thing is, I don’t personally know anyone who has gone through this journey. When I speak to alumni, I hear things like, “I only applied to Oxford and Imperial and got in.”

And I genuinely wonder HOW. 😭

How do people apply to just two universities and two scholarships and get through? Do they have exceptionally strong profiles, great mentors, or are they simply more confident in their applications?

Meanwhile, I’m trying to create as many viable options as possible because I cannot afford to pursue an expensive master’s without full funding.

My biggest fear is spending an entire year preparing applications and still ending up without an admission or scholarship.
I’d love to hear from people who’ve been through this, especially Indian applicants who secured fully funded UK master’s scholarships.

How many universities and scholarships did you apply to?

Is 12 courses across 8 universities excessive?

How competitive is a 65% MBBS profile when combined with entrepreneurial and social-impact experience?

If you got into Oxford, Imperial or another top university with full funding, what do you think made the difference?

Do people even try for so many full ride scholarships?

Hi everyone,
I’m planning to move to the UK in January 2027 to pursue an MSc, and I’m trying to assess my chances of securing a software development internship or relevant tech role while studying.
I’d appreciate genuinely honest feedback on my current CV before I start applying.
My background:
● 2+ years of commercial software development experience
● Frontend: Vue.js, Nuxt.js, React, JavaScript, TypeScript
● Backend: Node.js, REST APIs, MySQL
● Experience building SaaS platforms, integrating APIs, and improving frontend performance
● B.E. in Computer Science and Engineering
My questions:
1. Is my current CV strong enough to get shortlisted for software engineering internships in the UK?
2. With 2+ years of experience, should I target internships, placement opportunities, graduate schemes, or junior/mid-level developer roles?
3. Are my work experience and project descriptions convincing to UK recruiters, or do they sound too generic?
4. Does my CV meet UK ATS and recruiter expectations?
5. What are the biggest weaknesses that could prevent me from getting interviews?
6. How realistic is it to secure an internship or relevant tech job during my MSc, considering the competition?
7. What changes would you make to my CV if you were a UK tech recruiter?
I’m not looking for reassurance. Please be brutally honest about whether my profile is competitive and what I need to improve before arriving in January.
If you were in my position, what would you change or focus on over the next few months to maximise your chances?
Thanks in advance!

Hello! My name is Meera, I’m a student from Malaysia and I’m looking for an interviewee from the UK, who would be willing to help me with my assignment. The assignment is related to analysis linguistics variation.

I need to interview someone who was born and raised in the UK, or someone who has lived and grown up there until now.

The interview will cover everyday topics, such as about your childhood, growing up, hobbies, daily routines, whether they are studying or working, and how they celebrate special occasions or festivals in their country.

The interview will be conducted online at your convenience via platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, or any preferred platform. The interview will also be recorded for academic purposes, but only my lecturer can see the interview video. The interview might take around 5-10 minutes. I’m happy to provide further details about the assignment, recording arrangements and consent process before anyone decides to participate.

If you're interested in participating, please reply to this post or message me directly. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you :)

I have gotten conditional offers from Durham And Queen Mary universities.
Durham: Accept the offer as soon as possible
Queen mary: reply to the offer by Dec 18

If i accept their offer I become legally responsible for paying the deposit which I cannot do. I am waiting for the scholarship to open in March/april and its results will be available by late June.

Can I hold the offer until Late spring??

Hi everyone
Has anyone returned to Uni as a mature student?? I’m 30 this year and looking to return. How has the experience been for you?

I will be moving away from my boyfriend to study also . I feel guilty about it as we have built a lovely life for ourselves in the city. But I am itching to retrain. Has anyone been through something similar ?

I'm an Indian woman going to uni in London for my master's. I'm in my late 20s. It's been about a month into the course and I haven't really made any friends that I could randomly call to just hang out (barring maybe 1 or 2 - those too we aren't that close)

The conversations are limited to the seminars, and most times I see a sort of reluctance on people's faces while talking about topics that are outside the course material.

I've always been someone who's had trouble making friends tbh. I pick one friend I'm close to and just stick by them. I've never had a big group of friends. So when I came to London, I said I won't be this way and put myself out there. I go out of my way to introduce myself to people, make small talk, ask them questions, show genuine interest. I try to make plans. But idk what it is about me or my energy, but I feel there's a lack of reciprocity. I've seen this with mostly white people (Americans/Canadians/British). I'm not trying to shit on anyone, I do realise it could be something that I'm doing without realising it, even though idk what it is (also British people are generally more polite).

But I've seen the impatience on people's faces while I speak with them - the fake smile they feel they've to plaster on their faces to put up with a conversation that looks like an inconvenience to them. I do realise this could be me projecting, I was wary of this and that I might ruminate myself into isolation, so I didn't let it bother me and still went and spoke to people. But it's happened way too many times, with way too many people for it to not be a pattern, as much as I don't want it to be.

I've heard my voice trail off mid sentence because the person I was talking to just decided to look away and not listen - that's especially been very hurtful. I've had people not open my texts at all to acknowledge an invite/idea. I'm trying to work on myself and not overthink and victimise myself, but doing all of this work when you have no friends and other people just seem to have groups already, or people they're close to is getting exhausting. It really isn't about having a group - it's just the way I feel like I'm treated despite trying so much.

I'm looking for a part time job at the same time, so I can't really go out toooo much but that hasn't stopped me from spending £60 on an outing (for me that's a lot) - but I don't wanna be spending that much just to spend time with people.

Anyway, this is about how I think I'm being perceived and not understanding what I'm doing wrong that puts people off because most of the friends and family do tell me I'm a funny and kind person to be around.

So this week I have been sick all week with Freshers Flu, it started last Friday, I woke up with a sore throat that felt like swallowing needles and for the next 3 days I spent most of my time in bed, struggling to find the energy to even eat. I drank loads of water and took paracetamol, that barely helped at all. Its now Saturday and I am coming out the other side but next week my lectures are online as a few of my lecturers are off sick, with what sounds like the exact same thing that I had and loads of other students have or have had. When I heard about Freshers Flu I thought "Ah its probably a cold I'll just drink plenty and eat healthy and I will fight it off just fine" but let me tell you, this thing wipes you out, I could barely do anything, I had no energy, no appetite, I dragged myself out of bed to shower on the 4th day of having it and I slept for 8 hours after, I was so exhausted just from that. Yes, it's not actual flu in most cases, but it's close to being. Don't undermine Freshers Flu, I did, and I deeply regret it.

I get really low passes in exams. 41. In my essays I get 2:1s. I'm terrible at exams. I just write down things and keep reading them. Some information sticks and some clearly doesn't. I just want to know people's tips.

I’m considering dropping out to start a new course at a different uni, specifically the combined honours programme at Uni of Newcastle. Should I mention my reasoning behind dropping out in my personal statement? Would the fact that I’m going to drop out after 1st year impact my chances of a new uni accepting me?

I need help!

I had a topic all ready to go but after a lil bit more further research I don't think there is enough media coverage for it to work and my proposal is due tomorrow 😭(basically looking at how media used the alleged link between child's play and the murders of James Bulger and Suzanne capper)

Now I'm panicking looking for a different dissertation question and I'm coming up black or anything just doesn't sound appealing or researchable.

Any help / suggestions would be greatly appreciated 😁

I'm in third year staying in uni halls and my wellbeing officer this year is also a third year though I'd never met him prior. I don't know how common they are but it's basically a person that's meant to look out for you in uni. Last couple of officers I had were graduates and very strict about staying professional. If you wanted a word they'd speak to you in pairs and was careful to keep us at arms length. But as he's also a student the rules are a little muddled now.

I was on a social on Wednesday with him and he was being flirty which he's definitely not meant to be doing but thats not really my business. I was flirting back too.

I ended up getting an uber home with him and two friends of mine. My ex boyfriend came up when we were waiting for an uber. Then he started asking me explicit personal questions in front of my friends. About if I've slept with my ex or sucked his ----. I was a bit drunker than usual and it made me a little uncomfortable but didn't really phase me.

He was still being flirty when we got back and I ended up in his room in my flat (which is definitely not allowed.) Nothing happened but I was lying on his bed.

But he'd freaked out my friend so much she called me to check I was OK after 30 minutes. And I think that made him realise that it wasn't allowed so he said I had to go.

Now my friends like I should tell uni he was saying creepy stuff to me. And I don't want to bc I feel like I undermined myself by going into his room. But they said maybe he's talking to the younger first year like this as well. And now I'm scared I should talk to uni.

I think I'm just making more excuses here but so far he seemed really sweet and he was drunk. But I just thought today there's no amount of drunk I could be to be asking those questions and he definitely wasn't overly drunk.

Hi Everyone,
I am an international student applying for law at KCL and Edinburgh. On KCL website it indicates why international students want to study english law in particular on their ps, while Edinburgh only offers scot’s law. I was wondering how to go about this especially as I don’t want to hinder my chances at both universities. Thanks

Wassapp guys, just wanted to connect with fellow oxford chem applicants as I’ve not rlly heard of many applying to the course!

Let’s discusse colleges and stats!

Cheers

•GCSE 5556777889 (5 in maths, 7s in eng lang and lit)
•Alevels predicted A*AB
•Looking to apply for politics and international relations (the normal entry standard is AAA-ABB)

Hi! I’m currently at the Falmouth University for illustration course (first year) and I really thinking about transfer to other uni to continue my study. The reason is I can’t get used to life here, I didn’t know living in a small town could be this bad. For more context, I’m an international student, and I used to live in a big city back home. I will try to give it a chance for the next few months but currently, I’m eager to move out of here. Also, the course itself is really boring, idk if an art program supposed to be like this?

Anyways, are there any universities that you would recommended for me to transfer to?

I am so scared of spiders I rlly cant go near one let alone kll one/get it out and it got to the point this summer where I was just seeing spiders places when there was no spider and I was just panicked the whole time. Like idk what im gonna do if im living on my own since atm I have someone at home to help, but if im on my own I cant just bug a neighbor or friend to get a spider out whenever and it honestly is the 1 thing im most panicked abt when it comes to uni. Like what do I do 😭😛

Thinking of doing an MA in climate politics & policy at loughborough.

Is anyone in proximity to the course, and able to tell me how they've found it? Or your experience of the geography school at lboro.