Facilities
(3)
How good are your university's facilities?
The school is in a transition phase where it is spread accross two buildings. That is supposed to change in 2016-2017 with a brand new building being built with music in mind. In the meantime, the two buildings are very dissimilar: the first one is very central (London Bridge) and albeit quite small, is very nice. That is where most of the theory classes happen, along with the songwriting and production courses. The other building, where most of the actual "playing" is done (rehearsal rooms, drum booths, rooms full of pianos), is a temporary add-on that is 30mn away by walk, 15mn by bus. It is located on Newport street, under the train arches. There are downsides, like the mediocre soundproofing and the doors getting jammed sometimes, etc. but you get used to it and it does the job.
Student support
(5)
How good is the support offered by the uni? Think both academic (tutors/feedback) and personal (counselling, etc).
The staff is amazingly nice. So nice in fact that everyone keeps asking them for everything, all the time. This means they can be a bit overloaded at times but they will always take note of your remarks or issues and adress them as soon as humanely possible.
Students' union
(4)
What do you think of your Students' Union in terms of student representation and facilities?
The official student union is there in case you need it but I can't say much about it because I always talk to the staff directly (see the "Student Support" section).
Local life
(5)
Is your university in a good location in terms of distance to accommodation and local amenities?
It's London: you can do everything you want, whenever you want... can't really get better than that! It's a bit cold and rainy at times but not as terrible as you'd think. Besides, you'll probably be inside working on your music most of the day, and jamming or going to concerts at night (there are lots, all kinds of music, size, and price: most are free or very cheap at least).
London has its downsides: it's expensive, and everyone is always busy doing "things" so it can be a bit overwhelming at times. Just keep that in mind and enjoy the many many good sides it has to offer ;)
Societies and Sports
(4)
How would you rate the variety of societies/sports?
There is nothing official but the students are keen on starting bands, setting up jams, organizing parties, etc. ...and we have a football group!
Lecturers and teaching quality
(5)
What do you like most and least about the way your course(s) are taught?
The courses are very, very, very good. Probably the strongest point this school has to offer.
It's a perfect balance between practice (2/3) and theory (1/3), and you're told the very first day that you will be taught more than you can chew in as little time as a degree. This is normal and the way it's supposed to go is: you finish your degree with a lot of knowledge, too much to really assimilate at once in your music, and then you will gradually understand more over time, way after you're done with school. For example, the BMUS course is probably something like 7-10 years of learning condensed into 3, which can be a bit overwhelming but is definitely worth the bucks!
The teachers know what they are talking about and, on top of being great musicians, they are sensible people and amazing teachers! You can literally feel the passion! You can ask them questions at any time, no matter if you actually have any lesson with them at all, and the answers never disappoint!
Career prospects
(5)
How does your uni make efforts to increase your employability (careers department, work placements, transferable skills)?
Considering the domain is Music, you shouldn't expect to get your dream job straight away after finishing this school, nor any other music school: it very much depends on you, your work and your willpower, and you will need to give it time, and a little bit of luck as well. The school however puts you in contact with a very wide network of musicians and major actors in the music business. I've seen quite a few people offered very nice opportunities (going on tour with great bands, playing on TV shows...) while still working on their degree, and that's thanks to the teacher notably. The school will accomodate for that as well, changing exam dates and such so you can seize these opportunities. It will also promote your work via facebook, twitter, etc.
University halls
(3)
What do you think about the safety, condition, location and cost of your accommodation?
There is a Facebook accomodation page which is ran by the students. Nothing official. No campus, no discounts or anything. Also, the school buildings are in Central London which means you're either going to have to pay a lot for a place nearby or travel for 30mn-1h of daily commute. Bear in mind the second building is quite far from the first one (explained in detail in the "Uni Facilities" section) so you want to find a place close to the building where you will spend the most time.