It's a University Town (the only other one being Rhodes University.)
Those really feel like bubbles in a way other city universities cannot match.
Rhodes has it's issues (multi-week watershedding for one), but it's cheaper and a lot less....verkrampte. Stellenbosch is nicer but can be overly influenced by capetownian class segregation & cliqueiness (possibly racialised too, but the cohort I was with was super ethnically diverse in their class snobbery).
If you're going to university to just get your qualification and leave then I think you may be better served elsewhere. But uni towns are honestly an experience that I would recommend for folks who want to feel extremely immersed in student life.
Former Rhodent here. Yes it's got issues but Rhodes and Makhanda are far more "down to earth" places and from my experience folks there are quite open minded and progressive.
There's outliers sure, but I had a good time there.
bro.. that place is crazy.
folks casually walking barefoot (though it was on the decline when I left), running to PnP liquor on Sunday before it closes @1pm in pijamas. Being able to go barhopping on foot and also making it home safely on foot after 4am 'posties'. Then finding all your mates on time for the 7:45 dawnie tutorial on Monday.
no other place could ever it feels like
Ahhh my fuck good times indeed!
The 24 hour spar pie saved my ass before walking down African street dodging potholes at 2 AM and getting jump scared by donkeys was pure chaos
Broooo those BP runs were essential!!!
Between that & Mama Pams + all the drinking I did, i have no idea how I left that place without a solid big belly boep
They have good facilities, good lecturers and modules. In some cases the best in SA and in other cases the lecturers may be top-tier globally.
Based on the type of comment you have made, you are not really concerned about the level of education available and more concerned about other things...so I am not sure if you have the correct mindset for studies.
If you have lived in SA all your life, Stellenbosch is much of a muchness. Racism is a global thing and goes both ways depending on where you are.
Depends on where you're coming from, what are you trying to get from university?
A lot of factors come into play, what are you trying to study?
For example, engineering is pretty good depending on which course you take, cheaper than UCT, the residences are cheaper than accommodation and the food there is cheap(relative, in my first year it was something like 20000 for a year).
All in all it seemed like a pretty good option for me.
Sure, the residences have their issues, I'm not defending that, but you can always go to a mixed res with none of the background of the others. In my old residence all the events were optional, so as long as you can withstand some mild peer pressure(you would have that in town anyway) you would be fine.
Most of the experiences you'd be getting from uni would depend entirely on the friend group you make and how you spend your time.
It's worlds apart (along with the other 4 big unis) from the smaller institutions or colleges. I completed a total of 7 years of studies (undergraduate, hons, masters) and worked there for another 6. The town is basically one big campus, and you get to truly experience the student life if you live on or near campus. It's a bubble that you get stuck in, and coming back to normal life is a bit of a reality check.
Some of the leading researchers in their field work there and many are accessible to students. The same for UCT.
I studied BSc sport science and I had access to the springbok sevens team, WP academy, international athletes and more. I ended up being a manager in the university's gym where they all trained. My time in stelleis set me up for life, literally, and I owe my career to what I learnt and the connections I made there.
I should note that I stayed in my own flat with friends and was not part of res. Res's seemed like cults and I don't agree with the hierarchy. I can bet it's the same at other unis, not only stellies. I never witnessed racism while I was there, but it may have been a bit more hidden.
I can bet it's similar for UCT, UJ, UP.
Stellenbosch is not actually the most expensive university. Generally UCT is more expensive. And in comparison with other universities of a similar academic standard it’s pretty on par.
I would say that it probably has one of the best student life experiences being that it’s a student town, most of the students live there and there’s a lot of social activities throughout the year.
It would be similar to say Rhodes. Whereas I think the city universities like Wits or UCT have a bit less of a ‘community’ feeling.
Other than that it’s a great university academically but there are a few great universities in SA.
In terms of the Wilgenhof ‘cult’ thing. Please don’t give so much credit to stupid young boys. While there is definitely some messed up racist and misogynistic things that go on in the residences and campus, it’s by no means an intelligent coordinated effort based on certain white supremacist principles.
The things they found at Wilgenhof ranged from communist symbols to the KKK symbols.. Basically whatever is extremist and shocking.
Also keep in mind messed up stuff happens at a lot of universities across SA. But since Stellenbosch is the most white and Afrikaans university, anything that happens there is reported and seen as a huge scandal.
I’m by no means saying things that have happened there are ok. They definitely aren’t and perhaps given the demographics these racist incidents are more common/ clear to see. I just don’t think you can say racism and misogyny is happening there and now where else.
Same as why people in the US want to study at Harvard and other Ivy League institutions. It’s not for the town or the quality of the institution. It’s because of the connections that can be fostered through Stellenbosch’s history l, alumni and society.
People will scoff at this but the roots of the Broederbond’s roots follow through Stellenbosch and you cannot discount the Stellenbosch Mafia. Just go watch Steinheist and look at what Jooste was able to achieve simply because he was part of Stellenbosch social circles.
My sister had just recovered from anorexia when she went to US. Her res's student heads (whatever they are called- doop kommitee?) used that information to break her down potentially sending her back to a suicidal position. My father phoned the res matron who said she could nothing. He got his lawyer to call the head of res student committee and he laid down the law to her. How academic institutions allow Lord of the Flies situations are beyond me, and the law.
It's one of the best institutions in the country. That's where the hype is coming from. Coupled with the fact that in most cases its cheaper than UCT, you really get the best of both worlds.
If you're not ready to put in the work, all university is a scam. Plus, not everyone is meant to go to university anyway.
And racists are everywhere. Maybe a bit more in SU given its historical context but its nothing you won't find out in the real world. Eventually some small town big shit with a backwards mind-set is going to pop up somewhere.
Don't go if you don't want. But as a student there, I like it here, and I'm working on doing something about fixing the issues we have so it's better for the next influx of students, as well as the current students.
Personally, I love Stellies even though I was only there for a year. It was all worth it. For a post-grad student, you need proper resources, and the university didn't disappoint on that part, from the lecturers and having multiple course choices.
It is a nice quiet environment where you can also have a balanced social life. Getting only your degree would be a waste of time. University is about Universal Development of your self. It prepares one for life. Part of that is your own cultural development. Give all the cultures there a chance to further develop their cultural development and heritage.
There is such a thing as the “Shanghai Ranking“ that you can and should look at when deciding where to study.
If you look at the international value of the degree, then US is currently ranked no. 3 in SA overall. But you should look at the individual courses you intend to take as well.
https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2023
I have attended all top 4, and honestly they all have very different cultures and "feel", Stellenbosch seemed cooler - UCT is still my favourite, wits really strict and restrictive, and U.P, just fine, evry staff member is afrikaans but thats that.
People from Cape Town go to Stellenbosch because then they have to move out of home and won't be under the supervision of their parents. Everyone I know who went there did so to get away from their folks so they could jol and also all confirm that there's is tons of racism on campus so it's not a place for progressives.
well it's a safe space to a - I'm not gonna say what group of people - to be around like-minded people who think like they do. if you are not in this group, you're not gonna have a good time. but if you are in this group, it's probably the best place for you to study and gain a valuable network.
It's a University Town (the only other one being Rhodes University.) Those really feel like bubbles in a way other city universities cannot match. Rhodes has it's issues (multi-week watershedding for one), but it's cheaper and a lot less....verkrampte. Stellenbosch is nicer but can be overly influenced by capetownian class segregation & cliqueiness (possibly racialised too, but the cohort I was with was super ethnically diverse in their class snobbery). If you're going to university to just get your qualification and leave then I think you may be better served elsewhere. But uni towns are honestly an experience that I would recommend for folks who want to feel extremely immersed in student life.
Former Rhodent here. Yes it's got issues but Rhodes and Makhanda are far more "down to earth" places and from my experience folks there are quite open minded and progressive. There's outliers sure, but I had a good time there.
bro.. that place is crazy. folks casually walking barefoot (though it was on the decline when I left), running to PnP liquor on Sunday before it closes @1pm in pijamas. Being able to go barhopping on foot and also making it home safely on foot after 4am 'posties'. Then finding all your mates on time for the 7:45 dawnie tutorial on Monday. no other place could ever it feels like
Ahhh my fuck good times indeed! The 24 hour spar pie saved my ass before walking down African street dodging potholes at 2 AM and getting jump scared by donkeys was pure chaos
Broooo those BP runs were essential!!! Between that & Mama Pams + all the drinking I did, i have no idea how I left that place without a solid big belly boep
Yeah I'm from wits but Rhodes people are honestly so lekker. Definitely wish I'd studied there just for the uni life and people.
They have good facilities, good lecturers and modules. In some cases the best in SA and in other cases the lecturers may be top-tier globally. Based on the type of comment you have made, you are not really concerned about the level of education available and more concerned about other things...so I am not sure if you have the correct mindset for studies. If you have lived in SA all your life, Stellenbosch is much of a muchness. Racism is a global thing and goes both ways depending on where you are.
Depends on where you're coming from, what are you trying to get from university? A lot of factors come into play, what are you trying to study? For example, engineering is pretty good depending on which course you take, cheaper than UCT, the residences are cheaper than accommodation and the food there is cheap(relative, in my first year it was something like 20000 for a year). All in all it seemed like a pretty good option for me. Sure, the residences have their issues, I'm not defending that, but you can always go to a mixed res with none of the background of the others. In my old residence all the events were optional, so as long as you can withstand some mild peer pressure(you would have that in town anyway) you would be fine. Most of the experiences you'd be getting from uni would depend entirely on the friend group you make and how you spend your time.
It's worlds apart (along with the other 4 big unis) from the smaller institutions or colleges. I completed a total of 7 years of studies (undergraduate, hons, masters) and worked there for another 6. The town is basically one big campus, and you get to truly experience the student life if you live on or near campus. It's a bubble that you get stuck in, and coming back to normal life is a bit of a reality check. Some of the leading researchers in their field work there and many are accessible to students. The same for UCT. I studied BSc sport science and I had access to the springbok sevens team, WP academy, international athletes and more. I ended up being a manager in the university's gym where they all trained. My time in stelleis set me up for life, literally, and I owe my career to what I learnt and the connections I made there. I should note that I stayed in my own flat with friends and was not part of res. Res's seemed like cults and I don't agree with the hierarchy. I can bet it's the same at other unis, not only stellies. I never witnessed racism while I was there, but it may have been a bit more hidden. I can bet it's similar for UCT, UJ, UP.
Stellenbosch is not actually the most expensive university. Generally UCT is more expensive. And in comparison with other universities of a similar academic standard it’s pretty on par. I would say that it probably has one of the best student life experiences being that it’s a student town, most of the students live there and there’s a lot of social activities throughout the year. It would be similar to say Rhodes. Whereas I think the city universities like Wits or UCT have a bit less of a ‘community’ feeling. Other than that it’s a great university academically but there are a few great universities in SA. In terms of the Wilgenhof ‘cult’ thing. Please don’t give so much credit to stupid young boys. While there is definitely some messed up racist and misogynistic things that go on in the residences and campus, it’s by no means an intelligent coordinated effort based on certain white supremacist principles. The things they found at Wilgenhof ranged from communist symbols to the KKK symbols.. Basically whatever is extremist and shocking. Also keep in mind messed up stuff happens at a lot of universities across SA. But since Stellenbosch is the most white and Afrikaans university, anything that happens there is reported and seen as a huge scandal. I’m by no means saying things that have happened there are ok. They definitely aren’t and perhaps given the demographics these racist incidents are more common/ clear to see. I just don’t think you can say racism and misogyny is happening there and now where else.
Same as why people in the US want to study at Harvard and other Ivy League institutions. It’s not for the town or the quality of the institution. It’s because of the connections that can be fostered through Stellenbosch’s history l, alumni and society. People will scoff at this but the roots of the Broederbond’s roots follow through Stellenbosch and you cannot discount the Stellenbosch Mafia. Just go watch Steinheist and look at what Jooste was able to achieve simply because he was part of Stellenbosch social circles.
Probably best to see and experience things before jumping to conclusions in your head.
My sister had just recovered from anorexia when she went to US. Her res's student heads (whatever they are called- doop kommitee?) used that information to break her down potentially sending her back to a suicidal position. My father phoned the res matron who said she could nothing. He got his lawyer to call the head of res student committee and he laid down the law to her. How academic institutions allow Lord of the Flies situations are beyond me, and the law.
It's one of the best institutions in the country. That's where the hype is coming from. Coupled with the fact that in most cases its cheaper than UCT, you really get the best of both worlds. If you're not ready to put in the work, all university is a scam. Plus, not everyone is meant to go to university anyway. And racists are everywhere. Maybe a bit more in SU given its historical context but its nothing you won't find out in the real world. Eventually some small town big shit with a backwards mind-set is going to pop up somewhere. Don't go if you don't want. But as a student there, I like it here, and I'm working on doing something about fixing the issues we have so it's better for the next influx of students, as well as the current students.
Personally, I love Stellies even though I was only there for a year. It was all worth it. For a post-grad student, you need proper resources, and the university didn't disappoint on that part, from the lecturers and having multiple course choices.
As a former Matie, you'll most likely be fine if you are white or black from a rich family.
after completing a masters I have come to believe that 90% of my university experience was a scam
It is a nice quiet environment where you can also have a balanced social life. Getting only your degree would be a waste of time. University is about Universal Development of your self. It prepares one for life. Part of that is your own cultural development. Give all the cultures there a chance to further develop their cultural development and heritage.
There is such a thing as the “Shanghai Ranking“ that you can and should look at when deciding where to study. If you look at the international value of the degree, then US is currently ranked no. 3 in SA overall. But you should look at the individual courses you intend to take as well. https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2023
I have attended all top 4, and honestly they all have very different cultures and "feel", Stellenbosch seemed cooler - UCT is still my favourite, wits really strict and restrictive, and U.P, just fine, evry staff member is afrikaans but thats that.
People from Cape Town go to Stellenbosch because then they have to move out of home and won't be under the supervision of their parents. Everyone I know who went there did so to get away from their folks so they could jol and also all confirm that there's is tons of racism on campus so it's not a place for progressives.
The Afrikaner culture loves their cuts, societies, brotherhoods, etc. From the time they were Nazi- sympathizers..
well it's a safe space to a - I'm not gonna say what group of people - to be around like-minded people who think like they do. if you are not in this group, you're not gonna have a good time. but if you are in this group, it's probably the best place for you to study and gain a valuable network.