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Students on campus at Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University Of London
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Why Queen Mary?

Hey guys, bit of advice needed if possible...

Basically I have an offer from QM for history and politics (which im chuffed about) but i dont know whether i want to go or not...

Ive applied to 4 other really respecable unis (LSE, UCL, Warwick and York) and im really concerned that QM doesn't match up to them. Im worried that, despite high grade requirements, the Uni just isn't prestigious enough to employers. Furthermore I have no idea about the area/uni itself. I live up north so will have one chance to visit (1st of feb) so i will really have just an afternoon at the open day to decide... AND, i know that there are some awesome departments, e.g law, how do history/politics match up?

In short, if someone could sell me QM i would be amazingly grateful! I love the idea of a campus in london, and i have heard loads of good things about the uni, but i just have a few worries. If anyone could tell me a bit more about why i should go it would be amazing!

Thanks for reading!


EDIT: why the neg? hahaha, please someone explain....
(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1
argh, negged lolzz.
Students on campus at Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University Of London
London
Reply 2
Original post by Azza919

Ive applied to 4 other really respecable unis (LSE, UCL, Warwick and York) and im really concerned that QM doesn't match up to them. Im worried that, despite high grade requirements, the Uni just isn't prestigious enough to employers.


Well the research done by the university's history dept is certainly of a high standard (here) and on a par with all the other unis you've applied to. The non-RAE league tables show a similar trend, look it up yourself. I'm a bit too old for angsting over league tables anyway, so I shall simplify this for you: if you like QMUL then come here, if not, don't. At the end of the day, a University of London degree has never done anyone any harm so that should allay your worries about prestige.

The usual employability stats, QMUL being top 10 for starting salaries etc here:

http://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/whyqm/career/index.html

Seriously though, did you actually bother to read the prospectus before applying? :s-smilie:

Furthermore I have no idea about the area/uni itself. I live up north so will have one chance to visit (1st of feb) so i will really have just an afternoon at the open day to decide... AND, i know that there are some awesome departments, e.g law, how do history/politics match up?
Well since you're visiting in less than a fortnight, you can make up your own mind. The area was once quite poor...now it's pretty much a hotspot for middle class white indie students. Not just from QMUL either, lots of UCL, KCL etc students live in Mile End as it's cheap and the transport links are good.

Come with an open mind, see what you think. If you like London, you should like QMUL, simple as.

In short, if someone could sell me QM i would be amazingly grateful! I love the idea of a campus in london, and i have heard loads of good things about the uni, but i just have a few worries. If anyone could tell me a bit more about why i should go it would be amazing!
I can only offer you my perspective as a QMUL graduate that it's an amazing place to study and I'd give it five stars any day of the week. You're in a fortunate position that all the universities you've applied to are excellent...so just pick the one you like the most and go there. It's really as simple as that.

EDIT: why the neg? hahaha, please someone explain....
I haven't negged you, but perhaps (understandably) people expected you to do a bit more research about a uni you've applied to. These are some pretty basic questions you're looking for answers to...how could you have not thought about this all several months ago?
Reply 3
Original post by Democracy
Well the research done by the university's history dept is certainly of a high standard (here) and on a par with all the other unis you've applied to. The non-RAE league tables show a similar trend, look it up yourself. I'm a bit too old for angsting over league tables anyway, so I shall simplify this for you: if you like QMUL then come here, if not, don't. At the end of the day, a University of London degree has never done anyone any harm so that should allay your worries about prestige.

The usual employability stats, QMUL being top 10 for starting salaries etc here:

http://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/whyqm/career/index.html

Seriously though, did you actually bother to read the prospectus before applying? :s-smilie:

Well since you're visiting in less than a fortnight, you can make up your own mind. The area was once quite poor...now it's pretty much a hotspot for middle class white indie students. Not just from QMUL either, lots of UCL, KCL etc students live in Mile End as it's cheap and the transport links are good.

Come with an open mind, see what you think. If you like London, you should like QMUL, simple as.

I can only offer you my perspective as a QMUL graduate that it's an amazing place to study and I'd give it five stars any day of the week. You're in a fortunate position that all the universities you've applied to are excellent...so just pick the one you like the most and go there. It's really as simple as that.

I haven't negged you, but perhaps (understandably) people expected you to do a bit more research about a uni you've applied to. These are some pretty basic questions you're looking for answers to...how could you have not thought about this all several months ago?


Thanks very much for the reply. Really appreciate it! I think I must have come across as naive in my decision, I'm just a huge worrier! It's ok me reading all of the literature on the uni, and looking at league tables but I just wanted to know if any students, past or present, had any views to share. Of course I've done loads of research, and I do think it's quite judgemental to get negged for asking for some opinions?

A lot of the tables and stats dont represent actual experiences which I was kinda hoping for, I suppose I didn't make that very clear. I've seen so many mixed views in various forums about the uni, I just wanted to collate a few ideas to give me something to think about when I do indeed make my final choice. I don't really have people around me who I can talk to about these kind of unis, because I'm the first in my family to go to uni and my area isn't.. Well brilliant.
Reply 4
bump this thread :smile:
I don't do History and Politics (I do English Literature) but I know people who do and they seem to be really enjoying it. The history course is apparently pretty challenging and (if you're going by league tables) I think it's 12th in the country in the Guardian. I think QM can be described as an 'up and coming' university, sometimes I feel kind of bad for it because despite being a brilliant all rounder and up there with the best it just hasn't developed the prestige that other unis like UCL have.

The area is really brilliant, okay it's relatively rough but so is every part of London, you wouldn't walk anywhere in London alone at night, so I don't see why people single Mile End out. It's close to everywhere and the rent is a lot cheaper than it is more centrally. In terms of actual experiences, it depends what you want to know. The social life is good, and the campus atmosphere is absolutely brilliant, I'd advise anyone with the opportunity to live on a campus, it's generally nicer in the first year and you can make some great friendships.

But in the end the only way to know is to come here yourself and have a look round! I hope you're not disappointed x
The student support system and admin aren't good at all from my experience. Also the library is always packed and far too noisy compared to other uni libraries I have been to! But my personal experiences at QM were quite negative so my thoughts on it are probably worse than someone who's sailed through!
Reply 7
Original post by Azza919
Thanks very much for the reply. Really appreciate it! I think I must have come across as naive in my decision, I'm just a huge worrier! It's ok me reading all of the literature on the uni, and looking at league tables but I just wanted to know if any students, past or present, had any views to share. Of course I've done loads of research, and I do think it's quite judgemental to get negged for asking for some opinions?

A lot of the tables and stats dont represent actual experiences which I was kinda hoping for, I suppose I didn't make that very clear. I've seen so many mixed views in various forums about the uni, I just wanted to collate a few ideas to give me something to think about when I do indeed make my final choice. I don't really have people around me who I can talk to about these kind of unis, because I'm the first in my family to go to uni and my area isn't.. Well brilliant.


Noone blames you for worrying :smile: going to uni is a big step after all, especially if QM would mean you moving from up north to London. Personally, I've really enjoyed my time here so far and I can't see that changing in the near future, which is good enough for me.

Main question now though, (unless you've already made up your mind) is how did you find the open afternoon?
Reply 8
Original post by VickyG166
Noone blames you for worrying :smile: going to uni is a big step after all, especially if QM would mean you moving from up north to London. Personally, I've really enjoyed my time here so far and I can't see that changing in the near future, which is good enough for me.

Main question now though, (unless you've already made up your mind) is how did you find the open afternoon?


thanks for the response, yeah its such a big deal! i couldn't afford the trains for the 1st of feb open day so im going down for the one on the 25th of this month. im really looking forward to it! what are your favourite things about QM? Thanks for the reply!
Reply 9
Original post by Azza919
thanks for the response, yeah its such a big deal! i couldn't afford the trains for the 1st of feb open day so im going down for the one on the 25th of this month. im really looking forward to it! what are your favourite things about QM? Thanks for the reply!


Hmmm... Obviously not everyone has had such a good experience as I have, and I'm only in my first year. But personally, I really like the fact that it's a campus - so for me, there's still that community feel and its been a nice half way house between moving out and getting a private flat next year - but it's still in the middle of London, which I just love. There's so much to do! It's really friendly here, all my lecturers/tutors really know their stuff, which is reassuring, and the facilities are all very modern and good (Y) and there's a good social life too, if you know what you're about. I really hope you like it when you come down here :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by VickyG166
Hmmm... Obviously not everyone has had such a good experience as I have, and I'm only in my first year. But personally, I really like the fact that it's a campus - so for me, there's still that community feel and its been a nice half way house between moving out and getting a private flat next year - but it's still in the middle of London, which I just love. There's so much to do! It's really friendly here, all my lecturers/tutors really know their stuff, which is reassuring, and the facilities are all very modern and good (Y) and there's a good social life too, if you know what you're about. I really hope you like it when you come down here :smile:


the whole campus thing sounds like such a positive, having everything so close but being in the middle of london :biggrin: how easy is it to find private accomodation? and roughly how much are you going to be paying per week? how do you find the nightlife and what do you do generally? e.g stay local or go into the middle of london/west end... thanks again!
Original post by Azza919
Hey guys, bit of advice needed if possible...

Basically I have an offer from QM for history and politics (which im chuffed about) but i dont know whether i want to go or not...

Ive applied to 4 other really respecable unis (LSE, UCL, Warwick and York) and im really concerned that QM doesn't match up to them. Im worried that, despite high grade requirements, the Uni just isn't prestigious enough to employers. Furthermore I have no idea about the area/uni itself. I live up north so will have one chance to visit (1st of feb) so i will really have just an afternoon at the open day to decide... AND, i know that there are some awesome departments, e.g law, how do history/politics match up?

In short, if someone could sell me QM i would be amazingly grateful! I love the idea of a campus in london, and i have heard loads of good things about the uni, but i just have a few worries. If anyone could tell me a bit more about why i should go it would be amazing!

Thanks for reading!


EDIT: why the neg? hahaha, please someone explain....



Hi, I've got an offer for Law at QM and I'm deffinately firming it.

For starters I really admire the idea behind QM, the fact it was built in the area that it was with the intention of literally bringing education to the masses. I already feel incredibly proud of it lol!

I had a look round last year and I think it's just amazing. The accomodation is probably the best in London, and with the best prices too. The campus was modern, and really quiet, but as soon as you step onto the main road you're in London! So you'll never get bored or fed up.

I know the law department is really strong atm too, 4th according to The Guardian. But I agree with the prestige thing that it currently isn't as highly regarded as UCL ect. But it is still University of London as mention above and it has the highest research levels of non-Russel Group uni's anyway. So it may even be elevated to Russel Group status soon, but I'm not sure how that system works anyway.

When on the tour, I was told that most of your lecturers are also your proffessors, so you have more of a chance to build a solid relationship, catch up with work ect.

I also notice you're from Yorkshire as I am! I know alot of people up here are sort of intimidated by London, but I personally love the city and enjoy the fast pace of life.

Enjoy!

Oh and there seems to be alot of good curry houses on Mile End road :biggrin:
Reply 12
Original post by MrFlash1994
Hi, I've got an offer for Law at QM and I'm deffinately firming it.

For starters I really admire the idea behind QM, the fact it was built in the area that it was with the intention of literally bringing education to the masses. I already feel incredibly proud of it lol!

I had a look round last year and I think it's just amazing. The accomodation is probably the best in London, and with the best prices too. The campus was modern, and really quiet, but as soon as you step onto the main road you're in London! So you'll never get bored or fed up.

I know the law department is really strong atm too, 4th according to The Guardian. But I agree with the prestige thing that it currently isn't as highly regarded as UCL ect. But it is still University of London as mention above and it has the highest research levels of non-Russel Group uni's anyway. So it may even be elevated to Russel Group status soon, but I'm not sure how that system works anyway.

When on the tour, I was told that most of your lecturers are also your proffessors, so you have more of a chance to build a solid relationship, catch up with work ect.

I also notice you're from Yorkshire as I am! I know alot of people up here are sort of intimidated by London, but I personally love the city and enjoy the fast pace of life.

Enjoy!

Oh and there seems to be alot of good curry houses on Mile End road :biggrin:


yeah i absolutely love london! but im not sure whether i would get tired of it when living there, thats why i think the campus is such a good idea. where else have you applied? i know it sounds really superficial but i can't help thinking that if i can get AAA then i can apply to 'more prestigious' places than QM. i think im gunna like the uni, but i just have to wait and see :smile: (p.s well done on your offer!!!) :biggrin:
Original post by Azza919
yeah i absolutely love london! but im not sure whether i would get tired of it when living there, thats why i think the campus is such a good idea. where else have you applied? i know it sounds really superficial but i can't help thinking that if i can get AAA then i can apply to 'more prestigious' places than QM. i think im gunna like the uni, but i just have to wait and see :smile: (p.s well done on your offer!!!) :biggrin:


Cheers man!

I've also got an offer from SOAS which I will put as my insurance. I know what you mean aswell, I mean I reckon SOAS is even more prestigious than QM at this moment, despite the fact that QM is probably alot better in many things. But I don't even know If I'll get the A* needed :s-smilie: Hopefully If I get AAAA or AAAB they'll let me in! They were quite quick in giving me an offer aswell.
Reply 14
Original post by Azza919
the whole campus thing sounds like such a positive, having everything so close but being in the middle of london :biggrin: how easy is it to find private accomodation? and roughly how much are you going to be paying per week? how do you find the nightlife and what do you do generally? e.g stay local or go into the middle of london/west end... thanks again!


To be honest, I haven't full on started looking yet - a lot of the rents at the moment are short term ones, because of the olympics in the summer (just one stop away in stratford) but nevertheless, there seems to be quite a lot available and our housing office is excellent.

Nightlife... on campus, there is drapers bar. Which is fine during freshers, and maybe occasionally if they have a fancy dress, but not too often or it gets a bit samey. Having said that, its being given a total revamp, new name etc - so I'll reserve my judgement on that until I've been after that! Nearby, there's R Bar, Spoons (close and cheap!) and the New Globe which runs a pretty goooood student night. In all honesty though, night life in London isn't just about staying where you know. If you want to have a good time, its all about venturing a bit further afield. Brick Lane isn't far away, and the 25 night bus stops right outside campus. I've had loads of flipping immense nights out, so that suits me just fine :smile:

Original post by MrFlash1994
Hi, I've got an offer for Law at QM and I'm deffinately firming it.

For starters I really admire the idea behind QM, the fact it was built in the area that it was with the intention of literally bringing education to the masses. I already feel incredibly proud of it lol!

I had a look round last year and I think it's just amazing. The accomodation is probably the best in London, and with the best prices too. The campus was modern, and really quiet, but as soon as you step onto the main road you're in London! So you'll never get bored or fed up.

I know the law department is really strong atm too, 4th according to The Guardian. But I agree with the prestige thing that it currently isn't as highly regarded as UCL ect. But it is still University of London as mention above and it has the highest research levels of non-Russel Group uni's anyway. So it may even be elevated to Russel Group status soon, but I'm not sure how that system works anyway.

When on the tour, I was told that most of your lecturers are also your proffessors, so you have more of a chance to build a solid relationship, catch up with work ect.

I also notice you're from Yorkshire as I am! I know alot of people up here are sort of intimidated by London, but I personally love the city and enjoy the fast pace of life.

Enjoy!

Oh and there seems to be alot of good curry houses on Mile End road :biggrin:


Be careful of some those curry houses. Some of them are fine, but plenty a law student has been struck down by food poisoning! :absinth: Thats right about the professors - I'm a first year law student, and my property, public and criminal law tutors have all lectured at some point this year. The campus is immense (did you see the graveyard? Campus is modern, but its definitely a bit quirky :smile:) As for prestige, (I may be ever so slightly bias here, but I'lll throw my two cents in nonetheless) the law department is extremely good and has its sights set on improving even further (hence, I would imagine, the A* requirement this year. Although, I might be wrong). And of course, we're university of london - so the degree you get at the end is effectively the same as a SOAS/LSE/KCL/UCL degree. I've had such a good first year so far (I've blogged about it - see sig. Shameless plug, but yaknow), I can't believe we're nearly in March already!
Original post by ajp100688
It basically has to apply and get the permission of the other Russell Group unis. However it depends on whether QMUL thinks that it's worthwhile or whether it's purposes would be best suited in the 1994. Both are just lobbying/co-operation groups anyways, there's no formal rules about their make up. LSE jumped from the 1994 to the Russell a few years back based just on it's rep (it actually has a relatively small research income because of it's specialisation). It's the newspapers that have made the effort to turn the Russell into some kind of UK version of the Ivy League + Public Ivys.



Brick Lane is just down the road aswell if you're into that sort of thing OP.


Oh I've never actually heard of the 1994 group, is it essentially the same as Russel Group? And I agree that the media is trying to compete with US uni's ect with the whole elite circle of institutions thing.

And oh yes Brick Lane! Although I probably should watch out for the dodgy places!
Reply 16
Can someone guide me a bit about the location of Mile End campus? I know, it's in Eastern London, but I heard that this part of the city is "not the best place to live", i.e. not very safe... Is it true?
Thanks!:eek:
Original post by IndreOK
Can someone guide me a bit about the location of Mile End campus? I know, it's in Eastern London, but I heard that this part of the city is "not the best place to live", i.e. not very safe... Is it true?
Thanks!:eek:


It's fine. No urban area is totally safe or crime free. Mile End is no worse than anywhere else in inner London, in fact in some cases it's much safer.
Reply 18
Original post by IndreOK
Can someone guide me a bit about the location of Mile End campus? I know, it's in Eastern London, but I heard that this part of the city is "not the best place to live", i.e. not very safe... Is it true?
Thanks!:eek:


I wrote a blog about this the other day (see sig) because I've seen sooo many people ask this exact question and to be honest, Mile End is no where near as bad as people like to make it out to be. I've never felt unsafe here myself. In summary though, its this:

Original post by Democracy
It's fine. No urban area is totally safe or crime free. Mile End is no worse than anywhere else in inner London, in fact in some cases it's much safer.
Lol it really does start to grate on former and current QMUL students when people constantly ask if the area is safe or not. This is a huge misconception. Having lived in London for 25 years (i.e. my entire life) and been a QMUL student for 3 years I can safely say that the area is a lot safer than many other parts of London.

I've had fights in other parts of London (Hackney, East Ham, Brixton etc) but never had any trouble in Mile End (luckily). That isn't to say that there isn't any crime there or that you yourself will not be as fortunate to avoid crime but as has been stated the area is actually rather nice, with plenty of pubs, places to eat, the canal, Victoria Park nearby etc.

It has gotten distinctively more 'white middle class' of late, which of course reflects the changing demographic of the students at the university (this isn't a comment related to crime just a general observation).

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