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Any advantage of going to Imperial over UCL?

Does it make any difference?

I'm wondering which would give me the best shot at landing a good investment banking job at a top bank. I've heard that for trading it doesn't matter as long as you go to a 'target' uni but the IBD roles at banks like Goldman Sachs/JP Morgan etc. are more exclusive and place a LOT of importance on the reputation of the uni you go to.

So if I have to choose between Imperial College (EEE) or UCL (Computer Science), would there be any difference? Does the edge Imperial has reputation-wise significant (or matter at all) when compared to UCL when it comes to recruitment?

At UCL there's a better social life, lower workload but less reputed degree, but at Imperial it's the opposite. Any opinion on the question in thread title is appreciated.

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imperial has the edge over ucl in this situation, but tbh they are better at sciencey stuff in general :dontknow:, not surprising since they specialise in that field

but why do you ask, do you have offers for both these courses?
Reply 2
Yes, a degree from Imperial looks better than a degree from UCL - particularly in the subject area you have chosen. I received offers from both and am very glad I chose Imperial, because I believe the equivalent of my degree from UCL would not have got me my current job.

Now if your solo objective is to land an IB job then take Imperial. If social life etc is important to you then take UCL - you are by no means ruled out of IB if you do.

For the record, Imperial EEE gets a fair few into IB each year.
Reply 3
Loool UCl students are the dearest subject of ICL banter
I'm not at Imperial but I'm guessing ICL banter is quite possibly the worst banter in the world.

fake edit: not based on the fact that its about UCL, just the institution
Reply 5
Imperial best for engineering and well known for it.
Reply 6
personally id say itd make little difference ... theyre both incredibly well respected institutions and a 2;1 or a 1st from either would serve you very well.
Reply 7
If you want to get into IB you want to maximise your chances by going to a worldclass institution.

Imperial is worldclass for arguably one of the most famous areas of academia. Science. UCL is great, but not worldclass.

It's really a no brainer, given that all other non academic factors are the same between both institutions IMO.
Original post by T.Adams VI
If you want to get into IB you want to maximise your chances by going to a worldclass institution.

Imperial is worldclass for arguably one of the most famous areas of academia. Science. UCL is great, but not worldclass.

It's really a no brainer, given that all other non academic factors are the same between both institutions IMO.


How is UCL not world class.

come on now.
No advantage whatsoever
Well Imperial is a specialist science uni so would probably be better for your course but supposedly it consists mainly of male nerds - or so I've heard!
Reply 11
Original post by Alexandra's Box
Well Imperial is a specialist science uni so would probably be better for your course but supposedly it consists mainly of male nerds - or so I've heard!


Totally wrong. But I'm not even gonna bother explaining why, as so many people are sheep who follow what everyone else says.

Imperial isn't any more nerdier than UCL for the sciences. The only difference is the former managed to get AAA instead of AAB at A-level. (in my time that is)
Reply 12
Everyone threats over universities but top 5 unis are what you make them.

If you just turn up get a 2.1 and dont invest time in societies, sport, interests, internships etc, the you won't be getting a job in IB.

Go to the best Uni you can and e proactive, that's what it's about.
Original post by nmudz_009
Loool UCl students are the dearest subject of ICL banter


At UCL we don't make fun of the uni's you've applied to because we don't even know they exist.
Reply 14
UCL has a great relationship with the banks. Recent even there held by MS - some of the students there had graduate offers waiting for them in september and knew the MS staff quite well.

But I'd pick ICL over UCL in terms of rep.
Original post by Frenchous
At UCL we don't make fun of the uni's you've applied to because we don't even know they exist.


looool then for a UCL student your overall knowledge is pretty poor :colondollar:
Original post by T.Adams VI
Totally wrong. But I'm not even gonna bother explaining why, as so many people are sheep who follow what everyone else says.

Imperial isn't any more nerdier than UCL for the sciences. The only difference is the former managed to get AAA instead of AAB at A-level. (in my time that is)


Well that is what I'd heard. And as I have no experience of the university, I have no choice but to look at what others have said - even if it is being a "sheep".
Imperial is a specialist science uni, is it not? While UCL has a wider range of courses.
Reply 17
Original post by internet tough guy
imperial has the edge over ucl in this situation, but tbh they are better at sciencey stuff in general :dontknow:, not surprising since they specialise in that field

but why do you ask, do you have offers for both these courses?


just wondering if I should rather firm UCL instead. Imperial will cost me a lot more per year (have to pay intn'l fees) with no apparent benefits... Plus I want to keep a job at uni and don't think i'll be able to do it while studying eee at imperial which has a massive workload.

Any other opinions really appreciated
Shouldn't always believe what you see on TV and read in newspapers (especially The Guardian).

For example, they rank IC 13th in EEE, with Southampton top followed by Manchester, Surrey, Essex, Sheffield, etc.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2011/may/17/university-guide-engineering-electronic-electrical-

As for CS, UCL is 18th!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2011/may/17/university-guide-computer-sciences-it

Putting rankings aside, your choice of degrees seems a little varied. Both are sciences, with maths being the common link but that's where the similarity ends.

Do you know what you want to do in an IB? If it's programming, then CS makes sense, anything else, there's no difference between the two degrees for suitability in IB.

How is it the costs are different? Both are in London, so how come you have to pay international fees for IC?
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 19
Because I was born in a non-eu country, actually it's ISE at Imperial, combines computing and Electronics engineering.

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