The Student Room Group
University College London, University of London
University College London
London

UCL vs. X official question thread

Scroll to see replies

Reply 40
Original post by geminibubblegum
Hi everyone,

So you're going to think I'm absolutely nuts and most people I've spoke to do but after getting an open offer for PPE at Ox I had a UCL Assessment Day for ESPS. At first I wasn't eve going to go, but my parents told me it would be a good experience so I turned up, having not done any prep or anything to take the tsa again

I fullyfullyfully expected a rejection but I got a email saying how the admissions tutor was especially impressed with my application and how I was perfect to do the course. It's essentially French + Politics but with lots of added flexibility (google it/ask specific qs) and it seems like course wise it'd be a better fit for me than PPE.

Full disclosure here- I go to private school (though I am on a bursary) so while elitism etc. is a factor, I don't feel I have a problem with the traditions/the people/the lifestyle at Oxford, it really is a question of the course.

I never thought I'd be considering firming UCL but I am and I just wanted some opinions from people who don't know me...

tl;dr -- Open offer for Oxford PPE, unexpected offer for UCL ESPS- like the ESPS course better, what shall I do?

Thanks for your help guys


I'd pick PPE at Oxford every day of the week, but that is just my opinion. PPE is probably the flagship course of Oxford and is a great course. Also, it is quite a wide course and so I'm sure you could find lots of options within it that you would like.

If I were you, I'd research both of the courses in detail and have a good look around both universities. This would give you an insight into which one you would enjoy more. Would you prefer going to uni in a massive city (London) or a medium sized city (Oxford)? Would you enjoy and benefit from the 2-1 and 1-1 attention that you get at Oxford or would this not suit? Would you always be happy you went to UCL or would you look back and regret not taking the chance to go to Oxford? I guess these are all personal questions that only you can answer.
University College London, University of London
University College London
London
This is a very interesting situation. I did PPE at Durham and if I could have my time again I would have done ESPS at UCL. I love the fact that it has the language component and more flexibility than PPE. I think you should think hard about what you want to do once you finish the degree. There are certain areas where Oxford PPEists really dominate such as diplomacy, journalism, politics and the civil service. But ESPS gives you the language skills and the international opportunities that come with this.... It's a really tough one but a very enviable dilemma to have!
Reply 42
Just gotten an offer for the Dual Degree.
Reply 43
I've got an offer for the Dual Degree, and I'm afraid they wrote the same "I would just like to add that the Admissions Tutors were particularly impressed with your application and felt that you were especially suited for the Dual Degree."
Reply 44
Original post by Pearl Lake
I've got an offer for the Dual Degree, and I'm afraid they wrote the same "I would just like to add that the Admissions Tutors were particularly impressed with your application and felt that you were especially suited for the Dual Degree."


This is starting to look very ridiculous.. Please don't let them have done it for everyone...
Reply 45
Original post by Johof
This is starting to look very ridiculous.. Please don't let them have done it for everyone...


Well the course is so competitive, those who do get offers are bound to be good enough to be considered for other great unis, as this thread highlights. It's just their way of pretending to want us more. Then again, not every UCL candidate uses this forum.. And even if you did would you tell the world that you got in even though the department wasn't particularly impressed?

Either way, we'll never know, it's a great course and I'm happy with my offer. :wink:
Reply 46
Original post by Pearl Lake
Well the course is so competitive, those who do get offers are bound to be good enough to be considered for other great unis, as this thread highlights. It's just their way of pretending to want us more. Then again, not every UCL candidate uses this forum.. And even if you did would you tell the world that you got in even though the department wasn't particularly impressed?

Either way, we'll never know, it's a great course and I'm happy with my offer. :wink:


True.. But I assuming that I really do go off to UCL this September, I'm gonna conduct a little experiment to see whether everyone got this message. :tongue: Gotta say that London sounds extremely exciting.
Reply 47
having the same problem deciding here... my parents want me to go to UCL cuz of their reputation, but i personally prefer KCL's course more. what to do D:
Reply 48
Posted this elsewhere but didn't get any replies. I am currently holding offers from LSE 'Business Mathematics and Statistics' and UCL 'Economics and Statistics', both of which require AAA but not sure which one to firm. Which university/course is better and which has better job prospects? Any other information will be appreciated too.
Reply 49
The UCL course is run by the stats department at UCL and hasn't got much Economics in it.

BMS is run by the Actuarial science department at LSE which was ranked in the bottom 2 depts at LSE for research in 2008, not sure if this has changed since.

However, LSE's brand name far outweigh's that of UCL for any finance related careers.
Reply 50
Original post by tkane
The UCL course is run by the stats department at UCL and hasn't got much Economics in it.

BMS is run by the Actuarial science department at LSE which was ranked in the bottom 2 depts at LSE for research in 2008, not sure if this has changed since.

However, LSE's brand name far outweigh's that of UCL for any finance related careers.


Thanks for the reply, so you would recommend firming LSE?
Reply 51
Basically, I hold offers for both courses. I would firm UCL and Sciences Po straight away due to the fact that I love the course, both unis are very prestigious and I like the idea of studying in Paris and in London. The only factor that is keeping me to firm it right now is that I would like to specialise in economics, and. although I might still do it at UCL, Warwick's PPE (especially the Economics major pathway) is said to be very good in this respect. Moreover, I really like the structure of Warwick's course as well. I was wondering whether anyone could give me some opinions, and which degree is likely to be more formative/give me better career prospects :smile:
Reply 52
Wrong BMS is run by the statistics department at LSE. I have a similar dilemma I'm choosing LSE for sure.
Reply 53
Original post by Mathssss
Thanks for the reply, so you would recommend firming LSE?


If you want to be an investment banker ( :rolleyes: ) then yes LSE hands down. Everyone and his dog wants an LSE offer.

And as for BMS, it was definitely run by the Actuarial science department when I had an offer there in 2008.
Hey I am in the same position with holding PPE offer from Durham :smile: and I would love to hear how you decide and by what information!
I'm also holding PPE offers from Durham and Warwick and and offer for Phil&Econ from St. Andrews. Still waiting for LSE...
However, Sciences Po and UCL just are the better unis, aren't they? Isn't especially Sciences Po very prestigeous in France?
In the end we will all three decide on going to UCL, I can see it coming! :biggrin:
Are you really sure we are all four (if I got it right) accepted to the DUAL one even though there seem to be only 10 places available (someone wrote that)? It is 10 for each campus or all together?
Is it not the case that the cooperation with Science Po is new this year? This means Miss R. can of course not recall any recommendation being dropped, right? Will they probably wait until the last assessment day and the last round of applicants before they give firm offers...
Reply 57
Original post by MissPellings
In the end we will all three decide on going to UCL, I can see it coming! :biggrin:
Are you really sure we are all four (if I got it right) accepted to the DUAL one even though there seem to be only 10 places available (someone wrote that)? It is 10 for each campus or all together?
Is it not the case that the cooperation with Science Po is new this year? This means Miss R. can of course not recall any recommendation being dropped, right? Will they probably wait until the last assessment day and the last round of applicants before they give firm offers...

It's 10 applicants for all the campuses. I guess they have probably sent out more offers than the places available because someone (me for example :P ) may fail to meet the entry requirements.
I think Ms Robinson was not referring specifically to the Dual Degree offers... The procedure of sending emails with "recommendations for offer" is quite common at UCL. Moreover, some people from the first assessment day were sent the same email and had their UCAS track updated about two weeks later :smile:

By the way, I did not quite get how the programme structure actually works. During the first two years at Sciences Po, are we going to take the exams which are in the campus' programmes? And are we going to take the courses in English or in French? I found it quite strange that being able to speak French is not a requirement for some campuses... Any ideas on that?
(edited 12 years ago)
Well, I already got a conditional offer in UCAS about 2 weeks after the email...

It depends in the campus whether you have to speak french or not. I think at some campuses, courses are solely in English. For Paris and Dijon however, a good level in Fench is required....
Reply 59
Wrong actuarial science is a course run also by statistics department like bms and saying statistics is worse department is like oriel is worse Oxford college.

Quick Reply

Latest