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UCL vs. X official question thread

which one is better??

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Reply 1
I think it depends on what you're looking for.
Doing IMB at ucl, I find that it's quite i.t. oriented; more than what some people expected or like but still manages to get in a variety of business modules.
I have a friend doing Management at kcl, and I believe her course is more management focused, at any rate her workload was literally nothing in the first year haha.
University College London, University of London
University College London
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Reply 2
Original post by Victor88
which one is better??


OMG, im in the exactly same positioin as you! but i think im gonna firm UCL. I want to get into banking. hence perhaps the course at KCL would fit better, however, UCL has a better overall reputation, and the program allows you to work in various field anyways, so UCL for me, though kings' is great too.

good luck!
Reply 3
Original post by Serenityhou
OMG, im in the exactly same positioin as you! but i think im gonna firm UCL. I want to get into banking. hence perhaps the course at KCL would fit better, however, UCL has a better overall reputation, and the program allows you to work in various field anyways, so UCL for me, though kings' is great too.

good luck!


im in the same position as you lol not sure which one to choose!
Reply 4
I firmed UCL as well since it has better reputation than KCL. But I am concerning about the programme.
I've gone throught the programme structure and i found everything quite fit me except for the IT part...
Personally, I don't have a well knowledge for IT but seems the programme requires a lot in it.
And one more thing that im so regret now is that i didn't apply for LSE management....
I found myself stupid that i didn't apply for that...
Anyway.. it is too late to change anything lol
Hope i can do well on the programme

Good Luck to you all!
Reply 5
KCL is a joke.

That's your answer
Reply 6
Original post by Victor88
I firmed UCL as well since it has better reputation than KCL. But I am concerning about the programme.
I've gone throught the programme structure and i found everything quite fit me except for the IT part...
Personally, I don't have a well knowledge for IT but seems the programme requires a lot in it.
And one more thing that im so regret now is that i didn't apply for LSE management....
I found myself stupid that i didn't apply for that...
Anyway.. it is too late to change anything lol
Hope i can do well on the programme

Good Luck to you all!


me too, ughh, but heyy, if you look at the 4th year at UCL(if you applied for the four year program), there isn't any IT required courese =] which is awesome for us=] i guess learning a bit about IT will do us no harm working in the industry! so might as well. I applied foro LSE management, ahha got reject, they are super selective.
BUT UCL is great too=]=]

good luck!
Reply 7
Do you know of anyone who is currently on the UCL UPC? Or someone who has done it before?

I currently hold an offer to do the Warwick foundation and recently UCL Foundation has shortlisted me for a phone interview. (I plan to do Economics at a top university after this). But I'm finding it hard to find students of the programme to get a first hand account from them.

If you have heard anything about the UCL UPC, do share! Thanks in advance!
I have friend who is currently ending UCL UPC and I am on the other hand ending Warwick HEFP :smile: She is not registered here, but you can find her on Facebook if you want. And if you have any HEFP questions, I'll answer all of them :smile:)
I have already done for A level with A grades - Chem,Phy and Math ... but I wanted to attend UCL Architecture BSc but I need A level Art for this SO Only way left is this foundation "UPC For Architecture"
I have got IELTS 7.5 but all they ask for UPC is only 5.5
Do I deserve this or but I have no other options ...?
Is the application for UPC competitive also?
Please Help me
Reply 10
Original post by Dark Alukard
I have friend who is currently ending UCL UPC and I am on the other hand ending Warwick HEFP :smile: She is not registered here, but you can find her on Facebook if you want. And if you have any HEFP questions, I'll answer all of them :smile:)


Hey Alukard! It's me again. haha..

Yes, please do give me her Facebook address. You can private message me. :smile:
Reply 11
Original post by NicholasSuperb
I have already done for A level with A grades - Chem,Phy and Math ... but I wanted to attend UCL Architecture BSc but I need A level Art for this SO Only way left is this foundation "UPC For Architecture"
I have got IELTS 7.5 but all they ask for UPC is only 5.5
Do I deserve this or but I have no other options ...?
Is the application for UPC competitive also?
Please Help me


I think IELTS should be the least of your considerations.

I don't know about their Architecture programme. But I applied for the UPC Humanities with Economics and Mathematics as my two core subjects. I had to take two entrance exams, a Critical Thinking paper and a Mathematics paper. (Samples of the tests can be found on their site).

They then deemed that I was a "Native English Speaker" (even though I'm not) and have asked me to take one European language (French, German, Spanish or Italian) in lieu of English.

My phone interview is this Monday. Will update you on the questions, if you're interested. :smile:
Hii there :biggrin:

I'm currently studying at UCL foundation Course :biggrin:
The reason there is a lot of IT is that this is an INFORMATION management for business Degree and is actually called the ITMB (Information Technology management for Business) at the other 12 uni's in the UK that do it
You can see more about it at

http://www.e-skills.com/ITMB

and even see a video here

http://www.e-skills.com/Video-pages/Education/ITMB-degree/

Hope this helps
Reply 14
Hi, I was wondering how did the interview go..
I am taking the entrance tests tomorrow (math and critical thinking), were they difficult?
thanks!
Reply 15
Original post by mgems
Hi, I was wondering how did the interview go..
I am taking the entrance tests tomorrow (math and critical thinking), were they difficult?
thanks!


Sent you a private message. Did you receive it?
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
Reply 17
Elitism is not the only factor. (Some would argue not a factor at all) Do you expect to be taught in small group tutorials regularly? Do you fancy a massive cosmopolitan city or a small picturesque one like oxford? And I hate to say but seeing "At first I wasn't eve going to go" are you going to have have the not-going-to -oxford regret later in life?
Anyway congrats on your offers :smile:
Reply 18
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


When was your assessment day? I also hold an offer to study ESPS at UCL, having been rejected pre-interview from Oxford PPE on the basis of my TSA - obvs very surprised to get the UCL offer seeing as the TSA is the bane of my life.

But yeah for me I'd also personally enjoy UCL's course infinitely more - ESPS gives such an amazing range of options, with the chance of specialisation etc, it sounds incredible. However, I'm rejecting ESPS for LSE (Government and Economics) because for me LSE > UCL (especially for the social sciences). Moreover, LSE will set me up for life: you go anywhere around the world with an Oxbridge or LSE degree and you're laughing. But yeah, for me, in terms of WHERE I'd have enjoyed, and which course I'd have enjoyed, it would have been UCL ESPS > LSE Govt/Econ > Oxford PPE (thank God I don't have to study Philosophy now). But in terms of prestige, and which place would enhance my CV the best it would go Oxf PPE > LSE Govt/Econ > UCL ESPS. If I'd got all 3, I would have seriously sat down and considered my options, but probably have ended up going to Oxford, even though I personally would have hated it there (hated the whole Hogwarts-esque college atmosphere, and LOVE London and LSE).

So in short, I personally would choose the best course for you - but of course everyone is different. Reject Oxford if you'll enjoy UCL more and the course more, but you may in a few years time think back and say 'why did I never take up that Oxford offer?' At the same time, telling someone you rejected Oxford PPE and you will honestly be revered as the gutsiest person on the planet.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by geminibubblegum
you're going to think I'm absolutely nuts


I think you're eminently sensible, at least to be thinking about this. Too many people prize the institution over the course.

If it's the Sciences-Po dual degree, I'd definitely see it as a very attractive alternative. And perhaps the moreso since that first intake will be shepherded thorugh to make sure it's a success.

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