IMPERIAL -High prestige but low student stisfaction level ???

Wtf am I reading... presumably you're not even at uni yet and you're schooling the Imperial grad about his uni life and problems? If you want 'encouragement' read the website/prospectus which always has the same BS. I'd much rather have the candour of an actual student

So to summarise,

why is ICL a bad univ. for students again?

These are good points. One problem I have; these people generally aren't nice, happy, interesting, well rounded, fulfilled people though. So for someone like me, who had the potential to 'be something', I'm not interested in any of it. It's cut throat, cold blooded, miserable, harsh, ego maniacal, etc.

That's why most people are better off not going to the likes of ICL.

Right, I did not study at Imperial, but I am a Londoner so aware of the London scene. In addition to that, I once was close friends with a physics lecturer who taught at Imperial (for 20 years), he retired recently. Which is ironic, considering physics enemy studied physics! Which is why I have been following this thread.

Everything physics enemy has echoed in this thread, even the physics lecturer I knew echoed to me. He basically told me that at Imperial, that they were much more concerned about research/world rankings more then anything. They favour international students over local students because of international fees.

And that for an undergraduate degree, in his words 'he would not send a dog to imperial', given how students are basically put on the back burner, due to a lack of support, and are overworked. He also acknowledged that the social life that comes with it is not the greatest. He stated to me that, Imperial was probably better suited for Post grads/masters and other budding academics. But that was about it.

As for London, from being a Londoner, people are accurate about London being a place where it is hard to socialise. I have personally found that unless you have a circle of friends, which you regularly meet up with, it is hard to keep meet ups going on (which should theoretically be easier at university)...people here are generally busy, cold, and arrogant...Everytime I go up north, I do find people to be more down to earth and friendlier. London is a definently cold, cut throat city, where money and status talks. For you undergraduates, you will probably realise this more when you graduate, and people ask you "what do you do?" - "where do you work?" - expecting to hear the name of a corp.

It is also a very expensive city, 30 quid a month just for a monthly zones 1 and 2 oyster card...night outs will probably set you back 50 quid in central london.

Re; meetup.com - problem with this, is that often you meet random people, but all they ever amount to is another 'contact', you know, the type of person you'll see once, but never will see again. Because the city is so large, people are less likely to make an effort. Unlike in a small uni campus, where you see each other every day.

Right, I did not study at Imperial, but I am a Londoner so aware of the London scene. In addition to that, I once was close friends with a physics lecturer who taught at Imperial (for 20 years), he retired recently. Which is ironic, considering physics enemy studied physics! Which is why I have been following this thread.

Everything physics enemy has echoed in this thread, even the physics lecturer I knew echoed to me. He basically told me that at Imperial, that they were much more concerned about research/world rankings more then anything. They favour international students over local students because of international fees.

And that for an undergraduate degree, in his words 'he would not send a dog to imperial', given how students are basically put on the back burner, due to a lack of support, and are overworked. He also acknowledged that the social life that comes with it is not the greatest. He stated to me that, Imperial was probably better suited for Post grads/masters and other budding academics. But that was about it.

As for London, from being a Londoner, people are accurate about London being a place where it is hard to socialise. I have personally found that unless you have a circle of friends, which you regularly meet up with, it is hard to keep meet ups going on (which should theoretically be easier at university)...people here are generally busy, cold, and arrogant...Everytime I go up north, I do find people to be more down to earth and friendlier. London is a definently cold, cut throat city, where money and status talks. For you undergraduates, you will probably realise this more when you graduate, and people ask you "what do you do?" - "where do you work?" - expecting to hear the name of a corp.

It is also a very expensive city, 30 quid a month just for a monthly zones 1 and 2 oyster card...night outs will probably set you back 50 quid in central london.

Re; meetup.com - problem with this, is that often you meet random people, but all they ever amount to is another 'contact', you know, the type of person you'll see once, but never will see again. Because the city is so large, people are less likely to make an effort. Unlike in a small uni campus, where you see each other every day.

Physics enemy,by the way is it true that physics at ICL at a notorious 2.2/3rd class degree rate? My lecturer friend told me that they gave 2.2 and 3rds out like candy.

Spot on. I got a 2.2 myself, having done a low amount of work and giving up in some courses I found very tedious. I think the 2.2s/3rds are primarily due to apathy and depression, rather than ability. Though the degree itself is VERY boring, only exasperating the problem. One of my friends failed his degree; he did little work and had depression (like me). Another (Computing) got a 3rd. Smart guys too. That's ICL; a big meat grinder of sorts.

Weird how you mention about the computing guy getting a 3rd. I also once knew a guy from an internet forum who did CS at Imperial. He graduated with a 3rd too, and when asking him about his opinion of the CS course at Imperial (I am CSer) - he told me that it was way to theoretical, and that he had wished in hindsight that he had gone to another university and did a more practical CS course.

I have been finding on here since graduating, that many of the students who are over zealous with this ****, are students still doing their ALs; guys like you, that lecturer, and the ICL dude have gone through the ropes, so talk with experience as oppose to what they 'think' things will be like.

That is not to say, EVERY student that attends ICL will have a horrid time, chances are no. But it isn't for everyone based on what you and the physics lecturer have said.

The only tip the physics lecturer ever gave me, was that no matter where you study, get a 2.1. I remember him telling me how some ex students of his, would have a horrid time in the job market with a 2.2, irrespective on if it was from Imperial. Has this been the case for you?

Correct. I can hardly blame the 6th formers; I was the same, probably even more starry-eyed. The real education comes from life experience, rather than book-worming and brown-nosing. I am bitter, as I feel somewhat robbed of a future and uni experience. I can't say I learnt much either.

Hasn't been easy, still jobless. It's the baggage more than anything. The type who gets a 2.2 (or lower) is generally not the type that's employable. Apathetic, depressive, lack of work experience, demotivated, etc. I guess I have to take some of the blame though.

On the bright side mate, you are still young.

And even if it was a 2.2, it is still something to be proud off; I can't imagine ICL physics being a piece of cake.

Oh and by the way your earlier point about degrees being a bit of a con, the lecturer agreed with you. He said that they are only really useful if you wanted to have a career in academia, as most of the skills will not be transferable to real life employment. He was a huge fan of apprenticeship programs.

I am doing well, on about 25k a year after graduating, in industry. But I have been very lucky. Went to aberdeen too, which is not an Imperial.

Yes they do

Its not everything of course, but its silly to say it doesnt matter

Well done! You put the work in, got the 2.1 and did well enough at interview to get the role; that's all that matters. All this crap on TSR regarding uni prestige is a farce ... most sane people in the real world really don't care about it.

Bad social life, very expensive, poor male:female ratio, courses involve lots of rote learning and less thinking, cold and cut-throat vibe, densely populated with internationals who segregate, loads of nerds, London sucks for students, rather dead student union.

Yes but having a better degree makes you more likely to get a good first job, which then makes you more likely to get a good second job, and so on. Having Google or Goldman on your CV enhances it.

It is also a very expensive city, 30 quid a month just for a monthly zones 1 and 2 oyster card...night outs will probably set you back 50 quid in central london.