A 'strong' degree from an okay Uni or a 'soft' degree from a Top 5 uni?
I'm interested in sciences, Economics and politics. Would it be better to have an Economics and politics degree from Exeter, Southampton,leeds,Birmingham etc; or either a human sciences or population health degree from UCL.
I hope to one day work in banking in the city and on a recent internship at HSBC headquarters were were told the degree subject isn't that important, but that UCL is a target uni for many banks.
Any advice would be much appreciated. PS - I would enjoy either of the subjects.
I hope to one day work in banking in the city and on a recent internship at HSBC headquarters were were told the degree subject isn't that important, but that UCL is a target uni for many banks.
Any advice would be much appreciated. PS - I would enjoy either of the subjects.
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UCL is a target
Southampton, Leeds, Birmingham are non-targets
Exeter is a semi-target
Southampton, Leeds, Birmingham are non-targets
Exeter is a semi-target
A solid economics degree from Birmingham will make just as competitive as most degrees you could obtain from UCL. That being said it is a better uni and you could gain more connections through it however you have to understand there isnt much difference between the top 10/20 ish unis in the UK (bar LSE, Imperial and Oxbrdige), you could pick any 5 of those unis and walk into a banking job however you could pick UCL and struggle, all depends how you play it.
Why would you rate Exeter above the likes of Birmingham, Leeds and Southampton in this sense?
Original post by UWS
STEM > everything else
Original post by cicilyvontes
I'm interested in sciences, Economics and politics. Would it be better to have an Economics and politics degree from Exeter, Southampton,leeds,Birmingham etc; or either a human sciences or population health degree from UCL.
I hope to one day work in banking in the city and on a recent internship at HSBC headquarters were were told the degree subject isn't that important, but that UCL is a target uni for many banks.
Any advice would be much appreciated. PS - I would enjoy either of the subjects.
I hope to one day work in banking in the city and on a recent internship at HSBC headquarters were were told the degree subject isn't that important, but that UCL is a target uni for many banks.
Any advice would be much appreciated. PS - I would enjoy either of the subjects.
How are Leeds, Birmingham, Exteter and Southampton okay unis? They're in the Russel group, they're highly acclaimed and advantageous to go to. Go for those unis with a good degree, rather than a soft degree from UCL.
Original post by WilJones138
A solid economics degree from Birmingham will make just as competitive as most degrees you could obtain from UCL. That being said it is a better uni and you could gain more connections through it however you have to understand there isnt much difference between the top 10/20 ish unis in the UK (bar LSE, Imperial and Oxbrdige), you could pick any 5 of those unis and walk into a banking job however you could pick UCL and struggle, all depends how you play it.
Employers and academics domestic and international actually rate UCL above LSE and Imperial.
http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
Employers and academics domestic and international actually rate UCL above LSE and Imperial.
http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016
http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016
Domestic rankings (CUG) rank UCL outside the UK top 10 however, so its all perspective but UCL does certainly rank equally to those two in terms of prestige yes. Would I turn down a place at Imperial or LSE for UCL? Nope. Maybe that's just me but Imperial is seen as a scientific powerhouse in my eyes and in terms of social sciences LSE is top dollar.
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
Employers and academics domestic and international actually rate UCL above LSE and Imperial.
http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016
http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016
Before anyone claims bias aswell I'm a chemical engineer at Edinburgh, I never applied to any London universities
Which unis are target unis? What is your source please?
Original post by WilJones138
Domestic rankings (CUG) rank UCL outside the UK top 10 however, so its all perspective but UCL does certainly rank equally to those two in terms of prestige yes. Would I turn down a place at Imperial or LSE for UCL? Nope. Maybe that's just me but Imperial is seen as a scientific powerhouse in my eyes and in terms of social sciences LSE is top dollar.
A weakness of CUG is a high weighting given to student satisfaction, which for some reason, UCL and King's have been historically poor in. I don't know why....
I think, if you had a specific type of degree you wanted to do, you'd go to either of those two, but overall, since UCL has breadth and quality, it can be argued to be a better faculty in general. It's certainly older than the other two, and has more academic prizes associated with it. I've applied to both Imperial and UCL, but it seems there's an unfair consensus, (to STEM heads anyway) that Imperial is vastly superior to UCL, and even LSE.
Edit: I should also add that UCL would make the top 10 in any real credible ranking system. CUG is the only one I've seen where it hasn't.
It ranks some strange universities very high up, like Lancaster - even Exeter is a bit too high for its own good.
(edited 7 years ago)
Everyone knows that A 2:2 from a University like Cambridge > A 1st from Warwick.
Get a solid 1st in economics from Birmingham and then do a masters in economics at UCL/LSE.
Politics is a rubbish degree, but the Economics is what people see so it won't be a problem.
But if you don't get into banking an Econ & Politics degree will help you far more than human science.
But if you don't get into banking an Econ & Politics degree will help you far more than human science.
The one thing I would say study what you enjoy, will do well in and are satisfied that it wipl meet the requirements of whatever you want to do in the future. Only if those things are satisfied should you think of applying for a softer degree to get into a good uni, if that is your plan and if that works.
Original post by cicilyvontes
I'm interested in sciences, Economics and politics. Would it be better to have an Economics and politics degree from Exeter, Southampton,leeds,Birmingham etc; or either a human sciences or population health degree from UCL.
I hope to one day work in banking in the city and on a recent internship at HSBC headquarters were were told the degree subject isn't that important, but that UCL is a target uni for many banks.
Any advice would be much appreciated. PS - I would enjoy either of the subjects.
I hope to one day work in banking in the city and on a recent internship at HSBC headquarters were were told the degree subject isn't that important, but that UCL is a target uni for many banks.
Any advice would be much appreciated. PS - I would enjoy either of the subjects.
I think you also need to consider that after 3 years of a degree you might end up not wanting to go into banking, all of those are good unis just pick whichever is your favourite and the subject you enjoy the most. If you say you have already done an internship at HSBC I'm sure you could get into banking from one of the other unis. Even if you went to a different uni than UCL you could do a masters at a target uni and get into banking from that?
Original post by 999tigger
Plus it gets you loads of hot girls.
Sarcasm?
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
A weakness of CUG is a high weighting given to student satisfaction, which for some reason, UCL and King's have been historically poor in. I don't know why....
I think, if you had a specific type of degree you wanted to do, you'd go to either of those two, but overall, since UCL has breadth and quality, it can be argued to be a better faculty in general. It's certainly older than the other two, and has more academic prizes associated with it. I've applied to both Imperial and UCL, but it seems there's an unfair consensus, (to STEM heads anyway) that Imperial is vastly superior to UCL, and even LSE.
Edit: I should also add that UCL would make the top 10 in any real credible ranking system. CUG is the only one I've seen where it hasn't.
It ranks some strange universities very high up, like Lancaster - even Exeter is a bit too high for its own good.
I think, if you had a specific type of degree you wanted to do, you'd go to either of those two, but overall, since UCL has breadth and quality, it can be argued to be a better faculty in general. It's certainly older than the other two, and has more academic prizes associated with it. I've applied to both Imperial and UCL, but it seems there's an unfair consensus, (to STEM heads anyway) that Imperial is vastly superior to UCL, and even LSE.
Edit: I should also add that UCL would make the top 10 in any real credible ranking system. CUG is the only one I've seen where it hasn't.
It ranks some strange universities very high up, like Lancaster - even Exeter is a bit too high for its own good.
Yeah I agree with the student satisfaction point.. being an Edinburgh student which should be a top 10 but student satisfaction pulls us down sadly
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