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The bumper thread of University League Tables discussion - includes an info post

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Original post by LutherVan
Domestically, they are all in the same bracket. That is the bracket behind the G5, maybe even only behind the Top 4 (i.e. G5 minus UCL).


No they're not. I don't know anyone who would seriously consider going to those uni instead of UCL if they had the choice.

That's just typical TSR speculation. When people actually have to make the final choice on UCAS, they suddenly get real.

Besides there's a reason why the group is called the G5 and not the G4 and I doubt you're better informed than the people who coined the term.
Original post by Frenchous
No they're not. I don't know anyone who would seriously consider going to those uni instead of UCL if they had the choice.

That's just typical TSR speculation. When people actually have to make the final choice on UCAS, they suddenly get real.

Besides there's a reason why the group is called the G5 and not the G4 and I doubt you're better informed than the people who coined the term.


You are right but that opinion is based on the decision of uninformed youths worshipping league tables.

In the real world, among people that hire, there is hardly any difference between UCL and Edinburgh, King's College London, Durham, St Andrews, Bath, Warwick and other top unis.

That might be changing as the international league table become more prominent, UCL continue to maintain high positions and the table-worshipping youths grow older.

The group is called G5 only in some certain newspapers. That term has had no relevance in industry and job applications so far. Just like the Golden Triangle doesn't.

In industry, it is one of the following:

- Oxbridge
- Oxbridge and LSE
- Oxbridge, LSE and Imperial
- Redbrick

Only exceptions are:

In IB we have recently seen:
- Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, UCL and Warwick.

In Healthcare:
- Oxbridge, Imperial, UCL and KCL

In Law, in the UK, the Law firms have made good strides to eliminate elitism but internationally, it is marginally:
- Oxbridge, LSE, UCL and KCL

There is nothing like G5 advantage in industry.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by LutherVan


In industry, it is one of the following:

- Oxbridge
- Oxbridge and LSE Imperial
- Oxbridge, LSE and Imperial
- Redbrick



Explanation: The spectrum of jobs accessible with Imperial is larger
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Theophile
Explanation: The spectrum of jobs accessible with Imperial is larger


I am not interested in spectrum of jobs accessible, otherwise Manchester would be far up there.

I am giving you the traditional elitist restrictions placed on some desirable job adverts. It is normally "Only Oxbridge + LSE graduate applicants will be considered" being the 2nd smallest grouping after Oxbridge only. I am yet to see Oxbridge + Imperial where LSE is excluded.

There is Oxbridge, LSE and Imperial only elitism. I am yet to see any saying G5. Anytime UCL is listed in some elite list, some other non-G5 top uni is also listed.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by LutherVan
x


For recruiting there isn't a big difference in the UK bar some sectors (as you said) which are more elitists. However UCL's international reputation is clearly better. But let's just leave the recruiting issue aside because that's not what the G5 is about.

What makes UCL different is research. And for that matter there's a big gap between UCL and the other mentioned unis. Also, UCL has more political clout due to higher budget and greater international reputation. When the prime minister goes to the middle east to get funding for universities he takes the G5 with him.
League tables don't mean much. Employers know where's good, realistically you're looking at; Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, Durham, Warwick, Manchester, Bristol, UCL, Lancaster, St Andrews there are a few more. They won't look at the league tables to know or care if you've just dropped 2 places in the Guardian. And like others have said some will only look at Oxbridge, or G5.
Original post by Frenchous
For recruiting there isn't a big difference in the UK bar some sectors (as you said) which are more elitists. However UCL's international reputation is clearly better. But let's just leave the recruiting issue aside because that's not what the G5 is about.

What makes UCL different is research. And for that matter there's a big gap between UCL and the other mentioned unis. Also, UCL has more political clout due to higher budget and greater international reputation. When the prime minister goes to the middle east to get funding for universities he takes the G5 with him.


Off course UCL's international reputation is better.

But internationally, I would just still say UCL's reputation is still a bridge between the Top 3 and Edinburgh, KCL, Manchester and Bristol.

Oxbridge have the best international reputation, followed by LSE. Imperial is in the same bridge area as UCL.
Remember when UCL was supposedly the 4th best university in the world?
That alone should tell you everything you need to know about the QS world university rankings.
It's total garbage and an insult to the intelligence.
UCL, some average UK university; better than the likes of MIT, Princeton, Oxford, Imperial college, Caltech, Columbia... etc? Don't make me laugh.
Then you have other anomalies like McGill ranking higher than both Toronto and UBC.
They should just give up and throw it all into the fire.
(edited 12 years ago)
Only if it places their university in a good light.
Reply 2189
Avatar for Sharri5
Sharri5
I don't take any rankings seriously. Western unis are probably all overrated, but american unis are most def better than UK ones. Fact :colonhash:
Only rich people would as they are the only ones who can afford to go abroad, otherwise its Oxbridge only. That's not to say, however, once we graduate, we cannot return to uni in say 20 years time and graduate either in Yale or Tokyo for example.
Original post by Onewingedangel
UCL, some average UK university
No.
the QS world university rankings is not reliable at all. Oxbridge were included in a list of the best universities for accounting and finance.... they don't offer accounting and finance -_-
Original post by Sharri5
I don't take any rankings seriously. Western unis are probably all overrated, but american unis are most def better than UK ones. Fact :colonhash:


Certainly for Undergraduate level, UK universities are renowned around the world as being leaders in this field. Perhaps for postgraduate, the US certainly leads the way however.

Britain does well when you consider the billions American universities receive.
Original post by whyumadtho
No.


How no?
The only UK universities that have international renown are Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial college.
Nobody outside the UK recognizes UCL.
Original post by Onewingedangel
How no?
The only UK universities that have international renown are Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial college.
Nobody outside the UK recognizes UCL.


If you had said just Oxford and Cambridge, I would thought.. you're entitled to your opinion, but to include LSE and Imperial, but not UCL is absurd.
Original post by Onewingedangel
How no?
The only UK universities that have international renown are Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial college.
Nobody outside the UK recognizes UCL.


I thought outside the UK people just called it 'London'
Original post by No Future
I thought outside the UK people just called it 'London'


I'm sure that many abroad simply know the London universities as University of London, or am I wrong?
Original post by Tsunami2011
If you had said just Oxford and Cambridge, I would thought.. you're entitled to your opinion, but to include LSE and Imperial, but not UCL is absurd.


I'm a Brit who's lived abroad all my life, and in the US, nobody has ever heard of UCL. Ever. Most think I'm talking about UCLA. They have heard about Imperial college and LSE though.
UCL just doesn't stand out in any way. It has a boring name and it's a general university similar to oxbridge, but its reputation is miles below. Hence it has no distinguishing aspects. Imperial and LSE can compete with oxbridge in their respective areas of expertise. UCL cannot compete with oxbridge or lse or imperial.
Do you think one would rather do economics at UCL than LSE?
That one would do mech engineering at UCL than Imperial?
UCL is just an average university.
Original post by Onewingedangel
I'm a Brit who's lived abroad all my life, and in the US, nobody has ever heard of UCL. Ever. Most think I'm talking about UCLA. They have heard about Imperial college and LSE though.
UCL just doesn't stand out in any way. It has a boring name and it's a general university similar to oxbridge, but its reputation is miles below. Hence it has no distinguishing aspects. Imperial and LSE can compete with oxbridge in their respective areas of expertise. UCL cannot compete with oxbridge or lse or imperial.
Do you think one would rather do economics at UCL than LSE?
That one would do mech engineering at UCL than Imperial?
UCL is just an average university.


I agree that it may not be as known as either LSE or Imperial, but UCL isn't an average university in comparison to the universities on offer in the UK or even the world. What if you want to study History? or English? LSE and Imperial offers a narrow amount of subjects, so UCL is a popular destination for students who want to be in London.

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