[phiddy23]

I have unconditional offers from both KCL and Bristol, War Studies (although I would switch to international politics in the first week if I can) at KCL and Politics at Bristol. Up until now I have been set on going to KCL, the entry requirements for my course were A*AA and I think it was a bit of an ego boost knowing that I had got onto that course and also I think I was focusing too much on the benefits of living in London over the costs.

Now I'm starting to think I would actually much rather be in Bristol - it's big enough that there is an awesome bustling atmosphere and good nightlife but it's also a student city and not too overwhelming. Lots of good student facilities and way cheaper than London, not to mention the halls are all WAY nicer. If I were living in London I'm sure it would be crazy and fun etc. but it's just not a student town, plus my sister-in-law made a good point today - she said in hindsight she would have chosen to go to uni in a town that she liked but wouldn't necessarily get a chance to live in otherwise. That's Bristol for me, whereas I know I will probably end up getting a job in London and moving there eventually.

I'm worried though because I worked so hard at A level to get A*AA, and I want that to mean something so it would be difficult to choose a course that I could have got onto even if I hadn't worked so hard, it's like I'm ahead in a race and choosing to study at Bristol would be like slowing to a dawdle for no reason. What would you do? I just think that if I go to KCL I will have a good chance at getting a job when I have finished, and not so much at Bristol. Plus the course that I would do at KCL is kinda unique whereas I'm sure there are thousands of people doing the same / similar course to the one at Bristol.

Am I being ridiculous? Would I look back in a few years and regret giving up the chance to study at KCL if I choose Bristol? Can anyone from either Bristol or KCL comment... ? At the end of the day it is down to my personal preference, but I need to know that my grades are being put to good use I suppose...

[tsveta]

Go to Bristol.

[JCC-MGS]

When I went to my KCL open day a couple weeks ago I ****ing hated the place, it's gloomy and depressing and has no atmosphere. But then if you asked someone who goes there, they'd probably say I have the wrong impression and that it's sick, so I guess you just have to consider whether you'd prefer risking a bad uni experience or worse graduate prospects. I doubt Bristol graduate prospects are much below anyway if they're below KCL's at all

[slizzie]

Keep in mind you might not be able to switch courses. I would email both the universities now and look into the possibilities of changing.

[lcsurfer]

There is not much difference between them both with regards to job prospects. Most employer will want to see experience and contacts in the industry as there are thousands of politics students... go where you think you'll be happy

[phiddy23]

(Original post by slizzie)
Keep in mind you might not be able to switch courses. I would email both the universities now and look into the possibilities of changing.

I already have, the guy pretty much said it would be fine, bearing in mind that I will do it straight away and there will be spaces considering not everyone with a conditional offer will get in, and others might want to switch etc.

[Aspiringlawstudent]

Go to KCL.

[phiddy23]

(Original post by slizzie)
Keep in mind you might not be able to switch courses. I would email both the universities now and look into the possibilities of changing.

Also my deadline for replying to the offers is June 7th rather than May 9th (because I had a late update to my UCAS), so I have until then to decide which is my firm choice (kinda irrelevant considering I have an unconditional offer but obviously it matters for accomodation etc.)

[phiddy23]

(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
Go to KCL.

Are you at KCL? Sell it to me please.

[Aspiringlawstudent]

(Original post by phiddy23)
Are you at KCL? Sell it to me please.

I'm not, so no-can-do I'm afraid.

The fact that it is in London alone should be enough of a reason when compared to it being in Bristol. The prospects are pretty much the same at either, so you might as well go to one that is in a nicer location.

[nellyg619]

im at kcl doing geography so you would be in same campus as me. Personally i dont find kcl goomy or depressing, honestly it will grow on you but Im slightly blinded because I love london, I think thats the key is if you love london then youll love kings. The more you put into kings the more you get out and its easy to get to know the other uni students aswell. As for the money issue, i think its overexaggerated, if ur smart with your money you will be fine and there's something for everyone in london, just look in the right places.

[phiddy23]

(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I'm not, so no-can-do I'm afraid.

The fact that it is in London alone should be enough of a reason when compared to it being in Bristol. The prospects are pretty much the same at either, so you might as well go to one that is in a nicer location.

That's just your opinion though really. I'm going to go and visit them both in the same week so I can compare them directly, London might be more beautiful and famous etc. but it is also full of tourists and I know I'm going to end up living there some day anyway. Bristol attracts me because there is so much to do there and it is so much more student friendly. London is awesome but it's a bit more spread out plus it's so expensive, basically the quality of life there would probably not be the same as in Bristol. But I can't really know that for sure until I'm actually there. I just like the idea of (for example) stoke bishop in Bristol where there are loads of student halls close to each other, like a massive student village, whereas the KCL halls are all on their own and spread apart.

[phiddy23]

(Original post by nellyg619)
im at kcl doing geography so you would be in same campus as me. Personally i dont find kcl goomy or depressing, honestly it will grow on you but Im slightly blinded because I love london, I think thats the key is if you love london then youll love kings. The more you put into kings the more you get out and its easy to get to know the other uni students aswell. As for the money issue, i think its overexaggerated, if ur smart with your money you will be fine and there's something for everyone in london, just look in the right places.

Good points, and up until a while ago I was really set on going to London because I do really love it there, I love the atmosphere, but I think I would also love Bristol.

[MartinKellyisagod]

If you see London as a future option, I'd say go now to get an early impression of the place! I initially thought I wanted to work in London but the congested atmosphere and stress of the tube along with high living expenses has put me off it to an extent; although London's incredible to live in in terms of the diversity of things to do and see, it's a fun place to be a student.
But ultimately it's down to personal preference

[a.partridge]

(Original post by phiddy23)
I have unconditional offers from both KCL and Bristol, War Studies (although I would switch to international politics in the first week if I can) at KCL and Politics at Bristol. Up until now I have been set on going to KCL, the entry requirements for my course were A*AA and I think it was a bit of an ego boost knowing that I had got onto that course and also I think I was focusing too much on the benefits of living in London over the costs.

Now I'm starting to think I would actually much rather be in Bristol - it's big enough that there is an awesome bustling atmosphere and good nightlife but it's also a student city and not too overwhelming. Lots of good student facilities and way cheaper than London, not to mention the halls are all WAY nicer. If I were living in London I'm sure it would be crazy and fun etc. but it's just not a student town, plus my sister-in-law made a good point today - she said in hindsight she would have chosen to go to uni in a town that she liked but wouldn't necessarily get a chance to live in otherwise. That's Bristol for me, whereas I know I will probably end up getting a job in London and moving there eventually.

I'm worried though because I worked so hard at A level to get A*AA, and I want that to mean something so it would be difficult to choose a course that I could have got onto even if I hadn't worked so hard, it's like I'm ahead in a race and choosing to study at Bristol would be like slowing to a dawdle for no reason. What would you do? I just think that if I go to KCL I will have a good chance at getting a job when I have finished, and not so much at Bristol. Plus the course that I would do at KCL is kinda unique whereas I'm sure there are thousands of people doing the same / similar course to the one at Bristol.

Am I being ridiculous? Would I look back in a few years and regret giving up the chance to study at KCL if I choose Bristol? Can anyone from either Bristol or KCL comment... ? At the end of the day it is down to my personal preference, but I need to know that my grades are being put to good use I suppose...

I don't think KCL is any harder or any more prestigious to get into, in fact I would suggest the inverse on average.. Nobody knows the exact entry requirements of your course when you apply for a job. I have a close friend doing humanities at kings and I to Bristol... I'm 4 grades at A level above him and wouldn't want to swap graduate prospects. Being a student in london is not the same as having a day trip either!

If it was LSE this might be a valid thing to worry about but KCL... no I dont think so!

[phiddy23]

I think the congestion / stress is kinda what puts me off living there as a student. Plus it's not necessarily that I want to live in London it's more that I see it as inevitable that I will move there eventually. Sorry I'm being really argumentative, there's some really good points here and it's really helping, am I right in thinking the general consensus is that a degree from KCL isn't necessarily worth more than a degree from Bristol?

[a.partridge]

(Original post by phiddy23)
I think the congestion / stress is kinda what puts me off living there as a student. Plus it's not necessarily that I want to live in London it's more that I see it as inevitable that I will move there eventually. Sorry I'm being really argumentative, there's some really good points here and it's really helping, am I right in thinking the general consensus is that a degree from KCL isn't necessarily worth more than a degree from Bristol?

To me kings sounds a lot like 'didnt get into UCL LSE Imperial'

there are people at bristol who did get in to LSE, UCL, Imperial but don't like the idea of living in the city



yeah loads of negative but no actual replies, you might not like it but i'm not saying anything that isn't generally true.

[hannaaahlima]

Go to Bristol! KCL is not that good anymore

edit: what are the negs about? it's true! deal with it.

[scribble_girl]

I'm at a loss as to how you're saying that Bristol would be 'slowing' your learning pace. Bristol's an amazing uni. The fact they haven't asked you for such a high offer isn't necessarily indicative of a lower standard - in fact, given that it's the most applied to uni in the country*, it's most likely just because they really want you.

I did Politics at Bristol (graduated in 2010) and I honestly wouldn't have swapped it for the world. I graduated straight into a job with a very decent salary, and many of my contemporaries are in the same boat - the graduate prospects are excellent and the degree standard is very high.


*Edit: Before people start throwing stats at me this was true in my year, but may have since changed!

[BackDoorEntry]

(Original post by phiddy23)
That's just your opinion though really. I'm going to go and visit them both in the same week so I can compare them directly, London might be more beautiful and famous etc. but it is also full of tourists and I know I'm going to end up living there some day anyway. Bristol attracts me because there is so much to do there and it is so much more student friendly. London is awesome but it's a bit more spread out plus it's so expensive, basically the quality of life there would probably not be the same as in Bristol. But I can't really know that for sure until I'm actually there. I just like the idea of (for example) stoke bishop in Bristol where there are loads of student halls close to each other, like a massive student village, whereas the KCL halls are all on their own and spread apart.

I live in London and go to uni in bristol so I can maybe chuck a few points your way?

London:

• Constantly packed full of people,
• socialising is for the most part is kept within the campuses,
• very expensive to live there,
• good attractions for tourism,
• kings college is a good uni (I'm not sure about for war studies),
• the university seems very dull and uncharacteristic.
• Most importantly London IS NOT a student city, its just full of people from all walks of life.

Bristol:

• stoke bishop and is such a contrast from London.. its green and quiet (except when it comes to going on nights out ) and the area is VERY affluent,
• bristol as a city has its attractions but it isn't rammed full of people and pollution,
• the university is spread over quite a big area... so are the halls,
• mainly students in the city (where the uni is)... but as you go out of the centre there are native bristol people,
• the uni though is full of posh/rich students some of which come across as *****.
• MY GOD THE HILLS ARE HUGE HERE.

As for 'employability', an email was sent round recently detailing companies who reach out to bristol graduates for employment: LIST OF EMPLOYERS.. Bristol has some of the best graduate prospects in the country... though I'm sure Kings college does too.

I declined kings college and went for bristol as I knew studying in London would never be a good experience for me, and I have not looked back since.