Most underrated and overrated universities

What university do you think doesn't get enough recognition or gets too much recognition? Why?

Personally, I think Keele University or the University of Keele as it should be known has excellent graduate prospects. The nightlife is good and most of its departments are so underrated, especially the International Relations department.

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Reply 1

bestofyou

Are you studying international relations at Keele?

Reply 2

cant_think_of_name

I always feel like Lancaster is a bit underrated. But then I am going there :tongue:

Reply 3

ColdWishes

Brunel is pretty overrated imo. I think its only like two places above Oxford Brookes in the league tables. (or alternatively Oxford Brookes is underrated)

Reply 4

Le Nombre

Well clearly Harvard's appalling, London Met deserves more credit for its outstanding research and teaching.

Overall I think there is sometimes too little credit given for high quality teaching even if the research isn't the same level, and vicea versa, UG teaching is still a big part of a uni's role even though it isn't its primary purpose.

Reply 5

johnfeb

No. I am in year 12. I am looking to study politics at university. I have been surfing universities that offer politics and I stumbled across Keele. A lot of people have told me good things about it.

Reply 6

Tom_green_day

I'm going to get shot down for this but Oxford. Hate to break it to you folks but just because you go to Oxford doesn't mean your course is the best. Good of course, but maybe not the best or most popular with employers.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 7

Chlorophile

Original post by Tom_green_day

I'm going to get shot down for this but Oxford. Hate to break it to you folks but just because you go to Oxford doesn't mean your course is the best. Good of course, but probably not the best or most popular with employers.

So that explains why Oxford was ranked number one in the world by QS in terms of "Best Universities according to Employers 2013/14"?

Reply 8

Tom_green_day

Original post by Chlorophile

So that explains why Oxford was ranked number one in the world by QS in terms of "Best Universities according to Employers 2013/14"?

Of course I'm talking about the exception, not the rule. Oxford is probably the best all-rounder and in general but for some specific courses, there are better places.

Reply 9

Are you Shaw?

London met is to university what media studies is to intelligence

Reply 10

username878045

Original post by Tom_green_day

Oxbridge in general are over-rated, especially on TSR. They're still undoubtedly the best universities in Britain, but TSR has a deeply unhealthy obsession with them.

Reply 11

TheBBQ

Original post by PythianLegume

Oxbridge in general are over-rated, especially on TSR. They're still undoubtedly the best universities in Britain, but TSR has a deeply unhealthy obsession with them.

Yeah, it is not like your life is over if you can't get into Oxbridge..

Reply 12

User1214833

Original post by PythianLegume

Oxbridge in general are over-rated, especially on TSR. They're still undoubtedly the best universities in Britain, but TSR has a deeply unhealthy obsession with them.

This forum doesn't reflect the real world in the slightest. People are far too swayed by a name and the reputation and they don't care about the reality.

Reply 13

Kylewalker346234

Underrated: The Uni I go to

Overrated: The Uni I didn't get into.

Reply 14

Caedus

Oxford, in particular, is most definitely under-rated on this thread.

Reply 15

Luke070

I think Surrey is underrated

Reply 16

Legendairy

underrated: nottingham trent
overrated: nottingham

Reply 17

Smack

Volunteer Team

There aren't really any overrated universities, only students who overrate themselves because they attend said university.

But in general I'd say that the most "overrated" universities are the ones that aren't Oxbridge or Imperial/LSE, but the next rung below it (I won't mention names in case anyone gets really butt-hurt, but anyone who has read TSR will recognise the ones I'm on about), as many students seem to think a degree from those universities is somehow placed in much higher esteem than degrees from other very strong universities like Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, etc.

I also think that London universities, generally, are slightly overrated, primarily due to the cultural and economic dominance of the UK that London now has.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 18

senz72

Manchester is overrated.

I got an offer, missed my offer though. :/

Reply 19

cambio wechsel

Underrated on here - non Russell Group universities which would be members of a Russell Group whose entrance criteria were scaled for size.
Overrated on here - Russell Group universities which would not.