KCL or QMUL for English?

Hey,

I've been deliberating for ages as to whether I should put Kings as my firm and Queen Mary as my insurance. I'm applying to do English Literature, and in London Queen Mary actually came above King's in the rankings last year, however only slightly.

I was completely torn between the two universities and also worried that I would not match Kings' offer in August. Kings offered me AAA and Queen Mary ABB.
I ended up putting Queen Mary as my firm and Kings as my insurance, aware that if I don't get into Queen Mary I don't get into Kings either.

However, after still debating I think I might have made the wrong decision and want to put King's as my firm and QM as my insurance, but I think it might be too late as it is mid- June now.

Any advice as to whether or not there is any point in still contacting the uni's?

Reply 1

Igor_Sukhorukov

Original post by LLL1

Hi!

Well, I am KCL student, so maybe I will be a bit prejudiced towards King's! :colondollar:

Talking seriously, your safe or insurance choice is meant to be the university that has an easier gaining. Why did you place King's, which is the harder option, as your second choice? As you said, if you won't get into Queen Mary you will not get into King's as well. For me it simply doesn't make sense!

Instead I would place King's as a first, Queen Mary as a second. If you will get enough grades for both, then you can select Quenn Mary, if you wish!

I think you can still contact unis, at least you are not loosing anything. Whether it will be successful or not is a different issue.

King's College London

London

Reply 2

LLL1

Original post by Igor_Sukhorukov

Hi!

Well, I am KCL student, so maybe I will be a bit prejudiced towards King's! :colondollar:

Hi, thanks for your response!

The reason I initally put Queen Mary as my insurance was because I was quite torn between the uni's (I'm very indecisive lol) and at the time leant more towards QM, and figured if I did get my firm choice I cannot then change to my insurance. However I now wish I had put KCL as my firm, so I will phone the uni's asap and see what they say. Like you said there's nothing to lose I guess!

Reply 3

Igor_Sukhorukov

Fair enough! Hopefully you will be able to switch them again! Haha. Look have you already figured out where to live in London during the university time?

Reply 4

LLL1

Original post by Igor_Sukhorukov

Fair enough! Hopefully you will be able to switch them again! Haha. Look have you already figured out where to live in London during the university time?

I hope so too! & I won't need to move out or anything as I already live in London, I have to take two trains to get to Kings, so luckily I don't have to deal with stresses of finding accommodation hahah

Reply 5

lisgo

Hi, I'm currently in the same situation as you, except I'm considering trying to get into KCL through adjustment. I live up North and therefore have to go down by car in two days as a last minute decision to make the campus tour and it's all very stressful for two very similar unis, and I honestly can't decipher which one is actually better for English. What makes you prefer King's?

Reply 6

LLL1

Original post by lisgo

Hey! it is a difficult decision, I was completely torn between the two uni's too! I think although Queen Mary came higher than King's in the rankings for English last year, the whole idea of Kings being such a good university with a great reputation, made me want to go there. However, I'm just looking to see what happens on results day now and where I end up! Both are so similar in terms of their research quality for English, so I guess doing the course at either uni would be a good experience

Reply 7

HAnwar

Why don't you wait till your results come out, and if you've done better than expected or achieved 3 A's, switch universities through adjustment?

Reply 8

lisgo

Original post by LLL1

the whole idea of Kings being such a good university with a great reputation, made me want to go there. Both are so similar in terms of their research quality for English, so I guess doing the course at either uni would be a good experience

I suppose I'm the same. I would be content at both tbh. One thing I'm concerned about is accommodation though, I really wouldn't like to be in central London and not in halls for my first year. I'm trying to call kings to ask about that, or whether they will give me some sort of idea of whether halls are available if I was to call up on results day but I can't get through