Is the prestige of Bristol underrated compared to other Oxbridge alternatives?
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Original post by NikolaT
Yes, you're right. Rating the prestige of a university and its entry tariff based on the architectural design of its buildings, on the other hand, isn't silly at all. Good call.
Prestige can be tied in with the beauty of a university. Many of the leading universities have prestigious buildings, something which top students value.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Novelist
I am blown away by the beauty of Bristol's university buildings. They have such amazing architecture, and on such a scale, that even Oxbridge would be proud of. Why don't people on TSR rate Bristol better than Durham, in light of this?
Ok, I'm happy to take your word for it that Uni of Bristol has nice architecture. But why worry about what everyone else thinks about it? It seems even more of an inconsequential issue if you're already studying at (another) university.
Original post by Novelist
Prestige can be tied in with the beauty of a university. Many of the leading universities have prestiious buildings, something which top students value.
It's nowhere near as important as you think. At best, beauty confirms for a student that a place is for them (I am one of those people). At worst, not looking good is one of the reasons they choose not to go somewhere.
RHUL, QUB, Keele, and I'm sure many other universities have beautiful campuses, equalling or sometimes surpassing the likes of Bristol, Nottingham, Durham or Oxbridge. But they don't surpass them in many other factors which are infinitely more important to students - for example, how likely you are to get a job afterwards.
Similarly, Bath doesn't look visually appealing at all. And yet, it's still a top university, and people will continue to apply there and launch successful careers from there, as it's consistently rated in the top few for employability and graduate salaries.
Original post by Novelist
Did the students seem cool? I wasn't all that impressed with the students I saw at UCL and Imperial, kind of nerdy.
All the students seemed really cool! All of them at Bristol were genuinely nice people and very honest about each course when enquiring
Posted from TSR Mobile
The John Brookes Building in the Oxford Brookes Headington Campus is probably without doubt by far the nicest building in Oxford.
Much nicer than all the buildings owned by Oxford uni. However this doesn't decisively imply Oxford Brooke's is better than Oxford
http://lcoweek.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/JHB-energy-tours.jpg
Much nicer than all the buildings owned by Oxford uni. However this doesn't decisively imply Oxford Brooke's is better than Oxford
http://lcoweek.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/JHB-energy-tours.jpg
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by NikolaT
It's nowhere near as important as you think. At best, beauty confirms for a student that a place is for them (I am one of those people). At worst, not looking good is one of the reasons they choose not to go somewhere.
RHUL, QUB, Keele, and I'm sure many other universities have beautiful campuses, equalling or sometimes surpassing the likes of Bristol, Nottingham, Durham or Oxbridge. But they don't surpass them in many other factors which are infinitely more important to students - for example, how likely you are to get a job afterwards.
Similarly, Bath doesn't look visually appealing at all. And yet, it's still a top university, and people will continue to apply there and launch successful careers from there, as it's consistently rated in the top few for employability and graduate salaries.
RHUL, QUB, Keele, and I'm sure many other universities have beautiful campuses, equalling or sometimes surpassing the likes of Bristol, Nottingham, Durham or Oxbridge. But they don't surpass them in many other factors which are infinitely more important to students - for example, how likely you are to get a job afterwards.
Similarly, Bath doesn't look visually appealing at all. And yet, it's still a top university, and people will continue to apply there and launch successful careers from there, as it's consistently rated in the top few for employability and graduate salaries.
Not sure about QUB, but there is no way that RHUL and Keele can be placed in the same league as Bristol or Nottingham of Durham for the prestige of the campuses. RHUL has the magnificent Founder's building, but nothing else. Keele's campus doesn't have buildings of great scale to even discuss. And Bath is a smaller specialist university, with far less private school intake than Bristol.
Original post by NikolaT
It's nowhere near as important as you think. At best, beauty confirms for a student that a place is for them (I am one of those people). At worst, not looking good is one of the reasons they choose not to go somewhere.
RHUL, QUB, Keele, and I'm sure many other universities have beautiful campuses, equalling or sometimes surpassing the likes of Bristol, Nottingham, Durham or Oxbridge. But they don't surpass them in many other factors which are infinitely more important to students - for example, how likely you are to get a job afterwards.
Similarly, Bath doesn't look visually appealing at all. And yet, it's still a top university, and people will continue to apply there and launch successful careers from there, as it's consistently rated in the top few for employability and graduate salaries.
RHUL, QUB, Keele, and I'm sure many other universities have beautiful campuses, equalling or sometimes surpassing the likes of Bristol, Nottingham, Durham or Oxbridge. But they don't surpass them in many other factors which are infinitely more important to students - for example, how likely you are to get a job afterwards.
Similarly, Bath doesn't look visually appealing at all. And yet, it's still a top university, and people will continue to apply there and launch successful careers from there, as it's consistently rated in the top few for employability and graduate salaries.
other than being rather green and maybe 1 old building what do you like about the look of Keele? I toured it and it just seemed so mirerable to me, whereas when I went to Kent I thought even with a lot of horrible 60's architecture it still had a look I liked. Also QUB only have one extremely good looking building. All of this is in my opinion , just curious what you like about them.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Little Toy Gun
indeed because in reality ppl only care about oxbridge
Only on TSR.
Original post by Penguinfarts
other than being rather green and maybe 1 old building what do you like about the look of Keele? I toured it and it just seemed so mirerable to me, whereas when I went to Kent I thought even with a lot of horrible 60's architecture it still had a look I liked. Also QUB only have one extremely good looking building. All of this is in my opinion , just curious what you like about them.
I might add that RHUL's main building looks very grand in the pictures, but close up it looks worn and faded in colour.
Edit: QUB's main building is jaw dropping, something to match Bristol. But Bristol has several such buildings, if not on that scale.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Plagioclase
Only on TSR.
not really
Original post by Little Toy Gun
not really
TSR is literally the only place in the universe where people will try to tell you that your life is over if you don't get into Oxbridge, it's pretty pathetic to be honest (and completely and utterly wrong).
Original post by Plagioclase
TSR is literally the only place in the universe where people will try to tell you that your life is over if you don't get into Oxbridge, it's pretty pathetic to be honest (and completely and utterly wrong).
You're twisting my words. TSR is clear not the only place where Oxbridge culturally dominate. Mum said she wouldn't fund me if I weren't going to Oxbridge.
Original post by Little Toy Gun
You're twisting my words. TSR is clear not the only place where Oxbridge culturally dominate. Mum said she wouldn't fund me if I weren't going to Oxbridge.
You didn't say "Oxbridge culturally dominate", you said "people only care about Oxbridge". Those are two very different things. And I'm very sorry that your parents have such an elitist and narrow-minded attitude, but that really isn't the norm.
Original post by Plagioclase
You didn't say "Oxbridge culturally dominate", you said "people only care about Oxbridge". Those are two very different things. And I'm very sorry that your parents have such an elitist and narrow-minded attitude, but that really isn't the norm.
Such a hypocrite. You think 'people only care about Oxbridge' = me saying your life is over if you don't go to Oxbridge, yet you are saying I've changed what i meant?
If people generally care about something, that thing is culturally relevant. If people care ONLY about something, that thing is culturally dominant. I hope this clears things up for you.
If you can't see how Oxbridge are culturally relevant in the society, you're either in denial or really not observant. When was the last time Bristol University got a hit TV series with two spin offs? When was the last time Durham was shown in a Hollywood blockbuster? If you are still in denial, check the Google search interests, check the Facebook likes, or look all over the world for cram schools selling their UCL tutors.
Original post by Plagioclase
TSR is literally the only place in the universe where people will try to tell you that your life is over if you don't get into Oxbridge, it's pretty pathetic to be honest (and completely and utterly wrong).
No, no, Little Toy Gun is entirely correct. If you successfully graduate from Oxbridge, you live a gilt-edged existence from then on. You automatically get priority over everyone (other than your fellow Oxbridge grads) when you apply for a job; people, particularly your workmates who didn't go there, will fawn over you because you went to such a prestigious university; you won't have to work as hard on the job as others who didn't go there, since you've already proven yourself to be special and they haven't; and by default you'll get better promotions and pay raises than others.
(FYI, pay raises actually work on a sliding scale - if you go to somewhere outside the top 20 ranked unis, you'll be lucky to get a pay rise once every five years, whereas if you go to Durham or Warwick, you'll get one much more frequently, but less often than an Oxbridge graduate - unless you got a First from Durham or Warwick and only a 2.2 from Oxbridge, in which case I believe there's usually a panel of senior managers who decide the issue. I know that each year at the CBI AGM there's a vigorous debate about what the order of precedence should be for their pay scales for their non-Oxbridge grad employees - should it be Durham-Warwick-Exeter-Bath? The reverse order? Warwick first? If someone then queries where LSE and St. Andrews grads come into the picture, temperatures can really rise and it's not long before senior execs are flinging buttered scones and frosted cupcakes at each other. Pity the poor staff at that particular Holiday Inn who end up cleaning that mess!)
Original post by Little Toy Gun
Such a hypocrite. You think 'people only care about Oxbridge' = me saying your life is over if you don't go to Oxbridge, yet you are saying I've changed what i meant?
If people generally care about something, that thing is culturally relevant. If people care ONLY about something, that thing is culturally dominant. I hope this clears things up for you.
If you can't see how Oxbridge are culturally relevant in the society, you're either in denial or really not observant. When was the last time Bristol University got a hit TV series with two spin offs? When was the last time Durham was shown in a Hollywood blockbuster? If you are still in denial, check the Google search interests, check the Facebook likes, or look all over the world for cram schools selling their UCL tutors.
If people generally care about something, that thing is culturally relevant. If people care ONLY about something, that thing is culturally dominant. I hope this clears things up for you.
If you can't see how Oxbridge are culturally relevant in the society, you're either in denial or really not observant. When was the last time Bristol University got a hit TV series with two spin offs? When was the last time Durham was shown in a Hollywood blockbuster? If you are still in denial, check the Google search interests, check the Facebook likes, or look all over the world for cram schools selling their UCL tutors.
Are you trying to wind me up? Firstly, I'm not entirely sure what language you speak where "dominant" meant "the one and only thing that matters in the world" but it certainly isn't English. Oxford and Cambridge get more attention than any other university in the media but does that mean every other university is irrelevant? Of course not, that's absolutely insane. Even if you're snobbish enough to dismiss the majority of universities, plenty of other places pump out Oxbridge-calibre research like Imperial or UCL.
This may surprise you, but most people don't use "how often does my university appear in popular culture?" as a metric of their life chances.
Original post by Plagioclase
Are you trying to wind me up? Firstly, I'm not entirely sure what language you speak where "dominant" meant "the one and only thing that matters in the world" but it certainly isn't English. Oxford and Cambridge get more attention than any other university in the media but does that mean every other university is irrelevant? Of course not, that's absolutely insane. Even if you're snobbish enough to dismiss the majority of universities, plenty of other places pump out Oxbridge-calibre research like Imperial or UCL.
This may surprise you, but most people don't use "how often does my university appear in popular culture?" as a metric of their life chances.
This may surprise you, but most people don't use "how often does my university appear in popular culture?" as a metric of their life chances.
Once again you're twisting my words and diverting the topic. I've never mentioned anything about life success. The only person who brought that up was you.
I didn't say it's the only thing that 'matters'. I said it's the only thing that they care about. People care about Taylor Swift, but does this mean Kelly Clarkson is broke? That's your argument. The reality is that most people don't care about universities, and most of them have never heard of the majority of them, but everyone has heard of Oxbridge, and most people would be interested in a piece of news about them.
This thread talks about prestige. You kept going on about success. That's off topic. Being a part of the royal family is prestige, but there are many who are more successful than they are. They are two different things.
Original post by Little Toy Gun
Once again you're twisting my words and diverting the topic. I've never mentioned anything about life success. The only person who brought that up was you.
I didn't say it's the only thing that 'matters'. I said it's the only thing that they care about. People care about Taylor Swift, but does this mean Kelly Clarkson is broke? That's your argument. The reality is that most people don't care about universities, and most of them have never heard of the majority of them, but everyone has heard of Oxbridge, and most people would be interested in a piece of news about them.
This thread talks about prestige. You kept going on about success. That's off topic. Being a part of the royal family is prestige, but there are many who are more successful than they are. They are two different things.
I didn't say it's the only thing that 'matters'. I said it's the only thing that they care about. People care about Taylor Swift, but does this mean Kelly Clarkson is broke? That's your argument. The reality is that most people don't care about universities, and most of them have never heard of the majority of them, but everyone has heard of Oxbridge, and most people would be interested in a piece of news about them.
This thread talks about prestige. You kept going on about success. That's off topic. Being a part of the royal family is prestige, but there are many who are more successful than they are. They are two different things.
Are you sure you have a place at Oxbridge? You're not just blagging? Your inability to understand how your words are interpreted, your fallacious arguments, your irrelevant analogies, and, as highlighted above, your saying the same thing twice (in slightly different words) and then arguing that you haven't said the same thing twice, all indicate that you haven't really got an Oxbridge-calibre mind.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by jimmy_looks_2ice
Are you sure you have a place at Oxbridge? You're not just blagging? Your inability to understand how your words are interpreted, your fallacious arguments, your irrelevant analogies, and, as highlighted above, your saying the same thing twice (in slightly different words) and then arguing that you haven't said the same thing twice, all indicate that you haven't really got an Oxbridge-calibre mind.
Are you sure you have the ability to engage in a debate? I can only see personal insults here. You proposed no actual arguments and explained nothing.
How does 'people only care about Oxbridge' lead to 'your life is over if you don't get into Oxbridge', exactly? One is about people's perception, one concerns the reality. I hope you at least have the ability to understand this.
I was talking about cultural relevance/dominance, so what's wrong referencing popular culture? The analogy was very reflective: News coverage of pop stars concern cultural relevance (what people care about), whilst whether or not one is broke concerns life success (what the other poster kept going on about).
Oh and, not only do I have a place, but I'm graduating. So you can stay pressed.
(edited 8 years ago)
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