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Should the ranking of a university in The Times etc have an impact upon your choice?

university ranking is not totally bs as most ppl claim.

but i woud say this
the top 10 universities belong to just that - top 10, but the sequence might be rather debatable.
same goes for 10-20
20-30

is uea and york in the same group of 10?
if they are then theres not much of a diff go to where you prefer

Reply 21

rottcodd

3

yonanz

if they are then theres not much of a diff go to where you prefer

So if there was much of a difference, you reckon she should spend three years of her life studying at the institution she least prefers?

Reply 22

readjono

5

I think the lifestyle is more what it's all about, and so if you think the UEA is better, you should go with it. I personally love the UEA campus (there's loads of live gigs there) and through visiting there regularly I have decided it's where I want to be.

Reply 23

RosiePosiePuddingAndPie

12

stolenstars

Personally, I have lived in York AND Ipswich, and don't be surprised that there won't be quite so much to do outside of campus at UEA.

Ipswich is in Suffolk.
UEA is just outside of Norwich, in Norfolk. And Norwich is meant to have a really good student vibe, and is meant to be great for nights out and stuff if that's what you're into.

OP, I personally would choose UEA (in fact, I've applied there :p:

) because I fell in love with the campus! It felt really cool when I visited, and I could proper imagine myself living there. Plus they're 21 (I think! It's 21 +/-1 anyway! :redface:

) in the league table, so they're still a really good, respectable uni.

Really, it's up to you to think of when you've been to visit (if you have) and which one you clicked with better. Which one can you picture yourself living at for the next 3 years?

Reply 24

Queen Alice

10

RosiePosiePuddingAndPie

Ipswich is in Suffolk.
UEA is just outside of Norwich, in Norfolk. And Norwich is meant to have a really good student vibe, and is meant to be great for nights out and stuff if that's what you're into.

OP, I personally would choose UEA (in fact, I've applied there :p:

) because I fell in love with the campus! It felt really cool when I visited, and I could proper imagine myself living there. Plus they're 21 (I think! It's 21 +/-1 anyway! :redface:

) in the league table, so they're still a really good, respectable uni.

Really, it's up to you to think of when you've been to visit (if you have) and which one you clicked with better. Which one can you picture yourself living at for the next 3 years?

I see.. Its just they keep coming to our school and talking about the new campus in the Waterfront area of Ipswich, and I was stupid and thought it had been built already, and that it was the only part of the university :s-smilie:

Meh.. Norwich is alright I guess. Better than Ipswich anyway! :p:

Reply 25

Queen Alice

10

On the Guardian website, York has 9th best bio dept, UEA is 16.
Overall, York is 15, UEA is 46...

On the Times website, York has 9th best bio dept, UEA has 26th.
York is 16 overall , UEA is 20...

Thought you might like all the figures if you don't know them.

York has the York dungeons you know... they are really cool :smile:

Reply 26

RosiePosiePuddingAndPie

12

stolenstars

I see.. Its just they keep coming to our school and talking about the new campus in the Waterfront area of Ipswich, and I was stupid and thought it had been built already, and that it was the only part of the university :s-smilie:

Meh.. Norwich is alright I guess. Better than Ipswich anyway! :p:

lol that would explain it! :p:

I didn't even know they plan to expand (or have already expanded..?) lol..

Reply 27

bluejoe

I live in Norwich and it's a really nice place, the UEA campus is cool, and there is a really good vibe there. York's a nice place too though, and it is a better university. I think you'll be happy if you go to either, Norwich is probably the livelier of the two places, with a bit more to do, although you'll be further from the city centre.

Reply 28

this.river.is.wild

OP

Thanks for the advice coming through its all good. I think that due to the small amount of difference between the two unis, in the long run i will probably regret not applying to the uni i feel is best for me!

Just to comment on the post;

rottcodd

So if there was much of a difference, you reckon she should spend three years of her life studying at the institution she least prefers?

I am in fact male, just to clear that up! lol
:biggrin:

Reply 29

Admonitor

11

Visit both, see which one you like. I'd say there's not a tremendous amount of difference in quality of teaching and the degree you'll receive in the end - they're both good universities. This is a case where the academics are similar, so deciding on the other factors, the more personal ones, is vital. I've heard good things about both universities (not just academically) and people I know who go to both love both.

Reply 30

rottcodd

3

this.river.is.wild

I am in fact male, just to clear that up! lol
:biggrin:

apoogies

My friend is studying cell biology so I automatically assume that anyone else studying cell biology must be the same gender as herself!

Reply 31

*pitseleh*

20

Hm.. the Times ranking played a fairly big part when I was making my original five choices - I went for four 'Top 10' universities, and also Cardiff (which is ranked within the top 30). One reason I considered it so seriously was that, to future employers, my CV may stand out more if it had a more prestigious university on it; some other considerations were the quality of teaching, my feelings towards the location and (obviously) how good the university was for my particular course.

However, once the original decisions were out of the way, the ranking didn't dictate my order of preference (which was, IIRC: Oxford, Durham, Cardiff, Bristol, Warwick).

I think it can be helpful, but ultimately it should be your own individual preference that you consider most when making your final decision. No point in accepting the more prestigious university if you're going to wish you'd gone to the other one - however, I'd say if they were neck-and-neck in your mind, I'd opt for the higher-ranking one. :smile:

Reply 32

affinity89

17

I think generally, the university rankings should be treated with caution.

I looked at various tables and found universities ranked in positions varying by around 10/20 places. For example, on The Sunday Times List, Lancaster is listed around the 16 mark, whereas on the Good University Guide it is in the late 20s. It makes you wonder how it is accessed so differently when they are looking at the same institution at the same time.

At the end of the day, I believe employers and post graduate admissions tutors are more interested in the topics you studied and the grade of your degree, first or 2.1 etc, than where you did it. Of course, there are exceptions, when some universities are ranked higher than others in the public perception. Interestingly, Durham (where I am) used to be considered as one of the top universities. Of course, it is. But, on the rankings, I have seen it be placed around 11, instead of 3/4 which some people imagine it must be.

As I told a friend, you will receive little comfort from the fact you are going to a 'top-class' university if you hate your course, hate the campus / facilities, are too close/far from home etc etc. Ultimately, if you are not enjoying it, you are likely to underachieve. Thus, surely it is better to be at the university that is right for you than one you think you should go to because of the views of the Times?

UEA is a good university - no one can doubt that. York I agree is currently viewed as "better". But, who is to say what public opinion will be like in 10 years time when you are seeking out your dream job? Universities are moving around in the League's all the time and UEA is on the rise, just like Lancaster. Go with what is best for you personaly.

You could weigh it up - a table of pros and cons for both and see which comes out best. Or, you could just go with your gut. Either way, only you know where is right for you. Good luck!

Reply 33

dogsbody

I'd agree with affinity89. My uni, Portsmouth, is rated highly in that list, but we have an excellent Astrophysics, Engineering, Sports Science departments and Business School - not defined by me, but by the governmental body set up to assess these things

A much better place to look is the Guardian's guide to unis they produce. It a book you have to buy but well worth it.

Should the ranking of a university in The Times etc have an impact upon your choice?

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