The Student Room Group

Is kingston university London an underated uni?

hey guys i was just wondering if kingston university london is an ok, good or bad uni because i think its ok but my friends and other ppl say its crap and for dum ppl
Reply 1
It's an ex-poly so will for a long time have that (unfair) "crap and only for dumb people" label.

The truth is that it's not fabulous but is a fast growing uni. It offers so great vocational (and some good traditional) degrees and seems to be quite a job focussed uni. I know engineering, land management and town planning are quite strong. Law is reasonable. I'd imagine it also has the other fairly strong, "typical ex poly" courses such as health profession courses (nursing, pharmarcy). Maybe art and design also.

I think it's derided by many students (especially sixth formers) who like criticising the ex-poly/post 1992 unis. I wouldn't say it was underrated (not in HE as a whole).
Reply 2
The recent stories in the news about exaggerating student survey results and downplaying external examiner criticisms didn't do them many favours.
Reply 3
mystery8808
but my friends and other ppl say its crap and for dum ppl


It is pretty accurately rated.
Of course, it depends on what subject you're studying. Some unis are excellent at some subjects but maybe not so for others.
I think it all depends on what you want from a uni.

I never looked at ranking, and it's only since I've applied that I've taken a vague interest in where Kingston stands in my particular field. (mid-range, from my understanding). However, it was the closeness to family - My mother's entire side grew up around Walton/Hersham/Kingston/Staines), the closeness to the city while also being out of the city and the town itself that sold the university for me.

It fits exactly with what I want out of student life.
In fact, it doesn't score terribly in The Guardian's Ranking for Education
Reply 7
I go and I think it's what you make it :]
Reply 8
mystery8808
my friends and other ppl say its crap and for dum ppl


It is not bad enough to call "crap".
On the other hand, it is an ex-poly, with all the stigma that is attached to that label.
Reply 9
Hi

For art and design it is aweful! I had an interview there where they talked to me like a piece of sh*t told me I was useless and kicked me out the door, all in the space of five minutes. To be honest I'm glad as I got into Cambridge art school and couldn't be happier. I wouldn't recommend anyone apply to Kingston for design as they are just about as crap as it gets for a university supposedly one of the best in the country...my arse! If them lot could organise a p**s up in a brewery then I'm a monkey's uncle.
I do BEng aerospace engineering at kingston and I am so dissappointed by the way it is run and organised, the attitude of many of the lecturers is disgraceful, multitudes of mistakes are left in the studyspace material so we end up thinking that we are getting things wrong when they are actually correct etc.
Its so bad that many of the people on my course wanted to transfer universities after the first year, however, because of the way that Kingston organises its modules, other universities turned us down on the ground that the content we cover does not come up to their requirements to be able to join year 2 on their equivalent course.
I cannot stress enough how much I regret choosing Kingston university!
Having said that I know nothing about how the other courses are run so it depends on what you are applying to study.
hope this helps
Reply 11
I'm a Computer Science student in my 2nd year.

For the programming part from what I've heard we're actually covering more then some top league universities (although this isn't much as you can learn more from a book in my opinion), and there's a huge focus on the business and management side of things.

While some classes such as Toolbox were very basic and most people got 100% without doing much, if you are able to be open minded and take it seriously the next time you create a product you can use some of the things taught in the module. So while I remember at the time feeling as if I hadn't achieved much, what I was taught has recently become very useful for an app I'm starting to design (which will be used to help the NHS).

Overall I'd rate this university 3/5. That's not to say it's bad as I know people at King's College London with bad lecturers, fighting over lecture halls etc... There's a lot of help and resources available, especially disability if you have dyslexia. Problem is stupid students wasting time, and repeating stuff which is very easy just to waste another year.
I Studied Architecture at Kingston Univesitys Knights Park Campus. The course on a whole was more style over substance. The majority of lecturers were in working practices as well, and instead of sharing insider knowledge of what practices want do and need, the studio lecturers were more concerned with contrieved matters, only too satisfy there own egos. Much of the students design work wasnt allowed to flow freely, often the design stages were formulated by the lecturers themselves. On several occasions my intial intentions were 'shot down' as they 'couldnt see' my intention regardless of supported info and documentation. That isnt the students fault for the limited vision of his lecturer. Architecture after all is ART, which is an intimate expression. Often the students who were more 'SUCKY' to the lecturers were favoured and came out with better grades. This was extremely concerning to me as the final examination of portfolios and final pinup were marked by the lecturers themselves. My final was marked by 2/3 lecturers who were my Studio leaders. INSANITY YES! The whole GRADING system is meant to be IMPARTIAL which wasnt the case. This means the GAME is rigged, if the lecturer doesnt like you, regardless of you being good at said given course, you will be marked on their biases towards you. Kingston University needs to look into this as it seems you could be penalized or destroyed regardless of your merit. I have come to believe, after gaining my BA Hons Architecture, that University is a scam, a money making scheme, a relic of a bygone era. They do not provide students the tools or preparation for life after they have finished there courses. The reality is Jobs are now scarce. More people hang onto there jobs for longer, and each year the universitys pump out tons of students with degrees, which go nowhere as there are no spaces to fill. Having a degree something that was quite unique, has now become the norm. The universitys, much to what i witnessed, take on an abundance of overseas students, which is obvious that they are concerned mainly with making money not educating. many of whom pay 3x the amount of UK students. This is blatant corruption of the education system. University does nothing but indoctrinate the students it teaches, the lecturers use it as a platform for their own narcissism, providing a few 'flattering' credentials for their CVs. Students leave without actually knowing how to adminster what they have learnt. My advice to anyone who isnt sure about joining university is, THINK. its around £30,000 for 3 year study fees with a maintainence loan ontop. You arent guaranteed a job when you finish. You havent really even finished the courses you study, as you usually need a masters to do a specific job. MEANING MORE MONEY PAYED TO THE UNI OF CHOICE. Id do a trade personally, and that way you wont be stuck in an office the rest of your life, wearing a stiff suit, a noose of a tie round your neck waiting to DIE.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by MellonCollie
I Studied Architecture at Kingston Univesitys Knights Park Campus. The course on a whole was more style over substance. The majority of lecturers were in working practices as well, and instead of sharing insider knowledge of what practices want do and need, the studio lecturers were more concerned with contrieved matters, only too satisfy there own egos. Much of the students design work wasnt allowed to flow freely, often the design stages were formulated by the lecturers themselves. On several occasions my intial intentions were 'shot down' as they 'couldnt see' my intention regardless of supported info and documentation. That isnt the students fault for the limited vision of his lecturer. Architecture after all is ART, which is an intimate expression. Often the students who were more 'SUCKY' to the lecturers were favoured and came out with better grades. This was extremely concerning to me as the final examination of portfolios and final pinup were marked by the lecturers themselves. My final was marked by 2/3 lecturers who were my Studio leaders. INSANITY YES! The whole GRADING system is meant to be IMPARTIAL which wasnt the case. This means the GAME is rigged, if the lecturer doesnt like you, regardless of you being good at said given course, you will be marked on their biases towards you. Kingston University needs to look into this as it seems you could be penalized or destroyed regardless of your merit. I have come to believe, after gaining my BA Hons Architecture, that University is a scam, a money making scheme, a relic of a bygone era. They do not provide students the tools or preparation for life after they have finished there courses. The reality is Jobs are now scarce. More people hang onto there jobs for longer, and each year the universitys pump out tons of students with degrees, which go nowhere as there are no spaces to fill. Having a degree something that was quite unique, has now become the norm. The universitys, much to what i witnessed, take on an abundance of overseas students, which is obvious that they are concerned mainly with making money not educating. many of whom pay 3x the amount of UK students. This is blatant corruption of the education system. University does nothing but indoctrinate the students it teaches, the lecturers use it as a platform for their own narcissism, providing a few 'flattering' credentials for their CVs. Students leave without actually knowing how to adminster what they have learnt. My advice to anyone who isnt sure about joining university is, THINK. its around £30,000 for 3 year study fees with a maintainence loan ontop. You arent guaranteed a job when you finish. You havent really even finished the courses you study, as you usually need a masters to do a specific job. MEANING MORE MONEY PAYED TO THE UNI OF CHOICE. Id do a trade personally, and that way you wont be stuck in an office the rest of your life, wearing a stiff suit, a noose of a tie round your neck waiting to DIE.


Wow, this is an intense reply. I go to university at Kingston at the moment. I'm in my first year and I'm astounded at the support they provide.

The students are in fact given more than adequate tools and preparation for future life. There are SO many workshops, networking events, great business opportunities, exhibitions. Anything you can think of they have it. A language scheme, helping people to improve academically etc. There's so much scope here and it's literally how you use it.

At the end of the day, the world is a competitive place and life isn't just handed to us. Even after we graduate. We will always have to work hard until we have built our own 'empire'. You talk about waiting to die - I'm not going to lie I did find your post funny just a bit melodramatic. We will be given what we work for. YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. It seems everyone has forgotten this. Success is about more than just a 'degree' now which is very clear. It's also about knowledge and contacts. CONTACTS - London is an absolute perfect place for that.

Obviously, university isn't for everyone and people need to realise that. People only used to go to university hundreds of years ago if they were curious, and now people are being given the wrong idea that they need it for life. IT'S NOT TRUE. It some cases yes e.g. doctor, lawyer blah blah. It's actually laughable, I've met so so so many successful people in London who've never been to university. You are what you make yourself to be. End of.

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