UCL or ICL? I cant decide. Physics program.

I’ve seen these threads before so I apologize for starting up another one again, but I just can’t make a decision.

I’m a 20 year old female from Canada and don’t know much about these schools when it comes to reputation, atmosphere or environment, student body and faculty, so it’s hard to commit to something I haven’t had experience with. Like buying a car off a classified without testing it out or knowing much about it, other than what’s written on it.

I’m going into a physics program and when I applied to UCL, Imperial, Kings, St. Andrews, and Bath I was mostly interested in the London based schools, even though I know St. Andrews has a strong reputation in physics. I think London will broaden my horizon more. Anyway since then I was hoping the schools would do the choosing for me :P, whoever accepted me, that’s where I’d go. My academic past wasn’t the greatest, I was kind of a trouble maker, so I didn’t think I would even get into some of the schools. However I’ve been accepted to them all and thus making my decision even tougher.

The reason I’m considering ICL is because of its rank and reputation in the sciences, but I’m worried that the university experience there is rather drab and uninspiring. I constantly hear that the students don’t have much of a social life, as well as that it’s an Asian dominated student body. Plus tuition for an international student is going to be tough.

The reason I’m considering UCL is because they do have arts, and although I’m not going into that field I do enjoy and thrive in the artistic and creative environments, as well as always taking the opportunity to engage in artistic endeavors as a hobby. They are well ranked also and I hope their students are livelier than Imperials. Along with that, they have beautiful buildings (so far as google maps shows) and I love that kind of old fashion environment. Hell, if Imperial kept their old building I don’t think I’d be able to resist (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Imperial_Institute.jpg)

With Kings the reason I’m considering them is because they also have the arts and the environment, with good science programs, but mostly because I feel like I’m not good enough as a student to go to UCL or Imperial, I’m worried that I’d be the dumbest one there, and Kings seems a little more my speed. Not to say anything negative about Kings, just that they seem friendlier to assist a student if they might be struggling. From my high school experience when i do well, i really do well, but when i tank, i go down in a fire ball :smile:

. So that always sits in the back of my mind, I could just be scared to realize that I might actually finally be good enough but unfortunately it’s a concern i have nonetheless.

I guess I’m pretty sold on UCL but I’d still like to hear any concerns or factors I may have not considered for those universities. Am I a fool to reject ICL for UCL? Does ICL really have such a dead social atmosphere? Please help me out, and thank you for reading.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 1

Nitrogen

They're both great. Go to the one you like

Reply 2

Kerch

Give this a read.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2289964

Reply 3

Upper Echelons

Original post by SaveAlice

university experience there is rather drab and uninspiring.
I constantly hear that the students don’t have much of a social life, as well as that it’s an Asian dominated student body. Plus tuition for an international student is going to be tough.

The reason I’m considering UCL is because they do have arts, and although I’m not going into that field I do enjoy and thrive in the artistic and creative environments, as well as always taking the opportunity to engage in artistic endeavors as a hobby.

Along with that, they have beautiful buildings (so far as google maps shows) and I love that kind of old fashion environment. Hell, if Imperial kept their old building I don’t think I’d be able to resist (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Imperial_Institute.jpg)

If you got into a university and met their offer, you'll be good enough to cope. You can rule out Kings.

Imperial is much more prestigious for Physics than UCL, whose strong point isn't really in Mathematics/Physics.

Imperial is Asian/foreign dominated, yes, but so is UCL, being another international London university.

Imperial doesn't have UCL's quad building, but that's just one building, and Imperial isn't bad overall anyway.

Spoiler

Imperial gets hated on for its social like, but UCL's physicists aren't going to be the most sociable bunch, and at Imperial you're still in London, can still go with intercollegiate halls, can still partake in the numerous societies (there will be plenty of people like you who are worried about the social life and arts side).

Even if Imperial's overall reputation is similar to UCL's, Imperial has far higher prestige in the areas of Maths/Physics/Engineering which are most important to you as a Physicist. UCL makes up for this in other areas like Languages/Economics/Medicine.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

SaveAlice

Thanks for the great input UpperEchelons. I guess when it comes down to it i should plan a trip to London sometime soon and get a campus tour of both, because they're both great schools and a visit might help me figure out which one is for me. Also, i might not even have the option to go to Imperial, theres about a $10,000 a year difference between tuition and not many options are available for international students.

@Kerch, Thanks! I'm pretty anti-social right now and i know i need to branch out before i completely become awkward and/or a functioning sociopath, socializing seems to be a well worth distraction. Great link for some insight.

@Robbie242, We've got your back too!

If there's anything else anyone can contribute to this topic, please join in. :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 5

Kerch

Are you planning to study pure Physics or something related? I'm enrolled on the Theory and Simulation of Materials course in the Physics department of Imperial, so I might be able to answer some questions (although I spend very little time in the physics department itself).

Rent in London is very expensive, so combined with the higher tuition I can see Imperial might not be an option anyway.

Reply 6

SaveAlice

Original post by Kerch

I'm not sure, i was accepted for the 4 year physics program (MSci) but i'm interested in theoretical mostly, and since they had the same courses i went with just physics in the hopes that ill be able to narrow the field down a bit later.
As far as rent and tuition, unless Imperial themselves can provide some serious assistance, i wont even be able to attend. For international students i might not be able to have access to any loans from the UK government (im still looking into it) and the Canadian loans only amount to about 5,000pounds a year. I have about 10,000 pounds saved up and i do intend to work as much as i can (only 20 hours/w are allowed by the student visa holders).

If somehow i do end up pulling through with the tuition and living costs, could you please tell me what the course load is like?
Im worried that the Canadian education system is lacking and that you guys have been taught much more than we have at the pre-university levels. What sort of material do you learn in the 1st year for your program?

Reply 7

Kerch

I don't know that much about the undergraduate physics course (I studied engineering at Imperial before joining the MSc I'm doing now), but I don't think you need to worry about how your background compares to other students. The first year usually counts for nothing (or very little) marks in your degree, so you will have time to get up to speed, but I doubt you'll need it. The students will be from all over the world and will have learnt different things.

For UK students, the qualifications they take before starting the course are usually A-levels, which are probably a very similar level (if anything a bit lower) than what you've already done.

You could try looking for information about A-level physics and maths on google, to see the kind of level it is.

Reply 8

justinawe

Original post by SaveAlice

If somehow i do end up pulling through with the tuition and living costs, could you please tell me what the course load is like?
Im worried that the Canadian education system is lacking and that you guys have been taught much more than we have at the pre-university levels. What sort of material do you learn in the 1st year for your program?

I wouldn't worry too much about that - if these universities have accepted you, they obviously believe that the knowledge you currently have is sufficient to begin the course.

Reply 9

SaveAlice

Original post by Kerch

For UK students, the qualifications they take before starting the course are usually A-levels, which are probably a very similar level (if anything a bit lower) than what you've already done.

Your kitty avatar is as comforting as your advice. :smile:

Original post by justinawe

I wouldn't worry too much about that - if these universities have accepted you, they obviously believe that the knowledge you currently have is sufficient to begin the course.

Thanks, you're awsome.

Reply 10

fudgemuffins

There's a murderer on the loose at UCL, so go to imperial.

Reply 11

physicsnut

Ahh I see the fees are around £5000 difference each year for tuition. Ouch! I had the same decision to make an in the end I chose imperial but as a home student the fees are pretty much the same. Imperial is definitely better for physics than UCL, the social life problem seems to be mostly a false stereotype. But as for the £5000 a year, it is hard to warrant Imperial being £5000 a year better. The average student earns £2000 more a year with a Imperial degree though in the first year...

Tough decision!

Reply 12

SaveAlice

Original post by physicsnut

Yeah social stereotypes aside the tuition is just killing me. But i think im pretty set on UCL. Use of university of london facilities, pretty sweet art programs (i just enjoy the scene) and they have more scholarship options to take the load off. Both schools are pretty closely ranked and it just doesn't seem worth it to rack up 5,000 more annual. Im pretty sure the reason their degrees earn more is because the students are mostly in the same high paying fields, where UCL has more programs that might not yield the same pay in their field. (ie, English vs engineering). I might be wrong though. But anyway sadly imperial just might not even be in my options simply due to the tuition, which makes my decision a little easier. Thanks for commenting :smile:

(edited 10 years ago)