KCL or Warwick??

KCL English Language & Communication or Warwick English Literature & Creative Writing?

Advice anyone? I have less than half a month to decide :frown:

I just personally feel that the "brand name" of KCL is brighter, but I think the Warwick course structure is more interesting.... I know rankings, etc shouldn't matter because they are both good universities, but being an international student, I would be returning home to seek employment and I can't help but admit that "brand name" does matter in my country... :frown:

also living in London is the dream - Coventry is really another matter altogether :/

Please help! Would love to hear from anyone, esp those currently in the course :smile:

Thanks in advance!

Reply 1

Катя

18

Warwick, definitely. Not only is English lit more "solid" than English lang at degree level, Warwick's English/Creative writing course is famously good.

Reply 2

Psychd

Original post by silliebilly

KCL English Language & Communication or Warwick English Literature & Creative Writing?

Advice anyone? I have less than half a month to decide :frown:

I just personally feel that the "brand name" of KCL is brighter, but I think the Warwick course structure is more interesting.... I know rankings, etc shouldn't matter because they are both good universities, but being an international student, I would be returning home to seek employment and I can't help but admit that "brand name" does matter in my country... :frown:

also living in London is the dream - Coventry is really another matter altogether :/

Please help! Would love to hear from anyone, esp those currently in the course :smile:

Thanks in advance!

You wouldn't have to live in Coventry. The campus halls are great and very easy in the first year - rooms so much better than most London halls - and majority of second and third years live in Leamington Spa which is a really attractive town. Good student union and really positive all round community feel.

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Reply 3

Mike_123

18

Original post by silliebilly

KCL English Language & Communication or Warwick English Literature & Creative Writing?

Advice anyone? I have less than half a month to decide :frown:

I just personally feel that the "brand name" of KCL is brighter, but I think the Warwick course structure is more interesting.... I know rankings, etc shouldn't matter because they are both good universities, but being an international student, I would be returning home to seek employment and I can't help but admit that "brand name" does matter in my country... :frown:

also living in London is the dream - Coventry is really another matter altogether :/

Please help! Would love to hear from anyone, esp those currently in the course :smile:

Thanks in advance!

Warwick's reputation exceeds KCL's, at least on a domestic level.

Reply 4

silliebilly

OP

2

Original post by Mike_123

Warwick's reputation exceeds KCL's, at least on a domestic level.

Oh is that true? I always thought the reputation of the London schools (esp LSE, UCL and KCL) were unrivalled -- apart from the likes of Oxford & Cambridge of course.

Reply 5

silliebilly

OP

2

Original post by Катя

Warwick, definitely. Not only is English lit more "solid" than English lang at degree level, Warwick's English/Creative writing course is famously good.

Hmm I see, thanks! Just wondering, what career paths would an English/Creative writing course lead to?
I'm curious too - it seems like English is a very popular and competitive course in the UK, why is that so? Haha in my country, Law/Econs/Business/Med are the popular courses, when I tell people I want to study Eng Lit they go :eek:

and wonder what I'm going to do with my life in future… heh

Reply 6

pmc:producer

20

Original post by silliebilly

Oh is that true? I always thought the reputation of the London schools (esp LSE, UCL and KCL) were unrivalled -- apart from the likes of Oxford & Cambridge of course.

LSE, UCL and KCL are all perfectly good Universities. But I'd agree that Warwick outdoes at least KCL... Maybe KCL would be more well known internationally as it has 'London' in its name though, and 'Kings College' is a famous Cambridge University college? Who knows.

Also, English isn't particularly 'competitive' here either... we're pretty much on par with your country's popular choices!

Reply 7

1drowssap

17

Original post by silliebilly

KCL English Language & Communication or Warwick English Literature & Creative Writing?

Advice anyone? I have less than half a month to decide :frown:

I just personally feel that the "brand name" of KCL is brighter, but I think the Warwick course structure is more interesting.... I know rankings, etc shouldn't matter because they are both good universities, but being an international student, I would be returning home to seek employment and I can't help but admit that "brand name" does matter in my country... :frown:

also living in London is the dream - Coventry is really another matter altogether :/

Please help! Would love to hear from anyone, esp those currently in the course :smile:

Thanks in advance!

Reputation is a subjective thing, and shouldn't be the main drive for your decision. What is probably more important is your interest in the course, as it would affect your ability to do well in the course, and subsequently your degree classification. In the UK, anyone who has a 2:2 or below, even from Oxbridge, is basically f***ed. A 2:1 is probably necessary for grad programmes as well. I'm not sure about your country, but I have a feeling employers may put more weight on your degree results rather than prestige of degree, because it directly reflects on your ability to learn.
So I think based on what you've said, Warwick may be the better choice.

Reply 8

username638250

7

Original post by pmc:producer

LSE, UCL and KCL are all perfectly good Universities. But I'd agree that Warwick outdoes at least KCL... Maybe KCL would be more well known internationally as it has 'London' in its name though, and 'Kings College' is a famous Cambridge University college? Who knows.

Also, English isn't particularly 'competitive' here either... we're pretty much on par with your country's popular choices!

English is a very competitive course here...

Original post by silliebilly

Oh is that true? I always thought the reputation of the London schools (esp LSE, UCL and KCL) were unrivalled -- apart from the likes of Oxford & Cambridge of course.

Replace KCL with Imperial and yes, you have the best 3 London schools. King's has a reputation because of its name and location internationally but domestically, Warwick definitely wins. It's also harder to get into.

Reply 9

Mike_123

18

Original post by silliebilly

Oh is that true? I always thought the reputation of the London schools (esp LSE, UCL and KCL) were unrivalled -- apart from the likes of Oxford & Cambridge of course.

It would be generous to compare KCL to UCL/LSE. UCL/LSE are comparable to Oxbridge.

Reply 10

Lyrical Prodigy

19

If only you were doing English lit at KCL... and not the other way round.

Reply 11

Astronomical

14

You're best off deciding whether you want to live in central London or on a campus in Coventry, and going from there... there isn't really much in it reputation wise (though, as others have suggested, you might get more joy out of the KCL name overseas due it being in London).

Reply 12

Psychd

Original post by silliebilly

Hmm I see, thanks! Just wondering, what career paths would an English/Creative writing course lead to?
I'm curious too - it seems like English is a very popular and competitive course in the UK, why is that so? Haha in my country, Law/Econs/Business/Med are the popular courses, when I tell people I want to study Eng Lit they go :eek:

and wonder what I'm going to do with my life in future… heh

English is hugely competitive in the UK. Especially at the top Russell Group universities. You only have to look at application statistics for any of the universities that are regularly in the top ten (LSE and Imperial not included!).

Eng lit and Eng lang are very different courses. Your individual preference should help you decide. Three years of studying something you enjoy will always be the better choice. And in a place you like living in.

A good degree is the passport to your future, not the subject of your degree. Even future lawyers and doctors do not need to do law or medicine undergraduate degrees.

If league tables are important to you please bear in mind that KCL, albeit an excellent and historic university in London, does not have the same glorified reputation as LSE/UCL/Imperial. (Neither does Warwick although it is higher placed than KCL because it has very highly regarded Maths and Economics departments.). However Warwick also has a good rep for History and English too. KCL has historic prestige and all the benefits (and disadvantages) of an international city.

To be honest, if you can not decide between the content of your two courses, the choice will boil down to life in London or a provincial campus university.

Good luck!

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Reply 13

pmc:producer

20

Original post by yl95

English is a very competitive course here...

I'm not interested where English is a competitive course, the OP generalized a meant 'overall in the country' in comparison to in her country where it wasn't competitive. English is not a competitive course overall.

Reply 14

username638250

7

Original post by pmc:producer

I'm not interested where English is a competitive course, the OP generalized a meant 'overall in the country' in comparison to in her country where it wasn't competitive. English is not a competitive course overall.

Huh? I don't know what you mean.
I meant that English is a competitive course in the UK for undergrad admissions.

Reply 15

pmc:producer

20

Original post by yl95

Huh? I don't know what you mean.
I meant that English is a competitive course in the UK for undergrad admissions.

More competitive than medicine, law, econ & business (as per the OPs statement)? Of course not (on the whole).

Reply 16

illiteratesoul

2

Original post by pmc:producer

More competitive than medicine, law, econ & business (as per the OPs statement)? Of course not (on the whole).

English is extremely competitive. More competitive than economics and business. Arguably as competitive as Law.

KCL or Warwick??

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