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The Top 10 UK Universities

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Before Noble responds to your post (and I imagine he will do so in a merciless fashion), I'd suggest that you go to the CUG ranking website and take a look at what the rankings are based on. I wrote about it here if you're interested.

Sometimes, when statistics fly in the face of all reason, you need to sit down and question what you're being told. The rankings you linked to would have you believe that Oxford's physics graduates have worse job prospects than Surrey's, or that Portsmouth is top for physics research in the UK.

To anyone joining the discussion now, I strongly suggest that you go back and read through Noble's and Birkenhead's posts, rather than the same points being put forward and refuted and over and over.

All I am trying to do here is not to get people disappointed when they apply to Oxbridge and fail. Fundamentally, ranking a whole University is a flawed system with some departments being better and some worse. People will look at threads like this, and putting Oxbridge as some elite academic institution which is far and beyond other UK institutions is just purely incorrect and will not make anyone feel better. Similarly, like i have said earlier, it doesn't matter which of the institutions you go to, if you fail in the degree then what good is academic prestige.

Also since when have these threads been anything but subjective opinions? You can argue against rankings etc and how they are flawed, but fundamentally that is the only metric we have towards comparing Universities.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 281

Doglamlico

Original post by kedstar99

Firstly I'd disagree that they're the only metric we have. The data which rankings are based on is out there in the public domain, and so you are free to interpret it more meaningfully than the newspapers claim to do. That way you can also take other factors into account which may not have been included in the rankings.

As for dealing with disappointment, I think it's better for people to live with the fact that they're not where they want to be, rather than being in denial and citing flawed league table positions.

Reply 282

Kvothe the Arcane

Original post by Citipati

I presume it would be better to hold them in "batches", as ones outcompete others frequently making it a draw.
Batch 1
Oxbridge
Batch 2
Durham. LSE. Imperial
Batch 3
St. Andrews. UCL. KCL.
Batch 4
Warwick. Bristol.
Batch 5
Exeter. Lancaster. Edinburgh.
Batch 6
Manchester. Birmingham. Rest of Russell group.

I have not seen them all, so my opinion is pretty flawed.

Someone else mentioned the idea of doing groups. I too agree.

Reply 283

palladin984

Original post by keromedic

Someone else mentioned the idea of doing groups. I too agree.

Agree the group system is a good one, but there are some unusual decisions. Durham over UCL? KCL over Warwick? Lancaster over some of Russell group?

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Reply 284

scrawlx101

what are the best unis for psychology degrees interms of employability,student satisfaction and everything else?

Reply 285

zebby1999

Not sure about top 10 but definitely top 3 would be Oxford, Cambridge and Birmingham.

Reply 286

Tom102

Original post by zebby1999

Not sure about top 10 but definitely top 3 would be Oxford, Cambridge and Birmingham.

Why Birmingham, I'd put London over Birmingham for pretty much ever category.

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Reply 287

Manchester United

Original post by zebby1999

Not sure about top 10 but definitely top 3 would be Oxford, Cambridge and Birmingham.

I detect an Oxford student.

Reply 288

zebby1999

Original post by Tom102

Why Birmingham, I'd put London over Birmingham for pretty much ever category.

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I guess I can only compare Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge with each other as these are the only ones I have actually been to and know people who lecture and study there. I'd put Birmingham over London as my school has a Liaison with the University and I have spent a considerable amount of time over there talking to a lot of students and lecturers.
Plus they are opening their own school/6th form

What about in terms of living expense and nightlife?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 289

_Fergo

Original post by Manchester United

I detect an Oxford student.

Are you serious? He's obviously a Cambridge student!

Reply 290

zebby1999

Original post by Manchester United

I detect an Oxford student.

I wish

Secondary school here. Hopefully aiming for Birmingham in the future...

Reply 291

fudgecake22

Ucl accepts btecs for some high demand courses and it's a top 10???

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Reply 292

TeeEm

A totally personal list in analogy to Football

Russell Group is the premier league

Champion League/Top Four
Cambridge = Man United
Oxford = Chelsea
Imperial= Arsenal
UCL = Man City

Established premier league teams
Warwick = Liverpool
Durham = Spurs
LSE = Everton
Bristol =Newcastle
St Andrews = Aston Villa
Kings = West Ham
etc

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 293

Manchester United

Original post by TeeEm

There aren't enough top Premiership clubs to represent the top universities. Most of those established teams aren't a European force, whereas the universities are.

I think it would be better to say:

Oxbridge = Real Madrid
Imperial = Barcelona
LSE = Manchester United
UCL = Bayern Munich
Warwick = Chelsea
Durham = Liverpool
St Andrews = Milan
Bath = PSG
KCL/Bristol = Arsenal

Oxbridge is the GOAT.
Imperial, LSE and UCL are the level below the GOAT.
Warwick is the new boy that is ripping **** up and would challenge the level below the GOAT. Bath is just a poor-mans Warwick.
Durham and St Andrews are old and prestigious but are the level below the level that is below the GOAT level.
KCL is old and good, but is it the the best at anything? In summary, they make up the numbers and never finish on top.

Reply 294

TeeEm

Original post by Manchester United

something like that ...

Reply 295

Willburrr

Original post by palladin984

Agree the group system is a good one, but there are some unusual decisions. Durham over UCL? KCL over Warwick? Lancaster over some of Russell group?

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I think that Warwick is definitely overall the better university than Kings, however Lancaster outperforms in terms of; higher academic students drawn to it, its reputation, research power, amount of better degrees obtained and teaching prowess, about a third of the russell group (I'm looking at Liverpool, Queen Mary, Queens Belfast, Cardiff and a few others). Remember that Russell group unis are literally just a group of research intensive unis and therefore have a decent rep for being a part of that group, however there are still a fair few unis better than members of the Russell group who are simply not as research intensive or a part of it. e.g. up until 2010, Durham and Exeter (I think it was 2010) were not part of the Russell group, however before that 2010 they were still recognised as premium unis outperforming the majority of that group.

Also Durham is possibly better at humanities/ attracts better students but its definitely the case that UCL is a more well respected institution. It's branding as a super premium uni being exemplified by the fact that its a member of the G5

Reply 296

Willburrr

Original post by Hollywood Hogan

Exeter isn't a top 10.

It's easily top ten in most Humanities along with having a highly ranked med school as well as drawing impressive amounts of students with premium grades (look at average UCAS points per uni) and having a very high private school in take...

It's hard to separate it from the likes of Notts, Manchester, Bristol, York

9th or 10th

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 297

fudgecake22

Original post by Willburrr

All about UNI OF LIVERPOOL! !!

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Reply 298

Hollywood Hogan

Original post by Willburrr

Exeter is a small uni, and not that prestigious as a brand. Look at where law firms and investment banks target, it is always Durham, Warwick, Nottingham. The UK rankings do not measure prestige, and Exeter is a jonny-come lately in the 17-18 region. Lancaster down at 25-30.