Your Dream University?

Exeter!

Awesome! I love it, the modules are usually pretty good, as are the lecturers, the university has an insane amount of resources (classical and otherwise) and the city is absolutely fantastic. Are you coming for undergrad or postgrad?

Stanford!

Hopefully I can do an MBA there in the future, for now it'll be Nottingham.



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Don't they ask for the highest GMAT score in the World?

It isn't just the GMAT that gets you in..

As long as its above 700, you should have a chance. They care more about your work experience, goals, extracurriculars and personality/leadership qualities.

In the UK universities specify a minimum requirement, but in the States they leave this fairly open so candidates who might not meet some academic requirements - relative to other applicants - may still have a chance if the rest of their application is strong.

I'm still a good 6 - 7 years away from applying - going into uni this autumn.

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Nightmare you mean?!

Undergrad. Thanks for the feedback! Did you get to choose your optional modules in your first year? Did you do a language?

Yeah I have overall 3 optional modules over the year. I would have much preferred more freedom in my timetable to choose modules from outside the Classics+Ancient History department (everywhere else I applied for Ancient+Modern History so I like taking modules from the History department), I have been able to do that but not the extent that I'd have liked. This may change in second year and of course, your own preferences mileage may vary.

I didn't do a language because I studied Latin ages 13-18 in school and ended up doing not all that well at A-Level, I can just about blunder my way through my Latin translation of the Hobbit but after that I'm useless so I decided to stick a fork in that one. You'll be able to do a language though, you can choose between Greek and Latin, word of advice that Intensive Greek/Latin 1 isn't easy, I have friends who did Latin who were removed from the course for failing one weekly vocab test.

Edge Hill

A HUGE 24hr library
A night life as good as Newcastle
Societies for pretty much everything
Respected status
Reasonably priced rooms
Reasonable entry requirements
Awesome academics
High quality gym
... Yeah I don't think this place exists

Why would Exeter be a nightmare?

I must say from the start that I study at Exeter, so I want to forewarn you of any possible biases.

Exeter is elite in its intake, having one of the highest percentage of ABB+ students (taking from 2009-2010). These stats show during that period 74% of students entering Exeter were ABB+, whereas much exalted Notthingham had 56.8%. In fact, only Oxbridge, Warwick, Bristol and Durham had a higher percentage—Warwick's being 81% and Durham and Bristol 84%.

Now you may very well say these are antiquated statistics, but as is the 2007 stat. The current stats show entry is higher at Exeter than KCL and Notthingham.

Exeter is still relatively high in the world rankings, around 150th in some. However, in those rankings, universities with much lower standard entry are higher. And some universities which are axiomatically not as good as Exeter—QMUL, Sussex. The problem with the world rankings is that the sample is far too broad and hopes to distinguish between universities across the world with many different traditions using too simplistic criteria for assessment.

Exeter had to shut down a number of weak departments to help propel them up the league tables, a feat any university could do if they were that desperate. At present, universities like Nottingham and UCL are undergoing expansion, and for their large size they take many thousands more top students than Exeter.

I can only find one department that was closed down … in 2006. Why would its performance 9 years ago affect its elite status? It's essentially saying, 'the **** departments were cut away, so the remaining departments are also ****'. That is simply illogical.

Exeter is also undergoing expansion. It is must also be elite, then.

Some students on TSR seriously think Exeter is on the same level as Durham and Nottingham for prestige. OMG I don't believe it. It is a none starter. I question why Exeter was allowed into the Russell Group.