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Imperial, Durham or Warwick for Maths?

I've applied for maths and need to decide between Imperial, Durham and Warwick for my firm and insurance. I obviously want to go somewhere where I'll enjoy but equally need a good uni as I'm hoping to do postgrad study as well... But I've heard horror stories about the social life at Imperial, and don't particularly like the Warwick campus... Help me decide? Any advice?

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Durham for the social life, Warwick for the best degree and Imperial for the debt.
Original post by MathsAstronomy12
Durham for the social life, Warwick for the best degree and Imperial for the debt.


What social life at Durham? Though, at Durham over 50% of maths students get a first.
Original post by TunaTunnel
What social life at Durham? Though, at Durham over 50% of maths students get a first.


Better than Warwick or Imperial as I've been told
Reply 4
Avatar for Rabadon
Rabadon
11
Imperial and Warwick are about on par. Durham is not really near those two, a look at the entry requirements would show that quite clearly.

Choose between Imp/WW using price/location/course. I wouldn't bother looking at stats like % of students getting a 1st really.
Original post by Rabadon
Imperial and Warwick are about on par. Durham is not really near those two, a look at the entry requirements would show that quite clearly.

Choose between Imp/WW using price/location/course. I wouldn't bother looking at stats like % of students getting a 1st really.


Imperial is vastly superior to Warwick.

Seriously, wth is it with this obsession with Warwick on tsr. You'd think it's Harvard by the way some people talk about it.
Reply 6
Avatar for kkboyk
kkboyk
21
Original post by SmaugTheTerrible
Imperial is vastly superior to Warwick.

Seriously, wth is it with this obsession with Warwick on tsr. You'd think it's Harvard by the way some people talk about it.


This isn't true for Maths in particular.
Original post by kkboyk
This isn't true for Maths in particular.


Overall, it is.

Warwick is only really good for a select few courses (Eco, Finance, Maths). Imperial is internationally recognised as the place to study Sciences on the whole.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 8
Avatar for Rabadon
Rabadon
11
Original post by SmaugTheTerrible
Imperial is vastly superior to Warwick.

Seriously, wth is it with this obsession with Warwick on tsr. You'd think it's Harvard by the way some people talk about it.


Bit extreme really. We're talking about a maths degree not overall prestige.

Overall prestige comes into play with stuff like IB and Warwick is a target for that so it's not all bad.
Original post by 09cliffb
I've applied for maths and need to decide between Imperial, Durham and Warwick for my firm and insurance. I obviously want to go somewhere where I'll enjoy but equally need a good uni as I'm hoping to do postgrad study as well... But I've heard horror stories about the social life at Imperial, and don't particularly like the Warwick campus... Help me decide? Any advice?


For maths in the UK, it's COWI.
Lots of TSR advice on making Firm & insurance choices here : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=16167-firm-and-insurance-choices

Important bits :
i) the course matters far more than the brand name of the Uni.
ii) you have *months* to make this decision.
Original post by 09cliffb
I've applied for maths and need to decide between Imperial, Durham and Warwick for my firm and insurance. I obviously want to go somewhere where I'll enjoy but equally need a good uni as I'm hoping to do postgrad study as well... But I've heard horror stories about the social life at Imperial, and don't particularly like the Warwick campus... Help me decide? Any advice?


Original post by MathsAstronomy12
Durham for the social life, Warwick for the best degree and Imperial for the debt.


Imperial has a really good bursary scheme for households earning under 60k, actually.

Being an Imperial student, I can't say that it has a booming social life in terms of going out (you can still go out a fair bit in first year but this decreases in second year due to the workload) but you can definitely find a good set of friends and there are so many Clubs and Societies - Imperial has the largest selection in the country with over 300. Living in London is also great as a student and you can go to amazing concerts, restaurants, bars and clubs.
Original post by yl95
Imperial has a really good bursary scheme for households earning under 60k, actually.

Being an Imperial student, I can't say that it has a booming social life in terms of going out (you can still go out a fair bit in first year but this decreases in second year due to the workload) but you can definitely find a good set of friends and there are so many Clubs and Societies - Imperial has the largest selection in the country with over 300. Living in London is also great as a student and you can go to amazing concerts, restaurants, bars and clubs.


What are you studying btw?
Never heard anything bad about the social life at Imperial. You will have to work a lot in any Math/Science degree. I would look which course content motivates you the most, look at accomocdation and generally look for a university, where you feel motivated, because motivation is the key to a good degree! (And it does even rhyme.) How easy it is to get good grades and to proceed to a MMath maybe another factor.
Reply 14
Avatar for lotsofq
lotsofq
7
Original post by returnmigrant
Lots of TSR advice on making Firm & insurance choices here : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=16167-firm-and-insurance-choices

Important bits :
i) the course matters far more than the brand name of the Uni.
ii) you have *months* to make this decision.


I agree with you but unfortunately that's not the case with a lot of employers.

Maths at Warwick is fantastic but that's if you know about its department, started by ex-Cam lecturers to rival Cam but most do not know this and regard is merely good.

South Ken, where Imperial is based is, in my view, the chicest part of London, if not the UK but that comes at a price, so I suggest staying some other part of London where rents are cheaper.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Rabadon
What are you studying btw?


Maths, haha.
I did Maths at Imperial, so that is all I can speak for. Here goes :biggrin:

1) According to the tables, Imperial currently offers the 3rd best Maths course in the country (after Cambridge and Oxford), and is a world-renowned institution that ranks in the top 10 globally.

2) In my experience, the social life at ICL is simply awesome! Since it's right at the heart of London, you can rest assured that you'll always have something to do! :yep: I didn't find it to be boring in the slightest....

Hopefully that will be of some use to you. At the end of the day you have to choose the university that you will be happiest at :smile:
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by yl95
Maths, haha.


awesome, i'm gonna firm offer for computing. Any accom suggestions, good or bad? :smile:
Reply 18
Avatar for math42
math42
20
Original post by 09cliffb
I've applied for maths and need to decide between Imperial, Durham and Warwick for my firm and insurance. I obviously want to go somewhere where I'll enjoy but equally need a good uni as I'm hoping to do postgrad study as well... But I've heard horror stories about the social life at Imperial, and don't particularly like the Warwick campus... Help me decide? Any advice?

Warwick and Imperial have the more highly regarded courses relative to Durham and higher entry requirements; I don't think there's much in it between Warwick and Imperial when it comes to their maths courses. I was turned off Imperial because I'm not a fan of big cities but I'd imagine there is superior social life there.

Original post by SmaugTheTerrible
Imperial is vastly superior to Warwick.

Seriously, wth is it with this obsession with Warwick on tsr. You'd think it's Harvard by the way some people talk about it.


In general, but we're talking about the maths degree here. Also I think the disparity in international rep is much greater than the disparity in national rep, and most people stay in the UK so international rep isn't too important.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Rabadon
awesome, i'm gonna firm offer for computing. Any accom suggestions, good or bad? :smile:


Depends on your budget but if Fisher is still available, then don't apply to Fisher Hall. Don't apply to Woodward if you don't like long distance commutes (40min-ish on public transport!), although their facilities are good and they have their own bar. Eastside and Southside have very good facilities, especially kitchens compared to places like Pembridge which is pretty average to sub-average. Eastside and Southside are very close to College, around a 3 minute walk, and next to the College gym, which is REALLY CHEAP (40 pounds induction for the duration of your degree with top class equipment, saunas, swimming pool, squash courts etc -- used for Olympic training).
Beit is right next to the Union. Expensive as are Eastside and Southside.
Wilson is in Paddington and is pretty nice inside as well; they have grand pianos and a really nice common room.
Xenia is all the way in Waterloo so it's also a bit of a commute. Not that cheap either.
If you really don't want a hall then don't pick Xenia, Pembridge or Woodward because you'll probably get one of the three, haha.
I might have missed a Hall out...

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