A desperate Swede! KCL or SOAS?
So I have a pleasant problem - having to choose between my top picks of universities. I got accepted to both KCL International Relations, SOAS International Relations & Africas Studies (and UCL Social Sciences). The reason UCL isn't an actual option is that I really want to study international relations, but if someone thinks I'm making a huge mistake by not taking UCL in account please tell me haha.
The reason I'm extra lost is that I come from Sweden and I have no one to ask about their personal opinions. Both universities sound great on paper but I don't know... The rankings are making me confused and I don't know how important it is to choose the university with the strongest name. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that size doesn't matter and that I want the best education I can get in the subject. Student life, accommodation etc. isn't my main focus. A few of the pros are that KCL seems to be a well-known university with a great War Department. SOAS seems to be more cultural and have more mature student (idk if that's the case but I think it matters to me if there are people at my own age at the uni. I'm 22 so..). I really don't know about the other pros and cons and I would LOVE some advice from you guys, whether it is personal opinions, experiences or rumours. Please help the desperate Swede!
The reason I'm extra lost is that I come from Sweden and I have no one to ask about their personal opinions. Both universities sound great on paper but I don't know... The rankings are making me confused and I don't know how important it is to choose the university with the strongest name. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that size doesn't matter and that I want the best education I can get in the subject. Student life, accommodation etc. isn't my main focus. A few of the pros are that KCL seems to be a well-known university with a great War Department. SOAS seems to be more cultural and have more mature student (idk if that's the case but I think it matters to me if there are people at my own age at the uni. I'm 22 so..). I really don't know about the other pros and cons and I would LOVE some advice from you guys, whether it is personal opinions, experiences or rumours. Please help the desperate Swede!
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Original post by johananabanana
So I have a pleasant problem - having to choose between my top picks of universities. I got accepted to both KCL International Relations, SOAS International Relations & Africas Studies (and UCL Social Sciences). The reason UCL isn't an actual option is that I really want to study international relations, but if someone thinks I'm making a huge mistake by not taking UCL in account please tell me haha.
The reason I'm extra lost is that I come from Sweden and I have no one to ask about their personal opinions. Both universities sound great on paper but I don't know... The rankings are making me confused and I don't know how important it is to choose the university with the strongest name. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that size doesn't matter and that I want the best education I can get in the subject. Student life, accommodation etc. isn't my main focus. A few of the pros are that KCL seems to be a well-known university with a great War Department. SOAS seems to be more cultural and have more mature student (idk if that's the case but I think it matters to me if there are people at my own age at the uni. I'm 22 so..). I really don't know about the other pros and cons and I would LOVE some advice from you guys, whether it is personal opinions, experiences or rumours. Please help the desperate Swede!
The reason I'm extra lost is that I come from Sweden and I have no one to ask about their personal opinions. Both universities sound great on paper but I don't know... The rankings are making me confused and I don't know how important it is to choose the university with the strongest name. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that size doesn't matter and that I want the best education I can get in the subject. Student life, accommodation etc. isn't my main focus. A few of the pros are that KCL seems to be a well-known university with a great War Department. SOAS seems to be more cultural and have more mature student (idk if that's the case but I think it matters to me if there are people at my own age at the uni. I'm 22 so..). I really don't know about the other pros and cons and I would LOVE some advice from you guys, whether it is personal opinions, experiences or rumours. Please help the desperate Swede!
KCL and especially UCL are much more internationally recognised- try to go to UCL if you can
Original post by richpanda
KCL and especially UCL are much more internationally recognised- try to go to UCL if you can
I know that UCL is a great university and all, but I don't think the Social Sciences course is exactly what I want... Even though it has a global approach it doesn't seem like the modules are the same as in an IR course
SOAS is very well regarded in that subject area, I'd honestly lean towards them instead.
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Lse > ucl > kcl > soas
Original post by anonwinner
Lse > ucl > kcl > soas
Not for this subject..
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Original post by Princepieman
SOAS is very well regarded in that subject area, I'd honestly lean towards them instead.
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Instead of what other uni/course?
It seemed like it was harder to get an unconditional from SOAS. I don't know, but I got the offer like a week ago and I got the offer from KCL almost right away. I'm curious though... Studying African culture at a UK university, is that really going to give that culture justice? What do you think?
Original post by anonwinner
Lse > ucl > kcl > soas
I don't think the UCL course is for me, actually. Psychology and sociology and so on isn't what I have in mind and I applied to that course mostly to see if I could get accepted to be honest.. Is your answer based on which uni is the best at IR or generally?
Original post by anonwinner
Lse > ucl > kcl > soas
Yep this is true
Original post by johananabanana
Instead of what other uni/course?
It seemed like it was harder to get an unconditional from SOAS. I don't know, but I got the offer like a week ago and I got the offer from KCL almost right away. I'm curious though... Studying African culture at a UK university, is that really going to give that culture justice? What do you think?
It seemed like it was harder to get an unconditional from SOAS. I don't know, but I got the offer like a week ago and I got the offer from KCL almost right away. I'm curious though... Studying African culture at a UK university, is that really going to give that culture justice? What do you think?
I have about 5 friends currently at SOAS.
They rave on and on about how many guest lecturers/speakers they get from influencial international figures, and how the school is very politically aware. I don't think you'll have to worry re:doing African culture justice. There's so much diversity within the school both from international students, faculty and as mentioned the guest speakers that you really get to feel as part of a wider international group. You'll be learning different cultural quirks through osmosis simply by speaking to other students studying there.
IMO, SOAS is a clear leader in IR/African/Oriental studies. It's one of its strong points.
Original post by johananabanana
So I have a pleasant problem - having to choose between my top picks of universities. I got accepted to both KCL International Relations, SOAS International Relations & Africas Studies (and UCL Social Sciences). The reason UCL isn't an actual option is that I really want to study international relations, but if someone thinks I'm making a huge mistake by not taking UCL in account please tell me haha.
The reason I'm extra lost is that I come from Sweden and I have no one to ask about their personal opinions. Both universities sound great on paper but I don't know... The rankings are making me confused and I don't know how important it is to choose the university with the strongest name. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that size doesn't matter and that I want the best education I can get in the subject. Student life, accommodation etc. isn't my main focus. A few of the pros are that KCL seems to be a well-known university with a great War Department. SOAS seems to be more cultural and have more mature student (idk if that's the case but I think it matters to me if there are people at my own age at the uni. I'm 22 so..). I really don't know about the other pros and cons and I would LOVE some advice from you guys, whether it is personal opinions, experiences or rumours. Please help the desperate Swede!
The reason I'm extra lost is that I come from Sweden and I have no one to ask about their personal opinions. Both universities sound great on paper but I don't know... The rankings are making me confused and I don't know how important it is to choose the university with the strongest name. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that size doesn't matter and that I want the best education I can get in the subject. Student life, accommodation etc. isn't my main focus. A few of the pros are that KCL seems to be a well-known university with a great War Department. SOAS seems to be more cultural and have more mature student (idk if that's the case but I think it matters to me if there are people at my own age at the uni. I'm 22 so..). I really don't know about the other pros and cons and I would LOVE some advice from you guys, whether it is personal opinions, experiences or rumours. Please help the desperate Swede!
KCL>SOAS.
Original post by anonwinner
Lse > ucl > kcl > soas
Imperial>LSE>UCL>KCL>rest.
Original post by XxKingSniprxX
KCL>SOAS.
This is just trolling now
Original post by Princepieman
This is just trolling now
Original post by XxKingSniprxX
Imperial>LSE>UCL>KCL>rest.
It helps about 0 when you only do this type of ranking. I would love it if you guys could give any sort of motivation of why you think what you think - or else I can just stare myself blind at all the rankings already existing online
Original post by Trapz99
go for Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, UCL, Imperial over 'soas'
Ffs, why add to the trolling?
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Original post by Princepieman
Lol sorry 😂
I also have an offer for IR from KCL, and for IR and Arabic from SOAS. I'm choosing SOAS because you have the option of specialising in a specific region (Africa, Asia or the Middle East) as opposed to the KCL course, and they are more specialised in this area. The first International Relations course started at SOAS, if I remember correctly
It depends on the course content and what you'd like to study the most. KCL is more internationally recognised, but that's not important to me and I think I would fit in a lot more at SOAS. I wouldn't base it on recognition if I were you, but it depends on what you wish to do once you leave uni and so on.
It depends on the course content and what you'd like to study the most. KCL is more internationally recognised, but that's not important to me and I think I would fit in a lot more at SOAS. I wouldn't base it on recognition if I were you, but it depends on what you wish to do once you leave uni and so on.
Original post by XxKingSniprxX
Imperial>LSE>UCL>KCL>rest.
I didn't include ICL since OP is applying to International Relations / Social Sciences courses.
However I'd place LSE above ICL.
So it would be LSE>ICL>UCL>KCL>SOAS
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