York Uni Sliding down the rankings?

Original post by Vikingninja

Why does it matter that they're falling down ranks? They're the same as before.

UK league tables should be abolished.Most top universities have stopped chasing them for a decade now. All focus is on the World rankings.

Reply 23

OP

Original post by Magic Streets

You will not be able to afford en-suite in london if you are relying on a student loan. A single room in a shared accommodation is the norm for London. The city is buzzing, and full of student jobs, and there is a great blend of people from across the World.What is more, the students in London's top universities seem to be more studious compared to some of the top northern universities I have seen.

Actually, you can afford an en-suite room (bathroom, not kitchen), but this would depend on the amount of student finance I'm entitled to. Going by the SFE calculator, I would get about £8,000 loan. The cheapest KCL accommodation is £147 per week for 40 weeks = about £6K (but this really is quite poor accommodation called Ewen Henderson Court... Definitely not for me (being a mature student and all)! (no offence).

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 24

Vikingninja

21

Original post by Magic Streets

UK league tables should be abolished.Most top universities have stopped chasing them for a decade now. All focus is on the World rankings.

It's pretty much the same unis in the top rankings in that anyway who shuffle around, rest are in large 150-250 or whatever ranges and its hard to differentiate them by much.

Reply 25

OP

Original post by Vikingninja

Why does it matter that they're falling down ranks? They're the same as before.

This is quite a contradictory statement. Surely, as they're falling down the ranking, something must have changed (else they would've maintained their position), meaning they are not the same as before.

Reply 26

Original post by Voi

Actually, you can afford an en-suite room (bathroom, not kitchen), but this would depend on the amount of student finance I'm entitled to. Going by the SFE calculator, I would get about £8,000 loan. The cheapest KCL accommodation is £147 per week for 40 weeks = about £6K (but this really is quite poor accommodation called Ewen Henderson Court... Definitely not for me (being a mature student and all)! (no offence).

For once just trust me and choose KCL. You will have a great time in London, and you will meet some great people. From a people perspective, KCL would be the best choice.

Reply 27

Original post by Voi

This is quite a contradictory statement. Surely, as they're falling down the ranking, something must have changed (else they would've maintained their position), meaning they are not the same as before.

Nope, this is not true at all. A university might spend extra millions in just one area (such as new buildings), and cut spending in other areas to balance the books. Not all universities in the Russell Group chase the rankings with an ego like Durham.

Reply 28

frozen_fire

Stop focusing on rankings so much. Clearly a university like York is very well respected regardless of minor changes in position, which fluctuate year on year depending on the weightings attributed to various criteria. I've seen the likes of Lancaster and Surrey in the top 10 before and I'm pretty sure no one would class them as 'better' than York.

It's good you are considering the cost of going to KCL. Such factors are more important to look at particularly when comparing universities with similar academic reputations.

Reply 29

OP

Original post by Magic Streets

For once just trust me and choose KCL. You will have a great time in London, and you will meet some great people. From a people perspective, KCL would be the best choice.

I'm considering it. I really am! But it's just the accommodation that is putting me off. It's a major part of the experience. My fear is being placed in a flat of 5 other 1st year students (who are up for partying and making noise - as most first years do). I'm a mature student and am not interested in any of that. We'd have nothing in common - it would be very awkward indeed!

Reply 30

Original post by Voi

I'm considering it. I really am! But it's just the accommodation that is putting me off. It's a major part of the experience. My fear is being placed in a flat of 5 other 1st year students (who are up for partying and making noise - as most first years do). I'm a mature student and am not interested in any of that. We'd have nothing in common - it would be very awkward indeed!

You won't get too many of these types of party animals at KCL or UCL, although you may encounter a few if you are unlucky. You can always rent a room in private accommodation after first year.

Reply 31

Aspiring123

16

I think the top 5 are more easier to define:
Cambridge
Oxford
Imperial
LSE
UCL

Then you can argue the rest between:
Durham
Warwick
St Andrews
Kings
Manchester/Bristol

Reply 32

Vikingninja

21

Original post by Voi

This is quite a contradictory statement. Surely, as they're falling down the ranking, something must have changed, meaning they are not the same as before.

No, rankings are based on info like satisfaction, prospects, research, entry requirements etc. Satisfaction is subjective because you can't really compare people from a university with difficult content to one with easier content or interest in the course and also depends on people that year. Research is pretty irrelevant to teaching quality and going down rankings doesn't mean the lecturers are suddenly incompetent. Prospects depends on yourself (and the course you take) and then obviously the quality of the university, again the university does not suddenly become crap because it went down. This is also a comparison of universities, some like to push towards higher rankings so do stuff to make them increase in this. If you want to know how ******** rankings are to depend on highly, Heriot-Watt for my course (civil engineering) was in top 5 for civil engineering consistently for 3 years in guardian and was above imperial (lol just no) and then suddenly dropped to 30th.

Reply 33

OP

Original post by Magic Streets

You won't get too many of these types of party animals at KCL or UCL, although you may encounter a few if you are unlucky. You can always rent a room in private accommodation after first year.

You mean house share? That's a popular thing to do in London. I just like my own space.

If I went to KCL, I wouldn't settle for anything less than a studio apartment (with kitchen and bathroom) in a nice (quiet) area, preferably something private. Unfortunately, I can't find anything like that in London on RightMove.

I can, however, find lots of places like this in Sheffield, Manchester, and York.

I can feel myself just going to one of these universities instead.

(Can't quite afford KCL it seems) :frown:

Reply 34

Newcastle456

14

Original post by Voi

What's your point? You seem to be implying that I said those Universities are ranked lower than KCL? I didn't say that!

I said that KCL is better than Warwick, which globally it is. As for Oxbridge, LSE and UCL, they're ranked higher globally than KCL, so they are 'better'.

Anyway, I couldn't care less about banks/consulting firms, it's not the course/career I'm applying for.

Which is laughable in itself. I can't think of anyone who genuinely believes that. Entry tariff - students coming in and graduate opportunities - students going out, Warwick is significantly better than KCL. This is also true for Durham and St Andrews.

Reply 35

OP

Original post by Newcastle456

Which is laughable in itself. I can't think of anyone who genuinely believes that. Entry tariff - students coming in and graduate opportunities - students going out, Warwick is significantly better than KCL. This is also true for Durham and St Andrews.

In the UK, this might be so. But imagine you are a student in the US (China etc), who is looking at a global league table.

You'll see KCL above Warwick, so you'll think it is better.

In the UK, this is not the case, but perhaps it should be.

Reply 36

Original post by Voi

You mean house share? That's a popular thing to do in London. I just like my own space.

If I went to KCL, I wouldn't settle for anything less than a studio apartment (with kitchen and bathroom) in a nice (quiet) area, preferably something private. Unfortunately, I can't find anything like that in London on RightMove.

I can, however, find lots of places like this in Sheffield, Manchester, and York.

I can feel myself just going to one of these universities instead.

(Can't quite afford KCL it seems) :frown:

You might find yourself isolated with few friends if you go to these universities as a mature student. London would be the best choice.

Reply 37

OP

Original post by Magic Streets

You might find yourself isolated with few friends if you go to these universities as a mature student. London would be the best choice.

I'm not that mature, only a couple of years older than the majority of students. I'm still considering it. If I can find somewhere decent - that has an en-suite bathroom at least - I may firm KCL (just need to wait to hear from Manchester though)

Reply 38