Edinburgh or Glasgow?

Is it better to do a more focused course that will give you an engineering qualification or is it better to do a more general course like physics?
What are the pros and cons for Glasgow and Edinburgh?

Is it better to do a more focused course that will give you an engineering qualification or is it better to do a more general course like physics?
What are the pros and cons for Glasgow and Edinburgh?

If you want to be an engineer there's no practical benefit to doing Physics instead, if you want to be a physicist, Engineering will feature less Physics than a Physics degree.

I don't know much about either university for Physics or Engineering, as a Biology student.
Edinburgh encourages personal teaching more than Glasgow generally, and has the higher reputation (if that matters to you), but the Science campus is away from the actual uni or city (about 20-30 minutes). You don't specialise particularly until 3rd or 4th year, at least in Biology. As a city it's quieter and more historic.

Glasgow on the other hand does seem to teach more, but it's still more self-directed than some other universities. The science buildings are in the city, although it's a larger city by far and very busy. It's definitely a hub for nightlife though if that's your thing. The courses themselves generally seem to have higher satisfaction rates, and specialise earlier (again in Biology).

Thanks! That's really helpful.
From your perspective, do you think focusing on a certain area of your interest is better for your not planned future (if you have a plan, could you assume you don't please) than looking more broadly at it?

No problem!

Hm...I think it depends on your subject, really. I'm assuming you're trying to pick between Engineering and Physics, so I'll go based on that;

Engineering is something you take with the expectation of becoming an engineer. If you wanted to do Physics later it's not impossible, but you'd find it harder than vice-versa. On the flipside, because there's the expectation of becoming an engineer at the end, you start a working career a lot sooner. In that regard I think Engineering would be "focusing early", although there are still things you can do with it like accounting, teaching etc.

Physics I think is more broad and less 'specialised', if you will, at the cost of no fixed career at the end. You can easily become an Engineer after a Physics degree because the level of Maths used tends to be higher, or you can go into research, teach, work as a medical physicist in the NHS...and so on.

So with that in mind I think the benefit of focusing on a certain field earlier is better for your future, but you run the risk of spending 3 years doing something you end up not that fond of. On the other hand if you're okay with not having a career immediately waiting for you on graduation, you might find your options more open.

Personally I'd go for the more open route, because whatever optimism you have pre-degree you can't guarantee you'll have in 3-4 years time; the ability to do more with your course I would consider a benefit

PS: Sorry this is so long! Truth be told my career path is very specific so I hadn't really thought about the pros and cons before...I hope at least some part is helpful!

Yeah I think I agree with you. My starting idea was to do something broad anyway, I just started thinking about it after looking for more options in case I don't manage to get in even thought the requirements are similar in both of this areas.

Thank you, now I know which one will be my first choice if I get an offer from both.

PS: I think it's great that you said it in so much details, it really helped me! Well I hope you still enjoy your career path, in the end, sciences are always needed one way or another.

That's good to hear, I'm glad you feel a little more clear about it. Which course are you thinking of?

And hey, I'm just glad my tendency to ramble was useful! I'm sure I will, the good thing about Genetics is it's so new so there's plenty to discover Hope you enjoy whatever you decide to do

Physics and music at Edinburgh. I really liked the city when I went there for open days and I am doing a grade 7 to be able to do music.

Haha, rambling is always good Oh genetics! That's probably one of the only parts of biology that I find really interesting, it relates to psychology as well. Thank you!

Ahh, Grade 7 was not fun so good luck there I'm applying to Edinburgh as well so I totally understand what you feel about the city though!

Hadn't really thought about its psychology links, might've found something to put on my statement now so thank you

Is it better to do a more focused course that will give you an engineering qualification or is it better to do a more general course like physics?
What are the pros and cons for Glasgow and Edinburgh?

Thanks! Did you do a grade 7? Well maybe we'll see each other there I guess

Haha, yeah exactly, I'm great for not thinking in terms of biology :' good luck for your application!

I don't know, I have a general interest in physics and music and found a few courses involving both. I don't specifically know what I want to do as a job and I wouldn't mind being an engineer but I don't know if that might be restrictive to my options.

Sorry that I haven't got a clear answer, otherwise I wouldn't struggle choosing.

I did up to Grade 8 for harp many years ago! And possibly then, best of luck with yours too!

I can only tell you about the cities, but Glasgow has better facilities and more to do, whereas Edinburgh is more historic. Also bear in mind that Glasgow has a higher crime rate as it's bigger

If you have a general interest in physics, physics is a good degree to take overall, leaves plenty of options open.

Engineering also leaves plenty of options open, although most people choose it with a view to becoming an engineer.

It's actually pretty difficult to move into engineering from physics, as they are quite different fields, although not impossible depending on the position. And this isn't relevant if engineering isn't something you want to pursue anyway.

Physics is probably more interesting to study from a general interest perspective if you're interested in nature and the universe.

Yeah I heard quite a lot about the crime rate

Thanks anyway !