Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

how did people pick unis. i based it all on league table

benwhite13

I just chose the ones highest for my course on the guardian league table. was this a bad idea

Reply 1

Bioooochem

the guardian league tables are ****. use qs and THE.

Reply 2

FarhanHalim

Lol why would you use guardian, use THE or CUG or QS. I personally looked at all three.

Reply 3

username3731912

yes that was a bad idea, doesn't the guardian rank nottingham trent over nottingham? use the complete university guide, the only reliable one

Reply 4

delporto8

Original post by benwhite13

I just chose the ones highest for my course on the guardian league table. was this a bad idea

I was at a visit day at the University of Nottingham for Mathematical Physics and when the admissions tutor was talking to all the students and parents who had made it, he said league tables are *******s but not entirely. Nottingham were ranked 5th I believe for which unis employers wanted, next year they went up to 2nd. What did Nottingham do any different? - nothing.

I'll be honest and say it probably was a bad idea but what you should have done is go to as many open days (if possible) as you can and talk to the students who are on the course, that is hands down the best option without a doubt. It's what made me switch my course from Physics w/ Theoretical Physics to Mathematical Physics.

Reply 5

jameswhughes

Original post by anonymous1231231

yes that was a bad idea, doesn't the guardian rank nottingham trent over nottingham? use the complete university guide, the only reliable one

They have Derby between Edinburgh and Manchester too, what a joke. :lol:

Reply 6

username3731912

Original post by jameswhughes

They have Derby between Edinburgh and Manchester too, what a joke. :lol:

ffs

Reply 7

kjsdfkjnfds

Original post by Bioooochem

the guardian league tables are ****. use qs and THE.

Definitely.

But the others are still unreliable too. They're mostly reflective of research reputation, not the educational experience of undergrads. And they entirely ignore the social dimension, facilities, etc.

I've found that as I do research on unis, which includes looking at the rankings (!), I'll gravitate towards certain ones for no particular reasons, and start willing myself to find things I like about them. Ultimately, if you want to like a place, you usually will.

Reply 8

TheRadishPrince

Original post by benwhite13

I just chose the ones highest for my course on the guardian league table. was this a bad idea

Pretty bad idea yeah, I value the content of the course itself, the location of the university and the university itself (accommodation facilities etc) over where it ranks in league tables as you could choose a high ranked institution with boring course content and overall just not being what you want