UCL vs. LSE

From someone who studies at the LSE, you may think I’d be biased towards LSE. So think how bad it must be if I’m telling you to go UCL.

The worst lie anyone can tell you is that student satisfaction/social life is just about how much effort you put in. LSE sucks the life out of you. There’s a reason it is ranked last for student satisfaction (CUG rankings) every year. Class sizes are a joke too (some 20-30). You might as well enrol in online university

Save your own soul, go to ucl. Especially if you’re a British student, you’ll feel like an alien. LSE is 70%+ international students, which are densely chosen from a select few countries, hence there really isn’t much “diversity”. And if you’re British BME, the representation barely exists.

For every pro to an LSE degree, there are 3 cons...

To top it off, LSE’s well-being service is underfunded, despite the extortionate costs of masters and international fees for undergrads.

i've got an offer for Politics and Economics at LSE and History, Politics and Economics at UCL (SEESS) and I'm struggling as well. UCL seems like a better social environment and better student support. But LSE is LSE

Thank you so much for your response. I've heard a lot of similar accounts, but despite all of that have decided to firm LSE. I guess only time will tell now whether that was a mistake or not. The thing that surprises me, however, is that every offer holder I've talked to has had the fear about the bad social life at LSE and seemed really keen to have a different experience themselves. If there are really so many people that want to go out and make friends, can it really be so bad?

And by saying that LSE will suck the life out of you, do you mean the workload? Or the environment?

Every year, every fresher says the same thing. They want to have fun. Yet every year there is no change. Your year will not be any different. Freshers week will be fun then everyone will start focusing on spring weeks and internships for investment banks.

The environment will suck the life out of you. It’s an extremely boring place to study with boring people who are only interested in getting finance roles. The workload isn’t bad if you actually focus. Most first years spend their time applying for spring weeks, so forget to study. Second years spend too long on internships. Third years spend too long on grad schemes. Hence people fall behind every year at LSE. I’m not interested in working for a big bank, so I’ve managed the workload well. I’m more interested in academia but I’ll be continuing my studies at Cambridge or ucl.

You're doing economics, do you think that this will be any different in Politics and International Relations? And does this mean you are transferring unis?

People on literally every degree are obsessed investment banking. That’s because banks love LSE students too regardless of which degree.

Maybe Law students are the least interested as they’re more interested in the legal profession, but even some of them will apply to banks.

I’m not transferring. I’m in my final year and I’ve got masters offers for start in September!

Hi everyone! This sounds all very grave... I'll probably accept a masters at LSE but I think for postgraduate education it's really more about getting a job then getting a life ^^
Though let me share something from my undergrad experience: It all depends on the people you meet and what's your inner drive. You can find the right people anywhere. If you're still afraid, then go to an intercollegiate hall where you'll have flatmates from other universities. When you start first year you'll feel the extreme urge to go to every event, do what others do and believe everything the popular kids tell you like how they already started their buisness at 18... Thats great for them! But you are your own person. Uni is not like highshool. You're not stuck there. Find your own path. Maybe LSE will not be your home or favourite place, but it can be an exciting and cherished part of your story. Join a sports or arts club and mingle there, it helps!
So in a nutshell: Chill. You'll be fine. Enjoy.

thank you so much for your reply! I believe you're right, in uni you make your own path and you can find the right people anywhere Good luck with your program, I hope you enjoy your time at LSE!

thank you so much for your reply! I believe you're right, in uni you make your own path and you can find the right people anywhere Good luck with your program, I hope you enjoy your time at LSE!

Thank you so much for your response. I've heard a lot of similar accounts, but despite all of that have decided to firm LSE. I guess only time will tell now whether that was a mistake or not. The thing that surprises me, however, is that every offer holder I've talked to has had the fear about the bad social life at LSE and seemed really keen to have a different experience themselves. If there are really so many people that want to go out and make friends, can it really be so bad?

And by saying that LSE will suck the life out of you, do you mean the workload? Or the environment?

hey, i just wanted to ask how LSE is going?? i have offers from the same 2 courses and am in the same predicament, i’m leaning towards UCL but i feel like i’m wasting an opportunity not going to LSE!! thanks

Choose LSE as your firm choice!!! Because I went to the LSE library and there was a clear divide in where everybody was sitting: The Caucasian's sat together near the windows and computers on the 1st/2nd floors. The Asian's sat near the 2nd/3rd/4th floors and were almost like they were non-existent but nor did they interact with anybody else except their own kind!!! lol Whilst the few African's were hiding together in the corners of the 5th uppermost floor and there were not many of them to be honest either?! But nevertheless it's such an awesome library that allows anybody with a ID card to sit and study in silence and get to know other students too.

FACT: There are 5,000 study spaces in the LSE library...it is insane?!

Choose LSE as your firm choice!!! Because I went to the LSE library and there was a clear divide in where everybody was sitting: The Caucasian's sat together near the windows and computers on the 1st/2nd floors. The Asian's sat near the 2nd/3rd/4th floors and were almost like they were non-existent but nor did they interact with anybody else except their own kind!!! lol Whilst the few African's were hiding together in the corners of the 5th uppermost floor and there were not many of them to be honest either?! But nevertheless it's such an awesome library that allows anybody with a ID card to sit and study in silence and get to know other students too.

FACT: There are 5,000 study spaces in the LSE library...it is insane?!