which uni ranking is most reliable? which of these would you pick?

Rankings are bunkum.

They use criteria that have absolutely nothing to do with an undergraduate degree, and tell you nothing about whether or not you will enjoy that course or being at that Uni.

Read this Student Room article - especially the bit about making sure you read the course descriptions at each Uni in detail, and that you pick a range of grade requirements : https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/apply/how-to-avoid-getting-five-university-rejections

Look at the detailed course descriptions - this is what you would be studying, not 'metrics' or 'rankings, or some other random person's opinion. Each Uni will be different - and it depends on your interests which course is best for you.

Choosing isnt easy - but there really are no shortcuts or 'expressway' to doing this.
You have to look at course units - what is compulsory, what optional units are there, and which would you choose.
What extras are available - units in other subject areas, study abroad, placements etc etc.

Here, as just one example, is the course description for English at Bristol : https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/2021/english/ba-english/
And the unit catalogue : https://www.bris.ac.uk/unit-programme-catalogue/RouteStructure.jsa?byCohort=N&ayrCode=20%2F21&programmeCode=1ENGL001U

okay thanks 😀 I do quite like the looks of bristol and I held an offer there last yr so hopefully I could get one this time round too (achieved a*a*a*)

Good luck!

I also did my a levels (achieved A*AA) but I'm applying again because i didn't like the uni I had firmed anymore. Anyways, I look at both the complete university guide and the guardian and see which unis are kind of consistent in their rankings on both. I don't look at the world rankings because i don't think I'm going to work outside the uk so its irrelevant to me. I'm hoping to get into LSE or UCL.

okay thanks, good point about work - I'm not thinking I'm going to work outside uk either so I suppose national is more important! fab grades, best of luck 😀

thank you! Good luck as well

thank you 😀

There isnt 1 ranking that can be 100% relied upon but CUG is the one most used by careers advisers. However as I and several others have tried to tell you rankings are absolutely meaningless. In practice the difference in all the leading universities is minute and the difference between say 10th and 20th means nothing. The international rankings have always shown the traditional universities in large cities as the best but the UK ones show a different story. Universities such as Durham, York, Leeds, Manchester and Lancaster are pretty much of similar standing. Ignore rankings and things like Russell Group as they mean nothing. Dont get fooled by them. Look into courses and surroundings. That is what counts.

okay, atm I think I'm going to apply to cambridge, edinburgh, york, lancaster and st andrews, thanks for your help 😀

Hi, Which one did you get in? I'm in the same boat..