Imperial College London
London
Is Imperial full of males and/or full of 'nerdy' people?
I am looking at uni courses to apply for and I'm conflicted as to whether I should lean towards ICL, or other places such as Oxford or Cambridge (if they were to have a more interesting, more diverse social life) or even lean towards other places with less 'nerdiness' (if that makes sense), e.g. Bristol. While the more prestigious unis offer better education and the opportunity to be more successful, I still value having a fun, interesting, normal social life and don't want my life to be stuck in a library/be surrounded by others who are stuck in a library.
I am thinking of doing an aerospace engineering course and ICL offers an apparently good one, but I worry that I may be surrounded by mostly males and everyone may be extremely 'nerdy' and, while I am interested in this course, I don't see myself as very nerdy (while I enjoy sciences and am good at maths, I like football, socialising, night life etc.).
Can anyone with experience give any advice as to whether it would still be easy to have a well rounded life (work, social etc.) at such universities or whether it would be more enjoyable to go to slightly lower down unis?
I am thinking of doing an aerospace engineering course and ICL offers an apparently good one, but I worry that I may be surrounded by mostly males and everyone may be extremely 'nerdy' and, while I am interested in this course, I don't see myself as very nerdy (while I enjoy sciences and am good at maths, I like football, socialising, night life etc.).
Can anyone with experience give any advice as to whether it would still be easy to have a well rounded life (work, social etc.) at such universities or whether it would be more enjoyable to go to slightly lower down unis?
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Hiya! Imperial student (just finished my undergrad) and female here! I'm not sure if I'd class myself as a nerd, I love my subject but I have other things that I enjoy too! I think there's a common misconception that Imperial is full of people that spend their time in the library 24/7 and have no work/life balance. This is completely untrue, whilst there are some people that might spend a lot of their time in the library or studying elsewhere, I would say the majority of us do other things outside of our degrees and manage to have a decent social life.
Most of my friends have hobbies during their spare time and take part in clubs or societies at uni, and outside of the pandemic, I would say that the social life here is pretty similar to that at other unis and that a lot of people do 'normal student things' like go on nights out, socialise at other events, etc.. In terms of the gender ratio, it's true that there are a lot of male students, especially in the engineering courses, but there are a fair few non-male students too! (My course is one of the few courses that has more females than males haha)
I think it's relatively easy to have a well-rounded student life in London but at the end of the day it's worth having a think about which uni you think would be best for you personally!
Most of my friends have hobbies during their spare time and take part in clubs or societies at uni, and outside of the pandemic, I would say that the social life here is pretty similar to that at other unis and that a lot of people do 'normal student things' like go on nights out, socialise at other events, etc.. In terms of the gender ratio, it's true that there are a lot of male students, especially in the engineering courses, but there are a fair few non-male students too! (My course is one of the few courses that has more females than males haha)
I think it's relatively easy to have a well-rounded student life in London but at the end of the day it's worth having a think about which uni you think would be best for you personally!
Imperial College London
London
The person answering above is completely biased. Don’t go off what they’re saying, not only are they from one of the more social (biology related) courses (completely irrelevant to what you’re asking about, engineering) they are also completely unaware of the social life at the other university you mentioned. Imperial is one of the most stereotypically unsocial and unfun universities you could ever go to. Most of my friends were miserable and did nothing but study and still ended up with 2:1’s. It is indeed full of males and you will hate your life if you like nightlife. Everyone I know that’s into that nightlife barely scrapes 2:1’s or 2:2’s even while studying way more than the top of their class at other universities such as Bristol.
Well to certain extent yes
Obviously it will be more enjoyable to go to a uni with less of a workload, but you have to consider what you're actually going there for.
Male:female ratio is about 62:38 overall. Medicine and chemistry are about equal, engineering more male-dominated but still varies a fair bit depending on the course. However when it comes to each individual course it's similar to other universities. Engineering at Bristol will be male-dominated too, not because it's Bristol, but because it's engineering. Imperial doesn't do arts/humanities/psychology which, in other universities, balances it out.
There are 10,000 undergraduates, roughly. There will be all sorts of people and personalities.
Male:female ratio is about 62:38 overall. Medicine and chemistry are about equal, engineering more male-dominated but still varies a fair bit depending on the course. However when it comes to each individual course it's similar to other universities. Engineering at Bristol will be male-dominated too, not because it's Bristol, but because it's engineering. Imperial doesn't do arts/humanities/psychology which, in other universities, balances it out.
There are 10,000 undergraduates, roughly. There will be all sorts of people and personalities.
Original post by Anonymous
Most guys at imperial never have sex and I’d say around 50-70% of them graduate from imperial still virgins. The girls at imperial have a monopoly over the sex market and thus are incredibly arrogant and uptight but it’s not like they benefit either. They will get passed around by the “high tier” males because the girls’ artificially inflated egos only allow them to go for such males. But obviously such males would not settle for girls that aren’t in their league in the social hierarchy. So the dating scene is quite messed up at imperial unless you’re a top 5% male. This is not to generalise though, you can find those rare gem girls at imperial because a lot of girls are from very upper class backgrounds, you can truly find amazing ones that really respect themselves and are brilliant, humble, and keep to themselves. Thankfully I am quite attractive so I got my fair share of high value girls so I’m not writing this in bitterness. Just feel really bad for what most of my friends had to go through (most are still virgins)
Also, does anyone know if Oxford/Cambridge are any different? Are they similar in the social life, gender difference, 'nerdiness' etc.?
Original post by Anonymous
Is this true? Does anyone else with experience have the same/different views?
I think he's talking rubbish and is unhealthily fixated on the topic.
Original post by Sinnoh
Obviously it will be more enjoyable to go to a uni with less of a workload, but you have to consider what you're actually going there for.
Male:female ratio is about 62:38 overall. Medicine and chemistry are about equal, engineering more male-dominated but still varies a fair bit depending on the course. However when it comes to each individual course it's similar to other universities. Engineering at Bristol will be male-dominated too, not because it's Bristol, but because it's engineering. Imperial doesn't do arts/humanities/psychology which, in other universities, balances it out.
There are 10,000 undergraduates, roughly. There will be all sorts of people and personalities.
Male:female ratio is about 62:38 overall. Medicine and chemistry are about equal, engineering more male-dominated but still varies a fair bit depending on the course. However when it comes to each individual course it's similar to other universities. Engineering at Bristol will be male-dominated too, not because it's Bristol, but because it's engineering. Imperial doesn't do arts/humanities/psychology which, in other universities, balances it out.
There are 10,000 undergraduates, roughly. There will be all sorts of people and personalities.
I understand that more prestigious unis will have higher workload and therefore be theoretically less enjoyable, but I belive I'm willing to put in the work considering the value of a degree from a great uni.
I'm more concerned with whether I will enjoy a good social life (as I'm sure at any uni you can have a work/social life balance) - I just feel like the social life at ICL may be less enjoyable. I currently go to a boys school and I really don't want my uni experience to be like my school experience in the fact that I struggle to get opportunities to socialise with girls and all of my friends go to other schools, so in my school life I have few friends and no girls - I'd prefer to go to a uni where I can make good friends, have relationships and enjoy the nightlife etc.
Would you agree that ICL is not the place for that?
Original post by Anonymous
I understand that more prestigious unis will have higher workload and therefore be theoretically less enjoyable, but I belive I'm willing to put in the work considering the value of a degree from a great uni.
I'm more concerned with whether I will enjoy a good social life (as I'm sure at any uni you can have a work/social life balance) - I just feel like the social life at ICL may be less enjoyable. I currently go to a boys school and I really don't want my uni experience to be like my school experience in the fact that I struggle to get opportunities to socialise with girls and all of my friends go to other schools, so in my school life I have few friends and no girls - I'd prefer to go to a uni where I can make good friends, have relationships and enjoy the nightlife etc.
Would you agree that ICL is not the place for that?
I'm more concerned with whether I will enjoy a good social life (as I'm sure at any uni you can have a work/social life balance) - I just feel like the social life at ICL may be less enjoyable. I currently go to a boys school and I really don't want my uni experience to be like my school experience in the fact that I struggle to get opportunities to socialise with girls and all of my friends go to other schools, so in my school life I have few friends and no girls - I'd prefer to go to a uni where I can make good friends, have relationships and enjoy the nightlife etc.
Would you agree that ICL is not the place for that?
I would not agree.
Original post by Sinnoh
I would not agree.
please expand
Original post by Anonymous
please expand
I've made good friends, I know people in relationships, and during my course so far I've definitely had time to go out and enjoy myself. I'm not doing fantastically grades-wise but that's more because I'm lazy and not because it's impossible to get a first or 2:i. Grade inflation is quite something!
Original post by Anonymous
The person answering above is completely biased. Don’t go off what they’re saying, not only are they from one of the more social (biology related) courses (completely irrelevant to what you’re asking about, engineering) they are also completely unaware of the social life at the other university you mentioned. Imperial is one of the most stereotypically unsocial and unfun universities you could ever go to. Most of my friends were miserable and did nothing but study and still ended up with 2:1’s. It is indeed full of males and you will hate your life if you like nightlife. Everyone I know that’s into that nightlife barely scrapes 2:1’s or 2:2’s even while studying way more than the top of their class at other universities such as Bristol.
Lol I can accept that I am probably a little biased, given that I have only experienced one university, but I am also friends with multiple people from the engineering courses, and the people I know that do aero definitely do not spend their entire lives studying. The irony here...
Original post by urlocalinmate
"High value girls"... So much wrong with this.
Original post by Sinnoh
I've made good friends, I know people in relationships, and during my course so far I've definitely had time to go out and enjoy myself. I'm not doing fantastically grades-wise but that's more because I'm lazy and not because it's impossible to get a first or 2:i. Grade inflation is quite something!
It kind of worries me that the individual "Anonymous #2" said the things they did, though. Assuming they are/were a member of Imperial and not a troll from a different uni, while they may have drastically exaggerated their point, it remains that they hold this point of view that Imperial is 'unfun and unsocial'. I'm just slightly hesitant that if people at the uni hold this point of view then I may end up going there and hold the same point of view (i.e. that my social life is in the bin and that I can't talk to girls).
Original post by Anonymous
It kind of worries me that the individual "Anonymous #2" said the things they did, though. Assuming they are/were a member of Imperial and not a troll from a different uni, while they may have drastically exaggerated their point, it remains that they hold this point of view that Imperial is 'unfun and unsocial'. I'm just slightly hesitant that if people at the uni hold this point of view then I may end up going there and hold the same point of view (i.e. that my social life is in the bin and that I can't talk to girls).
What Anon 2 said was morally wrong, I doubt it represents the people in Imperial at all, sounds like assumptions to me. Everybody's going to be nervous at the start of Uni anyway.
Original post by Anonymous
It kind of worries me that the individual "Anonymous #2" said the things they did, though. Assuming they are/were a member of Imperial and not a troll from a different uni, while they may have drastically exaggerated their point, it remains that they hold this point of view that Imperial is 'unfun and unsocial'. I'm just slightly hesitant that if people at the uni hold this point of view then I may end up going there and hold the same point of view (i.e. that my social life is in the bin and that I can't talk to girls).
what I am referring to is when they say things like 'you will hate your life if you like nightlife'
Original post by Anonymous
I understand that more prestigious unis will have higher workload and therefore be theoretically less enjoyable, but I belive I'm willing to put in the work considering the value of a degree from a great uni.
I'm more concerned with whether I will enjoy a good social life (as I'm sure at any uni you can have a work/social life balance) - I just feel like the social life at ICL may be less enjoyable. I currently go to a boys school and I really don't want my uni experience to be like my school experience in the fact that I struggle to get opportunities to socialise with girls and all of my friends go to other schools, so in my school life I have few friends and no girls - I'd prefer to go to a uni where I can make good friends, have relationships and enjoy the nightlife etc.
Would you agree that ICL is not the place for that?
I'm more concerned with whether I will enjoy a good social life (as I'm sure at any uni you can have a work/social life balance) - I just feel like the social life at ICL may be less enjoyable. I currently go to a boys school and I really don't want my uni experience to be like my school experience in the fact that I struggle to get opportunities to socialise with girls and all of my friends go to other schools, so in my school life I have few friends and no girls - I'd prefer to go to a uni where I can make good friends, have relationships and enjoy the nightlife etc.
Would you agree that ICL is not the place for that?
Hey OP, I would also disagree (but since I'm 'completely biased' and 'incredibly arrogant and uptight' you can disregard my opinion lol)
In all seriousness, your concerns are definitely valid, I have similar concerns when I was applying for Oxbridge/ICL and I was worried about studying in an environment that is dominated by males. No one can guarantee what your uni experience will be like, so I think it's important to get lots of different opinions so that you can make an informed choice. If you want to talk to more ICL student (or just uni students in general), UniBuddy is quite useful for asking the questions that you'd ask at in-person open days when they were a thing. If you're in a position to come to the main campus at some point, I know that campus tours are resuming soon, so that's another chance to get more of a feel for the student life here.
Original post by mt_zz
Hey OP, I would also disagree (but since I'm 'completely biased' and 'incredibly arrogant and uptight' you can disregard my opinion lol)
In all seriousness, your concerns are definitely valid, I have similar concerns when I was applying for Oxbridge/ICL and I was worried about studying in an environment that is dominated by males. No one can guarantee what your uni experience will be like, so I think it's important to get lots of different opinions so that you can make an informed choice. If you want to talk to more ICL student (or just uni students in general), UniBuddy is quite useful for asking the questions that you'd ask at in-person open days when they were a thing. If you're in a position to come to the main campus at some point, I know that campus tours are resuming soon, so that's another chance to get more of a feel for the student life here.
In all seriousness, your concerns are definitely valid, I have similar concerns when I was applying for Oxbridge/ICL and I was worried about studying in an environment that is dominated by males. No one can guarantee what your uni experience will be like, so I think it's important to get lots of different opinions so that you can make an informed choice. If you want to talk to more ICL student (or just uni students in general), UniBuddy is quite useful for asking the questions that you'd ask at in-person open days when they were a thing. If you're in a position to come to the main campus at some point, I know that campus tours are resuming soon, so that's another chance to get more of a feel for the student life here.
thanks a lot.
I am just entering yr 12 so I am still a while off applying for unis but I'm just trying to hear different opinions and yeah, exactly, make an informed choice. I will definitely try to go to open days/tours at lots of different unis.
If you don't mind, why did you end up going to ICL and not oxbridge? Was it a choice and, if so, why did you make it?
Original post by urlocalinmate
What Anon 2 said was morally wrong, I doubt it represents the people in Imperial at all, sounds like assumptions to me. Everybody's going to be nervous at the start of Uni anyway.
Yeah I would second this, whilst we can't prove/disprove the fact that Anon 2 might have studied at Imperial, I think the vile garbage they were spewing earlier is an indication that some of their points should be taken with a pinch of salt. And yep, I was super nervous when I first arrived at uni, and I absolutely loved freshers and met lots of lovely people.
Original post by Anonymous
thanks a lot.
I am just entering yr 12 so I am still a while off applying for unis but I'm just trying to hear different opinions and yeah, exactly, make an informed choice. I will definitely try to go to open days/tours at lots of different unis.
If you don't mind, why did you end up going to ICL and not oxbridge? Was it a choice and, if so, why did you make it?
I am just entering yr 12 so I am still a while off applying for unis but I'm just trying to hear different opinions and yeah, exactly, make an informed choice. I will definitely try to go to open days/tours at lots of different unis.
If you don't mind, why did you end up going to ICL and not oxbridge? Was it a choice and, if so, why did you make it?
You're welcome! For me I find the social life comments somewhat entertaining sometimes, since London has one of the best nightlife scenes in the country. I can completely understand why people think that ICL is full of 'nerds' though, especially since we are a STEM-focussed uni. I will say that it's quite easy to forget that we're all STEM students once you get here, because there's such a wide range of people here with so many different interests and passions. Like any uni, you'll have people that are into the arts and humanities, people that really enjoy sports, etc. In my case if I hadn't decided to do biology, I probably would have done English lit!
So for me if was not a choice, I was rejected by Cambridge (I applied for NatSci biological) after getting to interviews and being pooled haha. But I will say that I had doubts even before I was rejected about whether I would enjoy life at Cambridge, similar doubts to the ones you are having now. A big part of me was relieved that I was rejected, as I had already been leaning towards Imperial. Looking back, I'm not sure that I would have enjoyed being at Cambridge as much as I've enjoyed Imperial, and I think personally my social life probably wouldn't have been as good. I went to an all-girls boarding school for most of secondary, so the college system at Cambridge - cool as it is - did feel a bit like the university edition of boarding. Studying in London I've had various opportunities that I might have missed out on elsewhere (like being able to learn Japanese as an extracurricular for free) and I became a lot more confident about myself. I'm now at the stage where I'd consider applying to Oxbridge for PhDs (now leaning towards Oxford actually) but if I get rejected it's not a big deal, I can survive without experiencing the Oxbridge student life.
People who are passionate about their course, yes. Which I like 
As said the overall male to female ratio is 60 to 40 but that's mainly due to the lack of humanities subjects. It's not been something I've particularly noticed or been unhappy with especially compared to friends studying STEM elsewhere.
The idea that Imperial is 'unsocial and unfun' and other academically rigorous unis are somehow by having a few more women and English students is surely a little odd. All unis have their issues and the social life is what you make of it.
As said the overall male to female ratio is 60 to 40 but that's mainly due to the lack of humanities subjects. It's not been something I've particularly noticed or been unhappy with especially compared to friends studying STEM elsewhere.
The idea that Imperial is 'unsocial and unfun' and other academically rigorous unis are somehow by having a few more women and English students is surely a little odd. All unis have their issues and the social life is what you make of it.
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