if you are going for reputation, it's Essex. However if you prefer London's city pace, Brunel. But if I were you I'd go Essex, seems to me it has higher reputation, and probably better employment rates too.
Lol. I'm quite shocked I was given that offer to be honest. Anyhoo ...... If you were to rate essex's reputaion and Brunel's reputaion on a scale from 1 -10 what woud you give them?
I was put off applying to Brunel too in the beginning, I haven't seen it yet but I am aware that they have built new buildings. However you really can't let people influence your choice, after all it's you doing the course not them. I let people put me off City uni and even though I kind of agree it was the right thing to do I wish I had seen the place to know whether it was right for me.