Imperial vs. Cambridge, don't know what to firm help!

`God

Hey guys, I applied for Civil Engineering @ Imperial and Engineering @ Cambridge and have offers from both but seriously don't know what to firm. I'll try and make this as short as possible.

Before I applied for university, I always saw Imperial as my realistic choice and I had a good idea since about year 11 that Imperial is the place I would study higher education. My grades aren't amazing (you can check on my sig) and I applied for Cambridge as it was a very ambitious choice and I didn't want to have regrets. Being completely honest, I thought I had a 10% chance or so at getting an offer from Cambridge. So I ended up getting a Cambridge offer and its the same A-level grades but I also have to get a 1 in STEP I which I'm working very hard for and I think I'll be able to pull it off (if I carry on working as hard as I am now for it).

A lot of people tell me that I'd be stupid to turn down an Oxbridge offer but I think the gap between Oxbridge/Imperial/LSE/UCL is so small that it doesn't really matter, especially for my course where Imperial is ranked #1 in the world for Civil and Structural Engineering.

I've made a list of pros and cons about studying at Cambridge, I could do one for Imperial but its vice verca.

Pros:
Oxbridge
More academically challenging
Easier to get into managerial/competitive jobs
Live independently
Acknowledged on a global scale

Cons:
Not in London
Away from family
I want to study Civil Engineering and the Cambridge course starts off general
Have to work harder
I personally don't think I'd fit in at Cambridge, most people are posh (even the state school ones are relatively posh)
Harder offer (have to get a 1 in STEP I)

I know that there are more cons than pros, but some of the pros (i.e Oxbridge) outweigh more than one of the cons.

Can you guys tell me what you think and why? I'm sorry if this is badly written (did it half past midnight).

Imperial.

It sounds as if your only factor in wanting to firm Cambridge is because of its prestige. If that's the case and Imperial is where you really want to go then the answer is very easy; go to Imperial.

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Reply 3

`God

OP

9

Original post by Arieisit

It sounds as if your only factor in wanting to firm Cambridge is because of its prestige. If that's the case and Imperial is where you really want to go then the answer is very easy; go to Imperial.

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Isn't that the case with nearly everyone that goes to Oxbridge?

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Reply 4

Noble.

17

Original post by `God

Isn't that the case with nearly everyone that goes to Oxbridge?

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Personally, I'd pick Imperial over Oxbridge for engineering. Although I may be somewhat biased because if I were going to study engineering, it'd be aerospace.

Reply 5

returnmigrant

21

Read this - http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/firm_and_insurance_choices

Reply 6

Agate

2

Well, just because you're close to your family doesn't mean you have to live with them. Also, when I went down to the Cambridge open day/interview, all the people I met were pretty normal tbh, even the current students! I was talking to a guy who got in from my school a couple years back and he said he was worried about making friends too due to the posh barrier but he mixed in almost instantly :P

But at the end of the day, you seem to have had your heart set on imperial for a while. If you don't feel like you'll fit in cam, maybe it's best not to go there.

Best of luck!

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Reply 7

Tarquin Digby

9

LOL @ everyone recommending Imperial over Cambridge.

How is this even a difficult decision? Cambridge is a league and a half ahead of Imperial.

Reply 8

ermm

8

It depends if you want to go into industry, research or another sector (like banking if you're a sell out :P)

Reply 9

Noble.

17

Original post by Tarquin Digby

LOL @ everyone recommending Imperial over Cambridge.

How is this even a difficult decision? Cambridge is a league and a half ahead of Imperial.

For engineering the gap between the two is probably the smallest, probably on account of engineering not being an entirely academic degree, but to the point where it's not a clear-cut decision at all.

Reply 10

Arieisit

3

Original post by Tarquin Digby

LOL @ everyone recommending Imperial over Cambridge.

How is this even a difficult decision? Cambridge is a league and a half ahead of Imperial.

That's where you're wrong. Imperial is better for engineering.

Reply 11

Octohedral

16

Another pro: At Cambridge you get tutorials, and there are only about six of you per course per college. I don't know what Imperial is like, but at Oxbridge you know your tutors really well.

Reply 12

Alpha brah

I thought you were omniescent, OP?

Reply 13

BeforeIDie

Forget about the prestige or what anyone else says. Think about where you want to go and where you would be happy. I rejected Oxford for York and I definitely made the right choice for me.

Reply 14

ClariceE

1

Pick what you want to pick. Going to Oxbridge won't necessarily give you an advantage over jobs. I've seen plenty of people who went to Oxbridge who don't have a job now- but the same goes to all universities I suppose. If you like London, then I would suggest Imperial. Your not going to get anything like London in Cambridge. Remember you want to enjoy university- you'll be spending a lot of time there.

Reply 15

nexttime

22

Some extra factors to consider:

- Cambridge admitted fewer privately educated students than Imperial in 2012
- More Imperial students are rich enough to afford to pay tuition fees without taking out a student loan (slightly old)
- Cambridge colleges vs normal system at Imperial
- Train Cambridge - London is pretty cheap and quick
- London is way more expensive

Ultimately, the course structure is probably the most important factor. That is what will determine what you do on an every day basis.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 16

chazwomaq

18

Original post by `God

I want to study Civil Engineering and the Cambridge course starts off general
Have to work harder
I would recommend most people start off general in their degree. You never know, you might end up specialising in something other than you originally intended (I did). It's probably true that you would have to work harder at Cambridge.

I personally don't think I'd fit in at Cambridge, most people are posh (even the state school ones are relatively posh)

I wouldn't worry about this at all. People at both these unis will be quite posh, but also quite mature such that this won't matter at all to the vast majority.

The biggest differences will be the location - small beautiful town, vs big busy ugly city - the collegiate system (which I think is great), and doing supervisions i.e. 1 or a few people meeting weekly with a teacher.

Reply 17

SlowlorisIncognito

16

First, do remember you don't have to make a decision right away. You have months to decide, and you could revisit both universities if this would help you decide. Maybe discuss it with your teachers and parents too (although you don't have to do what they say).

It seems like you'd have a very different student experience living in each place. If you went to Imperial, it sounds like you'd live at home for the whole time and commute in? There's nothing wrong with this, and it will save you a lot of money. However, would you feel that you'd missed out by doing this? Student life in London is, in my opinion, quite different to what it's like in many university cities.

At Cambridge, term time will be very intense, and the tutorial style of teaching doesn't work for everybody. Obviously, a lot of people do like this system, but it's not always the major advantage it's made out to be. Cambridge is a much smaller university, as well.

Although Cambridge is very well known worldwide, Imperial does also have an international reputation. I don't think the difference in prestige will make that much difference, and neither will guarentee you will walk into a job when you finish.

Reply 18

FlyHigh_er

10

Original post by `God

Hey guys, I applied for Civil Engineering @ Imperial and Engineering @ Cambridge and have offers from both but seriously don't know what to firm. I'll try and make this as short as possible.

Before I applied for university, I always saw Imperial as my realistic choice and I had a good idea since about year 11 that Imperial is the place I would study higher education. My grades aren't amazing (you can check on my sig) and I applied for Cambridge as it was a very ambitious choice and I didn't want to have regrets. Being completely honest, I thought I had a 10% chance or so at getting an offer from Cambridge. So I ended up getting a Cambridge offer and its the same A-level grades but I also have to get a 1 in STEP I which I'm working very hard for and I think I'll be able to pull it off (if I carry on working as hard as I am now for it).

A lot of people tell me that I'd be stupid to turn down an Oxbridge offer but I think the gap between Oxbridge/Imperial/LSE/UCL is so small that it doesn't really matter, especially for my course where Imperial is ranked #1 in the world for Civil and Structural Engineering.

I've made a list of pros and cons about studying at Cambridge, I could do one for Imperial but its vice verca.

Pros:
Oxbridge
More academically challenging
Easier to get into managerial/competitive jobs
Live independently
Acknowledged on a global scale

Cons:
Not in London
Away from family
I want to study Civil Engineering and the Cambridge course starts off general
Have to work harder
I personally don't think I'd fit in at Cambridge, most people are posh (even the state school ones are relatively posh)
Harder offer (have to get a 1 in STEP I)

I know that there are more cons than pros, but some of the pros (i.e Oxbridge) outweigh more than one of the cons.

Can you guys tell me what you think and why? I'm sorry if this is badly written (did it half past midnight).

This is what employers in the industry told me about the course at Cambridge, and I'm not lying, I've been doing this programme since yr 10.

The course at Cambridge is too general and not enough focused on a discipline in engineering that it costs the firm some money in order to train them further. If you are coming from Cambridge, you would have to be excellent, in terms of Cambridge level, in order to get a place at big firms. Most big firms have sheffield, Leeds, imperial and loughborough as their target unis because their courses are so good. Better than Cambridge's. This is first hand from employers that we met.

That's why I would say go to imperial.

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(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 19

Bloxorus

16

It sounds like you want to go to imperial more than Cambridge, so go there!
Don't go somewhere you don't want to go just because of the name.

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Imperial vs. Cambridge, don't know what to firm help!

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