Warwick or St Andrews for Economics?

Hi guys just wondering what you all think.
Ive got offers from both so far - unconditional
Warwick AAB (L100)
St Andrews AAB (Economics with German)
Im hearing lots of stuff about warwick being ugly and no one seems to like the campus. Havent actually been myself :frown:

Reply 1

67382

St Andrews is much nice in terms of location and the university buildings itself. However for economics Warwick is in another league altogether.

Reply 2

Paradiddle_man

Yea I agree. St. Andrews looks really nice being ancient and pretty and all but then give some credits to warwick which is only 40 years old. Looking at the pics I wouldn't say it's ugly. There are a lot worse ones.

Anyway, I would go for Warwick given the choice. When the admission person came over, she said that Warwick was rated higher in teaching quality than LSE or something (no offence to LSE people, LSE is still top for econs of course). Look at the rankings as well.. Warwick 4th (above oxford this year) and St. Andrews 13th. Warwick is also known for it's links to industry and employers.

So it's basically another question between pretty uni and good rep uni. Up to you, St. Andrews is still pretty good. I mean Prince William went there didn't he?

Reply 3

kezza001

I've just read the threads on investment banking cos its where i want to eventually end up and according to loadsa people there Warwick gives me a better chance so ill probably go for warwick. Apparently coventry is a bit of a hole though but then st andrews is miles from any large city

Reply 4

A72

From a US perspective... Elite vs Good doesn't seem to make a huge amount of difference in the long-run. Going to an elite level school might open a few initial employment doors and might give you a bit of grace for a couple of extra screw-ups, but once you're in the work world it's what you do that matters. If you look at CEO's and their direct reports of Fortune 500 corps or look at founders of successful entreprenueral companies you actually don't see a ton of people from elite schools. You see people from all over and it seems to be spread pretty evenly.

So, someone from Goldsmiths might have as good a shot as someone from St Andrews who might have as good a shot as someone from Warwick or LSE (OK, who'd want to spend 3 years at Goldsmiths vs St Andrews?).

I think where the elite schools really pay off is if you want to go in to teaching, journalism or be a political hack or pundit or something. Then people will always be looking back at your credentials.

Just my thoughts (And I'm stuck on Warwick (If I get accepted) vs York vs St Andrews vs Utrecht too)...

Reply 5

ChemistBoy

If you do well in Economics at St Andrews you will get a good job in the city if you want one. In the four years I was there all the top economics students went to front office jobs. I have many friends from St Andrews who are working in the city beyond that too.

Reply 6

Forté

Do we have a resident warwick economist on TSR? I'd very much like to ask you some questions...(which nobody else will be able to answer :p:

)

Reply 7

fatyeung

well..

i do economics at warwick

but i'd rather give u a different perspective.

in the league tables, we def trump st. andrews. but
seriously league tables are nothing.

go to the open days. check out the campus and most importantly - the people.

if u ask me to describe my coursemates, id say they are smart, but pretty lay-back, which is good.

compare the text books

just a tip.. the professors u see in open days... well their answers to your questions are pretty unreliable. they dont normally teach freshers anyway... so they dont really know what the programme is like.

talk to the students :smile: