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Universities "Prestige" Ranking
OK so we all have different kinds of league tables from Guardian and Times and whatnot that try to tell us which unis are "better" than others. But it is largely still the case that people question them because they have a certain perception of where and how a university stands, academically or otherwise. Undeniably some universities' names carry more weight and heft than others, regardless of how they rank in the tables. So let's try and rank them in the order that you perceive their "prestige" to be. I'll start with a top 30 as ranking the entire list would be frankly too much work 
1. Oxford
2. Cambridge
3. Imperial
4. LSE
(GAP)
5. Durham
6. Bristol
7. Edinburgh
8. Warwick
9. UCL
10.St Andrew's
(GAP)
11.Manchester
12.Nottingham
13.York
14.Birmingham
15.Bath
(GAP)
16.Southampton
17.Sheffield
18.Glasgow
(GAP)
19.Newcastle
20.Liverpool
21.Queen's Belfast
22.Cardiff
(GAP)
23.Exeter
24.SOAS
25.QMUL
26.Lancaster
27.Leeds
(BIG GAP)
28.Leicester
29.Loughborough
30.Reading
1. Oxford
2. Cambridge
3. Imperial
4. LSE
(GAP)
5. Durham
6. Bristol
7. Edinburgh
8. Warwick
9. UCL
10.St Andrew's
(GAP)
11.Manchester
12.Nottingham
13.York
14.Birmingham
15.Bath
(GAP)
16.Southampton
17.Sheffield
18.Glasgow
(GAP)
19.Newcastle
20.Liverpool
21.Queen's Belfast
22.Cardiff
(GAP)
23.Exeter
24.SOAS
25.QMUL
26.Lancaster
27.Leeds
(BIG GAP)
28.Leicester
29.Loughborough
30.Reading
Scroll to see replies
Reply 1
Well I disagree with you ranking and I don't see the point AND this has been done a thousand times already.
Reply 2
exeter 
...surprised kings isnt on there either
...surprised kings isnt on there eitherReply 3
15
ChemistBoy
Well I disagree with you ranking and I don't see the point AND this has been done a thousand times already.
Reply 4
League tables do seem to influence a lot of people with their decisions but having said that, every university including Oxbridge has its strength and its weaknesses. Different people have different priorities and expectations from university and in my opinion its not exactly fair to generally rank universities in any certain way.
Reply 5
17
Has been done repeatedly and is incredibly meaningless anyway.
Let's have a thread on that duck league table...probably more use.
Reply 6
13
Reply 7
If you are trying to inflame everyone, well done.
I mean how are Loughborough and Liecester so many miles behind QMUL and Lancaster?
Your list is pointless at best, but generally just wrong.
I mean how are Loughborough and Liecester so many miles behind QMUL and Lancaster?
Your list is pointless at best, but generally just wrong.
Reply 8
How entirely futile - trying to rank prestige. I'll humour you however, and point out that you have the first two in reverse order. It's Cam-ford. 
Reply 9
12
Also please explain why a top 5 university (UCL) is bringing up the rear of your top 10.
Let me guess, you visited and didn't like it?
Also I'm guessing a close friend or family member probably didn't get into Loughborough and Leicester. Some people/league tables would say that Loughborough is a top 10 university, it's utterly subjective.
Let me guess, you visited and didn't like it?
Also I'm guessing a close friend or family member probably didn't get into Loughborough and Leicester. Some people/league tables would say that Loughborough is a top 10 university, it's utterly subjective.
Reply 10
chrissy909
Also please explain why a top 5 university (UCL) is bringing up the rear of your top 10.
Let me guess, you visited and didn't like it?
Also I'm guessing a close friend or family member probably didn't get into Loughborough and Leicester. Some people/league tables would say that Loughborough is a top 10 university, it's utterly subjective.
Let me guess, you visited and didn't like it?
Also I'm guessing a close friend or family member probably didn't get into Loughborough and Leicester. Some people/league tables would say that Loughborough is a top 10 university, it's utterly subjective.
Yep.
The harsh thruth is, if its not Oxbridge, then no one is really impressed.
That is 'prestige'.
Now if they want to get into an academic debate and look at each place by course and department we are getting closer to the truth, but a truth made up of about 3453534576354645 + 45635465i (yes it's complex) tables which are relevant only in as far as you care about the criteria each one is judging.
Reply 11
15
What exactly is the point of this?
Reply 12
I totally disagree.
It should be:
1. Farnborough college of technology
2. Southampton Solent
3. Ching Chong college of China-ness
4. Wolverhampton University
5. Oxford university (just missed out to wolverhampton)
.....
.....
xD
It should be:
1. Farnborough college of technology
2. Southampton Solent
3. Ching Chong college of China-ness
4. Wolverhampton University
5. Oxford university (just missed out to wolverhampton)
.....
.....
xD
Reply 13
raxeman91
I totally disagree.
It should be:
1. Farnborough college of technology
2. Southampton Solent
3. Ching Chong college of China-ness
4. Wolverhampton University
5. Oxford university (just missed out to wolverhampton)
.....
.....
xD
It should be:
1. Farnborough college of technology
2. Southampton Solent
3. Ching Chong college of China-ness
4. Wolverhampton University
5. Oxford university (just missed out to wolverhampton)
.....
.....
xD
Lol. I think the OP gets the point! (Southampton is a pretty good uni btw
)Reply 14
12
Reply 15
14
.........Yawn............
But by the way, moaning about loughborough not being up there...not long ago people were moaning why the heck loughborough was doing so high up......
But by the way, moaning about loughborough not being up there...not long ago people were moaning why the heck loughborough was doing so high up......
Reply 16
Give the guy a rest people
....he was just sharing his point of view.
....he was just sharing his point of view. Reply 17
Well, you've given Exeter a higher rating than either the Guardian or the Times, although not quite as high as the Sunday Times, so your table gets my approval Seriously though, I agree with everyone else that it's just too subjective and that unless it's Oxbridge, it's not really going to impress anyone that much.
Seriously though, I agree with everyone else that it's just too subjective and that unless it's Oxbridge, it's not really going to impress anyone that much.Reply 18
I can speak to perceptions in the United States/North America. Many people view Oxbridge, St Andrews, and the LSE as the most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom. These institutions are often considered near equals in the US, with a slight edge going to Oxbridge. Most others are relatively unknown.
Reply 19
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
poor rankings and pointless task.
find another forum.
www.
poor rankings and pointless task.
find another forum.
www.
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