The Student Room Group

Is Kcl A Top Ten Uni ?

Having a 1st from KCL would not disavantage you right?
i want to apply there , even though i know they are not good from engineering . Am hoping that the overall rep of the uni can get me somewhere.

1. is KCL regarded as a top ten uni?
2. is it possible to transfer from KCL to , say like ICL
3. surely a 1st from KCL wouldn't hold me back , or would it ( for example against someone having a 1st from , say like loughborough or bath ect )

Scroll to see replies

1. Yes or very close
2. Maybe but its unlikely, if you want to go to ICL then just go to ICL
3. No it wouldnt, its better than a first from Loughborough imo and is on par with bath, durham, york, bristol etc
Reply 2
thanx for your reply. quite straight foward i have to say.

2. transfering?
I was having doubts about this one.

I currently dont have the grades required to go to ICL. However if you work so hard for the first year at KCL and you have the necessary A level at this time, is it still hard to transfer. If it's so unlikely, maybe i should just try my best to get a 1st from KCL and settle with that.

1 last funny question. Do you think someone studying at KCL is an average student?
Reply 3
Don't be silly. KCL is an excellent university. Just go there. You can always do a Masters at ICL after you graduate.
face05
1 last funny question. Do you think someone studying at KCL is an average student?


No, they are above average.
QM and RHUL are average.
Reply 5
well think about this:
Is a 2:1 from ICL better than a first in KCL?
Is it easier to achieve 2:1 from ICL or a first in KCL?
Reply 6
iCeCream
well think about this:
Is a 2:1 from ICL better than a first in KCL?
Is it easier to achieve 2:1 from ICL or a first in KCL?


1) I feel that general perception would be 2:1 from ICL better than a 1:1 from KCL.

2) No idea. Depends on the course structure.
face05
Having a 1st from KCL would not disavantage you right?
i want to apply there , even though i know they are not good from engineering . Am hoping that the overall rep of the uni can get me somewhere.

1. is KCL regarded as a top ten uni?
2. is it possible to transfer from KCL to , say like ICL
3. surely a 1st from KCL wouldn't hold me back , or would it ( for example against someone having a 1st from , say like loughborough or bath ect )


1: No. KCL is not a top ten uni, but it is still a very good uni.
2: I doubt it, but there might be a way. Anyway, if you want to go to ICL, apply for ICL.
3: I'd be surprised if you were held back by the fact that you went to KCL. It is a respected and recognised uni.
Fishfinger Sandwich
1: No. KCL is not a top ten uni, but it is still a very good uni.
2: I doubt it, but there might be a way. Anyway, if you want to go to ICL, apply for ICL.
3: I'd be surprised if you were held back by the fact that you went to KCL. It is a respected and recognised uni.


Its 12th in the guardian guide and 9th in the times guide. I think just due to that fact that its got a London location pushes it into the top 10 over a similar uni.
Reply 9
acolyte
No, they are above average.
QM and RHUL are average.

RHUL are far far higher than QM and this year in the Times Good Uni Guide, RHUL beat KCL by five places (12th over 17th).

KCL isn't always strictly seen as a top ten uni, but it's definitely a contender - someone studying there will be looked on favourably by employers - and when you take into account that some of the high universities (such as LSE) are specialist for certain subjects, KCL certainly isn't as low as it may be appearing.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/displayPopup/0,,102571,00.html
face05
Having a 1st from KCL would not disavantage you right?
i want to apply there , even though i know they are not good from engineering . Am hoping that the overall rep of the uni can get me somewhere.

1. is KCL regarded as a top ten uni?
2. is it possible to transfer from KCL to , say like ICL
3. surely a 1st from KCL wouldn't hold me back , or would it ( for example against someone having a 1st from , say like loughborough or bath ect )


1)Sometimes. The league tables change every year and are not the best way to measure how good a university is. KCL is certainly always regarded as an excellent university

2)Don't know.

3)No a first from KCL wouldn't hold you back at all.
Reply 11
Well the ranking table isnt always the best way to see how great the university is... As i've said from a different thread, rankings count the grade requirement entries as well - I mean it doesnt always mean that someone with AAB is always better with someone who's got an ABB. And the reason people choose a uni is the prospect of getting a better job at the end... So its not about who you are studying with (whether they got AABs and ABBs) but will the university get you a great job after graduating.
So don't just look at the total. Check the "prosp" part, the library, and facilities. See which has more to gear you up.

supernova2
Its 12th in the guardian guide and 9th in the times guide. I think just due to that fact that its got a London location pushes it into the top 10 over a similar uni.


You can do better than that. The times and Guardian certainly don't rate by where the uni is dont you think?

Splus
1) I feel that general perception would be 2:1 from ICL better than a 1:1 from KCL.

2) No idea. Depends on the course structure.


And you think your feelings are right? Well you got weeks to find out and research don't you. Go to open days and don't just guess your future.
For me the best unis don't always give you the best future. :smile:
King's rose to 10th overall in the Times' Good University Guide this year. Interestingly enough, ranking by graduate prospects puts King's in 6th. Whether or not you think it's a good university, it seems many graduate employers definitely respect it.

A friend who recently finished Physics with a 2:1 at King's this summer has several job offers (£24k+) on the table from oil brokerages, an oil company, and a shipping brokerage. I should also be starting with an ISP next month on about £22k after doing a similar course, finishing with 'just' a 2:2. :redface:
Reply 13
24k+ just after graduating is quite good.

Is it true that if you have an engineering degree, you are likely(at least have a chance) to get in many fields. for example ^^'s mate had physics and was offered different jobs.

am quite at ease now that i know KCL is more than an average uni. plus it's in london and would be my best choice apart from ICL(which i wont get in to).I want to stay in london partly because it would save me money and boredom.


thanx every1
Well I would say that a lot of the time, getting a good job after university is not just about the subject/classification/where you went. You should ideally have some relevent work experience and internships - people want to see what you've been doing with your summers off... try and stand out.

Another friend at Newcastle university is studying civil engineering - he's just finished a year's placement at the houses of parliament, and also this summer has done a 4 week internship at Deloitte. He's going to have companies queuing up when he graduates. :smile:
iCeCream
You can do better than that. The times and Guardian certainly don't rate by where the uni is dont you think?


No I wasn't referring to the rankings, just in my opinion the fact that its in London increases your career prospects by such a large enough amount that it easily pushes KCL into the top 10
Reply 16
face05
thanx for your reply. quite straight foward i have to say.

2. transfering?
I was having doubts about this one.

I currently dont have the grades required to go to ICL. However if you work so hard for the first year at KCL and you have the necessary A level at this time, is it still hard to transfer. If it's so unlikely, maybe i should just try my best to get a 1st from KCL and settle with that.

1 last funny question. Do you think someone studying at KCL is an average student?




I know loads of people who think that if they don't have the grades to one uni they can transfer to a better one or a better course after year (people trying to move from bio-med to medicine for example).

If you don't have the grades for ICL then maybe you should be looking more at uni's like KCL.
KCL's still a renowned university and you've got to be realistic. If you can't get into ICL it's unlikely you could hack a course there. Maybe you should forget about it.
Reply 17
face05
Having a 1st from KCL would not disavantage you right?
i want to apply there , even though i know they are not good from engineering . Am hoping that the overall rep of the uni can get me somewhere.

1. is KCL regarded as a top ten uni?
2. is it possible to transfer from KCL to , say like ICL
3. surely a 1st from KCL wouldn't hold me back , or would it ( for example against someone having a 1st from , say like loughborough or bath ect )


So you are applying for engineering...

1) Not for engineering (top 30 for engineering)
2) 99% sure its not possible. ICL do not accept undergrad transfers.
3) a 1st from loughborough/bath/southampton for engineering is miles better!

And yes, for engineering, a 2:1 from ICL is much much better than a 1st from KCL who are not really known for engineering.

Its a shame you are choosing a good uni which has mediocre engineering courses, just because it has a better overall rep then say southampton. But for engineering, southampton beats kcl without a doubt.

If you want to make it to the top of the engineering industry, i would choose any of the top 20 unis for engineering, so not KCL.

What are your predicted A Levels?
LoZEr
Its a shame you are choosing a good uni which has mediocre engineering courses, just because it has a better overall rep then say southampton. But for engineering, southampton beats kcl without a doubt.

If you want to make it to the top of the engineering industry, i would choose any of the top 20 unis for engineering, so not KCL.

What are your predicted A Levels?


maybe for you're first few jobs. but building a reputation as an engineer will be much more valuable than what uni you go to in the long run. but LoZEr very true about southhampton i hear its very good for engineering; better than kings. but thats not the point. the point is do well and work your ass off to get lucrative deals to become a top engineer. i hate how nobody on tsr can see how opportunities can come if you work hard enough and only care about uni.
Reply 19
drive like june
maybe for you're first few jobs. but building a reputation as an engineer will be much more valuable than what uni you go to in the long run. but LoZEr very true about southhampton i hear its very good for engineering; better than kings. but thats not the point. the point is do well and work your ass off to get lucrative deals to become a top engineer. i hate how nobody on tsr can see how opportunities can come if you work hard enough and only care about uni.


Yes i know engineering is about building a rep. But at the start its better to study at more respected course if you have the grades to do so.

Overall good uni + excellent engineering department > overall top 10 uni + very average engineering department.

If he is going to get anywhere between AAA and BBB why go to KCL when you could go to Loughborough etc.

The only reason i could think of would be if he wanted to go into finance and the likes, where employers can be snobby and actually just prefer the overall rep.

His exact words were 'im hoping the overall rep of the uni can get me somewhere'. Surely the rep of the department is more important, especially if KCL's is ranked fairly low.