Does the prestige of a uni matter that much?

username4520710

I have offers to study biochemistry at UCL, Liverpool and Bristol which I am choosing between. Obviously UCL is considered the best university by many, but how much does that actually matter when choosing? Only because I don’t see myself living in London and think I would prefer one of the other 2 options. I really like Liverpool uni and the city, does it matter the uni isn’t considered so highly?

Reply 1

v1ct0ria

Original post by Hopekedian

If you don't see yourself studying there then I'd say thats a big indicator about what you ought to do. I myself am considering between a school that has a good reputation and is well known and one that has a better sounding course and is doing well in the league tables but isn't as well known as the other school. And I'm leaning more towards the one with the better course. You also have to consider how the university is for your course and not just overall as it differs.

Reply 2

londonmyst

Perceptions of prestige don't generally matter at undergrad level.
Uni rankings can be very subjective and often vary quite widely.
Uni research groups are regularly misconstrued as indicative of high calibre teaching standards or student satisfaction.
Some unis have centuries of history or higher advertising/pr budgets, so are more well known than others.

Your chosen uni will receive almost £30,000 in tuition fees whilst you are studying there for three years, there are so many other relevant factors to consider.
The atmosphere on campus, nature of the area, course quality, links with industry, average contact hours, feedback from existing students, potential for nightlife/social amenities and costs of living.
Visit the open days, get a sense of the atmosphere and culture- talk to as many current and former students as you can.
It's very important to trust your instincts, if something feels uncomfortable or wrong but you can't explain why- go with your gut instinct.

Reply 3

EmMcG

No, if it doesn’t feel right then don’t do it. It doesn’t matter about how prestigious a uni is if you really love it and the area it’s in. It also costs a lot to live in London so there is that aswell

Reply 4

space-oddity

I’d say choose the uni you can see yourself living at, that’s what I did. I’ve put Manchester as my firm and Liverpool as my insurance, i’ve also applied for Biochemistry. I think as long as you’re going to a russell group it doesn’t really matter which one, as long as you like the university and city yourself. I love in Liverpool and would say there’s a MASSIVE difference between living in Liverpool and living in London - going to uni in London is going to be very expensive. I chose Manchester because I really liked the city and the university, even though it was lower down on the league tables than some of the Uni’s I rejected. At the end of the day it’s you that has to live in the city and go to the uni, so I’d say choose the one you’d prefer even if it is considered less prestigious - you could always do a postgraduate at UCL if you really wanted to. Good luck!!

Does the prestige of a uni matter that much?

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