Is the University of Leeds prestigious?

Yes, that is why I said it is just a general ranking. But still.. even if you are looking at subject rankings, Leeds would not be able to outclass Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, Imperial, LSE in most of their subjects. Well, very few subjects in Leeds may have slightly higher rankings than others but in general, nope.

Also, according to your example, If you are set on becoming a doctor, you should look to apply 'Medicine' in both Oxford and Manchester and not 'Classics' in Oxford and 'Medicine' in Manchester. So your example is illogical.

To be honest, even if computer science course is on a par or slightly better in, lets say, Bradford university than in Oxford or LSE, I would still go to Oxford or LSE and I am sure you would know why.

What makes you such an expert?

And what exactly are you basing this misinformation on?

Actually my example wasn't illogical. I was pointing out that the emphasis is more on the actual subject than the institution so if your intent was to become a doctor then of course most would-be doctors would jump at the Medicine offer over that for Classics. And in Medicine unlike other subjects where you studied has absolutely no bearing on your career prospects post-graduation so going to Manchester instead of Oxford or UCL isn't going to prevent you getting a top job in Medicine.

Yh nothing would guarantee it but higher chance that students from Oxford and Cambridge would certainly get a top job in medicine than those from Manchester. The competitiveness to study in Oxford and Cambridge for medicine is just incomparable. They are generally smarter students and this you have to admit.

If we define prestige by say Nobel Laureate affiliations then the most prestigious UK institutions in that respect (in order) would be Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, Manchester, Imperial, LSE, King's, Queen Mary, Liverpool, Bristol.

If we look at the THE World Rankings, then the top ten in order would be Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE, Edinburgh, King's, Warwick, Manchester, Bristol.

If we look at the QS World Rankings, then the top ten in order would be Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh, Manchester, King's, LSE, Bristol and Warwick.

Not that rankings are anything to go by but prestige is an objective metric but that you would ignore Manchester which by every other metric and ranking would be considered amongst the top ten in the country shows your ignorance.

Also I don't get this obsession with St Andrew's and Durham. St Andrew's I can accept has some history and has produced some Nobel Laureates but Durham for such a "prestigious" university hasn't produced a single one nor has ever been affiliated with any. All Durham seems to be famous for is its rep as being an "Oxbridge Rejects" university. That's not to say the teaching standards aren't high and that if you did well there you couldn't go far.

But I am intrigued as to why people seem to think Durham is actually amongst the most prestigious in the country?

Is york considered the same as Leeds etc?

There is more to prestige than the 4 metrics you have used, which are mistakenly focused mainly on postgrad and research.

Manchester is like NYU, which is also great with such similar stats of global rankings, nobel laureates and even has great MBA, Law & Acting schools, yet is not seen as highly prestigious overall in the US. It is just a top university.

NYU will be in the US top 20 for all those metrics you put up, but in the US, hardly will most people put it as in the Top 20 US most prestigious universities. Even the likes of Vanderbilt, Georgetown and Notre Dame will start being mentioned above it in terms of prestige.

Bristol above Manchester?

I would say Bristol over Leeds in terms of general ranking. Leeds is a good university though. Manchester has slightly higher ranking that that of Bristol. But of course, this is just a general ranking I am talking here. Is Leeds a prestigious university? Well, I'd rather say it is a well-known, well-respected university by majority in the country. If we talk about Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, UCL, LSE etc. yes, they are prestigious universities as they are well-known not just in the country but globally.

You are very right about Durham.

It is prestigious for being prestigious, just like some people are famous for being famous.

Sometimes, that is just how it works with things.

Top and connected students go to Durham with high grades and move on to some great jobs, this gives it some prestige. That said, the university does nothing for it to be prestigious and it is hardly known outside the UK.

clearly you know nothing about statistics and the reason why both Oxford and Cambridge have the best title for medical school in the country.

You get it!

How else would you rank universities globally if not for the strength of their research output given entry standards at undergraduate level vary wildly for a whole host of reasons depending on said country's educational system etc?

The US isn't really a cast-iron example here as if it was based merely on "cultural" perception then the Ivies undoubtedly are viewed as such given their perception for attracting America's "elite" ladies and gentlemen (historically) and producing more political leaders than other institutions. MIT and Caltech for example would be viewed more as the school for science geeks etc.

Also it depends very much what that metric is: in the South then places like Duke and Vanderbilt would be considered prestigious. In California no doubt Stanford, USC and most the UC system. From a sporting perspective, places like Notre Dame, or even Alabama.

You are very right about Durham.

It is prestigious for being prestigious, just like some people are famous for being famous.

Sometimes, that is just how it works with things.

Top and connected students go to Durham with high grades and move on to some great jobs, this gives it some prestige. That said, the university does nothing for it to be prestigious and it is hardly known outside the UK.

Durham's claim to fame is of being this "Oxbridge Rejects" university and obviously many of those students will have been high achievers, many from private schools, and looking to study at a collegiate university to massage their deflated egos from not having got into Oxford or Cambridge. Some do indeed go onto decent jobs but Durham certainly doesn't have that golden ticket to The City as many would think and certainly not more so than any of the other RGs or St Andrew's. Your chances of landing a role at a bulge bracket bank are just as high if you graduated with a 1st from Manchester as they are if you went to Durham or even Oxbridge, not forgetting most will have a rigorous selection process with multiple online tests, online interviews, face to face interviews (COVID aside).

University "prestige" isn't really the barrier it used to be. OK with all due respect, Northumbria Uni grads are hardly packing out GS recruitment interviews. But it's not like GS will snap you up because you have Oxbridge on your CV if you have nothing else to back it up with or stand out.

Firstly, I am not conducting a global ranking on this thread. It is national.

Secondly, I am not ranking research, I am ranking prestige. That "Wow" factor!

Some few universities that end up doing well in global rankings because of their research do lack the "Wow" factor in their home countries. E.g. UCSD, UWash, UT Austin, GIT etc.

Sorry, but "The City" is not the sole measure of prestigious jobs.

Prestige of university will ALWAYS matter! The degree to which it matters is the only thing that will change with time.