york vs ucl biology

I can't decide which uni is best for me for biology undergrad. I am interested in doing a masters in bioinformatics/computational biology afterwards.

YORK
pros:
- has many more year abroad options in a wider range of countries and much less competitive to get a year abroad. At the open day I was given the impression that most people get their top choice of country
- more greenery
- campus
- they have ducks :biggrin:

- more community feel and staff might be easier to reach?

cons:
- some people say it is like a bubble and people are less lively
- city is a bit more boring

UCL
pros:
- has integrated computational biology masters which is cheaper than doing a masters somewhere else
- more prestigious
- more things to do in London
- can live at home (maybe second and third year so I can get the student - experience in first year)

cons:
- commuting during rush hour on packed tube
- pollution and much less open green spaces
- everyone and everything is spread out and not in one place like in a campus
- There's a significant chance I won't do a year abroad because I'm not so excited by the choices offered and they are more competitive

If York was higher ranked I would definitely choose it but having the chance of going to such a highly ranked uni as UCL is very tempting.

Does anyone have any experience with either uni? Are my assumptions wrong? How important is ranking?

Reply 1

no jams

OP

6

Also is it harder to get into UCL postgrad?

Reply 2

grace.05

1

I’m having nearly the same debate! What have you decided?

Reply 3

McGinger

18

York.

Much nicer, smaller Uni - easier to make friends and less lonely than living in London (and cheaper).
Study Abroad - this adds heaps to your graduate CV - it'll be the highlight of your degree and so having more choice/options is an important plus.

Original post by no jams

I can't decide which uni is best for me for biology undergrad. I am interested in doing a masters in bioinformatics/computational biology afterwards.

YORK
pros:
- has many more year abroad options in a wider range of countries and much less competitive to get a year abroad. At the open day I was given the impression that most people get their top choice of country
- more greenery
- campus
- they have ducks :biggrin:

- more community feel and staff might be easier to reach?

cons:
- some people say it is like a bubble and people are less lively
- city is a bit more boring

UCL
pros:
- has integrated computational biology masters which is cheaper than doing a masters somewhere else
- more prestigious
- more things to do in London
- can live at home (maybe second and third year so I can get the student - experience in first year)

cons:
- commuting during rush hour on packed tube
- pollution and much less open green spaces
- everyone and everything is spread out and not in one place like in a campus
- There's a significant chance I won't do a year abroad because I'm not so excited by the choices offered and they are more competitive

If York was higher ranked I would definitely choose it but having the chance of going to such a highly ranked uni as UCL is very tempting.

Does anyone have any experience with either uni? Are my assumptions wrong? How important is ranking?

Hi!

It's great to hear you're interested in York - I can confirm, the ducks are a highlight!

I've lived here for a few years now, and I wouldn't say York is a bubble because the train station is so well connected. You can get a direct train to London in 2 hours, and you can also directly travel to Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh etc.

York isn't a huge city but it's always super lively. It's touristy, so there's always a buzz, and lots of activities, cafes, bars and so on. It's a student-friendly city, so everything is set up for students to have the best experience. Definitely a lot smaller than London, but I've found it's still got a lot going on, and you can always pop to Leeds for a daytrip or night out.

Let me know if you have any questions about life at York - I'll do my best to answer them!

Hazel :smile:

Reply 5

kierab22

7

Original post by no jams

I can't decide which uni is best for me for biology undergrad. I am interested in doing a masters in bioinformatics/computational biology afterwards.

YORK
pros:
- has many more year abroad options in a wider range of countries and much less competitive to get a year abroad. At the open day I was given the impression that most people get their top choice of country
- more greenery
- campus
- they have ducks :biggrin:

- more community feel and staff might be easier to reach?

cons:
- some people say it is like a bubble and people are less lively
- city is a bit more boring

UCL
pros:
- has integrated computational biology masters which is cheaper than doing a masters somewhere else
- more prestigious
- more things to do in London
- can live at home (maybe second and third year so I can get the student - experience in first year)

cons:
- commuting during rush hour on packed tube
- pollution and much less open green spaces
- everyone and everything is spread out and not in one place like in a campus
- There's a significant chance I won't do a year abroad because I'm not so excited by the choices offered and they are more competitive

If York was higher ranked I would definitely choose it but having the chance of going to such a highly ranked uni as UCL is very tempting.

Does anyone have any experience with either uni? Are my assumptions wrong? How important is ranking?

hi! i've just finished my second year of biology at york!
i've definitely enjoyed it but one thing that i haven't liked about the course is that almost every lecture is a pre-recorded online video!! i only found that out after arriving here but it definitely might have changed my opinion of the course!
york itself is a beautiful place to live though and definitely isn't boring! there's so many things to do plus it's not as chaotic as london

Reply 6

Wired_1800

20

Original post by no jams

I can't decide which uni is best for me for biology undergrad. I am interested in doing a masters in bioinformatics/computational biology afterwards.

YORK
pros:
- has many more year abroad options in a wider range of countries and much less competitive to get a year abroad. At the open day I was given the impression that most people get their top choice of country
- more greenery
- campus
- they have ducks :biggrin:

- more community feel and staff might be easier to reach?

cons:
- some people say it is like a bubble and people are less lively
- city is a bit more boring

UCL
pros:
- has integrated computational biology masters which is cheaper than doing a masters somewhere else
- more prestigious
- more things to do in London
- can live at home (maybe second and third year so I can get the student - experience in first year)

cons:
- commuting during rush hour on packed tube
- pollution and much less open green spaces
- everyone and everything is spread out and not in one place like in a campus
- There's a significant chance I won't do a year abroad because I'm not so excited by the choices offered and they are more competitive

If York was higher ranked I would definitely choose it but having the chance of going to such a highly ranked uni as UCL is very tempting.

Does anyone have any experience with either uni? Are my assumptions wrong? How important is ranking?

UCL

york vs ucl biology

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