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ucl or manchester

i've gotten offers from both manchester and ucl. i'm an international student so i probably won't work in the uk after i graduate--my dad really wants me to go to ucl because it's ranked significantly higher, but i just really don't want to go. in comparison, i feel like i would be much happier in manchester, and i really liked the uni when i went to the open day. i'm not a big fan of the london city and plus the course i applied to would be in ucl east, the new buildings and stuff which is far away from the main campus.

would it make that much of a difference if i choose manchester over ucl? does manchester's ranking fluctuate? would it affect job prospects etc. internationally?

i've also never really seen anyone talk about ucl east, so does anyone have any experiences with it?
Reply 1
I think UCL probably has a better global reputation than that of Manchester. So if you’re thinking of your future and career, UCL would probably be a good option.

However, if you’re not too worried about that aspect, and just want to enjoy uni life while getting a good education, Manchester is a good choice.

I suppose it comes down to what you value more.
Reply 2
What course?
Reply 3
I think enjoying uni is a big part of the experience and although UCL edges out Manchester in terms of ranking, Manchester still has a great global reputation and alumni network so it’s not like you’d be going to some random school. In terms of buildings, London unis already tend to have way less of a big campus feel compared to others and it sounds like the east campus would be very isolated. Go with your gut because if you don’t enjoy where you are, it’s hard to focus on academics also!
Reply 4
Original post by Coeoe
I think UCL probably has a better global reputation than that of Manchester. So if you’re thinking of your future and career, UCL would probably be a good option.
However, if you’re not too worried about that aspect, and just want to enjoy uni life while getting a good education, Manchester is a good choice.
I suppose it comes down to what you value more.

Thank you for your advice--I will have a think about it :smile:
Reply 5
Original post by IknowIt_eve
What course?

For Manchester, Sociology and Social Anthropology. It has a cool pathway where I can try a bunch of subjects in my first year like politics, criminology, philosophy and data analytics. For UCL it's a new course called Information in Society, which is also something I'm slightly concerned about because it's the first year they're doing it and I'm not sure what career options there are after.
Reply 6
Original post by Anonymous
I think enjoying uni is a big part of the experience and although UCL edges out Manchester in terms of ranking, Manchester still has a great global reputation and alumni network so it’s not like you’d be going to some random school. In terms of buildings, London unis already tend to have way less of a big campus feel compared to others and it sounds like the east campus would be very isolated. Go with your gut because if you don’t enjoy where you are, it’s hard to focus on academics also!

Thank you for your advice :smile: I will think about it. For now I'm leaning towards Manchester since I really like the north of England and I feel like the people tend to be friendlier.
Reply 7
Original post by lia005
Thank you for your advice :smile: I will think about it. For now I'm leaning towards Manchester since I really like the north of England and I feel like the people tend to be friendlier.

I go to UOM and people are known to be/actually are very friendly up here! The school itself has many internationals and is a big community so it making friends is a bit easier. The city itself is really nice and I feel is the perfect city for university because it's not too big and overwhelming which London can be but there is still plenty of stuff to do (although it's hard to beat all the stuff in London) and it's not as expensive as London. In terms of course, it's super important to look at your potential modules since that is what you will be spending all your time on. I did business which offered a similar pathway in the first year as your course where I got to try out a bunch of different subjects and really appreciated the variety. Good luck!

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