Biomed at KCL, Sheffield or Manchester??

Ignore rankings and league table - its just marketing fluff and it doesnt actually mean much in the real world.
Both Manchester and Sheffield are excellent, academic Unis, either city would give you a great Uni experience - and they are both cheaper than London.
Sounds like the course at Manchester really interests you, and the Uni environment feels 'right' - these would both be good reasons for making it your Firm choice.

Hi, I currently have offers from all 3 universities to do Biomedical Sciences (unconditional since I already have my grades). At first I wanted to go to KCL since I already live in London but now I’m not sure.
One of my main issues with Kings is that the commute would be a 1/1.5 hours which is not ideal, whereas at the other unis I would be in halls. I also looked at the rankings on complete uni guide and Sheffield is 9th, Manchester 16th and kings is 19th. Is it worth going to a uni that’s lower ranked and will probably leave me tired after a commute compared to better unis with closer accommodation.
(However, the guardian has kings as higher ranked than both unis)
I have thought about student accom closer to kings but I just can’t justify getting accom in central when I have a place to live still in London.
Kings and Manchester’s courses both allow a change of course in the second year to other courses like Pharmacology and neuroscience which really interests me, Sheffield doesn’t have that. On the other hand Sheffield is well known for having a very good student Union, student support and student retention.
I went to visit Sheffield and enjoyed it a lot. However it doesn’t have that same opportunity to swap courses as kings and Manchester. Since Manchester is like a mini London, would it be worth going to Manchester to still get that big city uni experience, but without having to worry about a commute.
I am really anxious about picking the right course and don’t want to go to the wrong uni.
If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated as I want to hear from as many people as I can.
I dont plan on studying medicine afterwards, I don’t really know what I want to go into, if I want to swap or not. I just really want as much freedom as I can with choices in the future but also really good opportunities.
Thank you
Edit: I just read that Sheffield offers the chance to specialise into other subject areas just like kings and Manchester, so now I’m even more confused

Hey TafaCake, 👋
It's great to hear you are considering Biomedical Sciences at Sheffield!
These are all great university options. For me it came down to what felt like the best fit for me.
I did my BA, MA, and now my PhD all at uni of Sheffield because I enjoy studying and living here so much! The staff and students are all so friendly and approachable. There are so many activities, societies, and opportunities to get involved with, and the city is a great, lively place to be. 🎭️⚽️🎨
I think Sheffield is a great middle ground in that it is still a large city with so much going on but also it really has a strong community vibe! We're also right next door to the peak district so you can jump on a bus or trani for a day exploring in the peaks. Bamford Edge and Ladybower reservoir are my favourite spots! 🌳
In terms of your course specifically, the uni of Sheffield trains biomedical science students the same way we train our medics in our newly refurbished Medical Teaching Unit. 🤩
At Sheffield, we also have close connections with the NHS; you can partake in research on cancer and ageing in partnership with the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
Please let me know if you have any more questions about Sheffield. Alternatively, you can chat directly to a biomed student ambassador here.
All best wishes,
Phoebe 😀
Student Ambassador - PhD in English Literature

Hi, I currently have offers from all 3 universities to do Biomedical Sciences (unconditional since I already have my grades). At first I wanted to go to KCL since I already live in London but now I’m not sure.
One of my main issues with Kings is that the commute would be a 1/1.5 hours which is not ideal, whereas at the other unis I would be in halls. I also looked at the rankings on complete uni guide and Sheffield is 9th, Manchester 16th and kings is 19th. Is it worth going to a uni that’s lower ranked and will probably leave me tired after a commute compared to better unis with closer accommodation.
(However, the guardian has kings as higher ranked than both unis)
I have thought about student accom closer to kings but I just can’t justify getting accom in central when I have a place to live still in London.
Kings and Manchester’s courses both allow a change of course in the second year to other courses like Pharmacology and neuroscience which really interests me, Sheffield doesn’t have that. On the other hand Sheffield is well known for having a very good student Union, student support and student retention.
I went to visit Sheffield and enjoyed it a lot. However it doesn’t have that same opportunity to swap courses as kings and Manchester. Since Manchester is like a mini London, would it be worth going to Manchester to still get that big city uni experience, but without having to worry about a commute.
I am really anxious about picking the right course and don’t want to go to the wrong uni.
If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated as I want to hear from as many people as I can.
I dont plan on studying medicine afterwards, I don’t really know what I want to go into, if I want to swap or not. I just really want as much freedom as I can with choices in the future but also really good opportunities.
Thank you
Edit: I just read that Sheffield offers the chance to specialise into other subject areas just like kings and Manchester, so now I’m even more confused

Have a look at the graduate prospects on the university guides. This can give you some idea of how the degree is viewed by other people. The student experience doesn't mean anything because if you have only ever gone to one university you have nothing to compare the experience with.

Thank you. I actually went to uni already and dropped out because of the course. I didn’t make many friends and I’m worried about that happening again.