Uni choices for History and Politics

I am applying to Dundee, Edinburgh, Strath, and Stirling for History and Politics.

I got AAAAB in my Highers in s5 and this year I'm sitting another 2 Highers but I'm already meeting the entry requirements for all my choices anyways.

My top choice is Dundee because I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the open day and I really like the sound of the course.

Is it bad for me to want Dundee over the unis with more "prestige" and higher entry requirements?

I've been having a bit of stick from my family about it because "you're smart enough to go to Edinburgh why do you want Dundee?" but I just really can't help how I feel and also I don't think I could deal with the snobbery at the likes of Edinburgh.

Am I making a mistake by not going for a "better" uni? or should I go with my gut?

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

cksiu

Universities Forum Helper

Original post

by cailinf27

I am applying to Dundee, Edinburgh, Strath, and Stirling for History and Politics.
I got AAAAB in my Highers in s5 and this year I'm sitting another 2 Highers but I'm already meeting the entry requirements for all my choices anyways.
My top choice is Dundee because I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the open day and I really like the sound of the course.
Is it bad for me to want Dundee over the unis with more "prestige" and higher entry requirements?
I've been having a bit of stick from my family about it because "you're smart enough to go to Edinburgh why do you want Dundee?" but I just really can't help how I feel and also I don't think I could deal with the snobbery at the likes of Edinburgh.
Am I making a mistake by not going for a "better" uni? or should I go with my gut?

Don't overly rely on prestige and league tables in choosing your uni.

Dundee is not as competitive as Edinburgh, so Dundee's open day would likely be less crowded and their workers could be more visitor-focused. The setting of the less crowded city environment would also be more appealing.

Your parents' concern is understandable. Try to convince them that a higher grade degree (say 1st) from a "lower ranked" uni would be more appealing to lower grade degree (say 2:2) from a "higher ranked" uni. You would probably get better degree classifications on the uni course modules that interested you irrespective of the uni. So you may take some time looking into the course modules of the unis to see which uni fascinates you more. Good luck.

Reply 2

McGinger

Rankings are essentially marketing fluff - they don't mean anything significant, even academic staff don't take them seriously. They certainly don't mean that you will like the course more or enjoy being at that Uni - and btw, mainstream employers don't even look at them.

Reply 3

University of Bath

Official Rep

Original post

by cailinf27

I am applying to Dundee, Edinburgh, Strath, and Stirling for History and Politics.
I got AAAAB in my Highers in s5 and this year I'm sitting another 2 Highers but I'm already meeting the entry requirements for all my choices anyways.
My top choice is Dundee because I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the open day and I really like the sound of the course.
Is it bad for me to want Dundee over the unis with more "prestige" and higher entry requirements?
I've been having a bit of stick from my family about it because "you're smart enough to go to Edinburgh why do you want Dundee?" but I just really can't help how I feel and also I don't think I could deal with the snobbery at the likes of Edinburgh.
Am I making a mistake by not going for a "better" uni? or should I go with my gut?

Hi there.

As cksiu has said, you should try to choose your uni based primarily on the course contents - irrespective of the place and the vibe of the open day, which uni has course modules that interest you/grab your attention more?

As above, rankings should be looked at but not taken as an important factor in your decision - it is far more important that you choose a place you will feel at home at and rankings cannot tell you that. The only circumstance where you should consider rankings to guide your decision is whether there was a huge difference between uni 1 and uni 2 - then you should probably have a think about the likely quality of the education and experience you'll get.

Nevertheless, most employers care less about where you went, and far more about what you did/learnt/how you developed during that degree - for example whether you were part of a society committee, got any internships/research experience or did a work placement. Certainly for jobs related to History, employers are more likely to focus on your unique skills and interests rather than where you went (History-related fields don't tend to have a 'target uni' list!).

My suggestion would be to A) look carefully at the course modules, B) think about how the uni made you feel. Overall however, if you like Dundee as a place and the course looks interesting for you then choosing Dundee will be unlikely to put you at a disadvantage employment-wise so long as you made the most of your time there, such as getting work internships or research experience etc.

I hope this adds and best of luck!