The metoric rise of Loughborough University

I've been really surprised at how Loughborough University has climbed the league tables and how it's now seen as a very respectable university. In the past, I always felt Loughborough was considered to be very mediocre at best. Now, it seems to be amongst the top 15 in most league tables and is now seems to be up there with the Manchester's, Leeds', Nottingham's and Birmingham's of the world. Also, last year it gained The Sunday Times University of the Year award. Just like Warwick (but not to the same extent) it seems to be constantly on the rise and I wouldn't be surprised if it breaks into the top 10 in the next few years.

What are your opinions of Loughborough and what will happen to it in the future in terms of academic standing / prestige?

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Reply 1

Dozzer_Cufc

The impression I get of it is that it's good for sport, but doesn't do a lot of subjects, and sticks to what it's good at.

Can't say I've done much research on it though, it's not somewhere I'd want to go.

Reply 2

prospectivEEconomist

Learn to spell before you post threads. Thanks

Reply 3

Craig_D

Unlike Nottingham, which has taken a systematic yearly battering, dropping further and further, since 2000 :facepalm2:

But then they justify it by adding at the end "but it's the UK's only truly global university! :awesome:

" ... great :mute:

Reply 4

Sophie K

Craig_D

Unlike Nottingham, which has taken a systematic yearly battering since 2000 :facepalm2:

But then they justify it by adding at the end "but it's the UK's only truly global university! :awesome:

" ... great.

Yes, I just can't believe how Nottingham has slid down the league tables. It was equal to Warwick, Durham, Bristol etc back in 2000/2001/2002. :eek:

Reply 5

Craig_D

Sophie K

Yes, I just can't believe how Nottingham has slid down the league tables. It was equal to Warwick, Durham, Bristol etc back in 2000/2001/2002. :eek:

Yep, it's slightly depressing really. I suppose Loughborough is one of the Unis that have displaced it. I'm not sure what it's doing wrong, in my (biased) opinion it's still performing well :dontknow:

Reply 6

Skadoosh

Good for maths, supposedly.

Reply 7

Sophie K

Craig_D

Don't worry. Nottingham is still regarded as a very good / very respectable university and one of the best in the country. It's just a shame it's league table positions don't reflect this.

Reply 8

Craig_D

As far as how high it could rise, well the competition obviously gets tougher for every place it rises, I think it will struggle to overtake York and Bristol, but it may well keep its place in the mid teens.

However I have heard that these rankings are all complete nonsense, a lot of people on TSR seem to hold extremely little regard for them. But they usually seem quite accurate.

Reply 9

Craig_D

Sophie K

Don't worry. Nottingham is still regarded as a very good / very respectable university and one of the best in the country. It's just a shame it's league table positions don't reflect this.

I just can't believe it's 20th in the Times, and they are usually quite kind to Nottingham.

I agree it's still well regarded, like you mentioned it in your OP, but that's mostly because most people still think it's sill ranked about 10ish! Back in '94 in was 6th in the country in the Times, and in 2000 it was 7th in the Financial Times, other than that it's dropping places every single year - 4 places this year. I can't imagine where the Independent and Guardian will put it. I wonder how long it is until it loses its reputation.

To be honest, I think it's because the cleverer students are avoiding the entire city as a whole, we have a 'reputation' after all, one which isn't entirely justified.

Reply 10

.ACS.

A newspaper league table placing Loughborough at 5th doesn't actually make it a Top 5 university. Exeter being placed 9th doesn't actually make it a Top 10 university.

The moral of the story? Don't look at newspaper league tables.

Reply 11

carrotdog

I generally think that subject league tables are more relevant. Surely go the university which combines the best course in your field combined with a good feeling about the university in general. I.e. no point going to bristol for the prestige if you prefer a course at a lower ranked university.

Reply 12

9MmBulletz

prospectivEEconomist

Learn to spell before you post threads. Thanks

grammar nazi have arrived. drop your weapons, run for cover!!

Reply 13

BillyMarsh

Loughborough has risen due to an increase in entry standards, I have heard before that they were very very lenient with letting people in who missed their grades (this could of been up to 5 years ago mind you). They've obviously tightened the belt in recent times.

How can they not rise up the tables with their established sporting prowess, ever improving maths and engineering departments and their interests in exapanding cultural knowledge amongst pupils.

They are offering what students want right now one would assume.

*I've tried to be unbiased but even if I don't end up there I will still defend it as a great institution.

Reply 14

Sophie K

9MmBulletz

grammar nazi have arrived. drop your weapons, run for cover!!

lol!!!!!!!!!!! :biggrin:

Reply 15

JCM89

I'd only really consider Loughborough for sports science.

Reply 16

Benny_b

It always amuses me (starting to get annoying though!) that people assume I do sport because I go to Loughborough. However the slightest bit of research would make people realise it is a university with expertise in other areas to. I study engineering, which Loughboroughs courses are extremely well regarded in industry for, with high entry requirements to match. Along with this its business courses are very well thought of in industry, I have friends who have secured placements in top investment banks when not even achieving 2.1s!

To the people that matter, i.e. those who employ people, Loughborough is pretty well thought of, even if the oxbridge applicants on here don't think huge amounts of the place!

Reply 17

paella

To those that matter, it's got no better than it was.

Reply 18

0404343m

I know a Loughborough graduate from 1998, and it was perfectly reputable before he applied- a dozen or so places in a newspaper does not constitute a 'meteoric' rise, employers don't think any more or less of places like it or Nottingham with a slight change in rank- most of the people who will be employing graduates or admitting people onto further study take little notice of league tables, they wont be changing any policies because a university is 15th a few years after being 35th, to suggest otherwise is quite simply wrong.