<p>I've been wondering about which of these 3 universities is most prestigious/well known worldwide? They are all viewed as a level down from Oxbridge and was wondering how they are seen worldwide overall? </p>
<p>In the UK I know they are seen as LSE=Imperial>UCL. Which uni carries most weight worldwide? and by that I mean reputation, brand name and wow factor</p>
<p>In US: LSE
In Asia: LSE>Imperial>UCL
In continental western Europe: LSE=Imperial>UCL</p>
<p>None of these schools have any wow factor in the US. LSE has some brand name, but its reputation depends on the specific program.</p>
<p>@ivypbear thanks for the reply. For US is LSE very well known? Or is it only marginal when compared to Imperial/UCL or are the latter two unheard of? Also in Asia does LSE have a much better rep than Imperial or again marginal?</p>
<p>Wow, I work in NY financial services, and I think LSE does have wow factor, but frankly, havent heard of the others (they could be great, I just havent hear of them)</p>
<p>I’ve heard of Imperial way before I’ve heard of LSE. One of my professor graduated from Imperial.</p>
<p>None have ‘wow’. LSE is more well known (if at all) IMO</p>
<p>I agree with JohnBlack, none of them have a ‘wow’ figure in USA if it’s not Oxbridge, to be frank. But it may have been just the people I’ve worked with. I am predominantly from the west coast but I’ve moved to the east coast for school and find people more knowledgeable in schools in England.</p>
<p>But with the many people that I’ve worked with, UCL and LSE are very very known. And in the area of where my relatives live and where I often visit (China and Hong Kong), it seems Imperial is very big. For Hong Kong, UCL LSE and Imperial are pretty well known because I know so many students who want to study at at least one of them! I know a few who go to Imperial for Physics LOL.</p>
<p>bump. Anybody else gimme their thoughts?</p>
<p>British universities (except for Oxbridge) have lost their luster over the years. Their lack of endowment will be their undoing. Combined, all 120 British universities have a total endowment of ~ $3.3 billion. That’s less than Dartmouth College alone! UCS, Imperial and LSE have a combined endowment of $600 million. There are 50 US universities with endowments that exceed $1 billion. </p>
<p>LSE still has a strong global reputation, particularly in financial services. Imperial is only well regarded among highly educated technical people. UCL does not have much of a reputation whatsoever.</p>
<p>Alexandre, our college alone (in Cambridge) has a little over 280 million pounds. The whole university has over 4 billion pounds. I think Oxford has bigger than 4 billion endowment.</p>
<p>RML, I said except Oxbridge. Clearly, those two are doing very well. The remaining 120 or so British universities are struggling. The $3.3 billion figure was referring to the combined endowment of all British universities minus Oxbridge.</p>
<p>Below is a list of the wealthiest universities in the English-speaking world:</p>
<ol>
<li>Harvard University $31.7 billion</li>
<li>Yales University $19.4 billion</li>
<li>Princeton University $17.1 billion</li>
<li>Stanford University $16.5 billion</li>
<li>Massachusetts Institute of Technology $9.8 billion</li>
<li>Columbia University $7.8 billion</li>
<li>University of Michigan $7.8 billion *</li>
<li>University of Texas-Austin $7.7 billion *</li>
<li>Northwestern University $7.2 billion</li>
<li>University of Cambridge $6.8 billion *</li>
<li>University of Chicago $6.6 billion </li>
<li>University of Pennsylvania $6.6 billion</li>
<li>University of Notre Dame $6.3 billion</li>
<li>University of Oxford $6.1 billion *</li>
<li>Duke University $5.8 billion</li>
<li>Emory University $5.4 billion</li>
<li>Washington University-St Louis $5.3 billion</li>
<li>Cornell University $5.1 billion</li>
<li>University of Virginia $4.8 billion *</li>
<li>Rice University $4.5 billion</li>
<li>Texas A&M University-College Station $4.4 billion *</li>
<li>University of Southern California $3.5 billion</li>
<li>Dartmouth College $3.4 billion</li>
<li>Vanderbilt University $3.4 billion
All 120 British universities excluding Oxbridge $3.3 billion *</li>
<li>University of California-Berkeley $3.2 billion *</li>
</ol>
<p>In total, there are approximately 75 universities in the US with endowments that exceed $1 billion. Admittedly, public universities (like Berkeley, Michigan, Texas-Austin, TAMU, UVa and all British universities) receive significant funding from the state/country, effectively doubling their endowment vis-a-vis private universities. Even taking federal funding into consideration, British universities (excluding Oxbridge) remain significantly behind US universities. UCL, one of the UK’s top 5 universities, has a student body of 23,000, major Engineering and Medical programs and a total endowment of $125 million. That is tiny given the prominence and size of the institution. LSE has a similar endowment ($130 million), but since it has no Engineering or Medical programs, and only 9,000 students, it is in better financial shape. Like UCL, Imperial has major Engineering and Medical programs, a student body of 13,500 and an endowment of $120 million. Combined those three universities (which are generally ranked among the top 5 in the UK, just behind Oxbridge) have 45,000 students, two major Engineering schools, two major Medical schools and a total endowment of $375 million.</p>
<p>Thanks for the clarification, Alexandre. </p>
<p>Michigan with 7.8B has the highest endowment fund amongst the publics and I’m not surprised. Several alumni of the school I know have been vigorously giving back to their alma mater since the start of the university’s endowment campaign a few years ago.</p>
<p>
Michigan has an impressive total endowment for sure but that’s related to its endowment office’s successful investing strategy, not its alumni contributions.</p>
<p>On that front, Michigan trails its peers like Texas and UNC significantly…</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/VSE_2011_Press_Release.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/VSE_2011_Press_Release.pdf</a></p>
<p>The nation’s top 20 fundraising universities (and dollars received) in 2011 are:<br>
<p>UCSF is a medical school only I believe.</p>
<p>Goldenboy, public universities have only recently started proactively pursuing alumni and organizations for donations. Michigan, like many of its public peers (Cal, Indiana, Minnesota, Texas-Austin, UCLA, UIUC, UNC, UVa and UW) generally raise anywhere from $250-$350 million annually. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/Top_Twenty_and_By_State_2010.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/Top_Twenty_and_By_State_2010.pdf</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/Top_Twenty_and_By_State_2009.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/Top_Twenty_and_By_State_2009.pdf</a></p>
<p>What people often confuse is alumni donation and total donation. The two are not the same. If you look at page six of the link you provided, you will see that, on average, alumni donations only make up 25% of total funds raised by universities. The remaining donations come from organizations, charitable foundations and generous individuals. The figures you provided above are total donations, not specifically alumni donations. </p>
<p>Among publics, Michigan is usually among the top 3 in total alumni donations (the other two being Cal and UVa). Still, publics have been raising money through alumni for a relatively short period of time, so it is to be expected that they should lag private universities in this respect. On the other hand, publics are starting to get good at raising money from alums and should outpace private universities in the not-so-distant future.</p>
<p>The most recent alumni donation figures that I have from the Council of Aid to Education are from 2006 (total donations when including donations from institutions, corporations and foundations):</p>
<ol>
<li>Stanford University $434 million ($911 million)</li>
<li>Yale University $271 million ($433 million)</li>
<li>Cornell University $216 million ($406 million)</li>
<li>Harvard University $201 million ($595 million)</li>
<li>Tufts University $159 million (N/A)</li>
<li>Princeton University $134 million (N/A)</li>
<li>Johns Hopkins University $133 million ($377 million)</li>
<li>Columbia University $131 million ($377 million)</li>
<li>University of Pennsylvania $126 million ($409 million)</li>
<li>University of Michigan-Ann Arbor $124 million ($251 million)</li>
<li>University of Notre Dame $100 million (N/A)</li>
<li>University of Southern California $97 million ($406 million)</li>
<li>Massachusetts Institute of Technology $91 million (N/A)</li>
<li>University of California-Berkeley $82 million ($246 million)</li>
<li>University of Virginia 82 million (N/A)</li>
<li>Dartmouth College $78 million (N/A)</li>
<li>University of North carolina-Chapel Hill $75 million ($237 million)</li>
<li>University of Wisconsin-Madison $68 million ($326 million)</li>
<li>Purdue University-West Lafayette $63 million (N/A)</li>
<li>Texas A&M University-College Station $61 million (N/A)</li>
</ol>
<p>^^ That’s correct…and medical schools attract the bulk of donations to universities.</p>
<p>UC’s annual giving report is here:
<a href=“http://www.ucop.edu/instadv/documents/2011.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ucop.edu/instadv/documents/2011.pdf</a></p>
<p>Berkeley’s donations totaled $328.7 Million for 2010-2011.
$96 Million was donated by individuals, of which 72% was from alumni.</p>
<p>UCLA’s donations totaled $415.0 Million.
$105 Million donated by individuals, of which 52% was from alumni.</p>
<p>25% of UCLA’s donations are allocated to health sciences and medicine. Only 4% of Berkeley’s are since it’s medical school is separate.</p>