hi
I am in a bit of a dilemma
I hold an unconditional offer from UCL for Environment and Sustainable Development at Bartlett and for Carbon Management, School of Geosciences, Edinburgh.
Since these are not same department so I cannot use subject-wise rankings to my rescue.
I want to choose a university that has a better reputation and can fetch me a well paid job at the end of the year.
I am not really ‘city-conscious’ to make a decision on the basis of city though cost would be one deciding factor and I have been granted a 50% waiver at UCL.
UCL. Ranked #6 best university in the world excluding US. Also, the city is much, much bigger and exciting (and less cold and rainy).
If you can afford it, can handle full-on city life and are very independent (ie, don’t need or expect much if any support in getting your life in London set up*), I second the vote for UCL.
*Edinburgh won’t do much more hand-holding than UCL, but Edinburgh is smaller & easier to navigate from a standing start
Rankings is a terrible way to decide between these two.
Which do you want to study more? If indifferent, go with the cheaper one.
@PurpleTitan how did you get put in CC jail? (& what is CC jail?)
well I like the modules offered at Edinburgh more! but I don’t want to miss out on a better university (if UCL is better than Edinburgh, which online research indicates).
“better” in what way? rankings? student experience? learning in your subject area?
Neither will “fetch” you a well-paid job: you will get that job by getting a 1st or a good 2.1 degree and through the internships / work experience that you do over the summers and holidays.
There is no place to hide in UK courses: you are in your subject all day every day, and if you don’t like your subject & want to change you have to start over*. Both universities strong international reputations, and arguing the toss between the relative status of the two is not worth spending three or four years studying a course that you don’t love.
*broadly speaking; with Scotland being more flexible than England
Yes, at Edinburgh, you have a bit more flexibility and may even be able to change your major. However, it is 4 years vs. 3.
Seriously, like most high schoolers, you are focused on the wrong thing. What you do will have a much greater impact on your success than which of these 2 you choose. So go to the place you like more.
BTW, I assume that you’re not American. In the US, Edinburgh would be more recognized than UCL (which may not matter to you).
In England, UCL would generally be held in higher esteem than Edinburgh, but they are close and it would depend on the subject (and as I said, how you do in school will matter a ton more than which of these two you choose).