Hey guys, I’m a British student and i’m just wondering which British unis you guys think are prestigious and any opinions on Durham or St Andrews
Thanks, i’m awaiting any replies 
Aside from Oxford and Cambridge, i’d say the ff:
LSE
Imperial
Warwick
and UCL.
I’ve heard a little about St Andrews bcoz of Prince William and Kate.
Never heard of Durham before.
I think we tend to equate prestige and age. Ox and Cambridge are oldest and most famous. Once you get past them, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Durham, London (some colleges more famous than others, but those differences are tough to get clear). Third tier…Glasgow, Manchester, Warwick, etc. When I checked them out for grad school, I only really considered the top 2 tiers, as they were the only ones that really looked and felt like our idea of a British U.: old, classy, traditional, in nice area. The others seemed to be too new or in industrial cities.
Are you asking for an American opinion?
Everyone knows and highly regards Oxbridge.
Many know and highly regard LSE.
Some know and highly regard Imperial.
Some may have heard of St. Andrews because of the royals and thus think it can’t be bad.
Some may have heard of Edinburgh and know it as an Ancient Scottish uni and figure it’s probably the best research U in Scotland.
Pretty much all the rest are an undifferentiated mass, though those familiar with recruiting in the City/on the Street would put UCL and Warwick on the targets list with the first 4.
St. Andrews has also been marketing heavily to Americans so it may be the best known UK uni in the States outside of Oxbridge and LSE (and maybe Imperial and Edinburgh).
I am assuming you are asking for American views?
No single person can speak for all Americans and I noted you asked for individual opinions.
Here are the statistical facts about which UK universities that people in America search for:
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- KCL
- UCL
- LSE
- Edinburgh
- Imperial
- University of the Arts London
- Glasgow
- Durham
Although that can be said to be an indicator of popularity and familiarity, not necessarily prestige.
That said, one can get an indication of prestige by looking at the UK universities elite American students choose to go to by looking at this statistical fact:
http://www.nairaland.com/141689/rough-guide-best-most-reputable/9#13802115
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- LSE
- UCL
- Edinburgh
- KCL
- SOAS
- Imperial
- St Andrews
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Although it can also be argued that most Americans will not have the same views as their elite students, but on the other hand, ignorance about UK universities will be far more profound in the circle of most Americans than in sphere of their elite students.
You can also find a list of universities American students tend to attend by looking at this statistical fact:
https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/press/us-undergraduates-choosing-uk-their-studies
- St Andrews
- Oxford
- Edinburgh
- UCL
- Westminster
- LSE
- Cambridge
- KCL
- Glasgow
- University of the Arts London
It can be argued this is relevant because most people would tend to try and attend the most prestigious university to them they can get in or the most prestigious university for their course.
From these observations, you can form your own informed view and not have a view of “finger-in-the-air” analysis.
Six unviersities are in all 3 lists:
Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL, KCL and Edinburgh
Four universities are in at least 2 of the 3 lists:
Imperial, St Andrews, Glasgow and University of the Arts London
Here’s HBS’s list of undergraduate origins:
http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/class-profile/Pages/undergraduate-institutions.aspx
Lot’s of American colleges.
Sadly no numbers, but Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, UCL, Warwick, Edinburgh on there.
What is the purpose of this? Are you asking because you intend to emigrate to the US one day? Otherwise, it really doesn’t matter what Americans think of British universities and vice versa.