Univerisity Selection

bongoo · #1 (**permalink**) 28th, January 2007, 11:50 AM

Hello, I am an applicant for MPharmacy for 2007 september.
I desperately need an advice, despite that there are posts
similar to this one.

I realise that people will suggest that many universities are the same
afterall, and therefore, only whether I would enjoy my life there or not matters.
I am not quite sure if that is so, because it is a 'fact', or because the people
suggesting have different standards to me.
I want to go into the best university. I want the best.
The league tables show me that Nottingham is the best and Manchester is the second. However, several biology teachers are telling me that Kings' College is 'better' due to its prestige, despite of its low ranking in the league table.
How same the universities may be, there must be a difference for the employers.

Help me PLEASE!!!
Bath- conditional
Nottingham- conditional
School of London, Pharmacy- conditional
Manchester- conditional
King's College, london- no reply yet

mm45 · #2 (**permalink**) 28th, January 2007, 01:45 PM

I understand your situation but do you seriously want to go to 'best' course or to the uni which you will enjoy the most and feel most at home and settled?

Like you said yourself most of the courses are pretty much as good as one another, if it was me I would go to the city that I would enjoy for the next four or five years.

johnep · #3 (**permalink**) 28th, January 2007, 04:08 PM

I had only ever heard of 'The Square' and consequently applied nowhere else.
Chelsea (now Kings) was known to us square snobs as 'the other place'.

If I had my time again would probably choose Brighton or Portsmouth as being near the sea. I was a keen sailor of dinghies in my youth.

mm45 · #4 (**permalink**) 28th, January 2007, 04:22 PM

Yeah thats def an upside to living in Brighton the yacht club is pretty good here, very student friendly.

richtagg · #5 (**permalink**) 28th, January 2007, 04:24 PM

Hi bongoo,

I'm not so sure about the league tables in the times/guardian as they include pharmacology under the same bracket.

All pharmacy courses are accredited by the RPSGB so you can rest assured that the teaching is good at them all.

What you should look at though are the different styles of teaching at each university.

For example, Nottingham has a course which is still quite industry orientated whereas Manchester and Kings have heavy involvement with the local teaching hospitals to give you practical experience.

ferretmanabu · #6 (**permalink**) 29th, January 2007, 10:52 PM

I would ignore the league tables and I'd probably ignore what your biology teacher says too. The whole issue of which university is best to go to is very subjective. You will find different answers from different people.
In your case, it is sufficient to say that the universities from which you have offers are the traditional "red brick" unis all with good reputations. I heard somewhere that Nottingham was a very popular uni for failed Oxbridge applicants. Bath is also one with a good reputation.
But the main point is that you should look at the city, look at the structure of the course and then think, will I be able to spend at least four years of my life happily in this place. Although the main reason you going to be at uni is to graduate, it is almost as important to ensure you have a good time with good friends. You won't be able to do that by going to the "best" uni but having a crap time whilst you're there.