Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

What is the best University in Ireland?

  • 06-05-2007 11:16pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,729 ✭✭✭


    Posting this on the UCD section it might be obvious but maybe some of you out there hate this place. I have not included the Northern Irish institutions such as Queens and the others refers to ITs in Ireland. What do you think?

    Best University in Ireland? 150 votes

    UCC
    0% 0 votes
    UL
    3% 5 votes
    UCG
    4% 6 votes
    NUIM
    6% 9 votes
    Dublin University (Trinity College)
    6% 9 votes
    UCD
    40% 61 votes
    DCU
    35% 53 votes
    Others (please specify)
    4% 7 votes


«13

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,729 ✭✭✭Pride Fighter


    I wonder if anyone will vote for Trinity?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,352 ✭✭✭funky penguin


    Thought you were banned?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,567 ✭✭✭delta_bravo


    How can one judge unless you have properly studied them all and visited the campuses?


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 1,852 Mod ✭✭✭✭Michael Collins


    How can one judge unless you have properly studied them all and visited the campuses?

    Not to mention having to study the same courses to give an accurate comparison. I think the best thing the OP can do is go to each of your potential colleges and suss out the facilities for yourself.

    Or if you post specific information about what course you're interested up here I'm there's somebody who'll be able to give you advice on how good/bad it is in UCD...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,033 ✭✭✭Chakar


    The question is quite subjective. I think the OP should be more specific as it depends on what aspects, would make a university just so. The students would have differing opinions and emphases on the varying aspects, that would make any university, the best university in Ireland.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,729 ✭✭✭Pride Fighter


    Who voted for Trinity and why?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,567 ✭✭✭delta_bravo


    Who voted for Trinity and why?
    So thats all you care about?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,729 ✭✭✭Pride Fighter


    Its not all I care about. Just trying to gauge what makes a University great and what Trinity has to offer in terms of being a great university.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 895 ✭✭✭imp


    So far I've enjoyed UCD more than I did TCD...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 799 ✭✭✭Schlemm


    Used to go to TCD before UCD and the administration is a hell of a lot better in TCD I can tell ya!


  • Advertisement
  • Administrators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,781 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭hullaballoo


    I don't think that anyone who hasn't studied in all of those colleges could properly answer that poll. I've heard great things about UL, UCC and UCG, but I don't think I could vote for them off the back of that.

    I also note that you neglected to include Queen's University in Belfast.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,958 ✭✭✭✭RuggieBear


    Schlemm wrote:
    Used to go to TCD before UCD and the administration is a hell of a lot better in TCD I can tell ya!
    Now that's scary.:eek:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,755 ✭✭✭elmyra


    As an aside, I think Galway like to be known as NUIG.

    I definitely wouldn't vote for UCD, I've enjoyed my time here as an undergrad in spite of rather than because of the college.

    Academically and administratively, I'd probably give it to Trinity. I have friends who aren't starting their exams for at least a week after me and have had timetables confirmed since March and April.

    Galway and Cork have great atmospheres about them and actually 'look' like universities.

    Having never been to UL I can't say for sure...but it's probably better than here too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭gubbie


    UCC... cos its in Cork


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    TCD do have a better website than us, which is probably because it was done intelligently and not by some marketing gurus who didn't realise people in UCD might need to use it too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 256 ✭✭stolenwine


    Move this post to an open forum. Different universities are good for different subjects U.C.D- Law, Business, Medicine apparently. T.C.D English - humanities subjects, Science, Law

    In the U.k there is a list published that has the top universities ranked and a list of the top universtities for different subjects. They are assessed by inspectors. We should have this here it would force universities to up there game. Ucd is the only Irish university that offers my course, the department is utterly shambolic but it's either ucd or move to the uk and currently I like living in Ireland.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 256 ✭✭stolenwine


    Red Alert wrote:
    TCD do have a better website than us, which is probably because it was done intelligently and not by some marketing gurus who didn't realise people in UCD might need to use it too.

    You're right I went to a talk given by one of the ucd website maintainers and he kept on going on about maintaining a "corporate feel". You have to also remember that one of the main pull factors for individuals accessing the TCD site is their library online catalogue that is a major selling point as they have a world class library that is a legal depository meaning it gets a copy of every book published in Ireland and the u.k as far as I know.

    Ha ha ha just looked up their Wikipedia page

    "Trinity College, Dublin TCD, or Thick ***** of Dublin, corporately designated as the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin etc........"


  • Administrators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,781 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭hullaballoo


    The inspectors presumably study for at least three years in each University as undergraduates in order to be able to pass judgement, no?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 256 ✭✭stolenwine


    These tables are published in national newspapers:

    Here's an example of how the Guardian formulates its league table-

    http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/universityguide/story/0,,959140,00.html

    While I was studying in the U.K my department was inspected and subsequently gained a substantial amount of funding. Why can't Irish universities be regulated in a similar fashion?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭humbert


    There is some disagreement over league tables isn't there though?


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 310 ✭✭Spectator#1


    League tables for colleges are the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. Top Trumps would be a much better idea, at least we could have some fun with them.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 256 ✭✭stolenwine


    humbert wrote:
    There is some disagreement over league tables isn't there though?

    There has been yes, I'm not saying it's a perfect system but you can cross refernce all the differents league tables and get a good enough guideline. What I'm saying is we need more transparency in this country with regard to third level statistics.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 310 ✭✭Spectator#1


    Personally I'd say a better way to find out about how good or bad a college is would be to talk to the departments you're interested in attending; students or staff, and get an idea that way. It doesn't matter how many league tables you look at. It's like sorting out league tables of human beings in order to decide who you want to be friends with.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,885 ✭✭✭Stabshauptmann


    The best? Depends what you want really.

    For social scene UCD has the most and most active clubs and societies, TCD has the Pav, but Ive really enjoyed any trips Ive made to NUIG or CIT and I think they are two great party colleges (and Im not just talking about RAG week). It is really really hard to say which campus accomadtion I liked the most (and Ive been to most in Ireland) but I think belgrove pips it.

    Academically, then it depends on what you're studying, for example arts is the whipping boy of UCD and the Quinn is Irelands best business schools, where as in TCD Bess is a joke and points for arts can be in the high 500s. But tbh, I think its always UCD/TCD in the top 2 spots (just my own 2c).

    And atmosphere, I personally dont like what I preceive to be stuffy in TCD.

    I like UCD, I filled out my CAO more by university than course and Im happy with how it turned out.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭griffdaddy


    Top Trumps would be a much better idea, at least we could have some fun with them.
    Spectator- 'Administration.....7?'
    Griffdaddy- 'Cúnt! Administration 3, i had poxy UCD again!'


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 256 ✭✭stolenwine


    Personally I'd say a better way to find out about how good or bad a college is would be to talk to the departments you're interested in attending; students or staff, and get an idea that way. It doesn't matter how many league tables you look at. It's like sorting out league tables of human beings in order to decide who you want to be friends with.

    I was impressed by books I had read written by lecturers at the university that I ended up going to for my undergrad, I looked at the tables as an afterthought, so I see what you're saying.

    Still I think that statistics should be available to prospective students, not everyone is going to have the wit to sit down with lecturers and have a chat that is if you can manage to get a meeting with one.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 310 ✭✭Spectator#1


    griffdaddy wrote:
    Spectator- 'Administration.....7?'
    Griffdaddy- 'Cúnt! Administration 3, i had poxy UCD again!'

    Winner!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 388 ✭✭Blut


    Which 14 people voted for UCD? Have these 11 people not sat a single exam in their time here? Or tried to register for courses or have any dealings with admin? Surely any experience with the exams office or the administration would leave you with no doubt that UCD is not the best college in Ireland by a longshot.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 888 ✭✭✭themole


    stolenwine wrote:
    Still I think that statistics should be available to prospective students, not everyone is going to have the wit to sit down with lecturers and have a chat that is if you can manage to get a meeting with one.
    This is particularly true for foreign students who often have to pick the college and get accepted without ever having been to the country. I use orkut, a social networking type site similar to bebo, which has a lot of international users. I have gotten more than a few enquiries about colleges in ireland and where they rank within ireland and the world. Its important when you are looking outside your own country.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 888 ✭✭✭themole


    elmyra wrote:
    As an aside, I think Galway like to be known as NUIG.
    Indeed, it has been known as NUIG since around 1997.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,885 ✭✭✭Stabshauptmann


    Blut wrote:
    Which 14 people voted for UCD? Have these 11 people not sat a single exam in their time here? Or tried to register for courses or have any dealings with admin? Surely any experience with the exams office or the administration would leave you with no doubt that UCD is not the best college in Ireland by a longshot.

    It might if you had nothing to compare against...

    Or if thats not a priority


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭humbert


    It could be the "I didn't get the points for Trinity but I didn't want to go anyway because they're stuck up snobs" brigade.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,055 ✭✭✭snickerpuss


    I wouldn't vote since i couldn't possibly know. I know nothing about any college outside Dublin since I didn't consider applying to any of them. UCD was the only place i could take my subject choice in Dublin. Thats why I went.

    I think UCD admin is a mess but its unfair to say that the college is a disaster because I loved my two subjects and the staff were always fab and I know they get messed around by admin so it would be unfair to say its a rubbish college cos of admin, when most of the staff (that i know anyway) are brilliant.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,119 ✭✭✭Donald-Duck


    Blut wrote:
    Which 14 people voted for UCD? Have these 11 people not sat a single exam in their time here? Or tried to register for courses or have any dealings with admin? Surely any experience with the exams office or the administration would leave you with no doubt that UCD is not the best college in Ireland by a longshot.
    I didnt vote but:
    No problems with exams at christmas for me, and my timetable for exams is 2-3 days between every exam for this semesters exams.
    Never had any problems with registering for a course
    Never had to deal with admin

    Granted I'm only in first year, but not everyone ends up having loads of problems.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭Stepherunie


    I haven't voted for any college because I'm not qualified to decide on this.

    All I know is this: I chose UCD because I had no other choice in Ireland (UUJ wasn't an option for me) and I've never regretted my decision to come here. For all it's faults and failings I've enjoyed my time here thus far. There's a good atmosphere here and the lecturers I've studied under have been great with the exception of one. I've had a far share of problems since I've been here, luckily exams haven't been one of them but admin has been fairly useless - in saying that we lucky enough to have a good staff and programme manager who generally dealt with them for us.

    Maybe I've just been lucky but that's my experience thus far.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 518 ✭✭✭Bartronilic


    Academically, then it depends on what you're studying, for example arts is the whipping boy of UCD and the Quinn is Irelands best business schools, where as in TCD Bess is a joke and points for arts can be in the high 500s. But tbh, I think its always UCD/TCD in the top 2 spots (just my own 2c).

    And you know "bess is a joke" how? Tons of degree options, subject choices, year abroads to Australia, Canada and Japan, good lecturers and being a 4 year degree is a joke is it? Bess and commerce are completely different aswell by the way.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,880 ✭✭✭Raphael


    It is really really hard to say which campus accomadtion I liked the most (and Ive been to most in Ireland) but I think belgrove pips it.
    Really? I'd have put the quality of UL accomodation way above that of Belgrove.

    Anyways, I didn't vote because all I've got is 1 year in UCD to base my vote on. But I like UCD. My exam timetable's a bit shite, but at least I have study time for my hard subjects. It could be that every other college in the country is a million times better, but I don't know that. And UCD is grand for me.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭Stepherunie


    Raphael wrote:
    Really? I'd have put the quality of UL accomodation way above that of Belgrove.


    TBH I think a lot of colleges have as good if not better accomodation than UCD. UCCs oldest campus accomodation is of the same standard as Merville, if not nicer as all the bedrooms have there own sinks. LIT from what I hear from friends has absolutely gorgeous accomodation and well kitted out, TCDs isn't so shabby either. Now I don't know anyone in NUIG so can't comment on there i'm afraid.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,016 ✭✭✭Blush_01


    The new accommodation in NUIM is lovely too. It's a bit like Roebuck crossed with Glen.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,885 ✭✭✭Stabshauptmann


    Three posts in a row missing the point. Impressive. The context of my post was in relation to a universities social life, belgrove is one of may fav residences in Ireland.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,885 ✭✭✭Stabshauptmann


    And you know "bess is a joke" how? Tons of degree options, subject choices, year abroads to Australia, Canada and Japan, good lecturers and being a 4 year degree is a joke is it? Bess and commerce are completely different aswell by the way.
    In ucd, rightly or wrongly arts gets a lot of stick, in TCD its been my experience that BESS bears the brunt of most of the jokes.

    I know bess and commerce are completely different. Having compared the Bcomm in UCD to Bess there is no reasonable comparison; the course sucks. But if you are looking for a business course in TCD or UCD those are the two most comparable


  • Posts: 5,589 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Business in TCD is ****e.. simple as..

    **** all maths taught, no real finance courses apart from one module in 3rd and one again in 5th.

    If you want to learn business - do an undergrad in economics / maths / or something quantative and then do a postgrad in business.

    Though from what I've heard, Quinn School aint much better.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,885 ✭✭✭Stabshauptmann


    Though from what I've heard, Quinn School aint much better.

    Then you've been given poor information :)

    Anyway business isnt just quantitive stuff.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 620 ✭✭✭yevveh


    It is really really hard to say which campus accomadtion I liked the most (and Ive been to most in Ireland) but I think belgrove pips it.

    Roebuck accommodation is pretty damn nice, I'd prefer that to Belgrove. Belgrove ain't bad though imo (having never actually lived in on-campus accommodation)

    I didn't vote as plenty of other colleges offer degrees in Economics so I could have gone to any of them. However I haven't had much of a problem, the worst is my exams this semester when I have 3 on one day and one the next. That's it. I haven't had to deal with admin much atall and I love the social life here so I can't say I'm not happy with it, and having never been to another uni that sets UCD as the best from what I know. I've heard good things about UCC and NUIG though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,270 ✭✭✭singingstranger


    I'd suggest that there's a thread on the TCD board telling people to vote here, but I'm far too lazy to check.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,211 ✭✭✭✭Sangre


    Of course, they all have lovely bottoms!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭humbert


    na don't see one though they do have a sexy rant/bitch/moan thread. just one more way they're better than us :(


  • Administrators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,781 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭hullaballoo


    I'd suggest that there's a thread on the TCD board telling people to vote here, but I'm far too lazy to check.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054984837&page=135#5368

    This could well mean war.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭Stepherunie


    Or it could further propagate the myth that Trinity students are insular and unaware that there are other places outside TCD.

    Ha - vote and don't leave comments.... brilliant, like we'd never think of that.

    By the by Hulla, you're link brings you to page 135 for some odd reason.... well it did for me. The comment is actually on page 269 for those who want to view it....

    EDIT: Myth?? What was i thinking?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,885 ✭✭✭Stabshauptmann


    135 is in the link, hulla displays 40 posts per thread (as do I). Funny though, I did check the TCD board earler and was surprised there was no thread


  • Advertisement
Advertisement