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Which University?

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  • 05-03-2015 9:49pm
    #1
    expiiplus1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 71 ✭✭


    Well, I'm lucky enough to have got (attainable) offers from from four British universities.
    So here I are my options:
    Take a gap year and reapply to Cambridge for maths (the option I'm leaning toward. I know it's irrational but I've become obsessed with this uni since my rejection. I don't think I could forgive myself if I failed to give it another go)
    Go to Trinity for maths and get Schols (The cheapest option but I'm not sure how well Trinity fares on the global stage)
    Go to St Andrew's for maths.
    Go to Warwick (I'd never heard of this uni before applying, but it's supposed to be good)
    Go to Imperial College London for maths.
    Go to LSE for maths with economics (as a subject my second choice on the CAO)
    Since this is such an important life decision, I'm keen to hear as many opinions as possible. Thanks guys!


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    #2
    Monkey61
    Registered Users Posts: 1,137 ✭✭✭Monkey61


    Hi,

    Since nobody else has responded yet, I thought I would jump in with some very basic thoughts, not based on maths specifically.

    I would say two of the most important factors in this decision are 1) what do you want to do afterwards? Go into academia, finance etc.. and 2) what kind of lifestyle do you want for your 3 or 4 years in college? Big city or not.

    I can't comment on St. Andrews and Warwick really, other than to say that they are both really well regarded in the UK, I think Warwick for Maths more so than St. Andrews. Maybe think about whether the lifestyle would suit you in either location as well. It would be very different to being in London for instance.

    Cambridge has a great reputation for maths and otherwise. However is it worth taking a year out and reapplying, even though you might not get in? Only you can answer that. Do bear in mind that a good degree from any of the colleges mentioned means you can do a masters or pHD in Cambridge afterwards if you want to.

    Imperial College is hugely well respected and will open doors for you after your degree. I don't know about maths there specifically, but for medicine and science it has a reputation of being a very, very intensive and high pressured environment. Some people love that, others not so much. Also, will you be able to afford to live in London? Would you like the lifestyle?

    LSE has a brilliant reputation for economics in particular. If you were more leaning towards that I would have said definitely consider it as a top preference. It will also look great on a CV and open doors for you afterwards, particularly if you are looking to get into finance, banking type stuff. Similarly to Imperial though, consider living in London and whether that will suit you.

    Sorry I can't be more specific regarding the degrees themselves, but there are some general thoughts to start you off.


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    #3
    Keen2win
    Registered Users Posts: 153 ✭✭Keen2win


    "Go to Triniry and get Schols"? Such a throwaway statement indicates that you probably wouldn't get schols!


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    #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 13,712 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I have the LSE degree in Mathematics & Economics & I was also rejected from Cambridge. In fact most of my class was rejected from Cambridge at some stage.

    The offer I got from LSE was roughly equivalent, when converted to CAO points, to the minimum CAO points for Mathematics or TP in TCD, so I wouldn't go assuming anything about schols, where you will be competing against the highest achiever, not the lowest achievers. That said, I know v little bout TCD's schols.

    Maths & econ is different to maths with econ, as you are probably aware, the latter being more numerate than the former, but there are rough similarities.

    LSE is a good spot with more Irish people than I would have expected, but the costs of living in London and spending so much of your time, studying or at leisure, around Houghton St. are jaw-dropping. So beware of that. On the other hand, I had about 15 hours per week, after which I was free to enjoy being an 18 year old in London, so there is a massive positive to be had too. Can't advise you on Warwick, St Andrew's etc but if you have any specific q's on LSE and the maths, economics departments, just ask.


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