Does university ranking matter?
When starting a search for universities and courses, it often seems like there are endless measurements and rankings. UK universities are keen to promote themselves using these league tables too. But does university ranking really matter? And if so, when?
What are League Tables?
League tables consider several different factors that impact the position of each University in the UK. These league tables can also be split by either overall ranking or by a specific course. The different factors include Entry Standards, Student Satisfaction, Research Quality and Graduate Prospects.
Furthermore, students can search for rankings in a specific course area. However, students cannot search by ranking for a specific course. These rankings change on an annual basis based on the previously listed factors.
Does University Ranking Really Matter?
Well, it depends. Some sources claim that it’s all a “popularity contest” just like the movies, the University’s with the higher budget are ranked higher due to their budget for advertising and marketing.
This means that Universities that are lower ranked may also be an excellent university to study at but because they do not have the same stature as big budget Universities, these are harder to find and won’t be spotted by international students.
On the other hand, the factors that Universities are ranked by are highly specific and are updated regularly. For example, if a student would like to attend a University that has the best student satisfaction.
Students will be able to filter specifically to student satisfaction and see the league tables from this perspective. Therefore, giving students a wide range of information that might affect their decision in a positive way.
In conclusion, whether students are beginning to choose where to study in the UK or change a current choice, University rankings can play a significant role in a students decision-making. However, students must consider other factors as well such as location, university facilities and the structure of the course when making this massive decision.
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Check the official University league tables here.
