AIBU for preferring Imperial over UCL for medicine?

[BrightAquaBee]

Daughter got offers from both UCL and Imperial. I expected her to choose Imperial but she chose UCL. She said UCL was better if she wanted to ever do something not medicine due to them being supportive of it and UCL producing more well rounded doctors. She also said she would do her intercalation at Imperial for her other degree for a year. AIBU?

Imperial is amazing but it's an intense hot house of ridiculous brainiacs. It's better to just go where she thinks she will be happy.

Is UCL that much worse than Imperial for medicine? My daughter said UCL was rated higher than Imperial for medicine this year according to QS and both universities said that during the offer holder day.

I think its up to your daughter surely and you really get no say!?

Definitely the choice should be where she’s happy. Where the medical degree is from is of very little relevance once she’s working, and if she’s applying for non medical stuff later I would imagine they will be scoring on what else she has done to show commitment in her given field and where she has had experience working
(I’m a dr of 30ish years, involved in recruitment within medicine)

No, UCL is great! Imperial attracts a certain person although I know medicine is a bit more balanced tbf. UCL is a brilliant uni and it won't make any difference in the long run.

Rankings aren't everything. If she feels like Imperial isnt for her, respect that.

I think wherever your daughter feels instictively is the right place for her is the right choice - there isn't really a wrong one of the two!

My d on paper loved UCL, at the planning stage it was her top choice, she went along to the imperial open day with a friend for the day out. She fell in love with imperial and didn't even apply for UCL, she's now an F1 in London having done very well at imperial for six years.

They are both great for medicine and probably more similar than they are different. It will make no difference to future jobs etc. Getting two offers for medicine from great unis is a fantastic achievement! Let her pick where she thinks she'll be happiest.

(Another doctor)

you are being unreasonable

I’m a doctor in London, I couldn’t tell you where most of my colleagues went to medical school. It just doesn’t matter where you graduate from. She should go where she likes - and congrats to her. I only got 1 offer so had to go there!!

Oh for goodness sake!
Yes, you are being completely unreasonable.

You had your turn being 17/18.

Your DD has the right to choose between two excellent universities.

It doesn't matter. Be proud of your daughter!

QS is a business. I would go almost so far as to say that it's a racket set up by a bunch of grifters who basically extort money from universities. Universities have to go along with it if they want to attract overseas students.

I went to Imperial (donkey years ago) and couldn't fault the quality of the teaching, with access to three amazing hospitals amongst others. The medic student body seemed far more active, diverse and lively compared to the rest of the uni, and I don't recognise the reputation of Imperial medics being total bookworms (though yes, I have teased my UCL qualified colleague for going to a dossy university, even thought it makes not the slightest difference now).

However from a student experience perspective, especially for the pre-clinical years, I think UCL has a lot more to offer. Just the variety of student societies, the benefits of living/mixing with students from a range of subjects, and being in the hub of student life with SOAS/LSE etc nearby. (South Ken & the Charing X campus feel a bit remote).