I am struggling with some of the posts.
On a thread titled "best Unis for engineering", and specifically asking for alternatives to Cambridge and Imperial, we are being scolded for mentioning Cambridge and Imperial.
As far as I can see, OPs questions has been answered with a number of alternatives (Errol and I both came up with Manchester, Sheffield and Southampton as the Universities that were often picked by A* applicants when they did not get Cambridge and did not want London) and a suggestion that other Universities were often strong in specialised areas.
What I find odd is that we are being chided for "the narrow experience of contributors", yet Tizerorfizz fails to mention whether she herself, or her DC, studied engineering.
Surely the point of MN is that it is a collection of individual experiences. Errol's DD seems to have really enjoyed her time at Cambridge, and mine had a very worthwhile and intellectually challenging year at Imperial. Equally, an outdoorsy friend of DS had no regrets about choosing Sheffield. Whilst other contributors have made equally valid and interesting suggestions and observations.
Long long ago, when mine were still in their teens, there was a similar poster who used to trash Imperial, on the basis that her daughter had studied in London and hated it. It then transpired that her daughter had studied fashion and lived in some grotty, and surprisingly expensive, student accommodation way out from the centre. It seemed important then to give an alternative view. Not all students, will love Cambridge, or Southampton, or Sheffield, or Imperial, or Bath or wherever. However constructive observations should, at minimum, help applicants identify the questions they should be asking, and perhaps give them ideas for courses they had not previously considered.