Which uni for Economics?

[UniChoiceIssue]

18 year old DD has applied to go to Uni to do Economics this year. She sadly didn't get accepted into Cambridge and has also just had a rejection from University College London. She has received offers from Bath and Warwick and is yet to receive a decision from London School for Economics.

She would love to go to LSE if lucky enough to receive an offer. However, their acceptance rate is low and it is notoriously hard to get onto their Economics course.

if DD doesn't get into LSE, she must choose between Bath and Warwick University.

She was dead set on a city university at the start of the application process as she thought there would be more going on.

Bath was her insurance choice. She loves Bath (the city and the university). She also loves the fact that the economics degree will give her the opportunity to study abroad. However, the downside is that the Economics degree she will get from Bath University is apparently not so well regarded by future employers as a degree from Warwick would be.

Warwick does not appeal to her as she seems to think that the university is too quiet with not enough going on (campus uni). Due to Covid, open days have been fairly thin on the ground. She wasn't able to see Warwick until after she had submitted her uni applications. The application deadline for Oxbridge was 15th October and the open day for Warwick was just after this. She would not have put Warwick on the application form, if she had seen it before applying for uni.

However, the thing is that the Warwick Economics degree would be probably better for getting a job at the end of the degree as it is regarded as fairly prestigious by future employers.

We don't really know what to advise her, in the event of not getting an offer from LSE.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Any insights would be so much appreciated.

Ds considered applying for economics but has had a change of heart (year 12) and will be applying for IR. Bath and Warwick are both on his list currently, along with Cambridge and Bristol. From what I've seen, I can't see that there would be a significant difference between the reputation of Bath and Warwick in terms of employability. Bath seem to do really well at getting the work placements for the 3rd year (I don't know about Warwick as I don't know anyone there). We haven't been to look yet but my prediction is that ds will like Bath more and I will encourage him to choose where he thinks he will be happiest. I think the differences in ranking are not enough to justify choosing somewhere else. (Also it sounds as though Warwick have not coped well with the pandemic or the ongoing situation though I've really only gleaned that from here and tsr - I've no insider knowledge. The people I know at Bath are having a great time).

Surely if your DD is after reputation and prestige whether the uni is a bit 'dull' or not (only on MN do I ever hear tis!) is a very slight secondary concern?! I also can't see much difference between Bath and Warwick on that score. Both out of town campus unis and both very popular and highly regarded. Bath always does exceptionally well on student satisfaction.

For what it's worth, both Warwick and Bath have top notch reputations for economics.

To me, in your DD's case, the course, the specifics of its content, employability stats are the most important concerns.

A lot of people would give their right arm for offers from Bath and Warwick. Lots of economics applicants are still waiting on both this year.

She should pick the uni where she feels she would be happiest! Surely the last few years have shown that anything can happen and this is ultimately the goal? happy and successful?!
For what's its worth, my DS1 is just about to graduate with a 1st (🤞🏻) in Economics from Loughborough which is below both Bath & Warwick in the current ranking. He has also just been offered a graduate scheme place at PWC,... so I think it probably makes no difference on the rank of the uni degree and all down to what the candidate is offering.

Thank you both for your posts. I will relay the information to DD. Much appreciated.

Given that your DD has taken such a strong dislike to Warwick and a strong liking to Bath, I think it's pretty clear in her case that she should choose Bath. I'm no expert on economics rankings, but Bath is not some bottom of the pecking order institution.

I think I sounded a bit unsympathetic before which wasn't my aim. FWIW DS has a friend still awaiting economics offers from Warwick, UCL and has rejections from Leeds and Cambridge. Yours is vvv lucky to have an offer already for Warwick and to know where she stands with UCL.

LSE, Cambridge, Warwick and LSE are generally considered to have similar maths heavy courses. Bath’s economics course is also well regarded but less mathematical with opportunities for a year in industry or abroad.

Employers wanting economists who are able to manipulate data will often seek to recruit from the first four, but there are obviously plenty of opportunities for those with less mathematical degrees.

For her to balance between course, university life and career prospects. If she hopes to end up as an economist rather in a more general business role, I would say Warwick.

I think Warwick can offer a year abroad as part of a degree even if the degree didn’t start off with this element. However if she really prefers Bath then go where she’s happiest. Employment is always down to far more than university and knowledge gained there. Application tests for jobs look at more than degree and where it came from.

Isn’t Warwick the top course for economics? (At least is was in the 2021 Times Good University Guide)? I know lots of DCs at Warwick who are all having a fantastic time - apparently the set up makes it very easy to socialise.

The Complete University Guide has Warwick 3rd. Bath is 10th. For bright students it’s not going to matter much and if the DD prefers Bath and what it offers. However what sort of employment you want afterwards might be a factor.

CUG does not allow for the fact that economics courses can vary widely. There is pretty universal agreement the top mathematical economics courses are Warwick, Cambridge, LSE and UCL. These courses can have a lot of maths. Some employers want graduates who can handle the data, others don't. Some students enjoy a lot of quite technical financial maths courses, others don't.

As Tizer says However what sort of employment you want afterwards might be a factor.

I know campus universities are sometimes seen as the less exciting option. My son did PPE at Warwick (and his friend did Economics), choosing it due to its reputation for those subjects, and in preference to LSE in son's case. He loved his time there. But your daughter should go with her gut instinct and where she feels she would enjoy the most. I don't know Bath's reputation for Economics, but it is a great university. Best of luck to her.

I am in STEM and though not an economist was a maths intensive Russell Group academic and admissions tutor for a long time. I had the opportunity to learn a bit about Economics, Bath and Warwick.

For years I thought Bath generally a bit underrated and I am delighted that it has gained the recognition it deserves more recently. The Economics programme and links with industry seem very good. I share your DD’s love of the city, and confirmation bias can be very strong, particularly amongst young people. This works both positively and negatively. I think Bath would be a fine choice for your DD.

But Warwick! The Economics School is not as well known generally as Oxbridge or LSE. However postgraduate admissions tutors and the top employers worldwide know that the education is essentially on par with these institutions. It is def maths intensive, which could be a key consideration (for better or worse). And the fact that your DD has taken against the place is a big concern to me.

It has to be her decision, freely made. I don’t know whether the prestige of a Warwick degree would matter for her and I think she will be fine either way. (I have never been affiliated with W but have always enjoyed the vibe and thought the students looked happy)

LSE, Warwick, Bath in that order.

Clever female with an economcs degree? She’ll be fine at either!

Bath would be great for a student experience

@UniChoiceIssue
Is DD doing Further Maths? Although I think the universities don’t require it, if she’s not doing it, would the mathematical content of LSE and Warwick be comfortable for her?

[quote TizerorFizz]@UniChoiceIssue
Is DD doing Further Maths? Although I think the universities don’t require it, if she’s not doing it, would the mathematical content of LSE and Warwick be comfortable for her?[/quote]
Yes, DD is doing Further Maths. She took Maths last year and is doing FM this year.

Everyone's comments have been very useful re pointing out that Warwick is more Maths intensive. She loves Maths and this has swung her in favour of Warwick over Bath!

OP, I have said this before and it is now a while away, but DS was wanting to study economics after double maths A levels. The school's advice was to apply to Cambridge, Warwick, UCL and LSE. All these courses are really competitive and he should be happy if he got one. The reason to apply to all four was that it would be really hard to predict which one he might get.

In the event he got rejections from UCL, Warwick and Cambridge, but an offer from LSE. Someone else got an offer from Cambridge but not LSE. And in terms of keeping doors open, all will offer the same. He then had a chat to a recent UCL econ graduate working for a hedge fund, who confirmed that his boss studied at Warwick but that LSE was held in equal regard...claiming that the Cambridge course was a "little old fashioned". I have no idea if the last was true, though DS found he really enjoyed the maths courses at LSE and ended up graduating in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics. Warwick also offers a number of courses on the boundary of maths and economics. If maths is her thing then Warwick/LSE are the places to go, with the decider being City or Campus. .

She should consider that she has done very well to get an offer. The competition is tough.

Which does not mean that the Bath course is not very well regarded, but it is probably tilts more towards business studies, management and accountancy and finance. A good insurance option.

Thank you all so much The information you have all given has helped immensely and DD feels much better able to make a decision now.

@UniChoiceIssue Warwick is an excellent uni for economics. However I believe they raised their offer from AAA to AA*A in recent years. If your DD got an LSE offer would she 100% take it? Would you allow her to turn it down if she liked the 'vibe' of the other unis? (Perhaps sacrificing career advancement).

My take is that UK wise Warwick and LSE are the same career wise but vastly different universities. LSE's reputation internationally is vastly better.

If your DD does not get LSE. I would suggest Warwick. Investments banks and MBB consultancy firms do rank UK Unis. Warwick is seen as a target uni. Bath is not.