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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Imperial College what is it like

87 replies

ImperialCollege89 · 27/11/2023 07:20

DC is really set in an Engineering course in Imperial College. I would be grateful for opinions from people with children there recently or who attend/attended themselves.

I read is very competitive but all they could do is give them the best shot.

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Araminta1003 · 28/11/2023 18:25

One of my DC’s friends is looking at ETH Zurich - tuition fees are only chf730 a term but cost of living is very high in Switzerland. However, this pupil has calculated they won’t come out with more debt than going to a U.K. uni which I found interesting. Apparently Swiss engineering graduates are paid a lot but I am not sure about visa implications post Brexit. Then there is another friend looking at a business school in Milan, Bucconi I think it is called.
So some U.K. kids are also looking to Europe, another one mentioned the Netherlands. I guess if the EU unis are better funded and better run and UK unis so expensive now that is inevitable. I wonder when the Chinese students will realise they might get better value there too and if those unis offer more and more English courses our own unis will become truly stuffed. I wish the government would fill the EU funding gap, it is so shortsighted!!

Needmoresleep · 28/11/2023 18:46

Araminta, Bucconi is extremely well regarded. However it is a private University and fees for home and overseas students alike are Euro 16,500 pa.

Asian students have always shopped around, with large numbers going to Australia, the US and Canada as well as the UK. We seem to have had a surge during the Trump years, especially when Covid kicked off and it became difficult for overseas students to enter or leave the US.

The surprise perhaps is that so few British students looked at alternatives, when so many Europeans (and others) were happily studying in the UK or elsewhere. Its changing a bit now, with larger numbers going to the US in particular, and perhaps more looking at places like Trinity Dublin or Amsterdam, but looking at overseas options is still relatively rare.

ImperialCollege89 · 28/11/2023 19:36

Torganer · 28/11/2023 17:58

I loved it, but I think it lacks a bit from not having any real arts courses (as in diversity - we were all very geeky!). Has he thought about UCL?

Thank you. UCL doesn’t offer the course DC wants

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drowninginjelly · 28/11/2023 19:40

JesusWeptLady · 27/11/2023 22:28

I have one friend who's son graduated recently and a younger relative attending currently. The relative is in Medicine and the friend's son was in engineering. Its almost like Oxford and Cambridge in terms of how difficult it is to get in and do well. Others are correct, there's a large overseas contingent and being in the middle of London, not much of a campus / normal university social environment. However, it's possibly the best place to attend for the course that interests your son. Good luck.

It's not almost like Oxbridge. It is equally academically rigorous with exactly the same level of ability. There are more students of that calibre than Oxbridge can take. Many top brains are at other unis.

ImperialCollege89 · 28/11/2023 19:42

piisnot3 · 28/11/2023 16:28

DS1 is in first year, studying a similar subject to the one I did. Impressions so far:

  1. pace is fast and workload is high. DS1 is keeping up but spending evenings and a fair bit of sat/sun to do so.
  2. They will, by Christmas, have covered most of what I covered in 1st year at another RG uni in top 10 for subject. Largely, this is because the course demands further maths on entry, and they skip the entirety of it. There is no consolidation/review of A level material (e.g of further maths). Everything feels a bit rushed.
  3. Lectures have run the full range from excellent to incompetent, and are overall a bit old-school. If the lecturer turns up, writes hand-written notes on the overhead projector but makes a bunch of mistakes along the way, then really they should have taken the time to make a powerpoint presentation in advance and get it checked rather than wing it.
  4. Organisation of modules is variable. Some have been impeccable. But with others, there have been times when lecturers / tutors have done a no-show. Not really acceptable.
  5. In general, not enough feedback or contact with tutors. Less than I got from other RG uni 30 years ago.
  6. Facilities/buildings dated and tired. To be fair, this is not true for all depts - apparently the business school is rather swanky. But DS is stuck in a 1960's concrete eyesore that never should have been built.
  7. Reports of diversity may have been overstated. in DS's course there is a large majority of Chinese students, and no EU students at all. I.e. a monoculture, not multicultural.
  8. support for special needs / accommodations is frankly shambolic - no appointments available for months.
  9. Overall, it doesn't feel like a world (or UK) top 10. More like a bottom of Russell Group Uni that has decided for some reason to ditch the first semester, start the students straight onto the semester 2 courses and crack the whip to drive the pace. They demand a lot from the students, but are not giving a commensurate amount back in terms of feedback or support.

Interesting m. What course is your DC doing?

opinions vary so much.

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TizerorFizz · 28/11/2023 19:56

Just to clarify: the North Acton hall for Imperial is at North Acton. Nowhere near the Elizabeth Line. It’s on the Central Line. As is Shepherds Bush for Westfield. Westfield opened in 2008. It’s not remotely new. Imperial has an outpost at White City. There’s a very nice SoHo House at White City plus QPR just down the road. I’m very familiar with this area and North Acton is, unreservedly, sh*t.

MissHavershamReturns · 28/11/2023 19:59

I had a female friend at Imperial years back. There seemed to be a higher number of men than female students due to the STEM courses. Is this still true?

Torganer · 28/11/2023 20:08

ImperialCollege89 · 28/11/2023 19:36

Thank you. UCL doesn’t offer the course DC wants

What course do they want to do? Engineering is broad and different universities are better for some.

PartTimePartyPooper · 28/11/2023 20:15

From a slightly different perspective I had a relative who worked in the MechEng department about a decade ago, and absolutely loved it there. My relative also had good things to say about Bristol, Loughborough, and some others (sorry I forget now).

I’m quite surprised to hear the comments about assumed mathematical skills in first semester. From the small amount of undergrad teaching my relative got involved in, I had heard that new undergrads commonly had a shallower attainment in maths than was desirable and lots of ground was covered again which according to my relative “should have been taught at school, and certainly would have been in earlier decades”. So perhaps standards have actually improved in the last ten years which would be a good thing.

TizerorFizz · 28/11/2023 20:42

Hmm. All engineering undergrads will have FM at Imperial. Not just maths.

Iamaslummymummy · 28/11/2023 20:52

Aargg. Just wrote a huge post and lost it

Ds is fresher doing medical Biosciences. Offered AAA. Achieved aab but still accepted. He hits lots of the contextual criteria Inc household income. He's living in south ken on full loan with £5k pa Bursary. Has lots of friends with much higher income backgrounds. He's settled in so well esp taking into account his asd and adhd. Happy to answer any questions.

Iamaslummymummy · 28/11/2023 20:52

See if he can get on the Sutton Trust summer school. Life changing for my son.

Iamaslummymummy · 28/11/2023 20:53

Mostly female on my sons medical biosciences!

ImperialCollege89 · 28/11/2023 21:08

Iamaslummymummy · 28/11/2023 20:52

Aargg. Just wrote a huge post and lost it

Ds is fresher doing medical Biosciences. Offered AAA. Achieved aab but still accepted. He hits lots of the contextual criteria Inc household income. He's living in south ken on full loan with £5k pa Bursary. Has lots of friends with much higher income backgrounds. He's settled in so well esp taking into account his asd and adhd. Happy to answer any questions.

That’s very positive. Thank you

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ImperialCollege89 · 28/11/2023 21:09

Iamaslummymummy · 28/11/2023 20:52

See if he can get on the Sutton Trust summer school. Life changing for my son.

DC is going to apply but I think they prefer kids from disadvantage backgrounds for what I read

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Jurassicpark1234 · 28/11/2023 21:09

I completed my PhD at ICL recently and it was great - there is a lot of funding available and world class lecturers etc. I’m not sure what undergrad is like as I studied medicine elsewhere but having mentored medical students, I hear it’s very competitive. I have to say their careers advice team is second to none and they frequently host events with big industry names in STEM fields as well as management consulting and IB

poetryandwine · 28/11/2023 21:17

@PartTimePartyPooper There is no implication from @piisnot3 that the course she is referring to is an Engineering course

SausagePastaForTea · 28/11/2023 21:17

Dc is there doing CS. They're having a ball. Not entirely sure how much work they are doing but having a great time socially. Lots of sport, lots of partying. A mix of international and domestic friends studying different subjects.

It helps that their hall of residence is a couple of mins from the university and they get a top up grant from Imperial because our income is lower than many.

Caveat - I think DC would have fun anywhere as they are quite outgoing.

MotherOfCatBoy · 28/11/2023 21:25

Placemarking. DS also keen on Engineering at Imperial. Currently doing Maths, Further Maths, Physics and French.

Hypoopyt · 28/11/2023 21:30

I have a DC doing 4th year Mech Eng. He is loving it although it is very hard work, especially the first 2 years where it
is very difficult to keep on top of everything.

He has a good mix of friends from all over, lots of them through a society he belongs to.

I think it is what you make of it really and it suits him but he had a clear idea what to expect. He has friends doing Mech Eng at Sheffield and they are definitely having a gentler experience.

He survived 1st year confined to halls in North Acton due to Covid and since then has shared a flat near Hammersmith with friends.

he would definitely recommend Mech Eng at
Imperial but you do need to put effort into making a social life. He has friends doing many different courses, not just from his course.

ImperialCollege89 · 28/11/2023 22:18

SausagePastaForTea · 28/11/2023 21:17

Dc is there doing CS. They're having a ball. Not entirely sure how much work they are doing but having a great time socially. Lots of sport, lots of partying. A mix of international and domestic friends studying different subjects.

It helps that their hall of residence is a couple of mins from the university and they get a top up grant from Imperial because our income is lower than many.

Caveat - I think DC would have fun anywhere as they are quite outgoing.

Glad to hear, what is CS? And which hall is it?

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TizerorFizz · 28/11/2023 23:17

Sheffield is interesting. It attracts a different type of student that wouldn’t admit to working hard. Engineers expect to work hard there, and they do, but they want a good time too. What is probably less evident at Sheffield is the Chinese work ethic. If students say they are more laid back it’s not because the course isn’t demanding it’s because they aren’t with ultra competitive students all the time. I’m certain Sheffield students get great jobs too and not everyone wants to work abroad. The big consultancies have offices abroad if you want but there’s money to be made here. Sometimes being a “boffin” doesnt get you the most interesting job either. It’s more nuanced than that.

MessyClock · 28/11/2023 23:37

TizerorFizz · 28/11/2023 20:42

Hmm. All engineering undergrads will have FM at Imperial. Not just maths.

My son’s friend got a place at Imperial and has just done the first term. He was at a private school and did maths, chemistry and physics. No further maths, but he got a place.

TizerorFizz · 28/11/2023 23:42

Is he doing Engineering? @MessyClock Its unusual not to have FM for engineering at Imperial.