Experiences of Imperial College

[Partridgewell]

Hi all,

DS had his heart set on Oxford, but it wasn't to be. He has offers from Imperial College and Warwick to study Maths. He slightly prefers Warwick in terms of location and lifestyle. However, he wants to be an academic, so Imperial would make sense from the point of view of it being a slightly more prestigious university.

His main concerns about Imperial are the location and the fact that there are no arts students. He is looking on The Student Room etc, but I said I would ask on here too. Any experiences? We know lots of people who have been to Warwick but very few who have been to Imperial.

Thanks in advance.

My grandfather studied at Imperial (then a PhD at Cambridge but this is such ancient history it’s hardly relevant!) and always claimed there was a secret tunnel to aid fraternisation.

Hi OP, what did your DS decide? And how is he getting on.

He is at Imperial. He absolutely loves the course and has made friends through his course and the acapella group he has joined. He doesn't love living in London, but I wonder if he might start to change as he gets used to it.

Can I join this? DS would love to go to Imperial. He’s waiting to hear (aka rejected) from Cambridge and I know he’d relish the intellectual challenges that Imperial has to offer if he’s offered a place by April.

But we’re country bumpkins and DS is not streetwise and is naive, to put it mildly. I would worry 24/7 even though I lived in London for 10 years and DD is currently living in Zone 2.

How are other parents’ DCs coping in the big smoke?

He'll be fine. South Kensington is a very safe and lovely area

But the accommodation is in Acton and goodness knows what we can afford in second and third year.

Ah yes. I forgot about that. Very expensive being in London. Hope things work out

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear he decided on IC and is enjoying the course.

DD applied; waiting to hear if they got an interview

The accommodation is the main issue; hopefully he can find some affordable accommodation if he gets a place from second year onwards.

We live in London,DC like it and use to it so likely to commute from second year

My DD is at LSE - small and social science heavy. There's a fair bit of social mixing between students at the central London Unis - DD has been to Kings and Imperial functions and has friends at both, she met other central London students from our home town before going, they sort of find each other. It is very expensive, we are middle ranked public service professionals and not on high incomes - but we will make any necessary sacrifices for DD to have the education she set her heart on.

Does anyone know how much they need in the ESAT? Other students who got a place at IC, how much did they get?

The North Acton campus is literally outside the tube stop and it's only 5 stops and a walk or cycle through Hyde Park which is very pleasant or change to S Ken and then IC is outside the tube stop practically.

Worth noting that IC give £5K bursaries each year to those whose parents earn under a certain amount. The N Acton rooms are all en-suite and 'only' £6,800 per academic year (no vacating in the holidays of you don't want to). This was as cheap or cheaper than some of the other en-suite halls at Bristol or Bath for eg but obviously they have travel costs on top (30% student discount on Oyster).

London is a different student experience but everyone we know at IC has had a brilliant time and the opportunities are excellent. Despite what people say, there is time to pick up a part time job too, of which there are plenty in central and west London.

Thanks @Turmerictolly much appreciated.

Placemarking - DS has applied and sat his ESAT but we don’t know yet what will
happen.

I don't know, I'm afraid, as my son did the MAT. He got 71. He also had an interview for Oxford, but didn't get an offer.

Thank you. DD did the average

Ah ok. I'm not sure about the engineering exams but in the MAT the average is about 50, which is usually not enough for an offer from Imperial, unless the student has exceptional circumstances.

I meant got the average

That is good to know

Just chipping in here, DS also missed out on oxbridge and is at imperial. He loves it. The student body is very diverse internationally, very mixed (Spanish, French, Aussie etc). He got s Ken which is surreal as a place to live but goes to visit his mates in n Acton who he met on his course. Plenty of sports and extracurriculars going on. He meets up with friends and friends of friends at ucl, lse etc as posted above.
It is hard work but most that go there would feel short changed if that wasn’t happening I suspect.
DS rates the small groups seminar teaching in particular .

That sounds very positive. Was it difficult to get the accommodation? Is it just a lottery?

Thanks @monkey42 - it all sounds very exciting.

Re accommodation options, for 24/25 you had to select 4. Ds put 3 s Ken and the Paddington one. Got s Ken. His friends who out 3 s Ken and one Acton got Acton. About half the first year accommodation is at Acton.
s Ken is a lot more expensive, but as others have said imperial give significant grants to those that need it.

Thank you. If DD gets a place she will only put S. Kensington and Paddington; if she is going to commute from Acton may as well commute from home.

is your son sharing or single?

Single, which in his block on south side of princes gardens means top floor, lots of shared rooms though too.