[Uni Choice UK]Imperial vs Oxford

M

MrMeikel

Veteran X
This is for a Master in Computer Science (4 year). I've applied to both unis, I have a place at Imperial and there is a chance I'll get one at Oxford as well. Both require AAA at A-level (I'm not sure what this in gpa terms - but it's basically the highest any uni will ask for, so im guessing around 4 gpa), which isn't a problem.

Anyone had any experience with either college? I'm not (of course) going to base my decision on TW's advice, but anything anyone can say is useful. There are some links if you don't know the Unis.

To any computer scientists/people in the biz - Oxford offers a more academic degree - more maths and theoretical stuff - whilst Imperial says they do a more practical programming degree. Both give an industrial placement in the 2.5/3rd year with big companies. I'm going to be a games developer, so any additional advice from someone in that industry is helpful (GotHaggis :sunny: how did you get to your unreal 3 game developing status?)

links - rankings + wikipedia:

uk rankings for comp sci:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide2005/table/0,,-5183112,00.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/displayPopup/0,,13394,00.html
http://www.times-archive.co.uk/onlinespecials/education/computersci.html

world in general:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14321230/site/newsweek/

unis - multiple rankings from wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_College_London#Academic_Reputation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Oxford#Reputation

advice from current games devs is greatly appreciated :sunny:
 
oxford is a fun fucking town, but i suppose since this is a masters you've had your fun with partying. i dunno they're both fantastic schools. my dad went to imperial for undergrad.
 
If you are so fucking clever and feel the need to brag why not just do that - don't pretend to be asking for advice.

It is a sad world if an Oxford candidate needs help from TW.
 
no - im more wanting to know if employers prefer more mathematical/theo degree, or a more hands-on one - particularly games devs

and ive applied for masters, but you can change within 2 years to bac (3 year course not 4)... i haven't actually been to uni at all yet, im in "highschool".
 
Since Oxford is by far the more widely known school, if you ever consider work outside of the UK the name alone will look good on your resume...
 
ArakAtak said:
If you are so fucking clever and feel the need to brag why not just do that - don't pretend to be asking for advice.

It is a sad world if an Oxford candidate needs help from TW.
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it's obviously a bragging thread "HEY GUYZ IM GOING TO OXFORD LOLZ"

ps. those newsweek rankings are shit. michigan at #11?? what a joke :lol:
 
KellyMonaco said:
Since Oxford is by far the more widely known school, if you ever consider work outside of the UK the name alone will look good on your resume...
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thats a good point, most game dev work is in America

^i^Njal said:
How can you get a masters 4 years out of highschool?
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english education is more focused => masters in 4, bach in 3. we don't have to do any courses/lectures outside of "major"

Durak said:
it's obviously a bragging thread "HEY GUYZ IM GOING TO OXFORD LOLZ"

ps. those newsweek rankings are shit. michigan at #11?? what a joke :lol:
Click to expand...

i don't care much about the rankings, I know they are both decent unis, i want advice on which degree "style" to go for. BUT show me one ranking where cornell beats either of them - i dare you. :sunny:
 
Durak said:
it's obviously a bragging thread "HEY GUYZ IM GOING TO OXFORD LOLZ"

ps. those newsweek rankings are shit. michigan at #11?? what a joke :lol:
Click to expand...
if it were "HAY GUYS DO I CHOOZE THE REHDEAD WHO RLY LIKES ME OR THE BLONDE WHO TOTALLY WANTS TO SUCK MY DICKSS!!?!" i'd be inclined to flame...

but if he really is in a position to go to oxford, then way to go...you bitches are just jealous
 
Black_Mana said:
if it were "HAY GUYS DO I CHOOZE THE REHDEAD WHO RLY LIKES ME OR THE BLONDE WHO TOTALLY WANTS TO SUCK MY DICKSS!!?!" i'd be inclined to flame...

but if he really is in a position to go to oxford, then way to go...you bitches are just jealous
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But... what if the redhead really DOES like him? And... what if the blonde totally DOES want to suck his dicks?
 
Oxford will look impressive on your CV, but your experience will definitely depend on which college you end up in, some are full of state schoolers / some private schoolers, some mixed, some with especially good reputations in certain subjects......... so I hope you've researched that properly.

Btw "AAA" at A level doesn't mean all that much these days...... did you see the statistic for the number of kids achieving an "A" at "A Level Mathematics" last year? it was something obscene like 40%+.......... and the syllabus has been made easier since I did it 3 years ago.

I don't have any info to offer on imperial as I don't go, or have any friends there..... I suppose if you wanna do the whole "London" thing, then imperial is the place to be, but my mate at oxford often gets taxis into shorditch to visit a certain lap dancing club, so you can still go out in London village if you are at oxford.

Good luck!
 
Also, I'd imagine that any science related subject at Oxford will work you like dog........ I'm doing Physics @ Nottingham and our workload is a bit rediculous at times, but I'm sure that it's nothing compared to a similar course @ Oxford.

Im not sayin imperial will be a "soft" option in this case, just you might avoid the more hardcore maths and theory.
 
I would imagine Imperial will be slightly better for job prospects in the UK, but worldwide an Oxford degree is regarded much more highly and imho is a more enjoyable place to study.

3As at A level is no longer much of a requirement, which is why Oxbridge is making offers on the basis of STEP and AEA papers rather than A levels these days.
 
Jestah said:
Also, I'd imagine that any science related subject at Oxford will work you like dog........ I'm doing Physics @ Nottingham and our workload is a bit rediculous at times, but I'm sure that it's nothing compared to a similar course @ Oxford.

Im not sayin imperial will be a "soft" option in this case, just you might avoid the more hardcore maths and theory.
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The workload at Oxbridge for "Natural Sciences" is three to four times what you are learning at Nottingham in the first year. Undergraduates must take four options each practically equivalent to an entire course, though it lessens in the latter years when they are allowed to specialise further.
 
yea 3As really isn't that hard, i'm by no means a model student - but I already have one A a-level in maths (did it in one year 'cos im doing further maths) - so i just need 2 As out of further maths, physics and computing.

the maths they do at oxford is kinda putting me off, in the first year they do more maths than anything computery - whilst imperial do a shit load of programming :\ But, like many have said, oxford has a higher standing with the rest of the world... and there aren't too many game dev companies in the UK

yes this will be a combined course - i enter with only highschool education, and leave with a masters (4 year, or maybe maybe bENG/bSCI (depending on where I go) in 3 years).

any game devs want to comment on how they got into the industry - do employees prefer more mathematical degrees?
 
Congratulations on your places.

Imperial is the far better University for Mathmatical / Comp Sciences than Oxford. I knew (back in 1997) a lot of people who went to Imperial to do CompSci, choosing that over offers from either Cambridge or Oxford.

IMO you would be a fool to choose Oxford, as all it really offers over Imperial is the name. Added to this the name isn't worth much in the real world, just because people have heard of Oxford around the world, those in the know, i.e. your potential employers, will know that Imperial is the better. Ignore all 'World Rankings' to make your decision, as these are overall scores and not subject based. The only rankings that matter to you are the ones for your subject, you don't care if Oxford has a higher number of cited researchers if half that number come from Biological Sciences.

I went to UCL for Human Sciences after getting into both there and Oxford for that course. The Oxford workload was far higher (and it was tbh the better degree for that subject), it didn't look fun at all.

Oh and there a load of Games Dev's in the UK, but I'd very much doubt that they look at what Uni you went to in the end, just your portfolio.

Plus I've never been a fan of campus Uni's, I hate the them & us, town vs students feel. I very much doubt Oxford is more 'fun' than living in London, it certainly didn't look that way to me when I went for interview and open days.
 
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