Choosing which uni to spend the next 3 years or so of your life is a pretty daunting decision. There are many things I took into account, but these are the main 5 reasons why I chose to go to University College London.
1. It’s in London!
Coming from a small town in Kent so southeast that it’s practically in the English Channel, moving to the Big City was an exciting prospect. The idea of actually living in London as opposed to being one of ‘those’ tourists that all the Londoners hate was exciting. The opportunities here are endless and there is always something to do and new to see.
2. It’s a world renowned university.
While how a university ranks should not be a huge influence on your choice, it was reassuring to me that UCL ranked so highly in the league tables for the country and even the world. UCL is 10th in the country overall and 15th in the world.
Times Higher Education Ranking 2017 The Complete University Guide League Table 2016
3. There’s a corpse in the cloisters.
In other words, the university has a wax mannequin that contains the real skeleton of Jeremy Bentham. To most people that would not seem to be an advantage but as a Philosophy student, I thought that was pretty cool. The legends that go with this are even more interesting. Not only is Jeremy Bentham allegedly wheeled out for UCL board meetings but King’s College (the Jar-Jar Binks of London Universities) apparently stole the real head of Jeremy Bentham and played football with it. Quite rude if you ask me (bit of an understatement).
4. It’s got loads of clubs and societies.
The amount and variety of societies run by the student union was an influencing factor for me. There are over 200 societies ranging from Film Society to Artificial Intelligence Society. A university that has a Chocolate Society, is a place I want to be.
5. Oxbridge wasn’t for me.
(well really I got rejected.. not bitter at all.) While I do joke, it’s true that I did succumb to the school pressure of applying for Oxbridge but I knew that UCL was more suited to the kind of university experience I wanted. Sixth form had been so stressful and high pressure that I wanted to go somewhere that would stretch me but in a more gentle way. UCL, of course, is high performing, but if you don’t do the work, nobody is there to tell you off, so it’s all down to you. This is an approach that was appealing to me.
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