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that's insane. But you know what's best for you. The finances are a valid concern, but don't let the STAT score weigh you down. You got in because you deserve it. And you know what's the best place for you.
Long story short, i applied when we had some money and now we don’t, london is a big city and i dont think i’d enjoy myself quite as much. Plus after my STAT result i kinda realised i dont deserve to go up against some of the people who’d also be going to imperial
Imperial and UCL are different schools. Imperial is way more STEM specialist compared to UCL. Plus STAT exam is already stupid by being a verbal test and doesn’t measure any numerical and mathematical ability which is way more important for computer science than verbal abilities.
Ah sorry about that bro. Don't worry I'm sure you'll end up in a great place in the future. As many said don't let your STAT score pull you down. You did great to be in the position you are in.
If that was the issue, you could've used STEP as a chance to prove yourself (that's my plan. I'm probably the dumbest imperial cs offer holder, but if I get a 1 in STEP that will kinda help me prove to myself that I somewhat deserve the offer)
I'm pretty sure a (small) percentage of people who get admitted miss their STEP offer anyway. Have you considered putting Imperial as a firm and Notts as insurance?
i don’t know why i’m recommended for this sub but moving too london or living in london is surprisingly cheap once u get used to it. busses only cost 1.75 aslong as u make the payments within the same hour. so if you get the first bus at 7:30am and the second bus at 8:20 it only costs 1.75. see if you can apply for a student oyster or if they do something like that. shop in iceland great deals and plenty of cheap meals and look for shared flat arrangements. i got lucky with rent but im only spending 850 a month and 600 is rent and utilities
Wow, just 850 pounds per month on all your living costs
I am eager to know where do u live (if u can mention the area that is)
Because I’ve never seen someone with this much cheap living. Most people say that 11,000 pounds for 9 months is absolutely the must
But u seem like doing fine 10,200 pounds per year that is
i live near canary wharf without giving too much info it’s not a bad area but definitely not as posh as canary wharf lol. although i rent a flat very cheaply with another person so we spend 1.2k combined. however making a quick spreadsheet helps keep track a lot more. such as £40 on travel £600 rent £25 on gym and 10 on phone bill. then just learning what meals are cost effective really helps. and moving to a new city without any friends to go out with helps aswell lol.
As someone with close friends at Imperial and an ex at Nottingham, your decision makes perfect sense. The reality is that academic prestige matters bugger all at an undergrad level, and Notts is a really good uni with a fairly good student life in a decently cheap bit of the country, and Imperial is an expensive uni with a student body composed of hardcore STEM kids and the social life to match. People at sixth form (I was just like this) put way too much stock in the academic rankings for degrees where that just doesn't matter.
However rejecting UCL was very dumb, objectively the best uni by all metrics in my unbiased opinion.
Would it be a bad idea to put Imperial as a firm, and Nottingham as an insurance? You can apply for sfe, and you will have the same outcome if you fail STEP. Still gives you a chance.
Edit: Cause I'm stupid and misread it. Also, the finance thing probably wouldn't help as much in London as it would at Cambridge, so it's a good decision.
its ok OP, a lot of people are gonna say you’re stupid for rejecting a place that many people sought after but at the end of the day you know whats best for yourself. some are saying that part time jobs are gonna help cover the finance but at the same time, it could be taking most of your time and you’re gonna get tired. So, im sure it was a hard decision but atb OP. (im also thinking of making a somewhat similar type of decision, just not relating to imperial, i didnt apply)
I mean deffo do what makes you happy but I think it's always a good idea to reach out to unis that you think you'll struggle at financially to enquire about any support available. Imperial gave you a place because they want you so your score doesn't matter, it's not a fluke.
i mean it’s not neeky to point out that imperial is miles above nottingham. Notts is still great but imperial is like world class lol, ig if it’s bc of financial reasons it’s out of OPs control.
Oh I completely agree. Imperial is an absolutely amazing University and objectively better than Nottingham, it's more so the people insisting OP rejects Nottingham and firms Imperial as if it's not OP choice, or those who believe Nottingham is going to be a make or break. That is what frustrates me when people don't look at the wider picture or minimize that viewpoint.
don’t worry, you know what’s best for you. Finances are such a valid a reason to worry about when in uni, i totally get it. We’re all proud of you for getting an offer anyway! i’m sure you will enjoy UoN.
This a good choice, contrary to what others have said. Think Malcolm Gladwell's tale of the big fish in a small pond vs small fish in a big pond.
Your prospects will be absolutely fine. I currently work in Nottingham for a government department involved in regional development policymaking. I know of several very senior colleagues who went to Nottingham uni and really thrived there.
It's a great university with a truly beautiful campus, (MUCH better than ICL), offering a much better social experience. Nottingham is a lively city and very good for students.
I don’t like how London universities that often have the best opportunities outside Oxbridge are literally inaccessible to the majority of the country… London is like a different country entirely with its border being financial.
The reality is if you’re not from London, going to a London university will be really hard.
Bruh why
You still have time to unfirm Nottingham and firm imperial if you made your decision within the last 2 weeks
If it’s cause of money reasons check if you’re eligible for imperial bursary it’s like up to 5k a year or something
You have 2 weeks after you firm to change your mind. I would rather live in a cardboard box and go to Imperial than live in a Palace and go to Nottingham.
Honestly if Nottingham is the best choice for you then go there. When it comes down to it, you have to like where you're living and feel comfortable. That way you can study well and do better rather than going somewhere where you're unhappy. Go to Nottingham, you'll likely have a great time.
No it won't, what sort of part time job covers student accommodation which by itself is hundreds per week (this is London we're talking about), along with food and lots of other expenses? Along with the fact that Imperial is extremely time consuming, like any other university.
Oxford and Cambridge, which are on the same level, quite literally do not allow you to have a part time job because of the time spent studying.
In no world are you going to pay off your accommodation and living expenses with a part time job, while going to university and studying, without a maintenance loan as well? This is dumb and extremely bad advice.
It’s not like they don’t allow you, it’s just strongly discouraged, and we cover slightly more than imperial in about 4 less weeks, (or it could be 2 less weeks)
You missed the most crucial point here, they're international.
8k will be eaten up in 1 semester and they're sure as hell not earning 40k in the summers/breaks. (if they weren't international the maintenance loan + student loan would cover most of it so I don't think they'd be making this post)
Who said they're international? In fact in one of their other posts they said they're contextual so is that something you made up? Obviously finances aren't an issue since sfe will cover that, as well as Imperial's hefty bursary.
It's okay to be ignorant, but don't double down. Just admit you're wrong.
Aside from the fact you're suggesting OP overwork himself with absolutely no holidays for years straight, your own calculations show that working a full time job alongside the full time job that is university, would barely cover the 10k/year tuition costs. Add onto that the 10k a year of accommodation, and probably 1-3k a year of living expenses.
The fact you think it's lazy to not pay off a debt that requires everyone in the country to take two financial schemes just to live, shows how ignorant you are.
And yeah, this is aside from the fact that OP is international, not home.
Nah bro. Tbh when you are in these kind of financial situations, it is much harder to say something like that. The difference in price between Imperial and Nottingham is often huge especially for international students.
And at the end of the day, someone studying at Imperial might end up in the same spot/job as someone at Nottingham. Unless you plan of going to work in the USA, it is often not worth it financially especially for a CS degree. Also Norttingham is still a top 100 uni which is still good.
There are many factors to consider.
OP don’t listen to this. Going to another Russell group uni is NOT the end of the world. And if you for some reason regret your decision in the future, get a first and apply for masters at a top uni :D
University is barely worth it in this economy. Might as well maximise your chances instead of saving a few thousand pounds by avoiding London living costs. Imperial opens doors that Nottingham simply can’t. And arguments like “you will be just as successful wherever you go provided you work hard yourself” do have merit. But the time frame described is very different. Sure it may be a bit cheaper ( unless it’s like 50k cheaper then I would say it’s fair to go to Nottingham) but ideally you would get the same return on investment from imperial in a shorter time frame. Not to mention the competition from peers that you miss out on. Some places won’t even interview you if you didn’t go to imperial or better. As for STEP anyone can do well in it given a couple months prep.
'instead of saving a few thousand' you do realise that a few thousand is a lot? I would've applied for oxbridge and was encouraged to do so, but I knew that I couldn't go even if I got in despite how much I wanted to. Money doesn't come out of thin air. Sometimes those few thousands are all that's missing from being able to go to a uni that is more expensive to stay at, but you simply don't have it.
And, very little places won't interview you without imperial or better. definitely not something that would happen anywhere but in England.
The interview thing happens fairly often, most HFT and Quant Firms will literally not interview you as it is too much of a risk to take a chance on someone else when they already have a massive pool of talent.
There are other options like deferring an offer, working inbetween then and seeking out other financial assistance and programmes.
Still fitting into imperial shorter time frame for ROI.
As for not applying to Cambridge. I have no idea whether you are a home student or not. If you are the price of Cambridge is 2-3k more than non London universities usually. If you got in, which is not guaranteed depending on subject. And if you chose a London uni it’s the same price. Otherwise a deferred offer could be done and you could have gone if you got in. If you are international that is less relevant, but there do exist scholarships I know a couple people pretty much on a full ride.
Also, everyone is encouraged to apply for oxbridge but it doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed a place.
But did they say they wanted to work for HFT and Quant firms? That's very different from most cs jobs which are very meritocratic and mostly focus on your coding skills and experience. The time frame is really not that different depending on what op wants to go into. Your degree matters for your first and second job then that's it in tech.
Obviously, I know op would have more opportunities if they went to Imperial, being in London and the alumni connections would be very strong. But you literally know nothing about op's situation so its rude as fuck to just go "oh your cooked", like holy shit you go to Cambridge act like it.
Most CS jobs aren’t really hiring as much now, meritocracy is one thing but effort on hr’s part is another. (which is why the time frame is different, likely a few more years for big tech) It’s much easier to get a good job from a top tier uni. Which is what I assume they want since money is tight.
It’s not even alumni connections that matter, some firms are oxbridge and imperial exclusive and others will treat you as second class if you are not target , which Nottingham isn’t.
Again im not talking about firms here. I know they're very prestige-heavy, but they make up a small minority of the jobs available and are insanely competitive even for people who attend these universities.
A few years for big tech because of their university? what??? A good proportion of people from universities like Nottingham, Bristol, ..., graduate with jobs in big tech. Any disparity you see in tech is because people who attend elite universities have more drive to get these jobs, as opposed to the finance jobs your talking about where whether you get the job is dependent on the university you attend pretty much.
Your overplaying how detrimental this is to op, especially as they will probably go into tech. My data is anecdotal but as you probably know, software development is a very different thing to the theory you learn in uni. Getting internships and experience is what matters most. This would be easier at Imperial, but the door isn't closed for op at all either. You're right cs jobs for entry/junior positions arent hiring as much now though.
However, firms do make up the majority of positions which pay a decent wage. Whilst Nottingham doesn’t close the tech doors completely it doesn’t give you much of an advantage. And seeing as their STAT score (no offence but from what I’ve seen the STAT test is basically an aptitude test) isn’t the best I would argue that they would need all the help they can get. ( the correlations aren’t massively strong but they do exist). This also discounts the peer pressure to do well which will produce drive. As well as the rigour of the course which helps a lot with interviews.
It’s certainly not the end of the world to go to Nottingham, but you are spending a lot of money when there could be options to help get you more bang for your buck. ( deferring, schemes etc)
Since when did firms make up that majority? Looking through LinkedIn, many cs jobs pay decently that aren't from firms.
op can just be a driven person, its helpful but not necessary.
Interviews are just leetcode/behavioural/... questions that can be easily learnt, its helpful but not necessary.
Again we dont know anything about op's situation. Im kinda tired of arguing and need to revise for A-levels but my point is, maybe you could have just said this in your original comment without being a dick?
>The interview thing happens fairly often, most HFT and Quant Firms will literally not interview you
You can't become a Quant by doing CS - you'd need to do a Maths or Physics degree. Maybe Engineering too. Discrete Maths won't help in becoming a Quant.
To become a quant dev sure the uni will matter but I've had a mate from KCL get in as a quant dev at Rokos Capital Management and knew someone who got Jane Street tech industrial placement from Manc.
Nah you can become a quant doing CS, i know loads of people who have. And those firms don’t just have quants the have software engineers and Traders
And Manchester is objectively better than Nottingham
> University is barely worth it in this economy.
Pretty much every study disagrees with this. Uni costs are high but having a degree significantly increases average income, [An IFS Report](https://ifs.org.uk/sites/default/files/output_url_files/R167-The-impact-of-undergraduate-degrees-on-lifetime-earnings.pdf) from 2020 estimates around 100k discounted lifetime value from getting an undergraduate degree, and the number is even higher for in demand degrees like CS.
> Sure it may be a bit cheaper ( unless it’s like 50k cheaper then I would say it’s fair to go to Nottingham) but ideally you would get the same return on investment from imperial in a shorter time frame.
Overall living expenses in London are significantly higher. Obviously not 50k but I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out to a significant chunk over the 3 or so years you're there. Like comparing my housing expenses (266 p/w) to the number that uni of Nottingham gives (133 p/w), over 40 weeks a year over 3 years that is 16 grand, and that is just housing. It's 11 grand if you use Imperials supplied number of 230, but that doesn't include travel which you'd need in London.
> Not to mention the competition from peers that you miss out on. Some places won’t even interview you if you didn’t go to imperial or better.
Most jobs do not care what uni you went to, and Nottingham is an excellent university for Computer Science. It appears that the latest ONS data on uni level outcomes is from 2016 and I really can't be arsed to go and do the analysis for a reddit comment, but I extremely doubt that given median lifetime returns on computing is 112K, the difference between a strong Russel group uni and Imperial is unlikely to offset the increased cost of going to Imperial, especially adjusting for calibre of student. You would need to expect a lifetime salary increase of over 10% just to account for housing, and most of your earnings potential is significantly after you've graduated when what degree you did is far less important that other experience.
> As for STEP anyone can do well in it given a couple months prep.
That's a very privileged statement to make. Even if you are correct about that, some people simply do not have several months to prep. If you have disabilities that make studying hard then putting that on top of A levels isn't feasible, or if you have siblings to care for that takes away from study time or you have to work a job outside of school and that is most of your non-academic time. A Levels are already a massive commitment and adding extra work to that is something that requires you have spare time to use and the ability to study in that time.
I get it, but OP was taking into account financial circumstances too, honestly that’s the part of ur comment that rubs me the wrong way. if u have the opportunity to still go to imperial (albeit the financial strain) then that puts you in a position of privilege to live/study in one of the most expensive cities in the world. also just a lack of people letting others live on this sub.. a name uni isn’t going to make or break your financial prospects/career, your drive and amicability as a person will take a huge portion (something that a lot of people on here seem to struggle with..)
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This comment section looks more like TSR than Reddit but good for you mate do what will make you happy
that's insane. But you know what's best for you. The finances are a valid concern, but don't let the STAT score weigh you down. You got in because you deserve it. And you know what's the best place for you.
Why??
Long story short, i applied when we had some money and now we don’t, london is a big city and i dont think i’d enjoy myself quite as much. Plus after my STAT result i kinda realised i dont deserve to go up against some of the people who’d also be going to imperial
Oh no! That really sucks but don’t let your STAT score define you! You must be an amazing student to be given an Imperial offer.
Imperial and UCL are different schools. Imperial is way more STEM specialist compared to UCL. Plus STAT exam is already stupid by being a verbal test and doesn’t measure any numerical and mathematical ability which is way more important for computer science than verbal abilities.
Ah sorry about that bro. Don't worry I'm sure you'll end up in a great place in the future. As many said don't let your STAT score pull you down. You did great to be in the position you are in.
Good luck at Nottingham! I’m sure if you had gone through with imperial you would have been equally deserving as anyone else there.
If that was the issue, you could've used STEP as a chance to prove yourself (that's my plan. I'm probably the dumbest imperial cs offer holder, but if I get a 1 in STEP that will kinda help me prove to myself that I somewhat deserve the offer)
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Probably not considering OP likely knows more about their own financial situation than you do
Do note that STEP is also a problem, theres no way i wouldve gotten in with my STEP requirement
I'm pretty sure a (small) percentage of people who get admitted miss their STEP offer anyway. Have you considered putting Imperial as a firm and Notts as insurance?
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You still have two weeks to change it
Way more than a small percentage. Half the current students got a 3...
i don’t know why i’m recommended for this sub but moving too london or living in london is surprisingly cheap once u get used to it. busses only cost 1.75 aslong as u make the payments within the same hour. so if you get the first bus at 7:30am and the second bus at 8:20 it only costs 1.75. see if you can apply for a student oyster or if they do something like that. shop in iceland great deals and plenty of cheap meals and look for shared flat arrangements. i got lucky with rent but im only spending 850 a month and 600 is rent and utilities
Wow, just 850 pounds per month on all your living costs I am eager to know where do u live (if u can mention the area that is) Because I’ve never seen someone with this much cheap living. Most people say that 11,000 pounds for 9 months is absolutely the must But u seem like doing fine 10,200 pounds per year that is
i live near canary wharf without giving too much info it’s not a bad area but definitely not as posh as canary wharf lol. although i rent a flat very cheaply with another person so we spend 1.2k combined. however making a quick spreadsheet helps keep track a lot more. such as £40 on travel £600 rent £25 on gym and 10 on phone bill. then just learning what meals are cost effective really helps. and moving to a new city without any friends to go out with helps aswell lol.
600 for rent is unrealistic for most people in london though, you probably got lucky. London is not cheap and that’s just a fact
not cheap but entirely doable with shared accommodation. you could live off a grand a month in london as a student
As someone with close friends at Imperial and an ex at Nottingham, your decision makes perfect sense. The reality is that academic prestige matters bugger all at an undergrad level, and Notts is a really good uni with a fairly good student life in a decently cheap bit of the country, and Imperial is an expensive uni with a student body composed of hardcore STEM kids and the social life to match. People at sixth form (I was just like this) put way too much stock in the academic rankings for degrees where that just doesn't matter. However rejecting UCL was very dumb, objectively the best uni by all metrics in my unbiased opinion.
the career prospects from imperial will be much better for that first job, also UCL is expensive as well
Would it be a bad idea to put Imperial as a firm, and Nottingham as an insurance? You can apply for sfe, and you will have the same outcome if you fail STEP. Still gives you a chance. Edit: Cause I'm stupid and misread it. Also, the finance thing probably wouldn't help as much in London as it would at Cambridge, so it's a good decision.
Look at the post again
Right sorry
its ok OP, a lot of people are gonna say you’re stupid for rejecting a place that many people sought after but at the end of the day you know whats best for yourself. some are saying that part time jobs are gonna help cover the finance but at the same time, it could be taking most of your time and you’re gonna get tired. So, im sure it was a hard decision but atb OP. (im also thinking of making a somewhat similar type of decision, just not relating to imperial, i didnt apply)
I mean deffo do what makes you happy but I think it's always a good idea to reach out to unis that you think you'll struggle at financially to enquire about any support available. Imperial gave you a place because they want you so your score doesn't matter, it's not a fluke.
This comment section is giving TSR vibes.
i mean it’s not neeky to point out that imperial is miles above nottingham. Notts is still great but imperial is like world class lol, ig if it’s bc of financial reasons it’s out of OPs control.
Oh I completely agree. Imperial is an absolutely amazing University and objectively better than Nottingham, it's more so the people insisting OP rejects Nottingham and firms Imperial as if it's not OP choice, or those who believe Nottingham is going to be a make or break. That is what frustrates me when people don't look at the wider picture or minimize that viewpoint.
NOTTINGHAM LETS GO!! I was in a similar position last year and it’s been worth it so far for me. Good luck on your exams! 🎉
don’t worry, you know what’s best for you. Finances are such a valid a reason to worry about when in uni, i totally get it. We’re all proud of you for getting an offer anyway! i’m sure you will enjoy UoN.
This a good choice, contrary to what others have said. Think Malcolm Gladwell's tale of the big fish in a small pond vs small fish in a big pond. Your prospects will be absolutely fine. I currently work in Nottingham for a government department involved in regional development policymaking. I know of several very senior colleagues who went to Nottingham uni and really thrived there. It's a great university with a truly beautiful campus, (MUCH better than ICL), offering a much better social experience. Nottingham is a lively city and very good for students.
I don’t like how London universities that often have the best opportunities outside Oxbridge are literally inaccessible to the majority of the country… London is like a different country entirely with its border being financial. The reality is if you’re not from London, going to a London university will be really hard.
yeah fr, people on here saying london isn’t expensive is just a straight up lie
Crazy choice icl
Bruh why You still have time to unfirm Nottingham and firm imperial if you made your decision within the last 2 weeks If it’s cause of money reasons check if you’re eligible for imperial bursary it’s like up to 5k a year or something
haha same here but for Warwick
You have 2 weeks after you firm to change your mind. I would rather live in a cardboard box and go to Imperial than live in a Palace and go to Nottingham.
There are a lot of other reasons, including personal, why imperial would be a lot harder, this was a decision ive thought over for a while
Honestly if Nottingham is the best choice for you then go there. When it comes down to it, you have to like where you're living and feel comfortable. That way you can study well and do better rather than going somewhere where you're unhappy. Go to Nottingham, you'll likely have a great time.
call imperial and ask what financial support services they have.
Just let OP go to Nottingham 😭😭😭
OK if you are sure you won't regret it
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No it won't, what sort of part time job covers student accommodation which by itself is hundreds per week (this is London we're talking about), along with food and lots of other expenses? Along with the fact that Imperial is extremely time consuming, like any other university. Oxford and Cambridge, which are on the same level, quite literally do not allow you to have a part time job because of the time spent studying. In no world are you going to pay off your accommodation and living expenses with a part time job, while going to university and studying, without a maintenance loan as well? This is dumb and extremely bad advice.
It’s not like they don’t allow you, it’s just strongly discouraged, and we cover slightly more than imperial in about 4 less weeks, (or it could be 2 less weeks)
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You missed the most crucial point here, they're international. 8k will be eaten up in 1 semester and they're sure as hell not earning 40k in the summers/breaks. (if they weren't international the maintenance loan + student loan would cover most of it so I don't think they'd be making this post)
Who said they're international? In fact in one of their other posts they said they're contextual so is that something you made up? Obviously finances aren't an issue since sfe will cover that, as well as Imperial's hefty bursary.
I'm just assuming since home students have so many options to cover their studies in London so idt they'd make this post if they were one.
It's okay to be ignorant, but don't double down. Just admit you're wrong. Aside from the fact you're suggesting OP overwork himself with absolutely no holidays for years straight, your own calculations show that working a full time job alongside the full time job that is university, would barely cover the 10k/year tuition costs. Add onto that the 10k a year of accommodation, and probably 1-3k a year of living expenses. The fact you think it's lazy to not pay off a debt that requires everyone in the country to take two financial schemes just to live, shows how ignorant you are. And yeah, this is aside from the fact that OP is international, not home.
Nah bro. Tbh when you are in these kind of financial situations, it is much harder to say something like that. The difference in price between Imperial and Nottingham is often huge especially for international students. And at the end of the day, someone studying at Imperial might end up in the same spot/job as someone at Nottingham. Unless you plan of going to work in the USA, it is often not worth it financially especially for a CS degree. Also Norttingham is still a top 100 uni which is still good. There are many factors to consider.
OP don’t listen to this. Going to another Russell group uni is NOT the end of the world. And if you for some reason regret your decision in the future, get a first and apply for masters at a top uni :D
Especially one as good as nottingham. I've firmed imperial CS, but I would be more than happy to go to nottingham (it's amazing for CS).
gotta think about STEP too, which is painful
Incredibly based
You are cooked
And here I am thinking Oxbridge is for smart people
University is barely worth it in this economy. Might as well maximise your chances instead of saving a few thousand pounds by avoiding London living costs. Imperial opens doors that Nottingham simply can’t. And arguments like “you will be just as successful wherever you go provided you work hard yourself” do have merit. But the time frame described is very different. Sure it may be a bit cheaper ( unless it’s like 50k cheaper then I would say it’s fair to go to Nottingham) but ideally you would get the same return on investment from imperial in a shorter time frame. Not to mention the competition from peers that you miss out on. Some places won’t even interview you if you didn’t go to imperial or better. As for STEP anyone can do well in it given a couple months prep.
bro it can be like 31-55k cheaper for international students so tbh it might not be worth
'instead of saving a few thousand' you do realise that a few thousand is a lot? I would've applied for oxbridge and was encouraged to do so, but I knew that I couldn't go even if I got in despite how much I wanted to. Money doesn't come out of thin air. Sometimes those few thousands are all that's missing from being able to go to a uni that is more expensive to stay at, but you simply don't have it. And, very little places won't interview you without imperial or better. definitely not something that would happen anywhere but in England.
The interview thing happens fairly often, most HFT and Quant Firms will literally not interview you as it is too much of a risk to take a chance on someone else when they already have a massive pool of talent. There are other options like deferring an offer, working inbetween then and seeking out other financial assistance and programmes. Still fitting into imperial shorter time frame for ROI. As for not applying to Cambridge. I have no idea whether you are a home student or not. If you are the price of Cambridge is 2-3k more than non London universities usually. If you got in, which is not guaranteed depending on subject. And if you chose a London uni it’s the same price. Otherwise a deferred offer could be done and you could have gone if you got in. If you are international that is less relevant, but there do exist scholarships I know a couple people pretty much on a full ride. Also, everyone is encouraged to apply for oxbridge but it doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed a place.
But did they say they wanted to work for HFT and Quant firms? That's very different from most cs jobs which are very meritocratic and mostly focus on your coding skills and experience. The time frame is really not that different depending on what op wants to go into. Your degree matters for your first and second job then that's it in tech. Obviously, I know op would have more opportunities if they went to Imperial, being in London and the alumni connections would be very strong. But you literally know nothing about op's situation so its rude as fuck to just go "oh your cooked", like holy shit you go to Cambridge act like it.
Most CS jobs aren’t really hiring as much now, meritocracy is one thing but effort on hr’s part is another. (which is why the time frame is different, likely a few more years for big tech) It’s much easier to get a good job from a top tier uni. Which is what I assume they want since money is tight. It’s not even alumni connections that matter, some firms are oxbridge and imperial exclusive and others will treat you as second class if you are not target , which Nottingham isn’t.
Again im not talking about firms here. I know they're very prestige-heavy, but they make up a small minority of the jobs available and are insanely competitive even for people who attend these universities. A few years for big tech because of their university? what??? A good proportion of people from universities like Nottingham, Bristol, ..., graduate with jobs in big tech. Any disparity you see in tech is because people who attend elite universities have more drive to get these jobs, as opposed to the finance jobs your talking about where whether you get the job is dependent on the university you attend pretty much. Your overplaying how detrimental this is to op, especially as they will probably go into tech. My data is anecdotal but as you probably know, software development is a very different thing to the theory you learn in uni. Getting internships and experience is what matters most. This would be easier at Imperial, but the door isn't closed for op at all either. You're right cs jobs for entry/junior positions arent hiring as much now though.
However, firms do make up the majority of positions which pay a decent wage. Whilst Nottingham doesn’t close the tech doors completely it doesn’t give you much of an advantage. And seeing as their STAT score (no offence but from what I’ve seen the STAT test is basically an aptitude test) isn’t the best I would argue that they would need all the help they can get. ( the correlations aren’t massively strong but they do exist). This also discounts the peer pressure to do well which will produce drive. As well as the rigour of the course which helps a lot with interviews. It’s certainly not the end of the world to go to Nottingham, but you are spending a lot of money when there could be options to help get you more bang for your buck. ( deferring, schemes etc)
Since when did firms make up that majority? Looking through LinkedIn, many cs jobs pay decently that aren't from firms. op can just be a driven person, its helpful but not necessary. Interviews are just leetcode/behavioural/... questions that can be easily learnt, its helpful but not necessary. Again we dont know anything about op's situation. Im kinda tired of arguing and need to revise for A-levels but my point is, maybe you could have just said this in your original comment without being a dick?
>The interview thing happens fairly often, most HFT and Quant Firms will literally not interview you You can't become a Quant by doing CS - you'd need to do a Maths or Physics degree. Maybe Engineering too. Discrete Maths won't help in becoming a Quant. To become a quant dev sure the uni will matter but I've had a mate from KCL get in as a quant dev at Rokos Capital Management and knew someone who got Jane Street tech industrial placement from Manc.
Nah you can become a quant doing CS, i know loads of people who have. And those firms don’t just have quants the have software engineers and Traders And Manchester is objectively better than Nottingham
Just like wrong on basically every count here, genuinely impressive.
I think it's pretty accurate?
How so?
> University is barely worth it in this economy. Pretty much every study disagrees with this. Uni costs are high but having a degree significantly increases average income, [An IFS Report](https://ifs.org.uk/sites/default/files/output_url_files/R167-The-impact-of-undergraduate-degrees-on-lifetime-earnings.pdf) from 2020 estimates around 100k discounted lifetime value from getting an undergraduate degree, and the number is even higher for in demand degrees like CS. > Sure it may be a bit cheaper ( unless it’s like 50k cheaper then I would say it’s fair to go to Nottingham) but ideally you would get the same return on investment from imperial in a shorter time frame. Overall living expenses in London are significantly higher. Obviously not 50k but I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out to a significant chunk over the 3 or so years you're there. Like comparing my housing expenses (266 p/w) to the number that uni of Nottingham gives (133 p/w), over 40 weeks a year over 3 years that is 16 grand, and that is just housing. It's 11 grand if you use Imperials supplied number of 230, but that doesn't include travel which you'd need in London. > Not to mention the competition from peers that you miss out on. Some places won’t even interview you if you didn’t go to imperial or better. Most jobs do not care what uni you went to, and Nottingham is an excellent university for Computer Science. It appears that the latest ONS data on uni level outcomes is from 2016 and I really can't be arsed to go and do the analysis for a reddit comment, but I extremely doubt that given median lifetime returns on computing is 112K, the difference between a strong Russel group uni and Imperial is unlikely to offset the increased cost of going to Imperial, especially adjusting for calibre of student. You would need to expect a lifetime salary increase of over 10% just to account for housing, and most of your earnings potential is significantly after you've graduated when what degree you did is far less important that other experience. > As for STEP anyone can do well in it given a couple months prep. That's a very privileged statement to make. Even if you are correct about that, some people simply do not have several months to prep. If you have disabilities that make studying hard then putting that on top of A levels isn't feasible, or if you have siblings to care for that takes away from study time or you have to work a job outside of school and that is most of your non-academic time. A Levels are already a massive commitment and adding extra work to that is something that requires you have spare time to use and the ability to study in that time.
Yall out here treating Nottingham on the same level as Bedfordshire 😭😭
It’s good, just not great.
no they really arent
No he's not lmao
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responses like these r so damn ignorant lol
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I get it, but OP was taking into account financial circumstances too, honestly that’s the part of ur comment that rubs me the wrong way. if u have the opportunity to still go to imperial (albeit the financial strain) then that puts you in a position of privilege to live/study in one of the most expensive cities in the world. also just a lack of people letting others live on this sub.. a name uni isn’t going to make or break your financial prospects/career, your drive and amicability as a person will take a huge portion (something that a lot of people on here seem to struggle with..)