UK University Rankings 2012
College ranking lists are a great way to learn about some of the best options for your education. Although this is just one of the factors you should consider when choosing a school, the rank a college gets on various lists can help you get started determining which colleges should be on your short list.
Colleges can be ranked in a number of ways. Some lists rank the schools by type of degree. Others rank specialty schools, like business programs or art schools. If you’re interested in staying in a certain area, however, you should look at lists that rank colleges within your country. There are a few lists that specifically rank colleges in the UK, if you choose to go to school in this country.
The most popular college ranking list for UK schools in the Times Good University Guide. This list ranks colleges based on eight different categories: student satisfaction, research quality, student-to-faulty ratio, spending on services and facilities, entry standards, competition, honors, and graduate prospects. The total score is 1000 points, which is awarded to the top school on the list, and all of the other schools are ranked in relative.
The Guardian University Guide is another great resource for researching schools in the UK. This list is compiled based on statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, student satisfaction surveys, and other research. Along with a general list, they also publish rankings by subject, so you can check out the departments that matter most to you.
Times Higher Education also ranks colleges in the UK. This list ranks colleges not in a numbered list, but rather with a star rating, like you’d find with restaurant or movie reviews. The best universities get four stars and are at the top of this list. A four-star school is classified as world-leading, and a three-star school is “internationally recognized.” Two- and one-star schools are classified as “recognized internationally” and “recognized nationally,” respectively, and all schools that fall below these standards are listed as “unclassified.” They also have a second table of schools ranked by subject.
Lastly, you should check out 4 International Colleges and Universities. This website doesn’t rank colleges based on reputation or education value, but instead lists colleges in individual countries based on their popularity on the Internet with traffic, links, and more. This is a unique view on which colleges you should consider, since it gives you a perspective on what most interests other students.
Remember, college rankings are just the start. You need to visit college campuses and check out online programs, as well as talk to professors, learn about financial aid, and more to find the school that is best for you. The college that fits you best may not necessarily be the top school on a college rankings list, and that’s ok. Find the educational program that fits you, regardless of what the experts say.
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