Using the league tables

 

Using the league tables

League tables, when used effectively, can play a part in choosing January intake uk universities. They help you identify and refine a shortlist of institutions to consider. Your ideal uni won’t necessarily be the one at the top of the table, with the highest-grade offer, or where you’ve been told to go by friends or family. By comparing and contrasting each university alongside our carefully chosen methods and measures, you can find the right university for you.

 

Using our up-to-date league and subject tables can help you make your final choice in time for the 18 June UCAS deadline (if all your university decisions were received by 4 June). If you received decisions on or before 13 July (including UCAS Extra), then you have until 20 July to respond. If you’re unsure, check UCAS Track to see your personal deadline.

 




Keep in mind that subject tables aren’t for specific courses, but for subject areas. For example, your chosen course may fall under a certain subject area. For example, the Biological Science subject tables includes both Ecology and Zoology. The related courses are listed underneath the drop down menu when searching for a subject table.

 

READ MORE

Why use our university league tables?

Coronavirus updates

League tables

 

 

Searching universities and subjects

There are several approaches you can take to search and compare universities.

 

Filter

Filter the league table by subject, year, region or university group.

 

Sort/order

Click on any of the measures listed in the header to reorder the table by category. This can be used at any time during your search.

 

League Table headings

 

See all categories

Click on ‘full table’ in the top right to see the table with every category (instead of the ‘quick view’).

 

Subject table

Filter the table (as above) by subject, to see a league table dedicated to your chosen subject of study.

 

Once on this page, you can sort the filtered table in the same way as the league table – by clicking on any of the five measures along the top. This will reorder the results according to the individual score.

 

Historical performance

You can see the historical league table performance of any institution by viewing a university profile and opening League table performance. The graph and statistics show historical performance in the overall ranking table and by subject.  

 

Where a university stands in the league tables is relevant, but the quality of the course is an important factor, as well as location, accommodation and the structure of the course.

 

Comparing universities

When using the table to compare universities, always remember:

 

Context

A league table position mainly reflects a university's performance from year to year. However, many have built a reputation over time, while some lower down are still carving out a niche. It’s also worth being aware that some universities are mid-table due to excelling in certain areas while performing less well in others. If the area they excel in is important to you, then their overall position in the table becomes less relevant.

 

Reputation

Newer universities often demonstrate strengths in comparison to older universities. Some institutions may have centres of specialist excellence, and even famous universities can have mediocre departments.

 

Bunching

Be aware of bunching – in some tables the rankings are separated by very small differences. Small differences in scores can result in apparently dramatic rank changes, so it’s wise to read them in context. Year-on-year changes by a few places are nothing to be worried about, especially in areas of the table where the scores are very close.

 

Where the data comes from

All the data comes from public sources such as:

 

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the official agency for collecting, analysing and publishing of measurable information about the universities

The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) and the National Student Survey (NSS) – controlled by the Office for Students (OfS) in England, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in Scotland, and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) in Wales

In a few cases, source data isn’t available and is collected directly from individual universities.

 

Measures

The table below explains each measure we use and why it’s important. This can help you understand how to best use them to your advantage. Think about what matters to you when learning. For example, if you prefer a more personal approach, the student-staff ratio may be more relevant than other factors.

 

The subject tables use the same five measures as the ‘quick view’ university league table: entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity and graduate prospects.

 

The donut charts represent percentages of each measure showing how well each university fares. In most cases, the percentages are calculated using the maximum score of each measure as 100%. However, for those measures without a maximum score (see below), the highest score is designated as 100%, with others represented as a percentage of this top score.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Foundation Stage Profile and Baseline Assessment

  In 2002 statutory baseline assessments were replaced by the foundation stage profile. Some schools continue to use both. The purpose of base-line assessment (usually carried out during the first term in the reception year) was to enable the reception teacher to plan their teaching to match individual children's needs and eventually to judge the child's progress against this initial baseline assessment. The basic skills of speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics and personal and social development are assessed. The Foundation Stage Profile has 13 summary scales covering the six areas of learning, which have to be completed for each child in state education by the end of his or her time in the foundation stage. The areas of assessment are: Personal, social and emotional development (how the child works, interacts and cooperates with others) Communication, language and literacy (listening, speaking, reading and writing skills) Mathematical dev...
Read more

Homework and Grades

  According to the world university rankings compiled by the Times Higher Education, more than half of the world’s top 200 universities are located in either the US or the UK. Both countries share a rich tradition of quality higher education, excellent research facilities, and a culture that promotes intellectualism as well as academic freedom. However, while both certainly provide an excellent environment for learning, there are many differences between the two countries regarding the structure of the university as well as student life. In this article, we will explore the primary differences between the American and British systems of education.   Length of Time Perhaps the most important difference between the education system in the US, and the UK, is the amount of time it takes to finish your degree (except in Scotland, where a bachelor’s degree also lasts four years). In general, degree programs in the US take about one year longer than programs in the UK, although...
Read more

What career do I want to have?

    GCSEs have changed Over the last few years, the government has made some changes to subjects that will affect your GCSE options. These changes have more or less been phased in now (2020), and for a timeline of the changes, you can check out the information provided on the AQA website.   Here is a video we made which explains the changes briefly:       In brief, some of the changes that are taking place include:   Changes to subjects Maths: GCSE maths will have more of a focus on problem solving and encouraging students to follow logical steps. There will also be more emphasis on remembering formulae.   English language: Replaces what used to be known simply as "English". The GCSE course in the uk will focus on encouraging students to read a wide variety of high-quality literature and non-fiction texts from a range of genres from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.       English literature: Study...
Read more