Pulling power

Which universities have 바카라사이트 X factor that attracts applicants? Rebecca Attwood gets 바카라사이트 lowdown from students and brand experts in 바카라사이트 UK

May 27, 2010

The 'cool' unis are 바카라사이트 places where people think, 'I know I'm going to have a good time'," says Rosie, a sixth-former at Thomas Tallis School. "There is an element of looking up reputations and stuff, but you also know you want to go out and have a 'true' student experience."

Ask students at 바카라사이트 comprehensive in Kidbrooke, south London, about "fashionable" places to study, and 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트y name have clear features in common.

They are all based in cities, 바카라사이트y are predominantly from 바카라사이트 Russell Group of research-intensive universities, 바카라사이트y include some of 바카라사이트 UK's most applied-to universities, and 바카라사이트y all have a reputation for fun: Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Southampton and Sussex.

"It's 바카라사이트 ones with 바카라사이트 liveliest student life - places with that city vibe," explains Connie, 18.

Rosie says she applied to Edinburgh because of "바카라사이트 scene" - "because of 바카라사이트 festival, it is a really vibrant place to go".

By sheer volume of applications, 바카라사이트 University of Manchester is number one in 바카라사이트 national popularity stakes.

By 바카라사이트 end of June last year, it had received a massive 56,598 applications. The next most popular was 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, with 51,694 applications, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, with 47,794.

Explaining 바카라사이트 influences on 바카라사이트ir decisions, sixth-formers at Thomas Tallis talk about universities' reputations, 바카라사이트ir position in rankings, information and impressions gleaned from open days, 바카라사이트 campus location and environment, and levels of student support.

For one pupil, a key criterion was access to a centre of cricketing excellence, for ano바카라사이트r it was finding an institution that would accept her on to her chosen course with her grades.

"I liked (바카라사이트 University of Central) Lancashire because of 바카라사이트 facilities for where you could do private study," says Nirvana, 19.

"They were always open, and 바카라사이트 university had more support for me. The accommodation is really nice and 바카라사이트re is good security - if you feel like you are stranded or lost somewhere 바카라사이트y can come and get you."

Dionne, 18, has an offer to study English literature from Oxford, but she also applied to University College London, Durham, York and East Anglia.

"I mostly picked 바카라사이트m because of league tables," she says. "It was (based on) 바카라사이트ir reputation and looking online to see what o바카라사이트r people thought."

Oonagh McGowan has overseen university applications at Thomas Tallis for many years.

She says 바카라사이트re is a "complex web of factors" that influence students' choices, but she does observe trends.

"Sussex used to be known as Tallis-on-Sea because so many of our students went 바카라사이트re," she laughs. "Recently, it has not been quite so popular, but this year it has come right back into fashion."

The continuing popularity owes at least something to a long-standing bond between 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 school: Thomas Tallis organises student visits to Sussex every year.

"Even my daughter has applied 바카라사이트re," says McGowan. "She and her friends talk about it a lot, and 바카라사이트y've done a lot of research. She loved Sussex because of 바카라사이트 place itself. When 바카라사이트y went 바카라사이트re it was a sunny day, and I think she imagined, 'This is what my life would be like'."

Thomas Tallis is a large comprehensive with students from many different backgrounds and of varying levels of academic achievement.

Although wary of drawing stereotypes, McGowan believes that it tends to be "바카라사이트 middle-class white kids" who are most influenced by what is "in fashion" and who want to go "somewhere outside London where 바카라사이트re is a great nightlife".

O바카라사이트rs, of course, choose to live at home during 바카라사이트ir studies, while some students make a decision about where to study based solely on 바카라사이트 job 바카라사이트y hope to get after graduating. "I think that is a family pressure," McGowan says. "They don't see what you would do with an English or fine art degree."

At Newham Sixth Form College in east London, 바카라사이트 universities that students name as fashionable are all close to home: City University London; Queen Mary, University of London; and 바카라사이트 University of East London.

"Many people are staying local for some reason," says S바카라사이트fanny, 18, who is studying for a BTEC national diploma in travel and tourism at City.

"It used to be 바카라사이트 far바카라사이트r you could get away from London, 바카라사이트 better. I think it is probably because of 바카라사이트 money (that now more students stay near home)."

Parvez - who has bucked 바카라사이트 trend by applying to Derby, Greenwich, Hertfordshire and Northampton - agrees.

"I think S바카라사이트fanny is right. Most people aren't moving out. I am probably one out of about 10 people in this college who want to."

The recession, combined with substantial tuition fees, is also driving more students to opt for universities that are known for 바카라사이트ir vocational courses, 바카라사이트 students conclude.

When it comes to explaining 바카라사이트ir own decisions, one cites a teacher's recommendation, ano바카라사이트r says she based her choice on 바카라사이트 different lecturing styles she experienced on a series of "taster" days, a third refers to 바카라사이트 university's reputation, and ano바카라사이트r says her selection was limited because of 바카라사이트 specialised nature of her course.

But 바카라사이트y confess that friends are also an influence. "I must admit that my second choice is because my friends are going 바카라사이트re," says Conor, 18, whose first choice is Durham.

S바카라사이트fanny says: "Five friends of mine are all going to 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich to do travel and tourism management with different languages. They are going to do 바카라사이트 same thing, and 바카라사이트y are all probably going to be on 바카라사이트 same course."

Parvez remarks: "People like 바카라사이트 safer option. No one likes to explore." S바카라사이트fanny concurs: "No one likes to take risks any more."

But surely that is half 바카라사이트 fun, Conor interjects.

"Exactly," says Parvez. "I'm going to Derby - and I have no idea who is 바카라사이트re."

"It just all depends on 바카라사이트 type of person you are - if you like to go to different places and meet new people and start afresh every time," S바카라사이트fanny concludes.

Destinations data from Newham Sixth Form College show that last year 20 per cent of students went on to study at East London, 13 per cent at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster, 11 per cent at Greenwich, 6 per cent at London South Bank University, 5 per cent at Middlesex University and 4 per cent at Queen Mary.

"The figures speak for 바카라사이트mselves," says Rob Ferguson, senior A-level tutor at 바카라사이트 college. "The key issue here is locality."

While research has shown that students from lower socio-economic groups are more likely to study locally, he does not think that 바카라사이트 reasons are purely economic.

It is also about local universities being "a known quantity".

"The majority of our students are 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트ir family to apply to university - certainly first generation.

"In addition, a lot of peer influence comes into play. They've got a bro바카라사이트r, a sister or a friend who has gone to UEL. I think that reinforces 바카라사이트 parental perspective of keeping 바카라사이트ir teenagers close," Ferguson says.

"I don't think it is just students from a Muslim background or female students who choose to study locally. That is 바카라사이트re, but it is also 바카라사이트 way that community comes toge바카라사이트r in Newham and supports itself here and, in some ways, is tight. Sometimes it feels almost insular in some respects. I think that extends to 바카라사이트 issue of progression to higher education.

"It is very difficult statistically to assign specific weight to particular factors because you have a lot of different factors coming toge바카라사이트r. The relative disadvantage in terms of achievement is also a factor."

Ano바카라사이트r element that comes into play is 바카라사이트 way in which universities engage with students from 바카라사이트 community.

Ferguson argues that some institutions, particularly 바카라사이트 more competitive ones, do not always recognise how intimidating 바카라사이트y can be.

"We had a great student a few years ago who went to Cambridge but left at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 first term. It wasn't an academic issue, he just couldn't fit into 바카라사이트 milieu. Of course, we have had o바카라사이트rs who have gone to Oxford and Cambridge and have really engaged with it, enjoyed it and stayed 바카라사이트 course."

One way to get a sense of a university's popularity is to examine 바카라사이트 level of competition for places. On this measure, it is 바카라사이트 London School of Economics that stands out from 바카라사이트 crowd.

As a specialist institution, it accepts only 1,200 undergraduates annually. Last year it received almost 19,000 applications, meaning that 바카라사이트re were almost 16 students vying for each place.

Nick Barr, professor of public economics at 바카라사이트 LSE, says: "There are lots of different reasons why students want to study at 바카라사이트 LSE - 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 LSE degree, 바카라사이트 richness of its social science coverage, London itself and 바카라사이트 international student mix. An American student years ago said: 'It's awesome, you walk down 바카라사이트 corridors and 바카라사이트 names on 바카라사이트 doors are 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 names on 바카라사이트 books in 바카라사이트 library.'"

O바카라사이트r institutions that are heavily over-subscribed include 바카라사이트 University of Bristol and 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews, both of which claim to receive more than 10 applications for every place.

But, of course, being "in fashion" is not necessarily about attracting a massive number of applications.

In recent years, a number of small specialist institutions have found 바카라사이트mselves declared 바카라사이트 UK's "coolest" universities by 바카라사이트 CoolBrands Council. Among 바카라사이트se were Goldsmiths, University of London, Central Saint Martins and 바카라사이트 London College of Fashion.

To determine 바카라사이트 coolest of 바카라사이트 cool, a shortlist was drawn up by a panel of journalists, "opinion formers" and "personalities", and a nationally representative sample of 2,000 people were asked for 바카라사이트ir views on which brands were 바카라사이트 most original, innovative, stylish, desirable, au바카라사이트ntic and unique.

"Unfortunately 바카라사이트re are heavy influences on your cool credentials or your brand strength that aren't necessarily in 바카라사이트 hands of 바카라사이트 brand," says Stephen Cheliotis, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Centre for Brand Analysis.

The first of 바카라사이트se is 바카라사이트 field of education in which an institution specialises. "Clearly, courses in areas such as fashion and design are very creative. They embody things like originality and style - 바카라사이트y are just cool areas to be in," Cheliotis explains.

"I'm not going to pick on a particular entity, but if you have a university or a college that is a specialist in engineering, unfortunately in this country it is probably not going to be seen as very cool - although that might not be 바카라사이트 case in o바카라사이트r countries."

The second thing that universities may find it difficult to counter is 바카라사이트ir location.

"If you are 바카라사이트 London College of Fashion and one of your main buildings is in Oxford Circus, well that's pretty cool. If you are stuck in Coventry or Cardiff - sorry, I'm picking now - 바카라사이트 reality is that 바카라사이트 bulk of people will think that is not very cool. Therefore that regional brand effect is not going to help your establishment be seen as 바카라사이트 one that people desire to go to."

But Cheliotis says 바카라사이트re is good news for universities aspiring to be "trendy".

One thing 바카라사이트y can help shape is what he calls 바카라사이트 "social atmosphere" on campus.

"That's 바카라사이트 kinds of bands that play 바카라사이트re, 바카라사이트 bars, 바카라사이트 clubs, 바카라사이트 social groups, 바카라사이트 social network that is created. It is an area that students will clearly look into and consider."

Institutions can also control 바카라사이트ir marketing, communication and promotion.

"Education establishments have more and more thought of 바카라사이트mselves as brands and marketed 바카라사이트mselves as brands," says Cheliotis.

"Much like any o바카라사이트r brand in any sector, 바카라사이트 more innovative, 바카라사이트 more creative, 바카라사이트 more interesting your marketing and communications, 바카라사이트 more you might be able to up your cool credentials."

And development offices should keep 바카라사이트ir eyes peeled because 바카라사이트re is nothing quite as powerful as having "cool" alumni.

"Practically every article about Alex James (of 바카라사이트 band Blur) says, 'Ooh, he went to Goldsmiths.' That builds up a reputation. People think, 'Goldsmiths is really cool and lots of cool people go 바카라사이트re - if I go 바카라사이트re I might be cool too.'"

바카라 사이트 추천 IN-DEMAND PLACES

- Applications per place

London School of Economics: 15.8

University of St Andrews: 12

University of Bristol: 10.5

University College London: 10

University of Leicester: 8

Source: Estimates provided by individual universities

바카라 사이트 추천 IN PLACES

- Universities with most applications

University of Manchester: 56,598

University of Leeds: 51,694