Consensus world view of TOP 5/6 UK University Rankings (Prestige/Research)

[Anonymous]

Per the other thread, W&M Econ dept doesnt publish much. Not that it matters. But based purely on prestige of Econ depts, St Andrews focus on Macro and Finance is top notch. W&M is focused elsewhere. It depends on what DC wants to do with an Econ degree. I don think any body here can answer that question for you without more context into the reason for wanting to study Econ, what Econ areas does your DC want to focus on. Plans post undergrad? Masters/Phd research route? Or Business route? Internationally or in the US? Hard to simply say one or the other without any perspective other than what we know about both depts….

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Likely behavioral economics plus finance and a business route in the US which included b-school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Per the other thread, W&M Econ dept doesnt publish much. Not that it matters. But based purely on prestige of Econ depts, St Andrews focus on Macro and Finance is top notch. W&M is focused elsewhere. It depends on what DC wants to do with an Econ degree. I don think any body here can answer that question for you without more context into the reason for wanting to study Econ, what Econ areas does your DC want to focus on. Plans post undergrad? Masters/Phd research route? Or Business route? Internationally or in the US? Hard to simply say one or the other without any perspective other than what we know about both depts….

Ehhh I agree with the questions but St Andrews is not really a heavy hitter in econ either. A lot of this choice just boils down to location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. Likely behavioral economics plus finance and a business route in the US which included b-school.

From W&M own website: The Economics Department at St Andrews has particular strengths in the areas of dynamic macroeconomics, finance, household economics, climate change, and competition and innovation.
The Department of Economics at William & Mary has particular strengths in the area of health, experimental and international economics.

Macro and Finance - go to Sta. Please note at Sta DC can add a 2nd Joint Honours if he wants that could be complementary or interesting to explore.
You really cant go wrong with either. Has DC toured both schools? I highly recommend it. There is something to be said about fit. You cant look at all the quantitave variables you want. But if DC doesnt “feel it” when on campus, it doesnt matter.

For direct placement in the US, say NYC, it is always easier if your are in US. No argument here. But it is not like your DC would be excluded from recruiting process because he is at Sta. For Business School (im assuming you mean MBA) back in the US, his grades + GMAT + experience will matter more. I personally believe that assuming grades are equivalent (UG + GMAT) that the application from a Sta graduate with a 2-3 yrs working in the UK/EU to a top MBA program is much more unique than a W&M grad, working in the US for 2-3 yrs applying to the same school…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per the other thread, W&M Econ dept doesnt publish much. Not that it matters. But based purely on prestige of Econ depts, St Andrews focus on Macro and Finance is top notch. W&M is focused elsewhere. It depends on what DC wants to do with an Econ degree. I don think any body here can answer that question for you without more context into the reason for wanting to study Econ, what Econ areas does your DC want to focus on. Plans post undergrad? Masters/Phd research route? Or Business route? Internationally or in the US? Hard to simply say one or the other without any perspective other than what we know about both depts….

Ehhh I agree with the questions but St Andrews is not really a heavy hitter in econ either. A lot of this choice just boils down to location.

At least Sta ranks as one of the top 3-4 programs in the UK regardless of league table:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2024/sep/07/best-uk-universities-for-economics-league-table

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/economics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per the other thread, W&M Econ dept doesnt publish much. Not that it matters. But based purely on prestige of Econ depts, St Andrews focus on Macro and Finance is top notch. W&M is focused elsewhere. It depends on what DC wants to do with an Econ degree. I don think any body here can answer that question for you without more context into the reason for wanting to study Econ, what Econ areas does your DC want to focus on. Plans post undergrad? Masters/Phd research route? Or Business route? Internationally or in the US? Hard to simply say one or the other without any perspective other than what we know about both depts….

Ehhh I agree with the questions but St Andrews is not really a heavy hitter in econ either. A lot of this choice just boils down to location.

At least Sta ranks as one of the top 3-4 programs in the UK regardless of league table:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2024/sep/07/best-uk-universities-for-economics-league-table

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/economics

Yeah, but those are ranking a lot of undergrad experience things, not the “prestige” of the econ department.

You’ll have a good experience there. But I wouldn’t really make this choice for undergrad based on subject matter interest or prestige, but by a whole bunch of other factors, many of which you’ve mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per the other thread, W&M Econ dept doesnt publish much. Not that it matters. But based purely on prestige of Econ depts, St Andrews focus on Macro and Finance is top notch. W&M is focused elsewhere. It depends on what DC wants to do with an Econ degree. I don think any body here can answer that question for you without more context into the reason for wanting to study Econ, what Econ areas does your DC want to focus on. Plans post undergrad? Masters/Phd research route? Or Business route? Internationally or in the US? Hard to simply say one or the other without any perspective other than what we know about both depts….

Ehhh I agree with the questions but St Andrews is not really a heavy hitter in econ either. A lot of this choice just boils down to location.

At least Sta ranks as one of the top 3-4 programs in the UK regardless of league table:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2024/sep/07/best-uk-universities-for-economics-league-table

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/economics

Yeah, but those are ranking a lot of undergrad experience things, not the “prestige” of the econ department.

You’ll have a good experience there. But I wouldn’t really make this choice for undergrad based on subject matter interest or prestige, but by a whole bunch of other factors, many of which you’ve mentioned.

I agree 100%. As I said and as you mentioned , these decisions must incorporate a lot of variables. I was just pointing to their own rankings which their own companies use. Just look at the UK companies that recruit at Sta….compare it to the US companies that recruit at W&M.
Not relevant for those crossing the pond, but relevant when trying to assess its strengths within its own borders….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per the other thread, W&M Econ dept doesnt publish much. Not that it matters. But based purely on prestige of Econ depts, St Andrews focus on Macro and Finance is top notch. W&M is focused elsewhere. It depends on what DC wants to do with an Econ degree. I don think any body here can answer that question for you without more context into the reason for wanting to study Econ, what Econ areas does your DC want to focus on. Plans post undergrad? Masters/Phd research route? Or Business route? Internationally or in the US? Hard to simply say one or the other without any perspective other than what we know about both depts….

Ehhh I agree with the questions but St Andrews is not really a heavy hitter in econ either. A lot of this choice just boils down to location.

At least Sta ranks as one of the top 3-4 programs in the UK regardless of league table:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2024/sep/07/best-uk-universities-for-economics-league-table

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/economics

Yeah, but those are ranking a lot of undergrad experience things, not the “prestige” of the econ department.

You’ll have a good experience there. But I wouldn’t really make this choice for undergrad based on subject matter interest or prestige, but by a whole bunch of other factors, many of which you’ve mentioned.

I agree 100%. As I said and as you mentioned , these decisions must incorporate a lot of variables. I was just pointing to their own rankings which their own companies use. Just look at the UK companies that recruit at Sta….compare it to the US companies that recruit at W&M.
Not relevant for those crossing the pond, but relevant when trying to assess its strengths within its own borders….

Yeah that’s reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is March 20. It looks like most UK offers were sent. For the parents on this thread, if your kid will be attending a UK school in the Fall., can you share which one and which school he/she is forgoing in the US to do this?

DS is leaning St Andrews. Giving up USC, Tulane, Miami.

My kid is also going to St Andrews. But he is taking a gap year before attending in 2026. He also got in USC and Texas. We are in Texas and he was auto admit.

That is surprising. Most Texas kids who get in do not give up their spot. What is he major?

He will double major (Double honors) in Business (Management) and IR. His US business choices were USC’s Marshall and McCombs in Texas. We are in Texas and he was an auto admit who also got in McCombs. But he doesnt want to stay in Texas. The thought of a mega school has turned him off. So it was really between USC’s Marshall and St Andrews. He liked the ability to have a double honors program of Management and IR which are two of their best ranked programs in the UK. After touring STA it just clicked with him in ways that USC didnt.

Does anybody here know if Scottish universities will grant a US kid any credit for Dual Enrollment or Dual Credit courses in their first year since these are granted by a US accredited university?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is March 20. It looks like most UK offers were sent. For the parents on this thread, if your kid will be attending a UK school in the Fall., can you share which one and which school he/she is forgoing in the US to do this?

DS is leaning St Andrews. Giving up USC, Tulane, Miami.

My kid is also going to St Andrews. But he is taking a gap year before attending in 2026. He also got in USC and Texas. We are in Texas and he was auto admit.

That is surprising. Most Texas kids who get in do not give up their spot. What is he major?

He will double major (Double honors) in Business (Management) and IR. His US business choices were USC’s Marshall and McCombs in Texas. We are in Texas and he was an auto admit who also got in McCombs. But he doesnt want to stay in Texas. The thought of a mega school has turned him off. So it was really between USC’s Marshall and St Andrews. He liked the ability to have a double honors program of Management and IR which are two of their best ranked programs in the UK. After touring STA it just clicked with him in ways that USC didnt.

Does anybody here know if Scottish universities will grant a US kid any credit for Dual Enrollment or Dual Credit courses in their first year since these are granted by a US accredited university?

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/policy/academic-policies-student-progression-recognition-prior-learning/recognition-of-prior-learning.pdf

[Anonymous]

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

How many here still deciding between UK vs US for those whose kids have been accepted to both?

[Anonymous]

DS is still trying to decide. She is UVA from out of state and Wash U. She’s been waitlisted at dartmouth. As of now, leaning Sta but decided yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many here still deciding between UK vs US for those whose kids have been accepted to both?

DS just decided today. Going to Imperial for MEng and giving up on Michigan, Purdue and GATech. All OOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many here still deciding between UK vs US for those whose kids have been accepted to both?

DS just decided today. Going to Imperial for MEng and giving up on Michigan, Purdue and GATech. All OOS.

Congrats, that is an amazing school!