The Times Good University Guide 2002 - Softcover

Hindmarsh, Andrew; Kingston, Bernard

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007110774 ISBN 13: 9780007110773

Publisher: Times Books, 2001

Synopsis

The Times Good University Guide is the indispensable guide to Britain’s universities. It is the vital tool for making the best decision on where to study and what to study.

With the pioneering Times university league table

Produced in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers

With contributions from Bernard Kingston and Andrew Hindmarsh, experts on university admissions.

Anyone hoping to go to university but baffled by the bewildering range of courses and options on offer and perplexed by the rapidly changing face of higher education needs this guide. The book provides the most respected and used university league tables. By assessing the contribution of key measures of quality, you can use the tables to make informed choices of university and subject and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each British university.

For this edition there will be assessments and ranking for all major subjects for the first time, providing over 50 further pages of subject information. Advice on how to apply, how to organize your finances, guidance for overseas students, and profiles of every university and major university city complete the book.

About this title

Review:

The Times Good University Guide 2002 offers clear impartial advice, often wittily presented, about the UK's almost 100 diverse universities. It includes statistical information about teaching standards, student numbers, classes of degree awarded, finance and accommodation.

First, universities are arranged in rank order by subject. Thus, top for Environmental Science teaching is Nottingham, which requires 19.5 A level points (roughly two grade Bs and a C--although this equivalence system is about to change because of the new AS level examinations). Lincolnshire and Humberside which specifies only 7.7 A level points (about two Es and a D) is at the other end of the Environmental Science list. Cambridge leads in most subjects. The central part of the Guide details universities alphabetically. Each gets a double page devoted to its history, track record, perceived status, drop-out rates, number of undergraduates from state schools plus an eclectic overview. Thus "University of Leeds' students union sells a million pints of beer a year" and "Although Dundee is no beauty spot it is being regenerated and becoming more fashionable". The introduction is helpful and useful contact details are included at the end for degree-awarding institutions that are not designated universities. Organisations such as Ofsted, the education inspectorate and ECCTIS the online higher education course database, are also listed.

For 17-year-olds considering university for autumn 2002 or anyone wanting to embark on higher education at a later stage, The Times Good University Guide 2002 is a sensible starting point. Having narrowed down subject and institution choice and armed with the e-mail and postal addresses and Web sites provided here, potential students can then readily move on to the detailed prospectuses and information published in print and/or online by the relevant universities themselves. --Susan Elkin

From the Publisher:

The guide to choosing your university
How do you find out about the best university for you? You need a guide that assesses the quality of what is available, giving facts, figures and comparative assessments of universities.

The Times Good University Guide is edited by John O'Leary, Education Editor of The Times, with contributions from Andrew Hindmarsh, Planning Officer at the University of Nottingham, Bernard Kingston, a university consultant, formerly Director of the Careers Advisory Service, University of Sheffield, and Robert Loynes, Emeritus Professor of Probability and Statistics at the University of Sheffield. It provides the most respected and used university league tables. By assessing the contribution of key measures of quality, you can use the tables and make informed choices of university and subjects. Still unique and still controversial, the rankings provide hard data, analysed, interpreted and presented by a team of independent experts.

The 2001 edition is for students entering university in 2001, and contains:

League table ranking of universities, which enable readers to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each British university.

Over 50 tables giving the best universities for particular subjects.

Guidelines on how to choose and how to apply.

Advice on how to pay your way at university.

Profiles of every university and major university city.

Detailed coverage of Oxbridge and its colleges.

Detailed information specifically designed for international students.

Since publication this edition has been very well received:

'The most comprehensive guide to making a good choice of university from the current general choice of compendia available.' The School Librarian.

'This book has had a major overhaul and the eye-catching cover, quality paper, new presentation format and extended content get together in a volume which should stimulate immediate interest in both students and parents....No single book can guide the student through the maze of choices which must be made, but this book will be a very useful tool in that process.' ISCO Careerscope

About this edition

• Publisher: Times Books
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0007110774
• ISBN 13: 9780007110773
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 480
• Editor: O’Leary John