Leeeeeeeeeena Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hey guys,I found two very interesting relatively new institutions and I was wondering what you think about them or rather if you have ever heard of them:Amsterdam University College:a small-scale Liberal arts and sciences college which will open this fall, 3 years to a bachelor of art or sciences or humanities http://www.auc.nl/aucQuest University, Squamish, British Columbia, Canadaalso a liberal arts and sciences, inaugural year 2007 - 4 years and then a bachelor of liberal arts and sciences. http://www.questu.ca/so, I am wondering. do you know these? what have you heard? I know what they offer, but I am now wondering about their prestige and what my chances will be as a graduate. especially for quest - do you know anybody actually studying there? or maybe have you ever heard of it? I am not sure whether it is academically good or just expensive.... Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abu Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I wouldn't go to either since they both are so new. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeeeeeeeeena Posted March 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 and why wouldn't you go to a new place? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) New universities may have brand new facilities, but since they are not established in the world you may have a hard time finding a job after you graduate. Employers care about where your degree is from. This is especially true in England; if you have two candidates for a job, one with a Masters from London Metropolitan and one with a Masters from York (it doesn't even need to be Oxford/Cambridge), I would bet my money that the one from the better known and better ranked university will get the job. The old polytechnics in the UK, which have only recently gained recognition as universities, have very low entry standards (many ask for 24 IB points) and so entry is not competitive at all. It doesn't make a good impression on people to say that you went to one of them.You said Quest is expensive. Why not apply to universities in Europe then, especially the UK, where you will get EU prices? I wouldn't pay thousands of dollars more for an education from a university that is not well-known. I might have a great time there, but if I end up being unemployed as a result of not having chosen a more respected one, then I've wasted the thousands I poured into my education.PS I've never heard of either university. And I've heard of a lot of universities in Canada. Just never that one. Edited March 21, 2009 by Vvi Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeeeeeeeeena Posted March 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 well, actually it's cheaper than going to Uni in England when you consider living rates, etc. so maybe expensive was confusing sorry. Plus I am not thinking about obtaining a masters degree on either one of them, and as far as I have heard graduates from Liberal Arts colleges often get into the best Universities for masters programs (oxbridge, ivy...) and Quest has a really good reputation at American Master universities ... also, if all students think like you two do, how will a good, but new university ever obtain a reputation? It's the job of the inaugural class to shape one. think of UCU in Netherlands, which started with 17 graduates and is now one of the best European colleges? Also my own experiences with new private insititutions in Germany have shown that especially the first grauduates from a new institution are longed for considering the job market.... and finally, I don't think I need a prestigious degree to shine brighter than my competitors (obviously I'm kidding, here, but I am just a little annoyed with many students seeming to think that a degree from a prestigous university is everything ...)so, you see, I am not deterred by a university being new .... still curious to here what you think, though. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
moneyfaery Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 so, I am wondering. do you know these? what have you heard? I know what they offer, but I am now wondering about their prestige and what my chances will be as a graduate. especially for quest - do you know anybody actually studying there? or maybe have you ever heard of it? I am not sure whether it is academically good or just expensive....As a Canadian, I've never heard of them. Prestige would be somewhere around zero (new university); in a few years, it might increase. If you want "prestigious" Canadian univs, I can recommend you to a few, haha.also, if all students think like you two do, how will a good, but new university ever obtain a reputation? It's the job of the inaugural class to shape one. think of UCU in Netherlands, which started with 17 graduates and is now one of the best European colleges? Also my own experiences with new private insititutions in Germany have shown that especially the first grauduates from a new institution are longed for considering the job market....Well, obviously not all students think like this. But when I'm paying and I have one shot, I'd rather not waste my time and take the risk. You seem to have made up your mind already though. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) Why are you getting so worked up? You yourself asked: I know what they offer, but I am now wondering about their prestige and what my chances will be as a graduate. especially for quest - do you know anybody actually studying there? or maybe have you ever heard of it? I am not sure whether it is academically good or just expensive....You were wondering about their prestige and your chances as a graduate. We said we'd never heard of them and that you chances of getting a job may be low because of that. You may also be paid less as a result. And you don't know if they are academically good. If you don't care, as your other posts seem to imply, then why are you asking for a second opinion? Everyone has different priorities when they consider universities; some people wnat one close to home, some want one that has very good student life, others want one that has excellent career prospects. My classmate is going to the University of Exeter in England because she will study Arabic and they recruit all the Arabic speakers from there to positions in the government. You need to decide what factors are most important to you: cost? Prestige? Location? Employment? Having a good time? Then decide based on that. In the end, it's your choice. You'd be travelling halfway round the world to go to Quest, and if you didn't like it, it'd be a lot of money to spend going back. Not to mention hwo much the course costs.I am not thinking about obtaining a masters degree on either one of them, and as far as I have heard graduates from Liberal Arts colleges often get into the best Universities for masters programs (oxbridge, ivy...) and Quest has a really good reputation at American Master universities ... also, if all students think like you two do, how will a good, but new university ever obtain a reputation? It's the job of the inaugural class to shape one. think of UCU in Netherlands, which started with 17 graduates and is now one of the best European colleges? Also my own experiences with new private insititutions in Germany have shown that especially the first grauduates from a new institution are longed for considering the job market.... and finally, I don't think I need a prestigious degree to shine brighter than my competitors (obviously I'm kidding, here, but I am just a little annoyed with many students seeming to think that a degree from a prestigous university is everything ...)so, you see, I am not deterred by a university being new .... still curious to here what you think, though.Regardless of whether or not you obtain a Masters, post-graduate colleges bear in mind the university that you are coming from when they consider applicants. Degrees from some universities are not worth as much as others. And as for graduates from liberal arts colleges getting into the best universities for Masters, the liberal arts college still has to be well recognized. There are rankings for liberal arts colleges in the States; some are bad, some are unknown and some are globally respected.There are always some people who are willing to take the plunge and be the first to attend a newly opened school/be the first IB class of a school/be the first ever university students in a college. I personally wouldn't take that risk because it would make me feel like a guinea pig; will I graduate well, will I get a job? I didn't apply to Oxford or Cambridge, even though they are prestigious. However, the 5 universities I did choose to apply to are in the top 200 of the world, because I know that when I apply for a job the employer will have heard of my university and that will give me an edge over other people. It's not my fault that the job market works the way it does. Edited March 21, 2009 by Vvi Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeeeeeeeeena Posted March 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 No, I haven't made up my mind I am just telling you my thoughts on this and am very grateful for yours, anyway as for:However, the 5 universities I did choose to apply to are in the top 200 of the world, because I know that when I apply for a job the employer will have heard of my university and that will give me an edge over other people. It's not my fault that the job market works the way it does.that would also apply to AUC as the degree is awarded by the University of Amsterdam which is somewhere in the Top 50 or 60 I think and Quest was founded by the former director of UBC, which is too. However, I am not counting on that, because that a University is ranked in the Top 200 definitely neither ascertains that an employer will have heard of them nor any quality (at least that applies for the German Universities that are). Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 The German universities I have heard of are Heidelberg, Bonn and Mannheim, and as far as I know they are held in very high regard and are excellent universities. 2 students from my school applied to Germany and one is currently studying Law at Mannheim. A list of the top 100 universities in Europe can be found here: http://www.arwu.org/rank/2007/ARWU2007_TopEuro.htm , and a list of the world's 500 top universities here http://www.arwu.org/rank/2007/ARWU2007TOP500list.htm. Even though a university may have been founded by another prestigious one, it doesn't mean that it is recognized. The University of Nottingham has 3 campuses, one in England, one in China and one in Malaysia. Yet 22% of Nottingham's population is international, the majority being Malaysian. They prefer to come to the English campus even though it is more expensive than the one at home, simply because a degree from the English instititute means more than the one from the Malaysian one.And in the current economics crisis, no one is guaranteed a job after graduating. However, when the crisis passes I'm sure employers will once again begin hiring from the top of the chain as they did previously. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Ravel Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Hey guys,I found two very interesting relatively new institutions and I was wondering what you think about them or rather if you have ever heard of them:Amsterdam University College:a small-scale Liberal arts and sciences college which will open this fall, 3 years to a bachelor of art or sciences or humanities http://www.auc.nl/aucQuest University, Squamish, British Columbia, Canadaalso a liberal arts and sciences, inaugural year 2007 - 4 years and then a bachelor of liberal arts and sciences. http://www.questu.ca/so, I am wondering. do you know these? what have you heard? I know what they offer, but I am now wondering about their prestige and what my chances will be as a graduate. especially for quest - do you know anybody actually studying there? or maybe have you ever heard of it? I am not sure whether it is academically good or just expensive....Listen, dude. if you're so jolly excited to help a new university bloom, then go ahead. it's very nice of you and it shows a very positive global attitude, but prepare to get lost in the job market because neither university has any prestige at all and the tuition fees might be high (BC, Canada is an expensive place).You have to consider self-interest here. You wanna go broke? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattias Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 If you are trying to decide between the two...don't go to Quest.The only reason I have heard of Quest is because one student I know is going to be attending university there.For lack of a better word, he is a dumbass, and surrounding yourself with bad elements in a university will only hinder your own progress.In order to get a good education, it is prudent to go to a good school.many schools, although they are not extremely prestigous, have good programsHowever, in order to get a good job, its better to go somewhere notable, such as a university which has a little rep.also, the opinions from new universities are not always accurate, as they have only been reviewing the university for a short amount of time.say someone went to go rank a new university for the first time, and deemed it excellent- they gave this new university a 90% on a university grading scale.however, maybe the second and third university reviews would have been really bad, and that first time was only a flukeyou really don't know what a new university is going to be like until its developed a stable sort of reputationyou cant get a good reading of a uni until its been around 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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