When people think of Russell Group universities, they picture academic excellence, prestige, and a great reputation. But let’s be honest, prestige doesn’t always equal coolness. In fact, a lot of Russel Group unis are extremely uncool (and AI knows it).
And after all, when you’re comparing unis, it’s always the boring stuff like student satisfaction or how nice the accommodation is. Well, maybe we should start ranking universities based on their coolness. Like how good is the vibe of the city, nightlife, the student atmosphere, the culture? I think the NSS definitely needs to add coolness as a factor.
And what better way to find the least cool UK universities than by asking AI? So, I asked AI to list the most uncool Russell Group unis and why, and here’s what it said.
6. University of York
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The most cool on the list, but still pretty uncool is York. ChatGPT accuses York of being just “a bit… beige”. In other words, it’s just just plain. It mentions the limited nightlife, the introverted students, and the campus’ “Brutalist” look. Although it might sound quite serene, in reality it’s boring (and uncool).
5. University of Warwick
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For Warwick, it’s uncoolness comes from it’s location, with ChatGPT saying it’s not “in a real city”. Instead it clings to the coolness of nearby Leamington Spa. It’s got a point, Warwick Uni is basically in the middle of nowhere.
It also calls out the uncool students. Although it says “the student population is bright and ambitious”, it does call them out on the “slightly ‘corporate’ vibe”. But I guess they’ll be pretty cool when they’ve got all the good corporate jobs later on.
4. University of Exeter
ChatGPT went for the throat on this one. It’s no surprise Exeter is being called posh, but being called the “rah capital” is next level. “Its reputation centres on gilet-wearing, Jack Wills-clad, privately educated students from London and the home counties”. It looks like the posh, private school student stereotype is really bringing down Exeter’s coolness.
3. Durham University
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Upholding it’s usual stereotype, ChatGPT rated Durham as uncool as it’s basically a knock off Oxbridge: “Durham is often nicknamed ‘Oxbridge-lite’ which sums up its reputation. It has many of the same trappings — colleges, gowns, rowing obsession, old traditions — without quite the same international prestige”. After all, it is known for taking on all the Oxbridge rejects.
AI also though that Durham’s “lack of diversity” brought it down a lot. And at the end of the day, diversity and inclusivity is one of the coolest things a university can offer.
2. University of Oxford
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Second most uncool university in the UK according to ChatGPT is Oxford. The AI chat spared no feelings when it said Oxford is “prestigious, but its ‘vibe’ is stuffy”. Ouch.
As well as that, it called out Oxford’s uncool vibe: “For all its prestige, Oxford still carries that image of posh gowns, rowing clubs, and ‘rah’ students. Legendary? Yes. Trendy? Not so much.”
Not exactly the recipe for coolness. Maybe time for a makeover?
1. University of Cambridge
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Crowned the official winner of the most uncool Russell Group unis according to AI, and just slightly more uncool than Oxford, is Cambridge. Arguably the most elite university in the UK.
ChatGPT called Cambridge “insular” and thought it’s lack of social life is just not cool: “Social life often takes a back seat to relentless academic pressure. The nightlife is underwhelming compared to major student cities, and the student stereotype leans more toward rowing teams and debating societies than free-spirited fun”. Harsh, but is it wrong?
But then again, if you’re attending the University of Cambridge, is coolness really on your mind?
Featured image via Canva and Unsplash
