[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] The College is part of University of London and students are entitled to use its facilities.[EBOLD][PARA][BOLD]For general information about London: [EBOLD]See [ULNE]University of London[EULNE]. University College London, or 'UCL' is the largest college ([ITAL]big enough to be a whopper university on its own[EITAL]) in London University. Faculties and accommodation are concentrated in Bloomsbury, [ITAL]so, in effect, this is the nearest thing London University has to a campus.[EITAL] It was founded by a group of worthies influenced by the ideas of Jeremy Bentham, the famous Utilitarian philosopher ([ITAL]but, of course, you knew that already[EITAL]), to promote equality and the crossing of class barriers. It had no religious leanings - which was unique in those days - and was also the 1st university college to admit women. The main building is [ITAL]very beautiful [EITAL]with steps leading to an [ITAL]impressive [EITAL]portico at the main entrance. The library dome can be seen behind it. 3 stone cloisters edge a big grass lawn. It's all a bit like an inner city stately home. [ITAL]Unfortunately, the other buildings, humdrum brick, are as impressive as a rust brown Skoda next to a little red Corvette.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL]Because UCL is so vast and is situated among the big business of central London, during the day there is little or no sense of a student community in the College itself. However, after dark the businesses shut up shop and a David Attenborough-type foray will reveal the lesser-spotted UCL student spirit alive and well in the halls of residence and College bars. Even there though, there is none of the no-business-is-private-business nosiness that exists in smaller or more compact institutions. Knowing that not everyone else knows that they have a nasty rash on their inner thigh, makes students laid back and lots of bars means there's no single focal point.[EITAL][PARA]UCL is packed into Bloomsbury,[ITAL] a very respectable area of London[EITAL]. Gower Street is just off Tottenham Court Road, and is within a quick trot of Oxford Street, Covent Garden and Soho. The British Museum is also close. Gower St itself is 3 lanes of fast, never ending traffic. UCL's buildings are surrounded by Georgian houses, shops and many other bits of the London University. There are a fair few small green squares which are fenced in, but accessible nevertheless, and [ITAL]it beats a kick in the teeth. [EITAL][HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD]London is the centre of the network: Bristol (1:40hrs, 1/hr); Birmingham (1:40hrs, 3/hr); Manchester (2:30hrs, 1/hr); Glasgow (5:20hrs, 12/day); Edinburgh ( 4:20hrs, 1/hr); Newcastle (2:45hrs, 2/hr); Leeds (2:30hrs, 1/hr); Norwich (1:49hrs, 1/hr). Trains come into the 8 mainline termini and if passing through London (for example from Canterbury (Kent) to Manchester), it is often necessary to travel by tube (at extra expense) between mainline stations.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] London is also the centre of the National Express system and a whole variety of other national bus services (Green Line, Blue Line and so on). Some example National Express journeys: Birmingham (ú9.50, 2:30hrs, 1/hr); Bristol (ú12.50, 2:15hrs, 1/hr); Edinburgh (ú25, 7:50hrs, 3/day); Glasgow (ú25, 7hrs, 7/day); Manchester (ú16, 3:30hrs, 7/day); Newcastle (ú17.50, 5:10hrs, 7/day).[PARA][BOLD]Local Trains: [EBOLD]Network SouthEast operates local overground trains [ITAL]which are a speedy and sometimes pleasant way to travel and are moderately efficient. The main problems are the ease of use (a fair level of understanding is necessary), the high fares and the early closing[EITAL] (last trains between 11pm and 1am).[PARA][BOLD]Underground:[EBOLD] The 'tube' is the largest underground train system in the world and generally,[ITAL] it is fast, easy to use, efficient (well, maybe not the Northern Line) and takes you just about anywhere you want to go, although South-East London is a bit hard done by. However, it is often crowded,[EITAL] shuts down at midnight,[ITAL] it's often disrupted by bomb scares[EITAL] and the minimum fare is 90p. [ITAL]Talking to other tube passengers is tantamount to threatening their mother - the only people who do it are tourists and people who want to talk to you about Jesus.[EITAL] Nearest tube to Senate House/ULU Building: Goodge St (Northern Line).[PARA][BOLD]Local Buses: [EBOLD][ITAL]In the tube you can't see the real sights, so why not take the buses which are just as efficient,[EITAL] offer even more destinations and are slightly cheaper (50p minimum). [ITAL]But buses are slow and, until you know your way around, it's difficult to know which ones take you where.[EITAL] After midnight, buses come into their own - Night Buses are London's only form of all-night public transport and[ITAL] if you don't mind how long it takes,[EITAL] you can go almost anywhere within 10 miles of the centre.[PARA][BOLD]Travelcards:[EBOLD] For a legal way of dodging the expense of tubes, buses and trains, Travelcards are available at ú2.60 for a daily pass for the central 2 zones of the network.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis: [EBOLD]There are 2 types:[ITAL] the classic black cabs which are well regulated and enormously expensive, and dodgy merchants in Ford Escorts which are almost as expensive. There are now also some run by and for women. Basically though, forget all taxis, except late at night when all else fails and/or you're in a party of 4 or more.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Parking in Central London is impossible, and, although there is only one rush hour every day it lasts from 6 in the morning to midnight. Driving in London is excellent training for being a volcano.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Air: [EBOLD]Served by 4 airports, including Heathrow, the world's busiest. Regular flights to anywhere and back.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[ITAL] [EBOLD]Not possible from Central London, but get out a little way on to the city's escape routes or beyond the M25 and a thumb's a first class ticket.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles: [EBOLD][ITAL] A popular form of student travel given the pros: it's cheap and you can get through traffic. But there are the cons: London is big, full of exhaust fumes, lacking in cycle lanes and a Houdini-proof lock is advisable. It's also an easy way to die.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Arts[EBOLD] 3,000 22pts[BOLD][PARA]Life Sci[EBOLD] 1,844 23pts[BOLD][PARA]Built Env[EBOLD] 236 22pts[BOLD][PARA]Chem Sci[EBOLD] 628 20pts[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD] 657 22pts[BOLD][PARA]Law[EBOLD] 400 23pts[BOLD][PARA]Maths/Sci[EBOLD] 958[BOLD][HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][EBOLD][PARA][BOLD][STAT][BULL] Books: 1,300,000 [BULL] Study places: 1,471 [BULL] Computer workstations: 200[ESTAT][EBOLD][PARA]There is 1 main library, but with 8 arms - like a spider, except those are legs. There's the Bloomsbury Science, main and Boldero libraries and other collections for Clinical Sciences, Environmental Sciences, the Institutes of Archaeology, of Laryngology and Otology and finally, the Institute of Orthopaedics Library. All in all, the book stock expands at a rate of 1 kilometre per annum. UCL computing services (open 9.30am-5pm) cater for 6 of London University's colleges.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 4full/2part [BULL] Unemployed after 6mths (1992): 9.9%[ESTAT][PARA]UCL's careers service is separate from the University's.[HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]UCL was the first college with no religion. It was known as 'the Godless place on Gower Street'.[PARA][BULL]UCL still has 'Beadles' (a sort of college caretaker) who wear maroon uniforms, [ITAL]a bit like England football team's 2nd strip.[EITAL][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Brett Anderson (Suede frontman); Fiona Armstrong (broadcaster); Rabbi Lionel Blue (writer, broadcaster); Raymond Briggs (writer/illustrator, 'The Snowman', etc); Jonathan Dimbleby (broadcaster); Claire Francis (yachts-woman); David Gower ([ITAL]sublime[EITAL] cricketer); Sir Eduardo Paolozzi (artist/ sculptor); Magnus Pike (late mad scientist); Stanley Spencer (artist); Carol Thatcher (broadcaster and Maggie's sprog); John Whittingdale MP (Con). Lloyd Cole (singer) dropped out.[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads. Alternative prospectus available from Union.
