Guy lied about which university he went to

@Ace56 I am almost 50. I had never heard of Polytechnics until I was well into adulthood - probably around my early 30s when my (now) husband was explaining the difference of how when he went to uni it was actually a poly.
I am not from a university going background - the differences between all the different universities wasn't on my radar. To be honest when I was at school I thought university was something you only went to if you wanted to learn how to actually "be" something - doctor, teacher, vet, lawyer etc and gain the relevant qualifications to do that job.
It's only in the last few years (mostly through reading Mumsnet) that I have learned many people go for the life experience !

I once said to a friend I went to the University of London. He said - the poly? I said, no, the University of London. He said 'honey, there are only 2 universities in the UK, the rest are polytechnics. It is people like this friend of mine which make people insecure and want to make up stories about polytechnics being universities. Sad.

I don’t think it is too big a deal unless they are really weaving a grand tale of their own importance.
Oppositely, my kids and their friends are all denying where they went to school (independent). It’s very sad, but a necessity to fit in in certain jobs - theatre, the arts, civil service,local government.

I get asked this too when I say I work in the uni. It's about people wanting to make connections & find shared ground, in general.
There's also a fair smattering of 'the proper uni or the other one?' going on.

To be fair I always say I went to “X” even though there’s a poly & a uni of. No one cares. I just can’t ever be bothered to say “no not that one.. the other one.” It’s just become a habit at this point!

How would you know though? Presumably he went there some time ago and they could have changed things around by then.

For example my local (top 10) uni has a link-up with the local college whereby top graduates from that college get a top-up year at the uni and their paperwork will say that uni.

Also universities sometimes use facilities of other institutions on a temporary basis.

I went to a ‘brand name’ university but on another campus so my story might not check out unless you know the real specifics of how that uni runs their courses.

if it bothers you so much, ask for more details next time you meet. There’s a fair chance he isn’t lying.

Because it’s a lie

I went to the university of Liverpool and my DS went to John Moores. I know for a fact he says ‘Liverpool university’ when he’s asked 🤣

Don't see the issue. People fudge because people judge. Hardly the crime of the century. I went to a red brick btw

Yes! I spent my first year at Manchester uni in Met halls in the south. The Met took pity on the uni running out of accommodation for its first years so we were a combo of Man Uni, Man Met and UMIST (it still existed then!) in those halls - showing my age!

If he intended to lead you to believe he went to the better university I don’t think he’d have told you where the campus was

I went to Manchester Uni but stayed in halls in the south of the city which were part of the ‘Poly’ as the uni had run out of accommodation (it was my insurance as I didn’t get the grades for my first choice) but all my lectures were close to the city. Maybe this guy was in a similar position.

Ugh that interviewer sounds like a right dick! People absolutely should have their facts straight before trying to call someone out for lying!! Especially in a bloody job interview that’s so awful and where it wasn’t even relevant detail. What a knob- I hope you told her to stick the job!

How long ago? For example Manchester uni used to have a campus in the south of the city, but when they built a new one they sold the old one to Man Met.

I hate lying but in this instance would probably just have asked him to clarify which uni when he mentioned the campus location.

He mentioned where he lived and which campus so it’s not like he’s pretending he went to a different uni.

I went to the 2nd university in a city but if I said I went to [city] University or the University of [city] then it would be a different uni and a much higher ranking one too. Even after many (many) years have passed, I wouldn't muddle up what I said my uni was called and mistakenly use the more prestigious uni name unless I was doing that deliberately.

Personally I'd be weary because if he feels he needs to lie about something like that then what else would he also lie about? He's either comfortable enough around you to be honest or he's not, and if not, is it really worth it?

Exactly this. So he’s been a bit ambiguous or mentioned a slightly inaccurate title whilst chatting away. OP I really don’t think you can write him off as a red flag for this at this point because: 1. You must be 100% sure you are 100% factually correct yourself about the status of his uni at the time he was as a student and also 2. You cannot be 100% sure he is lying rather than making a slip of the tongue or lazy terminology about the uni title by mistake. It’s easily done.

If I were you I’d just ask him to clarify ie “which uni did you say you went to again? Only I thought that uni didn’t have a campus there?” This will give you your clarification as to whether he’s just got his words mixed up or whether he’s telling a white lie (and it IS a white lie not a biggie). If he is telling a white lie then maybe call him out on it or don’t but you’d have to then decide I guess whether you can live with it. If you can I’d be watching him like a hawk to see if it was a one off white lie (many people do this to avoid judgment or to try and impress) or if he’s a serial liar which of course is a red flag.

Yes indeed !!

Oh come on, everyone knows the ex-polys are shitter than the actual ‘uni of’ universities. You don’t have to have been around when they were called polytechnics to know that. 18 year olds today would know - all you have to do is look at the entry requirements!

OP, I agree with pp that it’s an amber flag - he’s clearly a bit insecure so is lying to impress you. Nothing sinister atm, but what else could he lie about?

@Disasterclass, I did my BA and MA there - I remember someone much older than myself calling it a “poly”, but it sounds like you are correct.
I do recall there being some sort of tie to the uni of Liverpool when it came to graduations (maybe for postgrad or PHD level).
But people tend to be quite distinct, either saying they went to “the uni of” meaning the red brick, or they’ll say they went to Hope (from my experience).

I’m with you @Snoopy104 I’d be wary if he felt he had to be ‘inaccurate’ or whatever you want to call it, to try and impress you. Low self esteem, is tiresome and draining at best within this context.

I don't think it ever was a poly. I applied for a place there when it was Liverpool Institute and it was when Polys still existed. Applied through UCCA (for universities) not PCAS (for Poly's). A friend went there and got his degree from Liverpool University. Not sure if that's the case still but could muddy the waters if you were to say you had a degree from Liverpool uni - technically that would be true.

This is actually a good point. Back in the day, if you went to a Polytechnic, many of the degrees had were endorsed by an actual university so you actually got the degree from x university. For example, I would have had a degree from Nottingham Trent but the place I went became a uni in my final year.

So is it technically lying if he went to college x but his degree was from the ‘nicer’ one down the road?

It straightaway makes me think of those fraudsters who lie about everything. I think it's quite a major deal to lie about a big part of your

Why should you give him the benefit of the doubt?