A Level Results - Can't shake disappointment

It isn’t “not P.C, it absolutely isn’t true. I, as an employer, couldn’t care where a degree is from. If it were the case that nothing but an RG degree was worth anything, nobody would go to any other university. Check out the stats for onward success from non RG universities, they are just as good, better in some cases. League tables etc are a tiny part of the story. I was looking the other day and one “top tier” university in the top 20 in the U.K. scores lowest for most things, second worst in the U.K. for the student experience, but manages to make the top 20 because of the excellent research it does - something which affects very few students.

Stop perpetuating nonsensical myths out of some kind of snobbery for RG universities.

Indeed. And anyone who knows anything about graduate employability knows that the majority of students aren’t working for city law firms or the ‘big four’. And that’s okay.

And I have to admit that when we visited LB all the other students looked like him and I did think this was the best fit for him. All quite sporty and enjoy a night out ( we were looking at the sports courses). Best be top for confidence and self esteem than bottom with a load of elite athletes. I live in a very middle class area and the obsession with Warwick and Durham etc. is insane. I know exactly where you are coming from.

@justasking111my son is off to Leeds Beckett in September. He missed his first choice, Loughborough, by six marks. He has now accepted LB and has admitted he probably favoured LB but felt he had to try for Loughborough because it was more prestigious. I do it OP I’m a little bit sad it’s not RG but I know he will have a fab time clubbing in Leeds!! I hope he makes great friend and get some life experience and starts to pick his clothes off the floor. I want him to go for his independence as opposed to future career. That will all pan out.

You so often see "employers" mentioned when what's actually meant is "a few City law firms".

All universities are equal but some universities are more equal than others 🤣🤣

MN is very narrow minded on this subject.
Out in the real world we see employers of ALL types working with lots of different universities.
This fact seems to offend people on here though!

Aberdeen, UEA, Exeter, Lancaster, Leicester, Liverpool, Loughborough, Manchester, Nottingham, Reading, Southampton, Cardiff, Sussex, Swansea, Warwick, York, Aberystwyth, all in clearing for history and all original pre 92 universities

Obviously if he is happy then that is the main thing.

however- clearing is not a static thing. Laces will have freed up over the past couple of days that were not there on Thursday night/Friday morning. There are still lots of places available at top 25 universities. It’s worth taking another look if he isn’t entirely happy. There are even places at top ten unis available since some will have rejected their places and traded up.

I once mentioned that in huge areas of employment, like local government, the type of uni attended didnt make much difference.

Got told that the public sector "didn"t count".

And self-employment never seemd to exist either.

I suppose you shouldn't assume that the current number if unis snd courses is automatically perfect but there's an awful lot of "stay in your lane" around the "too many unis" meme.

This is good advice. One size does not fit all. Better to go to the right uni for you, than a high-tariff university that might actually not provide the right experience or course, and be unhappy. RG/ high tariff does not always meanbetter career prospects (also my experience!), there are too many variables to consider.

Because contrary to the views held in the MN bubble, a huge number of employers work with universities which sit outside of the RG. Not all employers insist on a 2:1 either.

Many graduate employers recognise that there are excellent graduates from a whole range of institutions. In fact, some post 92 universities have fantastic graduate employment figures and are specifically targeted by employers. These universities often have a long record of vocational education and supporting students in developing the skills employers want.

RG universities are research intensive institutions. That’s their mission group, most universities are part of one. It doesn’t necessarily mean excellent teaching, student support or graduate outcomes.

Years ago Dd didn’t get great A level results, she’d been in and out of hospital in sixth form. She went to a mid level ranked university and got a 1st class degree.

She was one of a handful of people nationwide who got a training position in industry after her degree. Lots of people she knows are doing shop work/bar work as they couldn’t get a job in industry after.

Shes going back to uni in Sept to do a Masters and has been offered a place at one of the top RG universities in the country and for her subject it’s ranked in the top ten worldwide.

So going to a lower level university does not mean there’s no hope for future prospects, etc.

Because it was a graduate job, he has a degree, and his employers aren’t stuck up arseholes?

History is a great degree. My DS also missed his firm on results day last year and didn’t want to go to his insurance Uni. However, I think it has worked out for the best as my elder did the same degree at the preferred uni and I think the course and quality of tamgible feedback is better at the insurance Uni.
These days you can do most jobs with any degree. For any graduate course, you need to get past the online assessments first which is the real skill

I guess he applied. 🙄

This comment really demonstrates the snobbery on this thread, that unless you get a 2:1 from a RH (and in STEM not the humanities) then you’re for the scrap heap.

A 2:2 is still an honours degree. Perhaps the student had very impressive work experience and extra-curricular achievements which the employer liked the sound of.

But how did he even get an interview?

If he’s ok why are you crying. You sound disappointed in your son that he isn’t going to what you seem to consider a decent Uni. A degree is a degree no matter which Uni. Perhaps you now need to be less invested in what others may thing and concentrate on being proud on the person he is.

It's better to stand out as the best at a mid-tier uni than be in the middle/bottom at a top tier uni surrounded by really hungry competitive piers who can make you feel like shit and make you lose self-confidence.