To ask for your success stories of DC who didn't go to Russell Group?

[CheesyWotsitz]

God I know I sound like a right twat but the heat is getting to me ...

DS has his heart set on Manchester Uni but despite working his socks off, I don't think he's capable of getting the ABB they're asking for.

I'd never heard of Russell Group before MN but it appears to be the be and and end all.

Is it?

Exactly this.
It’s better to go for a degree that gives you a comfortable amount of time to participate in other activities, which is what interviewers ACTUALLY want to hear about. Than go to somewhere which will need you to spend an inordinate amount of time keeping up. Of course if you’re really academic you’d be able to do both, but otherwise the struggle isn’t worth it for the ‘name’ alone.

DH went to what is now an RG university, which is well regarded in his field. He did his PhD at North Staffs Poly (Now called Staffordshire University). He became one of the highest regarded experts in his field worldwide (now semi retired).

DD is about to graduate from one of the lower ranking RG universities, and loves the city so much that she wants to stay there. She wasn't affected by strikes, and the university did a lot better than many during covid. It is also a university that I haven't heard much negativity about.

Should have said, worked from age 15 alongside GCSEs and A levels. Bought a house at 19 based on stable job and good deposit (none of it gifted). Worked my way up.

Now live in a 5/6 bed house and will be mortgage free by 48.

My cousin is 15 years younger than me and went to do a degree and masters. She’s now in about £60k worth of student debt, working for about £28k on the outskirts of London with no hope of buying a house before she turns 40, if at all.

Very smart girl in my year at school chose a non RG university for a specific course. Did fantastically well in business - you would have heard of her ( or her business)

This - check the specific subject ranking.

Doesn't really matter by the time everyone is in 30s, every one I know has become a working professional. Whether RG or not.

Also if so concerned and focused, could do bachelor's at poly and then move on to a RG for masters?

I work at a non Russell group uni that has excellent courses in certain "non academic" subjects and is the go to nationally for one in particular.

Always seeing stories on the news letter of graduates doing amazingly well. Most of the degrees are vocational, ie you actually learn a trade. Some could argue that's actually more useful!

I've been working for one for 3 years and never realised till last week 😂
That's how little it's mentioned.

One of our most successful friends didn't go to university. He started off in his early 20s as an electrician, then joined a large tech support company, where he's stayed ever since.

He's South East and on a six figure salary now with a lovely home.

Don't you have to have a degree in law to be a lawyer?

Not sure it really matters anymore ... I would concentrate on post uni getting into a good graduate programme within a large organisation .... you can easily earn 40k within 5y

I've been working for one for 3 years and never realised till last week 😂
That's how little it's mentioned.

Exactly, out of our KPIs are around working with top 300 universities. Nobody even talks about RG 🤷🏼‍♀️

No.

You can qualify as a Legal Executive and the go on to qualify as a solicitor via work experience (if that’s what you want to do).

You can also start as an apprentice these days - we have several who recently started.

Back in the day I think you could qualify through being an articled clerk.

Dd19 is at Bath, she chose the course first, uni second. It is one of the top graded unis for her particular course.

Was chatting with the boss who has a Dd the same age .. "of course Bath isn't ... quite ... Russell Group, is it?"

There are some snobs out there.

I went to a RG university and I literally had no idea about it, or what RG even was until I saw people talking about it on here. I had to look it up!

Anyway, I went to said RG university and got two degrees, one at a very high level. I'm absolutely not a success now, by the definitions that other people have. I have a nice part time job, but it doesn't pay a lot and I'm incredibly lazy and have no interest in career success so I've been there for years and years.

If you looked at my educational history you'd expect me to have some high flying career, but I think it's more about attitude and work ethic than which specific university you attend.

I have friends who went non RG unis (or didn't go to uni at all!) who are doing much much better than me (work wise, I'm very happy in my actual life but I assume you're talking about career stuff here).

Oh dear - I've only just realised that my son went to a Russell Uni and my daughter didn't! It didn't even cross my mind.

I can happily report that they both graduated in 2020, and are both doing as well as each other. Both have good jobs - one in robotics and one in teaching, and they are both on similar salaries.

You are massively over thinking this!

Interestingly, me and DH have followed an almost identical career path apart from our school and undergrad degree. We met why. We were both established so it's not like o most followed his footsteps!
He was educated privately and attended a RG university.
I went to a school in a very deprived area and went to an ex-poly.

We both did our Postgraduate course at the same uni which was not RG ( albeit he did it 10 years before me) and we've both got PhDs from the same university. We work at separate universities both in senior positions.

He earns more than me but that's because he's 11 years ahead of me in terms of his career development. I'm catching up though.

In our case it would seem the RG university made no difference.

Ignore the typos 🙈🙈

So, it was only DD's school that pushed the idea that RG universities were "better"?

I find that difficult to believe.

Ds1 chose an RG University for the course. High grade requirements which I believe is common for RG Universities.

I didn't even know what it was until I read it on here!

I don't find the term Russell group helpful (no way is it equivalent to the American Ivy League which was the idea).

There seem to be many universities that you would assume are RG, but aren't. So it doesn't really mean much.

What course is he interested in OP? It might be better studying Computer Science at a bit so good university vs study a social science at Manchester.

(PS I went to a Russell group university, if that is relevant)

What does he want to do? Certain university's are ranked better for certain subjects

Calm down. I went to a very middle of the road university. I am now a senior academic. Russell groups are not always best in terms of the student experience as they are so very focused on research sometimes at the expense of very high quality teaching.

Follow his passion, not a russle group.

God I know I sound like a right twat but the heat is getting to me

Yes you do a bit sorry.

I went to a non RG uni and got accepted onto three competitive graduate schemes, I placed higher at interview than many people who attended more “prestigious” universities, it’s never held me back what so ever. I’ve generally found people who put emphasis on RG unis seem to expect it will give them a huge advantage career wise and can get very snobbish about it.

The vast majority of employers don’t care whether you went to an RG or not in my experience, it’s more about your degree subject, classification, work experience and personal attributes when applying for grad schemes and jobs.

He needs to have back ups he is happy with. No point settling for a clearing place to drop out as is not what he wants.