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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

224 replies

CheesyWotsitz · 09/07/2022 08:37

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?

OP posts:
Peanutgurgle · 09/07/2022 15:06

featuredcreature that made me chuckle.

RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 15:07

Although it is an RG university @brookstar albeit not a very high ranking one.

RedHelenB · 09/07/2022 15:19

CheesyWotsitz · 09/07/2022 08:37

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?

It depends how close he is to required grades. If he's really struggling to reach them he might find it difficult to work independently at a Russell group uni and be better off being more directed. As to earning power, surely that depends on what job he chooses to do.

RedHelenB · 09/07/2022 15:30

Garron · 09/07/2022 09:08

I work in law for a very large firm and we don’t even ask for the name of the Uni on the application form.

Show quote history

Do you look at A level and gcse grades at all?

RedHelenB · 09/07/2022 15:35

RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 09:47

DD is just about to graduate, so I have spent the last 3 years on the higher education boards. Over the years I have got the impression that the teaching and pastoral care is better at non RG institutions, although there are exceptions. Some of the "better" RG universities seem to think that as the students got there with higher A level grades that they need less support and can just get on with it (disabilities excepting).

This is just me thinking out loud, but is this the impression that other posters have as well?

Not so much a case of getting on with it, but expecting them to be able to be more independent. Which my dc have thrived with. They'd had enough teaching at school and college. Support was still there though, from their tutors.

MumofSpud · 09/07/2022 15:39

My DS went to a non Russell group uni - he didn't even do A Levels - he did a B Tec

He did a 2 year course and now earns x3 much as me (RG grad!) and bought his house at 21(with his gf) and still has a great standard of life - eg holidays x 3 or 4 a year

I think it is finding the right course that is far more important

Thatswhyimacat · 09/07/2022 15:43

So long as you get a 2.1, work experience and the gift of the gab, it doesn't matter whatsoever what uni you went to.

Wavygravy1 · 09/07/2022 15:45

Sad that success seems to be measured by salaries. I just hope my kids end up happy!

thing47 · 09/07/2022 15:46

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

DD2 has done this. Mid-rank former poly for broadly vocational first degree. Her placement year made her see it wasn't her vocation after all!

Switched to a very highly-ranked specialist post-grad university (above Cambridge and every other RG university bar Oxford for her subject) for her Masters, and got a distinction in that. Now looking at PhDs.

User79865765 · 09/07/2022 15:50

It’s a marketing consortium, no more than that.

I went to a university that consistently ranks higher than many of the Russell group universities in all the league tables but isn’t Russell Group. Last year I had a slow year at circa £250k.

sunglassesonthetable · 09/07/2022 15:50

I think the course matters and work experience matters. Uni mutch less.

fyn · 09/07/2022 16:03

I went to a former university college, graduated in 2016. I did a degree that specifically led to a job and was earning £60,000 two years after graduating. The degree has a 99% employment rate in the industry within 6 months of graduation (although I don’t know anyone who didn’t have a job secured 6 months before graduation!) which is much more important than it being at a Russell Group.

scissorsandsellotape · 09/07/2022 16:04

User79865765 · 09/07/2022 15:50

It’s a marketing consortium, no more than that.

I went to a university that consistently ranks higher than many of the Russell group universities in all the league tables but isn’t Russell Group. Last year I had a slow year at circa £250k.

Wow
What do you do?

uncomfortablydumb53 · 09/07/2022 16:49

It's the course that matters, not the Uni
My DS got a 1st with honours at Bristol in Biology
Now earning a great salary as a business accountant
DS3 got a 1st at Cardiff Metropolitan in Product design
Different paths to the same result

User79865765 · 09/07/2022 17:27

scissorsandsellotape · 09/07/2022 16:04

Wow
What do you do?

Show quote history

Law. But I didn’t do a law degree. I went to Lancaster in the early 90s and then the college of law. A good year is double that (Im not London based where lawyers can make millions)

Sitdownifyoulike · 09/07/2022 18:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at OP's request.

Original poster
CheesyWotsitz · 09/07/2022 19:02

Thank you very much for replies- I'm feeling much more rational now!

As pp gave me food for thought when they wrote Just be glad that you are in the privileged position of your child being capable of going to uni and you being able to afford it

OP posts:
Waterfallgirl · 09/07/2022 19:24

I have one dc graduating his masters next week non RG Uni - he has a job secured and has had a great time studying and socially over the past 4 years / it was the right place for him . My other DC is off to a RG Uni in sept / the right place for him.

Both chose the course they wanted over the Uni.

RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 20:00

I have just asked on another thread if posters had heard of RG universities outside of mumsnet and had several replies saying that their DC's school urged their students to apply for RG universities, so it isn't just an MN "thing".

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 09/07/2022 20:04

Of course schools encourage it.

Its on their destinations innit?
And they can say ‘oooh looky here, all these students went to Oxbridge, aren’t we amazing?’
And it also shuts Ofsted up

Not sure how much it actually has to do with it being the right choice for a student though.

Womencanlift · 09/07/2022 20:06

RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 20:00

I have just asked on another thread if posters had heard of RG universities outside of mumsnet and had several replies saying that their DC's school urged their students to apply for RG universities, so it isn't just an MN "thing".

That is pretty poor if schools are encouraging that to boost their own standing rather than encouraging their students to take the path that’s right for them whether that’s RG universities, non RG universities, apprenticeships or no further education at all

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 09/07/2022 20:14

But they ARE doing it to boost their own standing.

Bungg1e · 09/07/2022 20:15

My Dh is a software developer with a son wanting to do a computer science degree. The requirements are insane for the Russel group unis atm.My husband can’t get his head round it as he never ever pays any attention to Uni when recruiting. Says you’d be better off with a better degree from anywhere and a shedload of experience.

RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 20:15

I agree @ArseInTheCoOpWindow. DD's head of 6th form wasn't very pleased when DD told her that she was taking a gap year. Presumably because they couldn't use her in their stats.

Bungg1e · 09/07/2022 20:34

That’s ridiculous. Schools don’t give a shit where you apply. Only thing that impacts Ofsted is exam results. Schools want you to get good exam results after that offers because they care about their students.and if you apply for ridiculous over inflated courses at over inflated unis and nothing else you are very likely to get no offers at all which many experienced this year. Many tales of woe on the Facebook group I follow from A* kids who got zero offers after just applying for supposed elite unis that employers don’t give a shit about.Pure snobbery. Those that went for courses that suited what they wanted to do and went for a realistic range got offers.