Is the whole ‘russel group’ thing just snobbery?

[MrsPBlotto]

DD is 17 and has applied to university this summer. Granted her course is very vocational so perhaps this bias only applies for academic subjects. All but one of the universities she’s applied to are post 1992 and the one uni she has applied to that’s not one is not an RG. I’m not bothered in the slightest as for the field DD wants to go into a degree is a degree and I’m far more concerned that she’s happy at the university she goes to.

However, I’ve seen a lot of posts here and comments from other parents saying that an RG is the best of the best and almost implying russel groups are the only universities worth going to. I’m not sure this is actually true as I know a lot of people who’ve gone to ex poly unis and been far more successful in life than those who’s gone to RG’s (granted that’s anecdotal). And I really don’t understand where this bias comes from that somehow a self proclaimed group of 20 or so universities are somehow the best of the best and any others (especially if post 1992) are not worth the money. Is this just snobbery and people trying to set themselves apart or is there any truth to the idea russel groups are inherently better universities?

Yeah my parents were really demanding when it came to academics and I'm afraid I've absorbed some of that.

He can't feel that poor then.

When I got into Oxford, my mum didn't congratulate me or anything. She just told me that it's something that's expected so I shouldn't expect a pat on the back. They both went to Oxford and they were deeply disappointed I couldn't get into their college and got pooled into a less prestigious one.

Maybe you should get some counselling before you screw up your dd, then?

Yep, some lawyers are overpaid. I’m nearing 10 years post qualified and nowhere near even half of what your brother or the second year associate earns.

I don’t find myself feeling sorry for people earning £150k a year, frankly.

I like to think I'm no as bad but I am aware I have anxieties I need to work on.

I already have a therapist.

This is not normal behaviour and you’ve internalised that message. You will do the exact same to your daughter without getting help for this.

(I speak from experience - am currently in therapy sorting out my own legacy of generational trauma.)

I presume that you realise how ridiculous this is. Do you want to pass on that ridiculousness to your child? There is a potential for it to be very damaging.

I'm sorry that your parents were like that, but the way. They sound awful.

This is an American law firm in their corporate team if that means anything to you.

Good for you. I hope it helps.

It doesn’t change my view on any of what I said, no.

My dd did not go to an Rg and a few in her flat 9f 9 bully the ones that ate not at an RG and say you will never get anywhere in life because you didn't get into an Rg uni.
My dd could have got into an RG but she choose not too and is doing well at the uni she choose lives her course only thing she doesn't like is her accommodation due to bullying and mess.

Of course there is nothing wrong with not wanting your children not to have really difficult lives, you just appear to have a rather deluded idea of what such a life actually is.
What field of law do you work in? Don't you have contact with normal people with actual problems? I don't think I would want a lawyer who is so divorced from reality representing me to be honest.
"Only" earning £150k is not a difficult life.
I was a Consultant Anaesthetist too until I retired recently and I never earned anything like that amount in my career (and I don't know many who did) and the idea of earning that and not being expected to work nights is frankly incredible. I never had a job like that! But I would consider myself to have a very comfortable lifestyle. Some of my patients had truly difficult lives that I would do anything I could to prevent my children having to experience, but I, and all my colleagues had very satisfactorily lives despite our (by your standards) lowly existences.

Hey everybody, just a suggestion but why don't we ignore the troll and return to what was quite an interesting thread discussion some 3-4 pages ago?

FWIW I think most of the country couldn't give a shiny shit about the legal profession, the more so as judging by MN posts a majority of them are deeply unpleasant human beings.

I'm a restructuring lawyer.

Maybe the thread should be renamed "Is the whole ‘russel group’ thing just snobbery if you aren't interested in a law career?"

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Dd2's MiL was a lawyer living in London and her dh is an academic. Luckily she has given them a couple of million pounds so they can buy a lovely home and pay for private school for their ds ( my grandson)! Dd2 does have a very good job and her and her dh are oxbridge graduates.

It's no wonder that people think that lawyers are overpaid. How many people have a spare couple of million lying around? The imbalance in pay is ridiculous.

Daft question but why does society think that lawyers warrant a higher salary than teachers and nurses?

I would like to know as well @Parker231.

Because we appear to be paying a Russel Group ‘premium’

Not sure what for. Nurses and teachers are just as important as lawyers. Maybe law is mainly male dominated whilst the whikst teaching and nursing are more female

It’s largely about who’s paying them. The (many) lawyers who work in e.g. the public sector and civil service, or who do Legal Aid work and are paid “by taxpayers” are relatively low paid in comparison with those who work in private companies where the market dictates the cost and therefore the salary. Likewise, teachers and nurses who work in the private sector will earn more than their state and NHS counterparts.