To be upset about ‘university blind’ recruitment

[Newname576]

DS has overcome so many challenges and has an unconditional offer from Cambridge after achieving 4 A star last year. He has worked so hard and we are so proud of him! But I was upset to learn that so many companies are recruiting “university blind”now - what the hell is the point of going to a top Uni if no one will know about it! My younger child says she will apply to Manchester Met and have a ball even though she too is predicted stellar grades as there is no point going to a top Uni

AIBU to be sad that companies are recruiting blind?

Then surely that's what he's getting from going, and what your daughter won't. He'll do far better in an interview than she will, he'll be better able to do the job.

Is he honestly just going for the name not the education?

This is true but depends on the job. Some jobs, a university degree is a must such as teaching or medicine, but most jobs this isn't a requirement at all.
Like you I'm much more interested in candidates' working experience.

So are you worried that your son with his amazing A levels and 3 years at Cambridge won't be able to compete with people with average A levels and 3 years at an average university? Why do you think that?

Hear, hear.

Many people can't afford to go anywhere other than their local university, they shouldn't be at a disadvantage than those at RG unis. If you get tge same results snd same degree what does it matter. Might make people less snobby and prissy about uni.

You’ve obviously done a ton of research and yes one barrier is getting people to apply but that’s not the only barrier and many of those other ones are institutional.

I never said it was the only barrier, just that it is one of the main barriers.
And yes, I have done a significant amount of research..... 6 years on my doctorate and 20 years in total working and researching this particular subject.

Family member lives in a deprived postcode in the North. Straights As at GCSE and A Level and did 4 full A Levels which didn’t include general studies. Sportsman, DofE and generally a well-rounded individual (I interview a lot of people and know the difference). Didn’t even get an interview. Has gone on to get a masters elsewhere. I have a friend whose daughter is the same - no interview. So people from those backgrounds ARE applying and I have anecdata of maybe 7 with the same story. Imagine how hard it’s been to go to a really average comp and get straight As, yet apparently the criteria is adjusted to accommodate.

Well, of course everyone knows someone who etc, etc yet the actual data tells a more accurate story.
Of course there are people from disadvantaged backgrounds who apply to elite universities and get rejected despite impressive grades and extra curricula activities. There are definitely institutional factors at play.

However, there are significantly more of these types of students who don't even apply to them in the first place.

I've taught at multiple universities. The academic ability of students who get 2:1s at Oxbridge and those who get 2:1s at your average former polytechnic is completely different. If you're going to ignore what university granted the degree you might as well leave off the degree classification altogether. This isn't like A Levels where everybody sits (more-or-less) the same exams and is graded in the same way.

Of course academic ability doesn't necessarily say that much about how good an employee you're going to be. Good recruitment processes will be aware of that. But good recruitment processes don't just ignore relevant information because of fears about bias; they take steps to mitigate that bias. And with when recruiting new graduates university attainment is often particularly important, as there isn't much or any prior work experience information to go on.

More standardisation of university grading would be no bad thing, but we aren't anywhere close to that at the moment.

DS has overcome so many challenges and has an unconditional offer from Cambridge after achieving 4 A star last year.

Congratulations to your son but that’s not an unconditional offer.

Lots of places do still care. Heard this week of a company that did blind recruitment last year and has reverted this year as some of current grads very weak and can’t pass the exams required.

Grammar schools have a much lower % of pupil premium children than the average state school (as one example metric) because it is often MC families who have tutored children to pass the 11+, so again not fully representative of the demographic at a state school nor the intention behind grammar schools. Some parents I know privately educated at primary and tutored for a grammar school nearby so they didn’t have to pay for secondary school fees.

How true is this? I thought Oxbridge offer generous bursaries?

Cambridge is one of the top universities in the world. We might like to pretend Hertfordshire has pockets of excellence but it's like comparing Cheltenham Town and Liverpool FC.

It is you that doesn't understand what 'unconditional' is. When you apply to UCAS you get 2 types of offers

1. Conditional i.e offer Pending your results 2)Unconditional i.e there are no further requirements to meet or you have already met all the conditions. (this is what you have misinterpreted!) not that there weren't any conditions to begin with. 'Unconditionals' were traditionally for those applying with grades in hand because there is nothing else required of them so when UCAS updates it says 'Your offer is Unconditional'. It's only when the quota on universities was lifted and they all went mad with over-recruiting that we started to see tirade of 'Unconditionals' being given to students who were yet to sit their final exams based on the candidates, 'potential'.

Yes, I second this. The OP is being reasonable. Not only do you have experience of two types of uni, but so do I.

I have 2 BSc Hons, one from a RG - low pass, and one from The OU - 1st class.

The Open University was seriously easy, and no way equal to a degree from a RG.

I suspect if your son had worked super hard and “only” got a degree from a low ranking uni you’d be complaining about how unfair it is that it’s looked down upon by some. I think you just want it all in your favour and bollocks to everyone else who also works their socks off but doesn’t have the ability or circumstance to be a high flyer.

The blind recruitment is a fad. Go woke go broke. Credit Suisse gorged itself at the diversity table, over promoted mediocre people on the basis of sex/ colour and look where it has ended up.

Grammar schools have an Oxbridge track and put a lot of effort into getting pupils into the top universities. Comps and High schools just don't do this as they have different priorities.
Grammar schools are selective and not available to everyone.

Many colleges offer generous financial support, especially the wealthiest ones, but pp are talking about people who need to live at home, possibly studying part-time or fitting their studies around caring responsibilities.

MMU is fab — depending on the subject. I’m currently studying for my MFA there and it’s one of the best in my subject.

What a spiteful comment.

That really is not necessarily the case at all. In many subjects the curriculum at Oxbridge is essentially the same as it is in most other universities.

No this is not what contextual admissions are.

Contextual admissions are to help the most disadvantaged state school pupils (so those from poorly performing schools, living in poor areas, on free school meals, young carers).

Contextual admissions do not give any advantage to an average state school pupil compared to a private school pupil.

Looks like you weren’t taught that there are rigorous standards that all universities must meet when issuing grades. They’re externally marked to make sure they are on par. A first is a first is a first, if you’re specifically talking grading.

I'm in a sector which recruits straight from university so "candidate's experience" is largely irrelevant. We now have "blind recruitment". The particular degree was only offered by 5 universities in Scotland when I did it. There's now goodness knows how many. There's no way all degrees are equal.

This is the exemption rather than the rule. Most companies will still want to know where you studied. Regardless the purpose of a good education is so you have a good education, which hopefully pays dividends.