AIBU to think going to an RG university means absolutely nothing

[Butchyrestingface]

Never one to shy away from a challenge (even if it's a challenge to someone else).

So I went to a RG uni. I didn't even KNOW I'd been to a RG uni until about 15 years after the fact when I joined MN.

Thereafter I referred to it as having gone to a 'Russell Grant' university (bit confused).

AIBU in thinking RG unis are not the be all and end all?

But they're not necessarily rated the best unis, many come consistently quite a way below some non Russel group unis.

I disagree
RGs are highly regarded in some industries.

The method of grading Unis though depends on student experience amongst other things so is not necessarily linked to the quality of teaching at all.

RGs are highly renowned research Universities that many other Unis aren’t whether they are high up the Times list ( or any other one) or not.

Why?????

It’s a self set up group based on very little, other unis are harder to get into and rated higher in league tables than many RG unis.

I went to St Andrews which is not Russel Group but still very prestigious and highly though of all the same.

Recruiting blind, as we do, is based on looking at a persons Skills, qualifications and Experience.
Our blind element is
without name, address, age, photo, school names,

So we aren’t aware of a persons ethnicity or background.
However education post18 isn’t blind and we will know Uni, College, Degree etc.

In my Industry the University is crucial

Research has nothing to do with teaching quality, particularly when those whose priority is research have little interest in teaching. Also league tables don’t just depend on student experience but entry standards, research quality and graduate prospects. Several non Russel groups score higher in these things than Russel groups.

Some really are deluded and letting snobbery guide what they perceive as knowledge.

Ok however as it’s been stated there are other extremely well thought of non RG unis rated higher with excellent courses. So you will clearly be aware of this and how “Russell Group” was set up, as such the term Russell Group will be pretty meaningless unless you’re buying into pure snobbery.

They are well regarded as research Institutes
They carry out the vast majority of research carried out in all Universities and in fact in the country as a whole.
They are known globally for this research element and as such students looking to work abroad will carry with then a known and well regarded Degree.

There is no comparison, I’m afraid, to Liverpool John Moores and Liverpool Uni.
for example.

Employers can be ruthless when they have thousands of applications on their desk.

We do it. We have our favourite Unis although for Architecture the choice is based on slightly different reasoning

Do you not realise that many non Russel group unis are not ex polys and harder to get into than Russel group unis.

For our recruitment (global Big 4 accountancy) we don’t see the University, degree or predicted grade- not relevant.

What industry are you in that knowing the university is crucial?

Non Russell group unis are also well respected for research. Re Liverpool uni it’s quite a way down the list and scores lower than non Russel groups for research.

I have kids at both and my bachelors wasn’t an RG although my masters was

There’s no need to be snobbish about these things. This is reality. This is how Universities are graded in the boardroom and the mindsets of many employers.

Just because you don’t like it or you don’t agree with it doesn’t make it not real.

The only deluded ones are those who believe all Universities are equal. They aren’t and never have been

You have made up your mind.
Stand on the world stage with your degree from an RG and one that isn’t in ….let’s say Maths ( as a random example ) and see who gets the most job offers

I can assure you I know for sure which it will be

But what you’ve said isn’t true. Also why are companies going to pick somebody from Liverpool just because it’s RG when there are non Russel groups unis rated higher that are harder to get into with higher graduate prospects and the same and even higher research quality?

Architecture

I've always assumed I went to an RG university - Bath - but have found out, via this thread, that I didn't.

I graduated in 1994 and assumed I was OG RG alumni!

For what it's worth, my husband did PPE at Oxford and we have the same job (different organisations). I earn slightly more.

In our line of work, you're either good at it or you're not.

Where you studied is wholly irrelevant.

We've never chased the money though and are driven more by purpose and job satisfaction.

So I'm not sure our career paths would be the first choice for overly ambitious parents to push their beleaguered, high achieving offspring along for kudos points on te interwebs.

I don't buy this university equality thing as if all this were equal we wouldn't bother motivating our children to do well in exams and teachers could just coast. Of course employers are wanting to see a track record of intellectual abiliry, effort and aspiration and this can be demonstrated by attendance at a high tariff righteous university.

A lot of the more desirable professions recruit from RG unis and this is going to remain the case for the forseeable.

But Liverpool is rated 28th for maths. There are loads of non Russell groups rated higher with higher entry, higher research and higher job prospects. Why would young people ignore those and pick Liverpool and why would recruiters think oh you know what I’ll go for her because her degree is from Liverpool and it’s a “Russel Group” even though I know other non Russel groups unis that are better?

Good luck with this idea and I suggest you do some research. If you’re going to pick Liverpool “because it’s RG” as opposed to non RG unis like St Andrews , Bath, Lancaster , Loughborough etc you’re going to be a tad disappointed.

League tables change all the time.
The few at the top rarely move far but they do change a lot otherwise.
Students, parents and Universities are obsesssed with league tables but employers really aren’t

Employers don’t keep tabs on whether Bristol, or LJM was number 5 the year you started there even though they may be number 10 the year you applied for the job. They simply don’t keep an eye on these league tables
They know the traditionall top Unis in their field and faced with far too many applicants weed the rest out.

Thats not to say Unis can’t rise up and change the narrative. Some do but that doesn’t happen that much and perhaps not as much as it should particularly with new courses

Exactly

Yep and Liverpool is consistently lower down than non Russel groups unis such as those I’ve mentioned who are consistently higher up.

I love this OP 😆

I suppose it depends on the industry you're going into.

I've never had an issue getting a job, when I was able to work, despite having a Mickey Mouse degree from en ex poly at the bottom of most league tables.

I think part of it is employers seeing "First Class" and ignoring the rest, part of it is that I've gone on to do two postgrads (still not at RG unis), partly that I interview very well and partly that I had the A Level grades for Russell Group (I just really wanted to do the Mickey Mouse degree that let anyone in regardless of A Levels, and have zero regrets 🤣).

I've never wanted to go into law / accounting / any type of role where the uni really matters though, so it hasn't bothered me.