Which uni for my DS

[Pixiepieface]

Hi, my 17 year old is about to apply for PPE or PPL degrees for 2012 entry. He wouldn't get into Oxbridge and is very keen on the course at Hull Uni. He is starting A2s in Politics Economics and History and if doesn't get to do PPE/PPL is very keen on History with Politics. Any thoughts pls? He got 100% in Politics AS in Jan and is predicted prob ABBC for the rest. (dropping Eng Lit) He wants to go into investment banking/finance. Any good recommendations as to which Unis - also is semi catered in halls better option for him? I am getting in a panic as we can't visit all the open days coming up as I can't get the time off work to take him and no one else he knows wants to go to Uni now so can't lift share etc. Thanks (new to this so cant find smiley face!)

Both Southampton and hull are thought of very well for many subjects, often subjects that the supposed 'greats' aren't as good at.

Incidentally, when they were first opened, the 'redbricks' were seen as vastly inferior by the 'ancient' universities. And there's plenty of slippage in the usage of the term (hull, southampton and Nottingham are sometimes described in this way, while several of those lauded as particularly good are not usually described as such). There are also really excellent 'plate-glass' universities formed in the 1960s (e.g. Warwick).

There really is no need for the kinds of quite ignorant snobbery about universities that we so often see on here.

Thanks Lilymaid - more than happy to lock horns.

I totally agree that there are many jobs outside of the Big4 in the financial sector, and would also say that the actual content of degree courses at the less prestigious settings may well even be much better.

However the OP mentioned towards the end of her message that her son may wish to pursue a business sector role after university, and this struck a cord with me.

This morning I interviewed six recent graduates and honest to god it was heart-breaking. So many teenagers seem to be being advised that entering financial service roles is achievable without having a subject relevant degree.

Until 2005 this was the case, the post-graduate professional bodies (ACCA, ACA, CIMA) regularly accepted politics, geography,etc graduates as it was felt that being able to study at degree level was a predictor of success at professional level exams.

Today with such higher numbers graduating (from 10 to nearly 40%) of 18 year olds the financial services sector is inundated with applicants.
Non-relevant graduates really do get turned away in droves, regardless of their class of degree.

There is an alternative route (AAT) which by-passes the fees of university and gives three years work experience in addition to degree status and exemption from the first year of professional level exams.

I honestly think if a student has decided to embark on a financial services future and can not either study at a high-ranking university or a subject relevant course (ideally both), they are at risk of incurring enormous debt in false hope.

Interesting I qualified with a big 4 firm in the 1980s I have a politics and economics degree from Durham .I was speaking to a partner with a big 4firm only last month who told me quite categorically that they could not care less about degree subject but do care where it is from .Inevitably it was the same few universities as in 1990.Interestingly that does include Southampton.
I am now a client of a big 4 firm ,none of the recent audit trainees who have come out to us have been finance graduates,geography seems to figure ,economics (I suppose that's finance related)history and modern languages come to mind

"There really is no need for the kinds of quite ignorant snobbery about universities that we so often see on here."

No, but I don't think we're seeing that on this thread, and I hope my post didn't come across like that. I know many of the newer universities are very good indeed in terms of their teaching and research, and in fact very often provide a better student experience.

But unfortunately, when investment banks (and probably accountancy firms etc as well, I only have experience of banking!) are recruiting interns and graduates, they do tend to favour those from unis on their list of 'prestigious' names. They like to stick with what they know. Also some of these institutions have strong links with the big banks - there are networking events and visits, the recruitment teams are frequently on campus doing presentations and Q&A sessions, the careers services run specialised workshops etc (often in collaboration with the banks themselves) to coach students on IB-specific applications and interview preparation etc etc. None of this is essential (and none of it will guarantee an IB job) but it does help.

Yes ,parents do go to open days inRL.
Some anyway - people vary as to how much involvement is wanted .

IME - more parents than not accompany students to open days. And I imagine it will increase further with the fee increase and the expectation that we will have to contribute even more to get our children through university.

Good luck to your son Pixie. We starting now with dd for courses in 2012. She's looking at history I think.

We have just been through this. Parents are generally expected on open days- not just to tag on, but to go through finance advice, etc. We went to open days, and then left DS to do interview/audition days on his own, which he managed, including the travelling, very well.
Look for halls where he can safely leave his stuff over Christmas and Easter, to avoid the huge pack more than once a year. I think non catered are fine if there is a uni dining place close by.

Any comments on how many to attend.

I would suggest that for popular Uni's you book your places fairly quicky, specially if you/he want to attend particular talks.

My DH accompanied DS to 2 unis - easier than public transport, and there was a separate programme for parents. For the other 2 visited, DS went to 1 on his own, and the other with a friend from school.

Regarding the comment about where you live. I think it is quite unusual to stay in halls for all 3/4 years, so do consider how far he will have to travel to lectures in the subsequent years, and what the public transport is like

Pixie - is your son taking Maths A2? If he is thinking of going in for investment banking/finance, that is really helpful if not a pre-requisite. DS1 worked as a business analyst for a bank after graduating and the general requirements for applicants were:

"You'll have a strong academic background, ideally a 2:1 in Maths, Economics, Engineering or another mathematical-based subject. It's also good to have 'A' grades at A-level."

And the bank he worked for only looked at applicants from a small number of universities.

I would think that an A grade Maths A level would be helpful if the OP's son wants to go into banking, especially if he plans not to take a particularly relevant degree.

It may well be that a less relevant degree doesn't make it impossible to get with the big 4 but it doesn't help much either and no Maths A level is another box that's not ticked.

Would it be possible for the OP's son to take a Maths AS level in his final year?

Last saturday DS1 went to open day at Kings College. He went on his own (we live in london and even I draw the line at that) but he said the majority were with parents. During the standing around parts I asked if he spoke to anyone (hoping he had got hold of a tutor....), he replied that all the parents were hogging the tutors and he would have had to push in (not confident enough). i was hoping that any staff on these open days would seek out kids on their own and start up conversations, but it seems not.

All changed since my day - we went to open days on our own, but they a bit of a waste of time anyway!

Just a point about Southampton - when I was there, it was very highly rated (top 5 in the subject I was doing) and had very good links with City firms etc. Unless it has changed dramatically, i wouldn't bother paying for fully catered though. The food was inedible.

I don't think getting yourself to an open day alone has any relevance to ability to cope at university as they take place 15 months in advance, a period of time that makes a huge difference when you are 16/17.

More parents go to open days than don't and even more will want to go with the increase in fees - that's just the way it is at the moment.