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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Tell me all about your successful non-RG graduate DC

37 replies

Fadingmemory · 12/10/2015 18:02

University hierarchies abound. Oxbridge followed by the other RG universities (and there are further hierarchies within the RG)

DD achieved well at school, did not get her first choice, but her second. She has undergone a huge transformation from a totally self-centred teenager to a disciplined, hard working and hard playing young woman.

Surely, grads other than those from RGs have successful careers so please tell me about them. Sometimes when I read some threads on MN (though not all) I feel that there will be little opportunity for her.

Not specifying DD's university or the degree as I do not want either picked on as sub-standard.

OP posts:
foragogo · 12/10/2015 18:06

of course there are loads! And people without degrees at all.

ThatsDissapointing · 12/10/2015 19:00

It does seem as though it's 'Oxbridge or you are doomed' on Mumsnet but I think it's only because there is some weird correlation between having very bright DC and time spent agonizing over their education. For example there are continual threads on Oxbridge and Durham and the like but not so many as in none about Derby or Sheffield Hallam. It's strange as the numbers that actually go to Oxbridge are really quite small.
I looked at non RG Unis with DD2 and I was really impressed some of them.

You already know that going to a non RG Uni is no barrier to doing well in life don't you Wink You must be really pleased that your daughter is maturing nicely into a hardworking and playing adult.

Decorhate · 12/10/2015 19:24

I went to a uni in a forrin country that no one here has ever heard of. Never held me back. I had no idea that RG was a thing till I started looking for my dd.

I noticed on my dc's school prospectus that most of the teachers had been to nonRG unis.

BackforGood · 12/10/2015 19:34

dh and I both went to - shock horror..... you might not get over this..... ..... POLYTECHNICS back in the day Shock

I have done very well in my career, (and, more importantly, in all sorts of aspects of my life) thankyou very much, and dh is now a lecturer and research fellow in a prestigious university that even MN would approve of Wink

MN gives a very, very skewed view of the world. Just look at the number of Education threads that are talking about Private Education, and yet only a tiny % of school pupils go to private schools. MN is NOT representative of the real world at all.

Wishful80smontage · 12/10/2015 19:38

I went to an ex-poly I think I did very well senior government role prior to having dd.
agree with Black the view is very skewed here I don't think its a true reflection of the workforce in general OP.

Hulababy · 12/10/2015 19:43

RG didn't exist when I went to university. And like 1000s of other people both me and dh went to old polys. DH rejected his first choice university (which is now RG) for a poly.

I did perfectly fine - became a teacher in my chosen subject area.

DH did perfectly fine too - now an equity partner is a decent sized regional law firm, earning a more than decent wage! You don't always need to go to a certain university to get to earn the high incomes.

NewLife4Me · 12/10/2015 19:52

My ds went to local Uni, converted from old Poly Grin
His field of work doesn't pay atm but he is able to volunteer in this and has a normal min wage job.
It doesn't sound successful but at 23 he owned his own house outright and is planning his second now at 24.
It depends on how you define successful.

Headofthehive55 · 12/10/2015 19:55

Take heart. You need to look at the Sutton trust report which I don't know well enough to link.

It looked at relative earnings of RG/ Oxbridge / non RG students.
It found that there was little difference between, and none or very little when accounting for A levels.

I think it's difficult to apply mass statistics to individuals though. So much of your success is down to more individual attributes such as drive and softer communication skills.

The report also showed it was the degree that matter more than the type of uni. For example it was better to do medicine at a non RG than say English at a good RG.

Really I think parents should be handwringing at the type of degree not so much where!

WalterFlipstick · 12/10/2015 20:43

I am a lecturer at a non-RG university. The average starting salary for the graduates from our department is 25k and many go on to be very successful.

hellsbells99 · 13/10/2015 06:02

Walter - is that an engineering course?
A friends DD has just graduated from Liverpool John Moores and started her first job in the NHS.

Nottodaythankyouorever · 13/10/2015 06:15

My brother went to a non RG uni studying business.

He is now a director of a company earning an extremely decent salary.

My nephew has also gone to a non RG uni. Graduated 2 years ago and is also on a good salary.

My friends daughter went to an RG uni, graduated 3 years ago and is currently working on the phones in a local call centre.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 13/10/2015 06:35

Seriously, RG is just a very successful self-generating bit of marketing hype the universities themselves perpetuate. It's not an independent measure of quality. And your question is so elitist it's almost offensive but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you are just an over anxious parent.

I know one university who paid £100,000s to "become" RG. It's all bullshit.

PerspicaciaTick · 13/10/2015 06:52

Unexpected is right. The RG universities are just a marketing cartel.

beyondbelief · 13/10/2015 07:26

I flunked my a-levels, resat a couple whilst taking a year out, and ended up at a non-RG university by the skin of my teeth (where I had a fantastic time and came out with a good degree, btw!)

I am now (25 years later) a lecturer at - ironically - a very famous RG university in one of the most prestigious departments for my subject in the world. (Although...I actually earn less than my colleagues at non-RG institutions because apparently academic kudos pays the bills...)

RG is not the be all and end all and it is crazy to think that there 'will Be little opportunity for her'. She will go to her second choice uni, have a ball and come out with a good qualification, and do whatever she likes for the rest of her life.

There is a lot of truth in the marketing aspect of RG. The subject chosen is often far more important.

SWFARMER · 13/10/2015 07:31

Of course your daughter can have a successful career she just needs to continue to work hard.

Even people that didn't go to uni have successful careers. I was extremely bright in school but chose to not go to uni. I have a successful career for my age and bought my own house at 20.

She will do brilliantly by the sounds of it with her good work ethic and attitude

sooperdooper · 13/10/2015 07:32

I'd never even heard of RG universities before MN!?

I didn't go to one, they weren't a thing when I went to uni and I'm doing pretty well for myself in PR for a very well known television organisation, I wouldn't put too much emphasis on it tbh

Boredofthinkingofnewnames · 13/10/2015 07:33

I work in a professional services career. We don't have many RG grads, as not many of them are highly specialised in the course required. We have a lot who are on day release to become qualified. It really isn't the be all and end all.

The actual degree does matter with regard to what they want to end up doing though, more so than te uni in my opinion.

AnyoneButAndre · 13/10/2015 07:34

A young acquaintance of mine has a first in Actuarial Science from Heriott Watt. She earns more money than you can possibly imagine (unless you're quite good at imagining money).

PotteringAlong · 13/10/2015 07:36

I went to Cambridge. DH went to staffordshire university. Do you want to guess which one of us has the better job?! Grin

She'll be fine!

FetaComplete · 13/10/2015 07:41

This thread is very refreshing, OP. My dd is applying to non RG and it's good to hear all these positive stories.

mudandmayhem01 · 13/10/2015 07:49

Loughborough, Bath, St.Andrews, university of the arts London, Aston, RVC
All top class universities that are not RG. Some of the most competitive courses to get into ( ie physiotherapy, midwifery) at ex polys, its a marketing ploy to a large extent.

Micah · 13/10/2015 07:57

My Uni is non-RG. But is recognised worldwide as one of the best courses in medical science. Over Oxbridge.

As far as I can tell RG is pure marketing. Ive just had a quick look and there are several high class uni's not there- Brunel, Aberdeen, St andrews, Bath, Lancaster, Dundee- and that's just off the top of my head. All of those are widely recognised as at least equal to any RG uni.

I found future employers knew what courses produced good graduates. An employer would select an engineering graduate from Brunel over RG every time.

SheGotAllDaMoves · 13/10/2015 08:08

OP, this site is peopled by highly educated and articulate women. The education boards even more so.

Statistically, there will be more of them who attended a highly selective course at a highly selective university. Ditto their DC.

That does not mean that the majority of young people don't end up at much less selective universities. Nor does it mean that they don't end up doing well in life.

That said, I feel very very strongly that far too many courses offer poor value for money. The courses are cobbled together to get bums on seats and cash in the bank. The outcomes for their grads are not great. It's a disgrace actually.

Headofthehive55 · 13/10/2015 09:30

I agree with she there are many students on courses from all types of uni which do not give a good outcome. I was sat in a room with several young people the other day, started chatting, all others relatively recent graduates from RG unis, science, all working as health care assistants. One had a doctorate. I asked them why and what were the other people from their courses doing and it shocked me that they were all doing unskilled work. They all felt as if they had been duped.

dreamingofsun · 13/10/2015 09:51

i went to an ex poly and my husband a non RG uni. both of us have graduate jobs - i had 4 offers from the milk round when i graduated to chose from. husband has his own consultancy firm and earns 100k+.

i did find that some industries were quite snooty though - banking - things may have changed since as i'm now ancient.

my son graduated from a non RG uni and went on to do a masters at a RG uni.

you will find some blinkered idiots and institutions but many go on what you are capable of.

I still don't understand why bristol uni thinks economics is substandard to geography or history at A level.....????