How good is the University of St Andrews?

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DD has a conditional offer for history there and she's considering it even though it's 10 hours away!

It looks very traditional! I like the look of the small town life, much safer and less worrying for me

How prestigious is it?

I see that it is 3rd in the league tables this year. Is it really the third best university in the UK?

How well regarded is it for getting into the city for banking/law?

We are going up to visit it for a feel of the place soon

"If your DD is thinking about employability, this just came out:"

uk.businessinsider.com/times-higher-education-best-uk-universities-for-employability-2016-11/

Seems to me OP, that if employability is what you're looking for, then London is where you should go - what, with 4 out of the 11 unis listed for "employability" in the above report!

Forget about 'prestige' - it can't bring you food on your dinner table nor pay your bills . . .

'Employability' is what you want!

UCL, King's and LSE are all academically excellent (all in top 10 of most History rankings) and I would expect them all to be very good for city/law recruitment, and handy for summer placements. But if the OP's DD is interested in somewhere like St Andrews, central London would be a shock to the system!

Dotdotdash, yes it does seem like a bit of a lottery that 20% acceptance figure for home students is not good. He wants to do Geography + film studies joint Hons, not a widely available combo, although there might be something similar at Edinburgh or Glasgow.

A shock to the system no doubt, but central London is where all the big banks and law firms are - something OP is evidently eyeing!

Eh . . . that's not to mention where you'll find UCL, KCL, LSE and Imperial.

Agreed, though Imperial no good for the OP's DD. But London can be a massive shock to freshers not used to big cities.

Prestige is a shortcut to employability - it's perfectly reasonable to think about what kind of impression an institution's name will give on your first CV.

Most of my DC assume they'll have to hit London after graduating so none have been in any hurry to accelerate the process. The three who applied (UCL, UCL, Imperial) all got offers but declined them and I can't see that it's harmed their prospects. You really don't need to go to a London uni to work there as a graduate although of course the institutions named are very good - but that's a different point,

My best friend did Astronomy there and loved it. Not exactly one of a "type" of student, his dad was a coalman and his mother a barmaid.

I went to St Andrews 25 years ago and did English and French. I definitely didn't come from a privileged background but there were plenty who did. I guess we moved in very different circles and only collided at lectures and tutorials. I loved my time there and the quality of teaching was excellent. I came from a very rural background in the middle of nowhere so the smallness of St Andrews didn't bother me but I can see how some might find it a little claustrophobic. There were only about 3000 students when I was there, and it wasn't easy to avoid ex boyfriends! Another thing to consider is that the normal undergraduate arts degree is an MA - so four years rather than three.

If employability is what you are interested in then you need to look at employability stats by institution and but course. Stats at an institution level on their own are not really terribly informative.

DD is state schooled although family went to boarding schools etc etc so she wouldn't be completely shocked at meeting people of that background -unlike many of her friends.

She's worried that it may be cliquey or she'd get bored after a year or two.

Thank you for all your advice, I have read it all and a bit overwhelmed.

Some of the family [who went to Cambridge] are saying it's too snooty!

I guess the only way to find out is for her to go and have a look for herself.

Went there for postgrad. Worst time of my life. Dropped out.
I hated it - I cannot even begin to describe how awful it was.
There were a few nice people there but the majority of the postgrads had done their first degree there and thought they were simply the best in the UK. They weren't.
Truly awful. Cliquey. Insular. Snooty.
I attracted two stalkers who never left me alone for two years. University authorities and police involved.
Ended up signed off with stress and had to completely rethink my entire career.

My two chose (for applications) Edinburgh rather than St Andrews but will probably go to one of Durham, Bristol, Exeter or Nottingham.

We have a good few city lawyers in the family.
A 2016 list of where most trainees lawyers are hired from (solicitors not barrister side of the profession) is here www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/newsletter/law-firms-preferred-universities
Look at where those from the biggest London firms recruit from not the regional firms.

However be aware that the statistics are by numbers so a good university with small numbers of graduates which is small may unfairly look a bad choice.
However bear in mind universities

Absolutely loved my time there.

Scottish law is different to English law though so it's not surprising many Scottish unis aren't in a list of places London firms recruit from.

50% of city lawyers did not study law at any university. They may have studied a whole range of subjects, including law at a Scottish university. This gives the law firms are greater range of skills and attributes. It is interesting to see what universities are not favoured though!

I am not a lawyer but similar. My degree was completely different to what I do now.

St andrews is fantastic

I grew up in Cupar and had an offer from St Andrews ( early 80's) decided not to go there , as it was a bit too close to home
I went to Aberdeen instead...where there were still quite a few yahs , but no Fisher and Donaldson ....however met my dh and we're still married 30 yrs later
Dd went to Dundee as has Ds ...where there are 3 Fisher and Donaldson shops --although they preferred the pies from Clark's
Yes St Andrews has prestige in many subjects but it is a bit like living in a goldfish bowl and is extremely expensive for flats thanks to all the American golfers/tourists

It is quite small so if you do my usual thing of looking at where those who are newly in the careers you want to be in went it will be hard to tell whereas a bigger university with more graduates will show up more often.

www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/newsletter/law-firms-preferred-universities
You can do a similar exercise to that link by going on top barrister websites and looking at the universities where the most junior ones went to recently and on linked in profiles of some bankers in the kinds of banking jobs you might want to get.

My son had Edinburgh down last year although St A was one he did consider. We did not want the 4 years rather than 3 and also it is quite far and small and he now says nowhere int he country is as enjoyable as Bristol but that's just a family failing - always being happy with what we have and you aren't supposed to be there to be having a good time all the time of course.

it can be worth looking at the grades students achieved last year (rather than what offers they were given) at particular universities to see which are the ones those with the highest grades go to.

ZOMBIE THREAD

What does your daughter want? Prestige or the appropriate course in the appropriate subject?