Tell me about Royal Holloway U L...

[Oldowl]

In general and specifically for Geography, IR and/or Politics.

DD does not want to be in a huge city and would suit a smaller uni with a college feel.

Golden Circle - is it not Magic Circle?

Oh, it might be - I'm not a City lawyer. But it's the biggest law form in the world, I think. My point still stands.

Yes, the relevant work experience is important. Even I did it back in the 80s. As long as people know what they are doing they should go where they like.

Why do some get into universities they can easily get into rather than stretch themselves? Most don't so I don't think it's a big problem and if they do that's their fault so more fool them if it closes career paths, there are plenty of others who will get ahead of them if they mess up their choices. Some will just be lazy or so cautious they will not apply anywhere they are not 100% of getting into. Some will want to live at home whilst at university for all kinds of reasons so just go locally or be Scottish with fee issues. Some will just a make a mistake. Some might be badly advised by the school. Some might not like fierce competition and fear of failing. Some might want to be the brightest of the bunch amongst people who aren't as bright. Some might have no interest in high paid careers and just want to work with the world's leading expert on the lesser spotted whatsit who happens to work at a particular institution.

The reason ds went back to RHUL for his MA,is,that it was the first uni to offer this,course, and, although others have now jumped on the bandwagon, he is happy Sith the course, with the networking opportunities and potential work placements it offers, and it will hopefully lead to a job. As he doesn't have any loans, what he earns isn't an issue as located long as he can house, feed and clothe himself.

I do think it is important that students pick a university where they think they will be happy. A 1st or 2.1 from any university is worth more than a third or not completing a degree at a 'top' university (spoken as a mother whose DD1 dropped out and has ended up starting a different course elsewhere).

I completely agree that the student needs to be happy. Most students seem to have problems settling in with other students if MN is to be believed. Course info is readily available as is detail about the city or remoteness of the university. Sometimes all the research in the world doesn't tell you what it's really like though.

Regarding taking a less challenging University option: there sees to be a thought that number of hours contact time is a key factor whereas quite often,on an arts course, it means the student is expected to be motivated and able to work to a competent level without being spoon fed. Employers like this in a candidate. There also seem to be lots of students who are risk averse and don't want to leave home or move away from friends. Just popping into town for university makes sense to them. I think teachers push the university equality mantra quite a lot and if parents don't care, some teachers definitely don't see the difference between universities. Schools link up with the nearest university and students are not necessarily encouraged to go elsewhere because they may get a bursary by staying local or be offered lower grades. Going somewhere more challenging then seems less worthwhile. They go where they perceive they are wanted.

I don't think you can generalise like that Bubbles. I did my degree once I was married, and had to do it locally so I was about when dh came home from sea. Others may be able to go only if they live at home. In Belgium, it's normal to go local and come home after lectures! Someone I know was horrified that ds won't be home til the Christmas
holidays, but it's been that way since he started his BA.

I think happiness is important....look at the suicides at Bristol recently. Also, apart from Oxbridge, as you progress through life and a career, it doesn't matter where you degree was from, what matters is your professional competence. Dh has a B.Eng from a redbrick, and an MA under the aegis of KCL. What mattered for his post retirement job was his 34 years experience in his field, not the fact he went to Liverpool for his degree.

To be fair, the vast majority of undergrad degrees are not taken by older students. Most parents on these chats are talking about 18 year olds. With loans, most students can go anywhere they want within reason. Some cities are more expensive but there are cheaper options and the experience for an 18 year old is more varied. In Italy many students live at home and look at the quality of Italian universities! 88,000 students in some and it can take 7 years to do an undergrad degreee. With 6 exam sessions a year: you just keep on taking those exams until you pass!

You are being very unfair about Bristol because it has not been proved that all of these were anything to do with studying there although they have reviewed thier pastoral care support. Pre conditions played a big part and could have happened anywhere. In fact, sadly, there a plenty of student suicides; Bristol does not have monopoly.

I think we are talking about students getting jobs now. Years ago,I agree that hardly anyone cared where you went and far fewer people went to university so you stood a very good chance of having a fantastic career even with a 2/2. DH is also BEng from a redbrick. Never stopped him doing anything either and it still would not today. Any redbrick Engineer will be valued. Oxbridge is not the best for Engineering if you actually want to be an Engineer and not work in the City or lecture. DH is still working 43 years after graduation. Surprisingly, he seems to be more than competent! Running your own mediim sized consultancy is hard work though because there is no hiding place.

Dfil had a double first from Cambridge in Engineering, and was a Weapons Engineer Officer in HM Forces, and subsequently designed torpedoes for a well known engineering firm. My DH is still working 34 years after graduation in his post Forces retirement job. He will be fully retired by age 59 when we return to UK.

For some first jobs after university which university you went to matters. All we need is for 17 year olds to be aware of that and then make their choices accordingly.

Depending what they want to do Oldie, and if at 21,they still have the same career ambitions as they did at 17. Mine had changed in those 4 years....acquiring a dh played a part in that!

I wonder why? I set my career goals at 14. Married at 21 and my husband had to move cities, give up work and sell his house to follow my career.

I moved for Dh's career, and was married at 20. He was doing what I wanted to do, but then I realised I didn't want to do it.

The whole discourse about needing to attend a "brand name" uni in order to get a job after graduating seems a bit daft. Employment rates, and prospects, vary enormously department-by-department within the same university (and even more enormously person-by-person, even within the same department).

In DD1's area, RHUL ranks on a par with Durham for graduate prospects, and above such hallowed names as Bristol, Edinburgh and UCL (gasp!). Presumably employers recognise the value of a capable and well-educated graduate.

More to the point, DD loves her course, says the lecturers are excellent and are very much engaged with the undergraduates. She feels she is learning a lot and getting great experience that will help when it comes time to find a job (or go on to graduate studies). She turned down the chance to transfer to a much more internationally prestigious university because she thinks the RHUL course is so good.

Like most students, she adores the campus (and the glorious new library) and has a love-hate relationship with Egham.

Courses vary so enormously between universities. It really is worth spending the time to dig through the university websites to see how the course is structured and to look at the required elements, the reading lists, essay requirements etc. One person's dream course or dream uni can be another person's nightmare. Trying to find the best fit for a course and for uni location is important. RHUL isn't for everyone. DD is happy. She has a full and active social life, and has friends in London when she feels like trekking in, but she's also not into clubbing.

I'm glad that the guts haven't been ripped out of the lovely old library in Founders...having a listing stymied development thankfully.

Yes! I love a library that feels like a library, and always loved the idea (possibly entirely my own fabrication) of George Eliot scribbling away in the Founders library, so I am also happy it hasn't been redeveloped into a cafeteria -- or whatever else they had planned for it. Still, as a space to read and study, DD says the inside of the new library is fabulous and that the views (inside, looking out!!) are breath-taking. She is less complimentary about the exterior.

Ds used the library in Founders a lot for quiet work on his dissy. He was spitting at the thought of it being a cafe, and actually Crosslands is OK.

He likes the new library (he thinks), and will obviously use the Postgrad section a lot.

He's happy to be back, and the discount on MA fees for returning alumni helped as well. He is in the massively expensive new George Eliot PG accomodation. I can't quite work out why it is almost as expensive to live there as to rent my 4 bed house in Cornwall for a year.

I think the new library is lovely, inside and out. There's loads of investment on the campus and signs that RHUL's slightly lower position in the employability stats is being taken seriously and efforts are being made to improve this by the Careers and Employability Service. In my daughter's department (perf arts), we were told there will be weekly employment workshops starting this year - encouraging signs that helped her make RHUL her first choice. And the campus is so lovely and of a manageable size in an excellent location. There's nothing wrong with Egham either, although it is sometimes mentioned as a downside to RHUL - it's a great place to meet and have lunch (so as not to embarrass my daughter on campus!), and has pretty much everything they need in easy reach.

I get a coffee bought for me in Crosslands and a slice of pizza if I'm really good!!!

Ds just fell in love with the place, it was his first choice, and as he has gone back for his MA, it seems it was the right one (and getting a First!)

In my daughter's department (perf arts), we were told there will be weekly employment workshops starting this year

Goodness me, we've been doing that for years at my place! We spend quite a bit of money on it. But do students attend? Huhh