Better Uni or better degree classification

[stubiff]

If you were a graduate employer what would you prefer (all other things being equal):

3rd from Cambridge or 2:2 from East Anglia or 2:1 from Reading or 1st from Bradford?

Have picked the above at random, this is not a real life problem. There are roughly 20 places between each university on the CUG league table.

Or this one:
2:2 from Cambridge or 2:1 from East Anglia or 1st from Reading?

Let's assume the degree is in an area of relevance, e.g. IT employer and a Computer Science graduate.

This "blind" recruitment idea: do recruiters honestly believe that a Cambridge graduate (any class) is not as academically bright as one with a better class of degree from, say, Southampton Solent? You really, really believe that two English graduates will be of the same calibre? Methinks that some in the business may have a big bag of McCain oven chips on each shoulder. They trumpet a lot about "unconscious bias" but they are the most biased people out!

Furthermore, with the push to recruit many more "poor" students to Oxbridge, would it be fair to then shut the door in their faces - should they have failed to achieve a top class degree - because they've been to that place ? It's back-to-front thinking if they would have been better off in the long run going to their local ex-higher education college now called a university.

That is utterly correct Irma. I think there is also data that says the students from poorer areas also don’t get such good jobs as other MC Oxbridge grads. So they need help with aspiration too.

Bias of any kind is wrong. All recruiters should score applications according to what they want. Fairly! If they find someone with the skills from whatever university, then so be it!

Cardiff and Lancaster are not poles apart in league table terms and Lancaster could have an edge in many areas. It depends on lots of factors.

My Friends DS has a 2:2 in maths from Cambridge. It took him a year to get a job. He’s not a communicator! He’s very dull. He is well suited to his job but they have asked him to say “Hi” to his work mates! Another friend’s DD has a first in Sociology from a former poly. Again, took a year to get a job. Lovely girl but little to say. Never been anywhere or done anything. Has a degree but isn’t “educated”. She’s now doing HR. I think if both of these young people were less focussed on their subjects and had more about them, they might have got something sooner but a 2:2 from Cambridge was a barrier when coupled with no get up and go!

Graduate employers require at least a 2:1 and a decent university (forget anything post 92)