How important are league tables?

[HairBobbles]

Obviously there are lots of tables and they vary slightly but how relevant are these in the long term?

My son was keen on a couple of places that rank 2/3 down the table but his dad is putting him off as focussed on rankings. He's capable of getting into one of the top ones but doesn't want to go to Oxbridge/Durham/St Andrews. Do employers favour people with a degree from a higher ranked university. He would be applying for an Mchem.

boys Durham was historically second to Oxbridge for ages in the UK and when I went to university the "Russell Group" did not even exist. The ranking is really of where is it hardest to get into and always has been and always will be.

Predominantly they care about Oxbridge, Durham, LSE, imperial and THEN the RG

but presumably they've only cared about Durham since 2012?

...And presumably didn't care about universities at all before the Russell Group was invented in 1994.

I'm really not at all sure people employing chemists rank Durham higher than say Bristol or Manchester. Though it'll win over the LSE every time.

@audersandbaby

I work in the city and help with recruitment. It is imperative the applicant went to a RG. We don’t even look at non-RG. This is consulting / finance. I also have seen similar at Unilever.

Utter nonsense. Most recruiters now use some level of "blind" recruitment, and a company like Unilever will be very mindful of diversity. I wish people wouldn't come on here and troll.

I trained at a Magic Circle law firm and even in the 90s there were trainee lawyers from ex-polytechnics there. Not many, but they certainly looked at them.

As for being a vet does it matter which university you went to for that? You have to be very bright to get onto the course in the first place, and there are plenty of vet jobs.

@lockdownmadnessdotcom

As for being a vet does it matter which university you went to for that? You have to be very bright to get onto the course in the first place, and there are plenty of vet jobs.

Afaik only in that sure, you have to have been to one of the rather small number that run the course.

For fans of rankings, the Times today announced that the 'Oxbridge reject place' St Andrews has beaten Cambridge and Oxford to the top spot in this year's Good University Guide rankings.

However, Imperial (4th) was named University of the Year, with Warwick (8th) the runner up.

@audersandbaby really?

Lots of ex Bath and Loughborough grads at investment bank I worked

@lockdownmadnessdotcom

As for being a vet does it matter which university you went to for that? You have to be very bright to get onto the course in the first place, and there are plenty of vet jobs.

I wouldn't have thought so, nor does it matter where you go to medical school. Although some people think that an Oxbridge trained doctor is better then a Cardiff/Keele/Glasgow/Manchester etc trained doctor.

Given that how difficult it is to get a place and that the high academic requirements are pretty much the same same at every medical school give or take an A* or two, and that medical degrees are conferred by the GMC, I don't understand how medical schools can be ranked.

@RampantIvy I graduated from UCL medical school -OK such a long time ago. Was helping a friend's son with his final MB. Cambridge is very academic. He says most Oxbridge graduates pass their post graduate exams first time - and I believe him.

I haven't looked at the stats but perhaps more from Oxbridge would go on to do academic medicine?

Doesn't make you a better clinician - just a different type of doc

He says most Oxbridge graduates pass their post graduate exams first time - and I believe him.

I would believe that as well TBH. I agree with your last point.