University snobbery

[nysw]

Just wondering if anyone has come across this from adults/parents?

That is all

Yes because some universities are better than others. The fact is not all universities are equal, not all degrees are equal and not all universities have students of the same academic abilities. Some are outliers and specific universities which have specific specialisms but if you’re going for a mainstream bog standard degree to keep as many options open as you can you may as well go for the best you can so long as all other things are equal

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Sorry didn't realize that was you too. 😬 Wasn't being rude.

Working class student at Russel Group university - found it very hard to connect with others and make friends. Most people are very rich, or at least come from wealthy backgrounds. Met a lot of snobs!

DSS is doing a degree at an ex-poly and frankly it's a joke. He has so few lectures to attend and the content is fairly basic.

Haha no worries @Gingertam

I haven't, but then not many people I know even went to uni. I didn't (and was embarrassingly old when I figured out Oxbridge wasn't another university) So I didn't really take much notice of where my kids applied to, it was entirely their decision. They are happy where they are and that's what's most important to me.

Yes, mainly on Mumsnet. Thank goodness I don't mix with people like you lot in real life 😜

It definitely seems to be an adult/parent thing as in the OP. Boasting - or stealth boasting that one’s DCs are better than yours because of the uni they go to. Most of these parents went to uni themselves so carry on the snobbery that they faced themselves as uni students.

IRL many companies now blind recruit to get away from the snobbery. As a lot of (not all) this country’s “top” unis are just an extension of the privilege afforded to those who paid for private school etc (see Durham, Exeter % of state educated students, much lower than most etc).

If I am honest if I hear of anyone’s DCs going to these unis I stick them in the “privileged” box in my head. Not in a good way.

There are huge differences in the quality of universities in the UK and in the student cohort. They are not the same.

In particular it makes a massive difference in one's learning to attend a university with high achieving academically curious students over one where the students are going through the motions.

I don't understand why people don't get that.

The reason I ask is that because a small number of people in DC's year have a "Oxbridge or bust' mentality.

I was moreso wondering if people have come across this from adults/parents in real life. Being snooty etc.

It doesn’t mean snooty, though. It means they want to try for what they perceive to be the best. There’s nothing wrong with that.

DH and I met at university... except I went to University of City and he went to City ExPoly. We have lots of banter... (we did a similar subject) but acknowledge both have their merits.

It’s the same with schools though isn’t it?
Some are better than others.

I suspect there is some snobbery and the top universities invariably have more students from independent schools. The massive amount spent of their education needs to be justified I suppose.

I think it will very much depend on the circles you mix in. Most of our friends are either first generation students or haven't been to university so that snobbery just doesn't exist in our social circle.

Both me and DH work at Ex-Poly universities and as we work in careers and employability we know that so many of our students/graduates go on to be very successful and gain an awful lot from the university experience.
We know that many employers are looking at graduates from a wider selection of universities.
We also know that universities league tables, rankings and awards are, in part, a game. A game which some universities are very successful at playing.

That's not to say that some universities aren't better than others - of course they are but I would encourage people to look at a subject level as that will tell you so much more than an overall ranking.

On the flip side I was talking the a man last week whose daughter was predicted excellent grades and wanted to apply to Cambridge

”I told her it was really difficult to get into, she had little chance and would end up being disappointed”

Way to go Dad 🙄

DD could have had a good go at Oxbridge, but visited and knew she wouldn't be happy there. She's chosen Leeds and needs A*s to get in, and people are very much "oh what a shame" "what a waste".

Only on mn. Never encountered it in ‘real life’. Perhaps it’s more of a thing in the south of England rather than the north. I also work for the nhs, where having a medical/nursing/ physiotherapy degree etc is what matters, not where you got it from.

@daffodilandtulip What course at Leeds wants 3x A stars? I’m interested to know. Few anywhere want this.

There’s a balance between aiming high and making a commentary on it as you go along. @nysw Schools pick out Oxbridge possibles don’t they. So are those dc all snobs? Or are they just having a go? Few are guaranteed to get in and deep down they must know this. There are other unis that are brilliant and, of course, elite.

Not all firms are uni blind regarding recruitment. However it’s still the case that RG and RG plus uni educated dc still do earn more. No getting away from that. However of course individual dc smash it from the local old HE college that’s at the bottom of league tables. Most dc will be limited to local work and local wages though. Mobility to the highest paying jobs is far more difficult, university blind recruiting or not.

I also don’t believe in not talking to people because of the uni they went to. Or dc refusing to mix with people from different backgrounds. How would they mix in a sports team or at work after uni? It’s hugely self limiting and divisive. Would it be ok for a privately educated doctor to not want to talk to state school educated doctors? It’s frankly ludicrous.

Everyone who wants a uni place can see which ones meet their needs. It’s not snobby to aim high. It’s maybe the best thing to do for your career.

Interesting point regarding Russsel group and Russell group plus graduates earning more than graduates from other universities. I do wonder how much of that comes down to their background and contacts outwith university. Is there any data on this? I suspect a lot of that increased earning power is through already established networks through schooling and families.

If I am honest if I hear of anyone’s DCs going to these unis I stick them in the “privileged” box in my head. Not in a good way.

A case of inverse snobbery on your part I guess.

My kid is at Bristol and the content is shit. I think a lot of humanities courses these days are like this. ‘Value for money’ is in the science degrees it seems…my other child has much more content.

I think that’s a good point. For vocational degrees such as AHP’s nursing etc it’s about the degree and not the institution but for other careers then it is just about as much as the institution and for other courses very specialist courses there may be the best courses in lower ranked universities but it’s not that all unis are equal

Although many organisations say that they recruit university blind it’s interesting to see who actually comes through and with some exceptions it’s still the people from the higher ranked universities. For the most part there’s still a distinction and an academic rigour with the more academic kids attending Oxbridge and RG unis (including the Bath, Loughborough, etc etc non RG but highly academic uni’s). It’s foolish to pretend that a First from Leeds in Economics, I’m deliberately excluding the really top uni’s is the same as a First from Leeds Beckett in Economics, it just isn’t

If you want your children to have the widest options on graduating then aiming for the highest ranked uni makes sense.

Yes, true.

I don’t know if it’s contacts but the peer group must have an affect. If you see your peers applying for, talking about and getting competitive high paying roles you’re more likely to think you could also have a go. If your peers are all applying for lower wage roles and staying in local jobs then you are more likely to think that’s the norm or all you could do

And Cambridge and Oxford only do BAs. Well they do others for eg medicine but BScs are quite a new invention, well relative to the old universities, I think it was first awarded in mid 1800s.