" Pupils unaware of university rank"

pinkshoes

Lots of companies actually look for good A Level grades now (3 grade Cs in "proper" subjects), given they go SO many candidates applying for jobs, and THEN look at the uni they went to.

Degrees at some universities ARE so much easier than others!!

Blacksheep1979

Lokolo wrote: »

What is research exactly?

And who says students at ex-polys aren't taught anything...

Gemmzie

I think there's far more scary things that students don't know apart from which university to choose.

Some subjects aren't even included in league tables, so how could you possible compare?

digsby202

I'd just like to put a couple of interesting points accross.
Someone mentioned that it's no good going to Oxbridge if you don't like the degree you are studying, I guess this is true of any University. However , and I can only speak for Cambridge not Oxford, at the end of year 2 students have the same level of exams, a dissertation, portfolio etc as they do in most Unis at the end of year 3. They are also given a degree class at the end of year 2 which carries on to year 3, for example you can get a 2.1 at the end of year 2 and go on to get a 1st at the end of year 3. Please correct me if I'm wrong with regard to other Unis. This could mean year 2 is tougher than year 3 for some sublects ( examined on 2 years work ).

This also gives students the opportunity to switch degrees, I know some that have changed 3 times . When you graduate from Cambridge , the degree you receive does not state the subject studied or the class.

My daughter , in year 2 , has already been 'headhunted' by a quite a few organisations and she is studying English. She is not alone in this respect, which is why Cambridge deserves it's high ranking.

Love D

The_One_Who

I used Oxbridge as an example mainly because of the workload that the students get squeezed into the shorter terms. I can think of nothing worse than being at a university which requires that much work when you are not enjoying the subject, or not enjoying quite a large chunk.

I am not doubting that Oxbridge deserve their top rankings, but for some subjects it does not have the best departments, or does not offer modules that some students would like to do. The brand name is not everything.

Blacksheep1979

Which is why you should choose a subject you like not the university purely on the nightlife. As for workload, maybe should get used to it as that's what it's like in the real world - infact I probably did less at uni in a week than I do in a day at work.

melancholly

The_One_Who wrote: »

I used Oxbridge as an example mainly because of the workload that the students get squeezed into the shorter terms. I can think of nothing worse than being at a university which requires that much work when you are not enjoying the subject, or not enjoying quite a large chunk.

i did have a high workload at cambridge, at least relative to other universities, but it wasn't that bad! i still managed to go out a lot and do sports and watch tv..... but i just did more than 2 essays a term!! it's fine if you understand that you are at uni to study, not to go out every night and sleep all day (although it's definitely a place with a very lively social scene anyway)! once you're used to doing 4 essays a week, it becomes less of a big deal and provides more feedback and more chances to learn.

i went to cambridge from a family where we're the first generation to go to uni. my parents advised me against applying (so that i wouldn't be disappointed when they said no!!) but i was lucky and had teachers who gave me lots of information. i went to open days, hated the colleges i looked at and nearly didn't apply beacuse of some of the other people looking around on the same day ("seven generations of my family have been to this college rah rah rah" etc). luckily i saw past the stereotype and applied to a different college, got in and thrived there. and didn't meet anyone in my 3 years like those who put me off on the open day - i'd guess they didn't get in!!

i graduated in 2002, a very bad year for graduate recruitment after 9/11 caused a 'blip'. lots of people with jobs lined up ended up having to look for more work. but many companies at recruitment fairs were only going to fairs at oxbridge and some london unis. when the job market is uncertain, the place you go can enable doors to stay open when they will be shut for others. no university will have the best department in all subjects, but for general intake jobs, it probably isn't all that important for your particular subject (whereas it will be more important for academia or specialist jobs). it's not necessarily fair, but that's the way it goes..... if only i'd actually wanted a career in the city

digsby202

You know more about Uni than me, I'm only a Mum , not a student!

Your'e right about the stereotypes, I'm sure there are people at Oxbridge who consider it their right to be there, but most of my daughters friends are from very similar backgrounds. At least now Cambridge heavily promotes the Access scheme which gives state school pupils the chance to spend a day 'shadowing' a student and hopefully encouraging them to apply.

When she applied to Cambridge she had to state on the back of her form how many pupils were in her class right from primary school ( if you are in a class of 40, which she was, this obviously goes in your favour rather than being in a class of 12 at a private school). After she was offered a place at Cambridge she went to Warwick for an interview , this was her insurance, almost everyone she met was from a private school and had been rejected by Oxbridge, and I know Exeter and Durham has a lot of students who thought they could just 'walk' into Oxbridge.

As you say, the workload is huge, but what amazes me is how they just get on with it. For the last 3 weeks my daughter has had to make her way to the library at 7;30 in the morning to get a place and she is there until 10 at night. For about the last month all theatre productions have ended and there is basically nothing happening socially as they all knuckle down to the exams and some don't start until the 2nd of June. I know my daughter is oblivious to anything happening in the outside world at the moment! At the same time her tutors are giving her daily timed essays and she is having daily supervisions leading up to them, and this is just year 2.

Despite all this, she is very, very happy, but you need to have a fantastic work ethic in that enviroment.

Love D

The_One_Who

Yes, I know that on the whole the students there have an excellent work ethic, they have to otherwise they wouldn't cope. But getting so many essays, or so many maths/physics problems is not the norm in universities.

I am not doubting Oxbridge's place on league tables, or saying that they aren't good universities, or anything, but they are not the general case when it comes to comparing universities and university standards. Of course people from Oxbridge have good chance of getting jobs, but so do students from elsewhere if they are willing to put in the legwork and find the vacancies. Being from Oxbridge will not guarantee you the job unless you have been headhunted which, again, isn't really a normal circumstance.

friskyfleabag

The_One_Who wrote: »

Going to a Russell Group university doesn't really mean much. St Andrews isn't a member, neither is Durham, York, Warwick or SOAS

Warwick is still in there fwiw. I love it here.