A Level subjects

[Guest55]

That may be true in some cases but consider a mathematics degree. Bath is much more highly regarded than some of the RG universities.

What about medicine; is RG really better?

[Amber]

This link may help to explain the essential differences, one of which, it must be said (elephant in room warning) is that grades needed to get into new universities are generally lower than RG ones. Bath and Surrey are both very highly ranked non-RG universities (Surrey has the added advantage of dishing out more firsts than almost any other university! Or disadvantage, depending on your view).

Anyway, in answer to the OP and at risk of incurring your wrath G55, my youngest child was concerned about taking 2 non-facilitating subjects and chose his A levels accordingly. He started Y12 with 4 subjects, as his school advise doing that then dropping one. He chose to drop one of the 2 non-facilitating ones in order to ensure he could apply to RG if he decided to.
https://university.which.co.uk/teachers ... group-unis" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KB]

Broadly speaking ( always exceptions) I'd agree with Amber but only as so far as traditional v new university distinction.
RG is too narrow - there are institutions which are as 'traditional ' as RG just not part of that self selected group .

( Written pre Amber's latest post)

[timothylewin]

I would imagine if a parent or child wants to go to an RG uni than thats their prerogative, isn't it? In general the brighter grads tend to come from RG uni's anyways.

[silverysea]

I would get hold of the syllabus and board details, and really study what the courses the school is teaching actually involve before ruling any out or in.

For example, I believe English at A level (like all the A levels) is a completely different experience, and it's all about the literature they are going to study.

From the sound of it, she should be going for the more prestigious universities, not necessarily Russell Group, but top. Some of us like slopping around with test tubes and tinkering with machines, and the name of the place we went to uni soon becomes irrelevant, but it really matters with careers like Law. It shouldn't, but like our class and identity, it simply does.

My opinion is that unless you are decided on a very specific and/or technical career, you should take the A level subjects you like the best and are likely to get the best grade in. They are very gruelling, or at least they were for our dd1 this year and only her love for the subjects kept her going a lot of the time.

That said, I wouldn't be happy to see a list that contained zero so-called facilitating subjects. I'd lean towards 2 of the 4 subjects if possible.

Any interest in going abroad? That maybe changes things a bit.

[kenyancowgirl]

.... Biomedical science is one example - the newer universities tend to offer a qualification which is accredited for work in medical laboratories and the more traditional universities gear their course up more for those who want to do higher scientific research (or sneak into medicine having failed to do so first time round)

I do have to take a little umbrage at this - partly, I will confess, to having a son who is applying next year - I hope you didn't mean it in the negative way it comes across - sneak sounds very derogatory, as does failed....Medicine is extremely difficult to access as a degree in this country - there are a huge number of imminently capable and suitable candidates who never get the chance due to the numbers game and quotas...Biomedical Science is a tough degree in its own right and, any aspiring medic has to achieve a First in the first year - and be in the top 1 or 2% on the course to be allowed to "sneak" into medicine having "failed" the first time...it isn't an easy option by any stretch of the imagination - neither is the career choice!

OP The only right university/course for a candidate is the right university/course for them - choosing a university because it appears on some list created by a small number of universities themselves (and usually based partly on the fact that the professors there are published and or doing research rather than teaching) is as shortsighted as choosing a university based on the fact that some of their bedrooms are ensuite, or a puppy because it looks cute now.

[Amber]

Sigh. No of course I didn't mean it negatively. It is well known that some universities offer this route to those who (chooses language carefully) did not attain any offers for Medicine when they aspired to do so; and some universities do not. And those which do not tend to be those which offer professional accreditation through the Biomed science course.

I seem to be offending you left, right and centre today KCG so apologies.

[kenyancowgirl]

No offence re the World Cup - I’m no fan but wanted to explain why I felt this team was different - not really offended on this one either - have never much liked sneak as a word as it always seems, well, sneaky in the same way moist is moisty!! It is closer to home too so I am naturally more alert!!

No damage done!

[KB]

I would imagine if a parent or child wants to go to an RG uni than thats their prerogative, isn't it? In general the brighter grads tend to come from RG uni's anyways.

I know I have a tendency towards generalisation myself but I do take issue with this.
How does one measure ' brighter' in this sense to start with?
And there is the ongoing issue that RG is a self selected group that's to some extent based on past reputation.

[ToadMum]

I would imagine if a parent or child wants to go to an RG uni than thats their prerogative, isn't it? In general the brighter grads tend to come from RG uni's anyways.

I know I have a tendency towards generalisation myself but I do take issue with this.
How does one measure ' brighter' in this sense to start with?
And there is the ongoing issue that RG is a self selected group that's to some extent based on past reputation.

And here's a thing for you:

Someone tells you that they are a graduate of the University of Durham. Or Exeter.

You are properly impressed. Yay! Russell Group .

Then they tell you that they graduated twenty years ago.