So which ones are considered to be the Top ones nowadays?

[Guest55]

Many Unis claim to be third after Oxbridge

Imperial has a tradition for 'throwing out' students - it proudly says at interviews that it throws out a third during the course. Pretty dreadful imho.

[Marylou]

Imperial has a tradition for 'throwing out' students - it proudly says at interviews that it throws out a third during the course. Pretty dreadful imho.

Wouldn't that suggest faults in its own selection and admission procedures? And possibly shortcomings in pastoral support?

[another mother]

A number of universities come out better than, or as good as, either Oxford or Cambridge in different subject areas. Given there are various league tables - some international, plus the guardian, the sunday times, the one above, it's pretty difficult to claim anyone is anywhere on a ranking. There isn't a definite order or consistency even within subjects. The Russell Group do expend quite a lot of effort promoting themselves which is one reason everyone knows them and they have a fair amount of muscle and money, the 1994 group tend to be smaller in size but equally good - you'd pick Exeter over Bristol for english currently - and York is fab for English. St Andrews punches very high too - basically they are all going to resonate pretty well with employers- the class of degree you come out with will matter more. And some of the league tables are based in large part on research - which doesn't always equate to a great undergraduate experience.

There are so many considerations about the style of teaching you want, the sort of town/campus experience, not to mention the cost now - and currently the goalposts are moving anyway. The fact that the 'best' unis are being allowed or told to take in students achieving 2As and a B in future years, means some of the 'best' places may be overpacked and understaffed - or so I'm told by friends in academia. It is also very true that different students get very different things out of essentially the same experience. It's a bit like schools really!

[KenR]

Outside Oxbridge it tends to be on department or subject basis. This often manifests itself in the offers.

Warwick for example has an excellent reputation for Maths but you have to get A*AA to get in!

[Guest55]

and pass STEP papers .... it goes back to the year when they offered AAA and too many got the offer - they were heavily fined for having too many students!

[Marylou]

This is one issue that prospective vet students don't have to worry about - it's so competitive that they are happy to get an offer from anywhere and it's only if they are fortunate enough to get more than one that they have to start thinking about the finer points!

[frosties]

Why are Russell group universities the ones to aim for?
Can someone explain. My son loves his Uni. Is he at a disadvantage as it's not a Russell group one?

[XCRGSMUM]

Why are Russell group universities the ones to aim for?
Can someone explain. My son loves his Uni. Is he at a disadvantage as it's not a Russell group one?

It is a matter of how universities are perceived. Do potential employers give more credence to degrees from Russell Group Universities or not? I`d guess some do, but there are plenty of other factors that will be taken into account. Specific universities may have a good reputation in one particular field or a particular course at an otherwise perceived as mediocre university may have value as far as certain local, or even national, companies are concerned.

Apart from educational establishments many other factors contribute to graduates getting good jobs. Involvement in extra-curricular activities at uni, particularly taking on management roles in societies and clubs, work experience, and personality all play a huge part in who gets the jobs that are out there!

[zee]

Imperial has a tradition for 'throwing out' students - it proudly says at interviews that it throws out a third during the course. Pretty dreadful imho.

I'm sorry, but I don't believe that.

Drop out (or push out) rates are factored into most league tables, and even the unis that have the worst drop out rates are rarely as bad as that.

In fact, there is generally quite a close correlation between the (perceived) academic excellence of a uni and its drop out rate: Oxbridge very low indeed; former HE colleges quite high.

[zee]

Imperial has a tradition for 'throwing out' students - it proudly says at interviews that it throws out a third during the course. Pretty dreadful imho.

No time - and yet I couldn't resist.

Imperial averages 94.5% completion rate (i.e. 5.5% drop out, presumably). See link to table of drop out rates
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog ... -education" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
or go straight to
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key ... utput=html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From a quick scan, I can see only one institution that comes anywhere near to a 33% drop out rate, UHI Millennium Institute at 32.1%, and nowhere else is anywhere near as bad, so there are probably special factors at work there (and indeed they are mentioned in this BBC article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8083373.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).