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Russell group benefits?

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:21 pm
by neveragain*
This is probably a very silly question! Can anyone advise me on the real benefits of a Russell group uni over another that has good reputation for a particular subject? My DD wants to do a joint honours ( or maybe a liberal arts and sciences at birm) including politics ( major) and anthropology. We are looking at cambridge but she hasn't had AS results yet so it is very dependant as I know they are pretty firm about A grade at AS. And not just an A but a "good A". She is looking at Birmingham, UCL, bristol and LSE but wonders about Sussex as they have good anthropology dept. also anyone know anything about the new liberal arts/sciences degree? They are wanting AAA* and interview too at Birmingham so clearly high demand? Anyone able to offer any help?

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:42 pm
by asdguest
It is a dilemma isn't it? Funnily, there was an article in Times today about choosing department ranking or university ranking as guide. Upshot was that you were, probably, better off at higher ranked uni than higher ranked dept as future employers are more likely to know of uni reputation than dept reputation, but, important to pick course that suits you best. Similar problems in our house with physics. Have you been to many open days?

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:44 pm
by neveragain*
Hi! Just beginning to visit. Birmingham tomorrow. Bristol next week. She didn't like the course at Cardiff. Loves birm course. Likes course at Cambridge but grades terrifying and worries it won't be for her socially. So hard!

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:23 am
by workhard
Hi all! I used to recruit in my City days. I have also worked in two professions and now my generation is at the stage where we can look back 30 years to how post graduate life has panned out.

There is nothing like passion for subject and being consumed by it. I would always say to a teenager to 'follow their dream'; in most cases, they then also work incredibly hard and eventually make good things happen for themselves. Spanish at Sussex will then work out fine. (I regret not doing Spanish at Uni!)

But if the individual is more clinical and quite likes a subject anyway, I would point out my generation's experience. The 'top' employers still like to recruit the top Maths and Physics graduates; failing that, Classics will do. The short cut they take is to target specific Universities (like Imperial) and even university colleges (like Trinity, Cambridge or Christ Church, Oxford). Which would they recruit: a first in Maths from Sussex or a second from Cambridge? The reality is that many seconds from Cambridge end up getting the jobs ahead of many firsts from Sussex. .... Usually, the Uni/College name matters. And, of course, a first in Maths from Trinity, Cambridge is pure gold.

WH

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:56 am
by hermanmunster
interested to see how you get on with the liberal arts and science courses - we looked at this, but struggling to find anything in the least bit liberal..

By that I mean allowing to the student to genuinely study a wide range of subjects as in US courses (which are admittedly 4 years but many require language, science arts, etc) .
Many of the courses in the UK are modular and claim to be very flexible (admissions tutor at Durham went on an on about it) but actually you may only be able to choose say 3-5 options in the first year and many subjects say that if you can't just do one module of their subjects, so it comes down to 2-3 subjects. then in year 2 the choices are heavily limited by what you studied in year 1.

I appreciate that the point of university is to study something in more depth but I think that students do need some "exploration" of their interests at uni level before deciding what to major and or minor in.

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:42 am
by neveragain*
Birmingham course is 4 years with one abroad. They do need to do arts and sciences and encouraged to take a language. My DD taking Arabic hopefully!

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:44 am
by Looking for help
We were having this converstaion today, as my graduate son is now looking for a job (why he didn't do this earlier is anybody's guess :roll: ).....all graduate jobs are saying a 2 1 or better....now I am imagining then that there is a computer process somewhere that is excluding anybody with less than a 2 1, wherever it came from....so I wonder whether it does actually matter where you went when it comes to getting a job :shock:

Fortunately his degree is good, so he should be fine, but shame for anybody who didn't get a 2 1 or above, wherever they went.

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:49 am
by Guest55
It really does depend on what you want to do.

Where do F1 get the majority of their engineers from ..?

Well it's not from a Russell group University ...

Answers by PM - I will post the answer on Monday.

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:54 am
by neveragain*
Ooooh I love a quiz!

Re: Russell group benefits?

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:03 am
by Looking for help
I don't know what F1 means :oops: