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The polytechnic delusion.

So here's one that will divide opinion. By going to a ex poly are you effectivly doomed from the start? It seems that if an employer had one student who studied at Leeds and a student from Leeds Met the first student would win hands down.

More to the point, if you get a 2:2 from say Leeds university, ok you should have done better but alright you went to Leeds, if you got 2:2 from Met you may as well give up on graduate schemes from the off.

Does it seem fair that the millions attending ex polys will effectively have a handicap from the start and yet pay the same fees etc and have it so much harder after?

Obvious I know what side im on but I'd like to see.

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Reply 1
Original post by Christopher1988
So here's one that will divide opinion. By going to a ex poly are you effectivly doomed from the start? It seems that if an employer had one student who studied at Leeds and a student from Leeds Met the first student would win hands down.

More to the point, if you get a 2:2 from say Leeds university, ok you should have done better but alright you went to Leeds, if you got 2:2 from Met you may as well give up on graduate schemes from the off.

Does it seem fair that the millions attending ex polys will effectively have a handicap from the start and yet pay the same fees etc and have it so much harder after?

Obvious I know what side im on but I'd like to see.


:facepalm2:

oh shut up.

Get into university, finish the course, enter the job market, and be given a job.
Then chat crap like this.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by Christopher1988
So here's one that will divide opinion. By going to a ex poly are you effectivly doomed from the start? It seems that if an employer had one student who studied at Leeds and a student from Leeds Met the first student would win hands down.

More to the point, if you get a 2:2 from say Leeds university, ok you should have done better but alright you went to Leeds, if you got 2:2 from Met you may as well give up on graduate schemes from the off.

Does it seem fair that the millions attending ex polys will effectively have a handicap from the start and yet pay the same fees etc and have it so much harder after?

Obvious I know what side im on but I'd like to see.


In my opinion, in terms of importance Degree course > The choice of uni.

Eg: A medic or dentist from any uni has very high odds of employment compared to random courses at a "good" uni.
Thanks for the reply. Isnt it a fair point that, broadly speaking, the chances of being picked by an employer are depending based on where you went. Hard work speaks for itself but the degree seems tarnished if achieved at a uni ranked 80th or whatever.

And FYI I didn't go to either Leeds Uni's I choose them to provide a stark contrast between red bricks and new builds so I why should I shut up?
Thanks for the reply. Isnt it a fair point that, broadly speaking, the chances of being picked by an employer are depending based on where you went. Hard work speaks for itself but the degree seems tarnished if achieved at a uni ranked 80th or whatever.

And FYI I didn't go to either Leeds Uni's I choose them to provide a stark contrast between red bricks and new builds so I why should I shut up?
Original post by Christopher1988

And FYI I didn't go to either Leeds Uni's I choose them to provide a stark contrast between red bricks and new builds so I why should I shut up?



Original post by Christopher1988

And FYI I didn't go to either Leeds Uni's I choose them to provide a stark contrast between red bricks and new builds so I why should I shut up?


Nobody suggested you did?
The lady doth protest too much, methinks
(edited 11 years ago)
No it was relevant to the second posting, if that's your input then maybe you should find a discussion more on your level crocker.

I went to Birmingham, a fairly well respected Uni and got a 2:2. Why should I have it easier now than some other friends who got the same grade down the road.

I got 2:2 because I wasn't that committed in honesty, im no more intelligent than most poly students and yet im getting replys and offers and there not. Why is this fair?
Reply 7
Original post by Freiheit
In my opinion, in terms of importance Degree course > The choice of uni.

Eg: A medic or dentist from any uni has very high odds of employment compared to random courses at a "good" uni.


In all fairness, it's only the "good" unis which offer medicine and dentistry.
Reply 8
I don't think this is neccesarily true. Degree classification is the thing that is used to decide whether you qualify for graduate schemes and there is a reason for that. University entry is determined by A-level results, but if you work hard at university you are rewarded. Most graduate degree schemes require 2.1s and if, at any university, you work hard enough to get a 2.1 or first that is a good degree. There are ex-polytechnics that are very good universities. What you are saying is simmilar to saying: well Eton has a better education level than x inner city school, so why should the top universities bother looking at other places? Obviously there are always going to be better universities and better schools and whatever, but ultimately employers are looking for individuals for jobs and aren't hiring an institution.
Reply 9
Thanks for the warning, is there actually a terrible problem with people getting russell group grades and deciding to shun the rg in favour of the same course at a post 92 uni instead though?

New build is something else entirely, some post 92s grew out of earlier institutions that existed 100 years before warwick was a even building site.
1) University is an indicator of A-level grades. Someone who who attends a poor ex-poly is likely to have less than BBC at A-level. Although I think discriminating between someone with AAB and ABB at A-level is completely arbitrary.

2) Generally, universities in the top 10 are more difficult than their counterparts in the lower-end of the league tables. I don't think anyone can deny that a 2.1 in Law is a lot harder to achieve at Oxbridge than at London Met.
Original post by bownessie
I don't think this is neccesarily true. Degree classification is the thing that is used to decide whether you qualify for graduate schemes and there is a reason for that. University entry is determined by A-level results, but if you work hard at university you are rewarded. Most graduate degree schemes require 2.1s and if, at any university, you work hard enough to get a 2.1 or first that is a good degree. There are ex-polytechnics that are very good universities. What you are saying is simmilar to saying: well Eton has a better education level than x inner city school, so why should the top universities bother looking at other places? Obviously there are always going to be better universities and better schools and whatever, but ultimately employers are looking for individuals for jobs and aren't hiring an institution.


Because, presumably, Eton presents its A-level students with the same examination papers (or similar) to those at a tough comprehensive because of the exam board system.

In contrast, universities have some autonomy over their examination system. A module and its exam at Oxbridge is going to be a lot harder and intellectually rigorous than the same at a poor university.
Reply 12
I saw this and I thought ; "Dan Brown's book titles are getting weirder"

Then I saw it was the same thread about polys we have every couple of weeks.
Reply 13
Original post by Norton1
I saw this and I thought ; "Dan Brown's book titles are getting weirder"

Then I saw it was the same thread about polys we have every couple of weeks.


Witty.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Desire C
Reply 14
Original post by Podcaster
Witty.


What? He's wasted my time, he's wasted everybody's time. We have THOUSANDS of posts on exactly this issue.
(edited 11 years ago)
All good points and yes I agree poly's should be just as respected as red bricks. Why? Because academic rigour isn't a test of intellect its a test of form and abiding to that form. Jump through the hoops, say this, reference this and before long you have good grades. Private schools know and endorse this system and is a major reason the students at Eton, Kings, Bsfb etc get these grades, there prepped so hard from day one.

That determines, a lot of the time, university posistion and then by extension your job in later life. Exceptions exist im sure, but the general rule is that higher the uni better the job. Why is it fair that people at private schools have so much a stronger chance. Not only being told what to write but really switched on tutors to help them get to the best Uni's.

Does no one else feel angry about this! Such unfairness on a national scale and I believe this is the key reason we struggle with social class in the way we do. Like I said I went to a good uni and good school, that is why I was there not because im a genius. My friends didnt, got the same grade as me and now I stand a better chance. Rant over but I wanted this to be said.
Reply 16
Original post by Lady Maleficent
1) University is an indicator of A-level grades. Someone who who attends a poor ex-poly is likely to have less than BBC at A-level. Although I think discriminating between someone with AAB and ABB at A-level is completely arbitrary.

2) Generally, universities in the top 10 are more difficult than their counterparts in the lower-end of the league tables. I don't think anyone can deny that a 2.1 in Law is a lot harder to achieve at Oxbridge than at London Met.


whoa there. I don't think anyones actually got robust evidence of that, imo probably law is harder at cambridge than at lmu so for the sake of argument I'll accept it as a fact, but that still doesn't mean manchester or liverpool are a pissover compared to york or lancaster.
Original post by Norton1
I saw this and I thought ; "Dan Brown's book titles are getting weirder"


You mean that the world is really controlled by a secret society called the Russell Group.
Reply 18
Original post by zaliack
In all fairness, it's only the "good" unis which offer medicine and dentistry.


I agree. I thought he meant Russell group (Leeds) versus non RG (Leeds Met).
Well it would be better than his third book.

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