Original post by EboracumI'm a third year at an RG (my name is the clue). I will list some advantages/disadvantages and try to deliver a balanced approach:
- You'll work with some of the top academics in the world. Many of my lecturers have PHDs from Oxford/Cambridge and have held research positions at world class universities, including Ivy League institutions.
- You'll receive a fantastic education and you'll find it academically stimulating.
- A big plus nobody has mentioned is Study Abroad links. Many universities today offer students the chance to Study Abroad, but a general rule is the better the UK university, the better the Study Abroad links. I spent a year of my degree at the oldest university in Australia, incidentally, the one the current PM studied at. I could also have opted for Columbia or UPenn.
- Prestige is certainly a factor. On TSR being at a Russell or even Oxford seems to be the norm, but outside of the TSR world, in a world with over 120 universities and many many people who haven't been to university it will hold some clout.
- You'll find that many people go on to fantastic things after: postgraduate study or top careers. For example I did some work experience at the Civil Service and every graduate I spoke to bar one was from a Russell university (none from Oxbridge surprisingly).
But equally, there are a few disadvantages you have to be aware of
- You'll meet a lot of snobs, elitist posh people etc. On my course you've got somebody who's Dad was in the cabinet, somebody else whose Dad was on the board at Deloitte, people from aristocratic families, people that went to Eton etc. So if you're from a humble working or lower-middle class background, it can be overwhelming. Also there is an 'entitlement culture' at these universities. I've heard people saying they 'won't accept anything less than a 30k starting salary' etc.
- The big one for me was you go from being a big fish in a small pond, to being a little fish in a big pond. You'll arrive probably with several A grades at A Level/GCSE thinking it will be a breeze and you'll realise that's the bare minimum expected. You'll also get frustrated. My first essay I got a Third, and second I got a high 2:2. I just wasn't use to it after I'd regularly get 95+ in A Level exams. I didn't really like that, but you'll progress and start to get better grades. Bare this in mind. For me I'd rather dominate League 2 than be bottom of the Premiership. Or as Caesar said "I'd rather be first in command in the village than second in the empire".
On balance I think if you can, it is worth it, because there is a big difference between the uni I'm at and the post-1992 university across town, but ultimately you need to decide what is best for you and try not to be drawn into the university snobbery, which is a specific problem in first year.
Best of luck.
Not convinced St. Andrews is the #3 university in the country. You could argue LSE, UCL, Imperial, Durham, Warwick and several others are all better. It's all subjective anyway, no one legal table is definitive.