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Is it bad to go to a non-Russell Group uni?

Basically I'm not sure if I'll get into a Russell-Group for my course (actuarial science) because the entry requirements are quite high. But I've heard from people on here and some in my school that it's hard to get a good job without going to a Russell group and that people who don't go to Russell Groups are "dumb" and "have **** for brains".

Is it true that non-RG universities are not well-respected by employers and will I be at a disadvantage if I don't get into a Russell group uni?

And do you guys go to Russell Groups?

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Reply 1
'The Russell group is not necessarily the best universities in the UK. They are research-intensitive universities that get almost all Government funding for research. Many good universities have only just joined or are not a member of this group. Bath is obviously one of these
Yeah kinda unless it's bath or Loughborough

The career opportunities aren't as good I've heard
Da*** is 'actuarial science'?
Reply 4
Don't worry.
If you're going to uni to study science, you can't be that dumb. There are many people that can't even get into uni. There's nothing wrong with going to a non Russel group uni. Don't worry about it.
Original post by chelseadagg3r
If you're going to uni to study science, you can't be that dumb. There are many people that can't even get into uni. There's nothing wrong with going to a non Russel group uni. Don't worry about it.


Cut arias science isn't really science, it's more maths and finance related.
Original post by chelseadagg3r
If you're going to uni to study science, you can't be that dumb. There are many people that can't even get into uni. There's nothing wrong with going to a non Russel group uni. Don't worry about it.


Actuarial science isn't actually science- it's applied maths and statistics
Well I went to St Andrews (a non-RG) and I'm starting a PhD at Cardiff (a RG). St Andrews entrance requirements for a PhD were actually higher, which is why I didn't stay! For my undergraduate degree the requirements were the same.

The RG, like the Ivy League, is a convenient shorthand for "good" universities but the actual criteria to belong in these groups isn't good teaching, student satisfaction, etc. so it doesn't tell you whether they're good for undergraduate students.

No one cares about your undergraduate uni once you've graduated, not even for PhD studies. They care about you: how you performed, how you seem in interview, etc.
Don't worry about it. Employers are more interested in your skills and experience you have rather than focusing on which institution you attended. Some employers do focus on this but at the end of the day they want some who can do the job. Good luck.*
Reply 10
Which universities are you thinking of? Anyway, id highly recommend you do a pure math degree. If you enjoy it, you can then pick the stats and probability modules anyway. Employers dont really care. They do care a out the name though - whilst there are good uni outside the russel group, most good ones are in it. Pm me if u need advice about actuarial
Someone just graduated from my Uni and landed herself a job with Oxford University press..So that's complete rubbish that you won't find a good job afterwards.
some non-RG universities are good. e.g. bath and st-andrews
Well none of the Scottish unis are RG, yet 5 unis there are in the top 200 in the world. By your logic, going to uni in Scotland at all would be a massive waste of time, which is complete rubbish.


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Original post by hermitthefrog
Well none of the Scottish unis are RG, yet 5 unis there are in the top 200 in the world. By your logic, going to uni in Scotland at all would be a massive waste of time, which is complete rubbish.


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Glasgow and Edinburgh both are? :tongue:

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Not all Russel Group uni's are better than every non-RG uni, my uni was higher ranked than a quite a few RG uni's for my course. (And yes, I had offers from RG uni's, I chose not to go to them)

And despite going to a non-RG uni, I still got a good job, and so my did my course mates, some getting jobs at some of the biggest companies.

So no, going to a non-RG uni isn't going to be a disaster, it's just a weird TSR obsession with them. (And why trust kids who haven't even gone to uni or entered the world of work yet? They just look for reasons to make themselves feel better than others)

I've NEVER seen an employer ask for a RG uni degree, or favour them.
There's a difference between non-Russell groups unis like London Met and Anglia Ruskin and non-Russell groups like Loughbough, Bath and East Anglia.

Of course don't base your decision on league tables but try to choose a university surrounded by Russell groups in league tables, and with high graduate prospects, if you're concerned with prestige.


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Reply 17
More important factors than it being a Russell Group or not are the subject you choose and whether that university is good for that subject. Courses like nursing, for example, are mainly delivered at ex-poly universities and the prestige of the university is not so important when looking for a nursing job after you qualify.

Other universities have good reputations for certain things despite not being Russell Group - BCU is known to be good for performing arts, for example.

I don't know anything about your subject but hopefully there will be a university which delivers your course which is good despite not being Russell Group. Perhaps ask your college for some advice and check UCAS.
It doesn't really mean anything, RGs just happen to be good universities (well...most of them) rather than all good universities are RGs. The only tangible advantage assuming we're talking universities of similar rank in that subject is that it may be easier to get research placements and your dissertation topic is more likely to be original and something industry or academia relevant, even at a prominent non RG like Bath it seems to be less likely that you'll get something like that. However the overall value of your degree is unaffected, if you do a research placement or that kind of dissertation topic it will be held just as highly as if you did it at an RG.
Original post by Lord Samosa
Not all Russel Group uni's are better than every non-RG uni, my uni was higher ranked than a quite a few RG uni's for my course. (And yes, I had offers from RG uni's, I chose not to go to them)

And despite going to a non-RG uni, I still got a good job, and so my did my course mates, some getting jobs at some of the biggest companies.

So no, going to a non-RG uni isn't going to be a disaster, it's just a weird TSR obsession with them. (And why trust kids who haven't even gone to uni or entered the world of work yet? They just look for reasons to make themselves feel better than others)

I've NEVER seen an employer ask for a RG uni degree, or favour them.


Whilst all that you say is correct, I actually have seen an employer favour RG degrees (law firm) - though I thought that was ridiculous.

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