[Phil1541]

(Original post by yothi5)
Oh sorry, didn't mention this guy's uncle happens to be a partner in a MC firm, so obviously he scored work experience there and other law firms Plus, volunteering in the local CAB.

So he doesn't reject Bristol for another uni (Oxford/LSE) if Bristol gave him a place maybe? Or maybe Bristol's policy is to reject the obviously overqualified applicants?

It's not really the university's job to speculate how much the applicant values this course/particular university, so I doubt OP's 240 UCAS points uni will consider how much she likes the uni.

You've got the Bristol thing horrifically wrong...

Bristol would love to give offers to every perfect student they come across, (infact I'm pretty sure they used) however they have to deal with the goverment/newspapers constantly criticising their private/state school ratio.

Bristol has one of the highest private to state ratio's only really beaten by Durham and Oxbridge, the Guardian especially hits on Bristol a lot for this so the university is desperately trying to remove is private school bias image.

Bristol's economics department is a strong yet relatively small department, due to external pressures Bristol cannot give every perfect private schooled student an offer as there are many state school applicants while not perfect on paper would also succeed just as well at the course.

You need to remember A level results generally are a crap at distinguishing students at the top level. AAAAA is not much better than AAAA or AAA and even with the A* I've still noticed this to be true while studying at university.

In my first year exams I've seen students who got AAB at A level (for Physics) do just as well as students who got A*A*A* (in fact one A*A*A* student I know failed first year due to him thinking the exams would be of a similar style to A level)

You seem to think A level grades are a perfect indicator of whether the student is fit to study at the university or not... that could not be further from the truth...

EC's also play very little role, it's all about communicating enthusiasm and general drive to study the subject, plus a little bit of luck that you don't come off as a pretentious prick in your personal statement. (remember admissions tutors are human to)

Bristol had a record 38-1 applicant to place ratio for economics and something similar to law in previous years... the reason for your friends rejection is probably down to there personal statement or Bristol just literally not having enough space. (Bristol was also previously fined for taking too many students so they've become really strict on who they give offers to in previous years).

(I can source data for the applicant to place ratio if needed, as you can see the ratio is rather stupid and leaves little choice for admissions tutors if they have to fill the government quota for state school intake)

Bristol is constantly under pressure from within the university and externally to increase there state school intake, the reason for your friends rejection is most likely down to Bristol having made too many offers already and not having enough space.

Bristol are expanding there humanities and social science departments to try and reduce the number of applicants per place, so they don't have to keep rejecting suitable students.

However this works both ways as the ASS library is already too small for the current student population so hopefully the university has plans to sort that out.

I can pretty much 100% guarantee you that your friend was not rejected because they were too good... I've met students with better grades and EC's than your friend at Bristol so he definitely wasn't the best applicant. (scary A*A*A*A*A* physics and philosophers who make my AAAB look rather mediocre).

If you friend was from a state school then fair enough he got unlucky, but your anecdotal case definitely doesn't hold.

Also people don't automatically choose the top London universities over Bristol due to perceived greater prestige, I'm unsure about law and economics but I know at least 3 Physicists and a Chemist who all rejected Imperial.

The student life style and city/campus plays a far greater role than the increase in prestige from studying at Imperial/UCL/LSE to studying at Bristol, many people don't like the idea of living in London (hate the corporate environment of LSE and dislike the gender ratio of Imperial).

Sorry for the huge post but I felt I had to clear this up for future applicants to Bristol, as proposing that Bristol rejects students just because there over qualified is ludicrous.

[yothi5]

(Original post by Phil1541)
You've got the Bristol thing horrifically wrong...

Bristol would love to give offers to every perfect student they come across, (infact I'm pretty sure they used) however they have to deal with the goverment/newspapers constantly criticising their private/state school ratio.

Bristol has one of the highest private to state ratio's only really beaten by Durham and Oxbridge, the Guardian especially hits on Bristol a lot for this so the university is desperately trying to remove is private school bias image.

Bristol's economics department is a strong yet relatively small department, due to external pressures Bristol cannot give every perfect private schooled student an offer as there are many state school applicants while not perfect on paper would also succeed just as well at the course.


You need to remember A level results generally are a crap at distinguishing students at the top level. AAAAA is not much better than AAAA or AAA and even with the A* I've still noticed this to be true while studying at university.

In my first year exams I've seen students who got AAB at A level (for Physics) do just as well as students who got A*A*A* (in fact one A*A*A* student I know failed first year due to him thinking the exams would be of a similar style to A level)

You seem to think A level grades are a perfect indicator of whether the student is fit to study at the university or not... that could not be further from the truth...

EC's also play very little role, it's all about communicating enthusiasm and general drive to study the subject, plus a little bit of luck that you don't come off as a pretentious prick in your personal statement. (remember admissions tutors are human to)

Bristol had a record 38-1 applicant to place ratio for economics and something similar to law in previous years... the reason for your friends rejection is probably down to there personal statement or Bristol just literally not having enough space. (Bristol was also previously fined for taking too many students so they've become really strict on who they give offers to in previous years).

(I can source data for the applicant to place ratio if needed, as you can see the ratio is rather stupid and leaves little choice for admissions tutors if they have to fill the government quota for state school intake)

Bristol is constantly under pressure from within the university and externally to increase there state school intake, the reason for your friends rejection is most likely down to Bristol having made too many offers already and not having enough space.

Bristol are expanding there humanities and social science departments to try and reduce the number of applicants per place, so they don't have to keep rejecting suitable students.

However this works both ways as the ASS library is already too small for the current student population so hopefully the university has plans to sort that out.

I can pretty much 100% guarantee you that your friend was not rejected because they were too good... I've met students with better grades and EC's than your friend at Bristol so he definitely wasn't the best applicant. (scary A*A*A*A*A* physics and philosophers who make my AAAB look rather mediocre).

If you friend was from a state school then fair enough he got unlucky, but your anecdotal case definitely doesn't hold.

Also people don't automatically choose the top London universities over Bristol due to perceived greater prestige, I'm unsure about law and economics but I know at least 3 Physicists and a Chemist who all rejected Imperial.

The student life style and city/campus plays a far greater role than the increase in prestige from studying at Imperial/UCL/LSE to studying at Bristol, many people don't like the idea of living in London (hate the corporate environment of LSE and dislike the gender ratio of Imperial).

Sorry for the huge post but I felt I had to clear this up for future applicants to Bristol, as proposing that Bristol rejects students just because there over qualified is ludicrous.

I have no reason to believe any of the anedoctal bull you have spewed either. Also, he didn't reject anything for a London uni since he studied (and graduated) at Oxford. I wonder if you are a Bristol student since you are defending them so feverently.LOL. I'd love to dig out the feedback email Bristol gave him but that would probably make you (and others on here) cry and retreat back into your respective holes.

[nulli tertius]

(Original post by Phil1541)
You've got the Bristol thing horrifically wrong...

Bristol would love to give offers to every perfect student they come across, (infact I'm pretty sure they used) however they have to deal with the goverment/newspapers constantly criticising their private/state school ratio.

Bristol has one of the highest private to state ratio's only really beaten by Durham and Oxbridge, the Guardian especially hits on Bristol a lot for this so the university is desperately trying to remove is private school bias image.

Bristol's economics department is a strong yet relatively small department, due to external pressures Bristol cannot give every perfect private schooled student an offer as there are many state school applicants while not perfect on paper would also succeed just as well at the course.

You need to remember A level results generally are a crap at distinguishing students at the top level. AAAAA is not much better than AAAA or AAA and even with the A* I've still noticed this to be true while studying at university.

In my first year exams I've seen students who got AAB at A level (for Physics) do just as well as students who got A*A*A* (in fact one A*A*A* student I know failed first year due to him thinking the exams would be of a similar style to A level)

You seem to think A level grades are a perfect indicator of whether the student is fit to study at the university or not... that could not be further from the truth...

EC's also play very little role, it's all about communicating enthusiasm and general drive to study the subject, plus a little bit of luck that you don't come off as a pretentious prick in your personal statement. (remember admissions tutors are human to)

Bristol had a record 38-1 applicant to place ratio for economics and something similar to law in previous years... the reason for your friends rejection is probably down to there personal statement or Bristol just literally not having enough space. (Bristol was also previously fined for taking too many students so they've become really strict on who they give offers to in previous years).

(I can source data for the applicant to place ratio if needed, as you can see the ratio is rather stupid and leaves little choice for admissions tutors if they have to fill the government quota for state school intake)

Bristol is constantly under pressure from within the university and externally to increase there state school intake, the reason for your friends rejection is most likely down to Bristol having made too many offers already and not having enough space.

Bristol are expanding there humanities and social science departments to try and reduce the number of applicants per place, so they don't have to keep rejecting suitable students.

However this works both ways as the ASS library is already too small for the current student population so hopefully the university has plans to sort that out.

I can pretty much 100% guarantee you that your friend was not rejected because they were too good... I've met students with better grades and EC's than your friend at Bristol so he definitely wasn't the best applicant. (scary A*A*A*A*A* physics and philosophers who make my AAAB look rather mediocre).

If you friend was from a state school then fair enough he got unlucky, but your anecdotal case definitely doesn't hold.

Also people don't automatically choose the top London universities over Bristol due to perceived greater prestige, I'm unsure about law and economics but I know at least 3 Physicists and a Chemist who all rejected Imperial.

The student life style and city/campus plays a far greater role than the increase in prestige from studying at Imperial/UCL/LSE to studying at Bristol, many people don't like the idea of living in London (hate the corporate environment of LSE and dislike the gender ratio of Imperial).

Sorry for the huge post but I felt I had to clear this up for future applicants to Bristol, as proposing that Bristol rejects students just because there over qualified is ludicrous.

I don't disagree with the majority of your post, but the number of applicants for law at Bristol has been in steep decline or the last four years or so. I am not sure why, but they now get fewer than half the applicants of a few years ago.

[GiveMeAChallenge]

(Original post by Supportive mum)
Lol! The very entertaining yothi5 started going on about law and I obviously didn't read all the posts properly when I joined the thread! Sorry about that! What course are you applying for?

Geography! haha

[yothi5]

(Original post by GiveMeAChallenge)
Thanks for all the replies...ive enjoyed reading all the banter!
Not sure why people think im going to study law but hey ho

I just talked about Law since Bristol rejected my friend for Law as he was overqualified. And as other people on this thread have said, they have been rejected when they have exceeded the qualifications. (For whatever reason).

(Original post by Supportive mum)
Lol! The very entertaining yothi5 started going on about law and I obviously didn't read all the posts properly when I joined the thread! Sorry about that! What course are you applying for?

Sorry, but this is TheStudentRoom, not TheStayathomehousewife/mumhaveabitchandacuppaRoom

[Supportive mum]

(Original post by yothi5)


Sorry, but this is TheStudentRoom, not TheStayathomehousewife/mumhaveabitchandacuppaRoom

Lol!

I do find some of your posts amusing! I did agree with you over the OP applying to a 240 point university with predicted grades of AAA. I am more strongly of that opinion now I know the intended course is Geography.

Oh, and by the way....I am none of the things you suggest I am, although you are, of course, entitled to your opinion.

[Emu87]

[QUOTE=Norton1;38293043]Can you name some of these employers?QUOTE]



Yes I can, have a look at the following website: http://www.simplyhired.co.uk/a/jobs/...f+universities

You can find plenty more adverts just like this in various newspapers advertising jobs and graduate schemes. Employers are doing this more and more because they know they are getting a quality graduate when they hire someone from a Russell Group university as opposed to hiring someone from the new university/former polytechnic down the road.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Norton1]

(Original post by Emu87)
Yes I can, have a look at the following website: http://www.simplyhired.co.uk/a/jobs/...f+universities

You can find plenty more adverts just like this in various newspapers advertising jobs and graduate schemes. Employers are doing this more and more because they know they are getting a quality graduate when they hire someone from a Russell Group university as opposed to hiring someone from the new university/former polytechnic down the road.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I think there's something about this simplyhired site that you're not telling me, I've searched for a few similar strings and stuff and all that comes up is this site. Which suggests to me there's some sort of finagle going on. Especially since one of the jobs was asking for a 2.2 or above from a Russell Group University which is pretty stupid. Is the 2.2 economics graduate from Leeds better than the first class economics graduate from St Andrews? I find that highly unlikely.

I've never seen a newspaper ask for something like that. Incidentally I did graduate from a Russell Group University so I've no skin in this game as it were.

[nulli tertius]

(Original post by Norton1)
I think there's something about this simplyhired site that you're not telling me, I've searched for a few similar strings and stuff and all that comes up is this site. Which suggests to me there's some sort of finagle going on. Especially since one of the jobs was asking for a 2.2 or above from a Russell Group University which is pretty stupid. Is the 2.2 economics graduate from Leeds better than the first class economics graduate from St Andrews? I find that highly unlikely.

I've never seen a newspaper ask for something like that. Incidentally I did graduate from a Russell Group University so I've no skin in this game as it were.

I think you will find the phrases all originate in job ads from a bunch called Carlton Senior Appointments. It looks as though a single copywriter/recruitment consultant is skewing the market.

[Norton1]

(Original post by nulli tertius)
I think you will find the phrases all originate in job ads from a bunch called Carlton Senior Appointments. It looks as though a single copywriter/recruitment consultant is skewing the market.

Thank you very much, your research skills put me to shame once more. How did you spot that? (he said, aware of the incompetence he was about to be shown to have displayed)

[nulli tertius]

(Original post by Norton1)
Thank you very much, your research skills put me to shame once more. How did you spot that? (he said, aware of the incompetence he was about to be shown to have displayed)

I just did an exact phrase search for "Russell Group" on the Simply Hired site and when the first five adverts were all from this consultancy, I went Googling further.

[Norton1]

(Original post by nulli tertius)
I just did an exact phrase search for "Russell Group" on the Simply Hired site and when the first five adverts were all from this consultancy, I went Googling further.

Well, thank you again. Another stupid myth slain.

[yakuzakitty]

(Original post by GiveMeAChallenge)
Say if I applied with predicted grades AAA and i applied to 4 russell group universites then i also applied to a univesity which only wanted 240 points, do you think they would reject me because it looks like i would only want their university if i dont get my grades for the rest?
Thanks

The other universities can't see which unis you've applied to on your application, so unless you mention it in an interview or in your personal statement, they won't even know you've applied to Russell Group as well.