Relative Worth of Russel Group/Rankings

Hi there.

It's coming to the time for me to make a decision about where I want to study at university. I've my heart set on doing physics and have received all 5 offers, which I narrowed down to pretty much two. However choosing between these is troubling me, and it's mainly because one is in the Russel group and the other isn't.

My preferred option is the Uni of Leicester. It's close enough to home, seems like a nice place, is ranked 9th for physics by the guardian etc. Long story short, I can see my self studying there. However I'm slightly put off by the fact it isn't a russel group univeristy. I'm worried this could affect Job prospects or the prospects of getting on a postgraduate course.

I've got offers from some Unis that are in the Russel group but am just not sure If I want to go there or not. I'm a pretty decent student (Predicted AAA) and I want to achieve my full potential but also enjoy my time at Uni.

So i guess the question is, for undergraduate courses how much does being in the Russel Group matter? Considering that I wish to go on to a Postgraguate course afterwards potentially.

Any help, advice would be awesome.

-Eremor

TLDR; How much does being in the russel group matter when looking for postgraduate stuff?

Reply 1

Carnationlilyrose

18

Original post by Eremor

Hi there.

It's coming to the time for me to make a decision about where I want to study at university. I've my heart set on doing physics and have received all 5 offers, which I narrowed down to pretty much two. However choosing between these is troubling me, and it's mainly because one is in the Russel group and the other isn't.

My preferred option is the Uni of Leicester. It's close enough to home, seems like a nice place, is ranked 9th for physics by the guardian etc. Long story short, I can see my self studying there. However I'm slightly put off by the fact it isn't a russel group univeristy. I'm worried this could affect Job prospects or the prospects of getting on a postgraduate course.

I've got offers from some Unis that are in the Russel group but am just not sure If I want to go there or not. I'm a pretty decent student (Predicted AAA) and I want to achieve my full potential but also enjoy my time at Uni.

So i guess the question is, for undergraduate courses how much does being in the Russel Group matter? Considering that I wish to go on to a Postgraguate course afterwards potentially.

Any help, advice would be awesome.

-Eremor

TLDR; How much does being in the russel group matter when looking for postgraduate stuff?

It doesn't. It's the degree grade which matters and in any case, Leicester is a fine university. Go there and be happy.

Reply 2

username1221364

5

Original post by Eremor

Hi there.

It's coming to the time for me to make a decision about where I want to study at university. I've my heart set on doing physics and have received all 5 offers, which I narrowed down to pretty much two. However choosing between these is troubling me, and it's mainly because one is in the Russel group and the other isn't.

My preferred option is the Uni of Leicester. It's close enough to home, seems like a nice place, is ranked 9th for physics by the guardian etc. Long story short, I can see my self studying there. However I'm slightly put off by the fact it isn't a russel group univeristy. I'm worried this could affect Job prospects or the prospects of getting on a postgraduate course.

I've got offers from some Unis that are in the Russel group but am just not sure If I want to go there or not. I'm a pretty decent student (Predicted AAA) and I want to achieve my full potential but also enjoy my time at Uni.

So i guess the question is, for undergraduate courses how much does being in the Russel Group matter? Considering that I wish to go on to a Postgraguate course afterwards potentially.

Any help, advice would be awesome.

-Eremor

TLDR; How much does being in the russel group matter when looking for postgraduate stuff?

This is a bit from an article I read recently and saved for a time like this. It shows that you do not need to worry too much about rankings.

"Just going to a university at the top of the league tables does not necessarily make you more employable either. Though Milkround, WEXO and myjobmatcher.com all thought there was a tendency for companies to sway towards the top 40 or Russell Group universities when recruiting, this has been proven otherwise.
High Fliers conducted research in December 2013 that found that Britain's top 100 private and public employers targeted more people from the universities of Nottingham and Manchester (24th and 25th in The Times' Good University Guide respectively) than they did from Cambridge and Oxford (1st and 2nd).
WEXO also thought that companies are increasingly cottoning on to the "hidden talent" of many of the lower ranked universities. It suggested that companies such asIPA, which represents 300 of the leading advertisement and communications agencies in the UK, have been looking beyond the traditional Russell Group universities in recent years.
WEXO said that from an employers perspective it's more important that you've done something rather than where you've done it. Time spent working behind the counter at McDonald's managing customers and juggling orders can mean just as much as a week of work experience at Goldman Sachs and that a degree from the University of Cumbria can mean just as much as one from St Andrews.
So, yes, work hard for your degree, you'll want to get the best possible grade but make sure you're also putting yourself out there and applying for work experience, internships or any other opportunity that catches your eye. It's often said that these days it is a job in itself to find employment, but use your initiative and be proactive."

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 3

ooh-la-laa

7

Hi OP,

As far as Leicester goes I would not worry too much. It may not be RG, but it is more highly ranked than the majority (not all) of RG uni's. Don't forget places like St Andrews, Bath, Lancaster are not RG either - and for that matter nor are MIT or Harvard.

I've an offer from Leicester, and although I won't be taking it due to the other offers I've got, I really liked the course, uni overall and the city itself is very friendly.

Reply 4

Zottula

16

Original post by Eremor

TLDR; How much does being in the russel group matter when looking for postgraduate stuff?

I wouldn't worry about this. Leicester is a good university, and if you feel that it is the right place for you then go there. This is a personal choice, and people thrive in different environments. If you like the look of the course and the department more then elsewhere, then I wouldn't worry.

The Russel Group is a group of large, research intensive universities, and while many people use the term as a shorthand for "good universities", it's not an exclusive list. There are plenty of good universities that are not in the Russel Group, many of which will be just as good or better for some subjects.

So don't let this bother you any further.

Relative Worth of Russel Group/Rankings

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