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Have I made a mistake going to an ex-poly? With really good A level grades?

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Original post by Misovlogos
That couldn't be further from the truth; people on this forum think that university reputation linearly determines career outcomes. The effect is far milder.


That is very true. It's more the fact the OP maybe subtly giving themselves a disadvantage. Of course going to a 1994/russell group won't get you a job, far far from it, but if OP has the choice of giving themselves an edge (however small it maybe) why not take it?
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Original post by Hulkamaniac
You sound like a pretentious git so Oxford Brookes is perfect for you; full of pretentious gits who weren't smart enough for Oxford but still think they're worthy so go to the nearby polytechnic so they can brag about 'studying in Oxford' to people.

Good luck .


I don't know what the hell your problem is, or how the hell that sounded pretentious in any way, but yeah. Seek help, mate. You're not a happy person.
Original post by Cameron10
I wouldn't saw overwhelming. Just benefical. Oxford is good for location and work experience opportunities, more than other universities.


Yeah that's if you go to the proper university in Oxford. You won't get the same opportunities at Brookes. You'll just be seen as someone who was desperate to latch onto the Oxford name tag that they'd go to the polytechnic in the same town and pass it off as a respectable institution.
Original post by Cameron10
I don't know what the hell your problem is, or how the hell that sounded pretentious in any way, but yeah. Seek help, mate. You're not a happy person.


As opposed to someone who thinks that by being a wannabe Thatcherite, they'd be losing out by attending Sussex Uni?
Original post by Hulkamaniac
Yeah that's if you go to the proper university in Oxford. You won't get the same opportunities at Brookes. You'll just be seen as someone who was desperate to latch onto the Oxford name tag that they'd go to the polytechnic in the same town and pass it off as a respectable institution.


looool what the hell this is ridiculous! hahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahah


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Original post by Hulkamaniac
Yeah that's if you go to the proper university in Oxford. You won't get the same opportunities at Brookes. You'll just be seen as someone who was desperate to latch onto the Oxford name tag that they'd go to the polytechnic in the same town and pass it off as a respectable institution.



Thing is I'm not though. And Brookes, because of it's location and course content clearly has good work experience opportunities.
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Original post by Hulkamaniac
As opposed to someone who thinks that by being a wannabe Thatcherite, they'd be losing out by attending Sussex Uni?


I don't think you know what the word pretentious means, but never mind..
Original post by Cameron10
I wouldn't saw overwhelming. Just benefical. Oxford is good for location and work experience opportunities, more than other universities.


You had a clear set of priorities that did not include the standing of the university

Those priorities will not have changed based on your results

People on this forum have a bit of an obsession with "good" subjects and "good" universities but the range exists because there is a range of needs



My concern for you is this - will you feel suitably challenged - the course you will take is going to be aimed at people who are less academically able than yourself and the pace and expectations will reflect this - you can of course compensate for this by extending your personal reading etc but I do think you need to give this aspect some thought
Original post by Cameron10
I wouldn't saw overwhelming. Just benefical. Oxford is good for location and work experience opportunities, more than other universities.


London is even better for opportunities. LSE, SOAS, UCL, KCL, QMUL are all good Universities. If you're going to spend 3 years studying hard you may as well ensure that (for what its worth) that piece of paper that you receive at the end of it is worth every penny.

Going to a slightly better University might not allow you to walk into a job but if you're going to pay 9k a year you might as well get your moneys worth. Why purposely put yourself at a disadvantage by going to an ex-poly?

If going to a 1994/russell Uni doesn't give you an advantage at least it won't give you a disadvantage.
Original post by Cameron10
Thing is I'm not though. And Brookes, because of it's location and course content clearly has good work experience opportunities.


You believe that if you want to.
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Original post by Hulkamaniac
You believe that if you want to.



Yes, never mind its has work placement opportunities written on the module page....
It's actually quite worrying the amount of hate Brookes gets. Everyone I know has accused me of thinking I'm in Oxford University when I have never ever said I was and have made it 100% clear I'm going Brookes. I'm proud to go Brookes in all honesty and I don't feel at all inferior to Oxford students. As someone else has pointed out the work experience opportunities and placements in Oxford are really good (especially in my field) it actually makes a lot of sense to go there.

I know a girl who got AAA and went to a uni ranked about 110th in an awful city, I kinda questioned that admittedly but I doubt whether the uni's are OP mentioned are any worse than the lower end of the RG.
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Original post by RoundTrip
It's actually quite worrying the amount of hate Brookes gets. Everyone I know has accused me of thinking I'm in Oxford University when I have never ever said I was and have made it 100% clear I'm going Brookes. I'm proud to go Brookes in all honesty and I don't feel at all inferior to Oxford students. As someone else has pointed out the work experience opportunities and placements in Oxford are really good (especially in my field) it actually makes a lot of sense to go there.

I know a girl who got AAA and went to a uni ranked about 110th in an awful city, I kinda questioned that admittedly but I doubt whether the uni's are OP mentioned are any worse than the lower end of the RG.


Thanks mate. What grades did you get and are you studying there right now? Any A+ students you know there? Also what are you studying?
Original post by Cameron10
Thanks mate. What grades did you get and are you studying there right now? Any A+ students you know there? Also what are you studying?


Starting in September so I don't know anyone yet. I'm doing Mechanical Engineering with foundation year. I got BBC in unrelated subjects at A level but went onto an apprenticeship in engineering which I completed but realized I really should've done better. So I have D*D*D* in a BTEC aswell quite low A levels. Bit of a weird case lol.

Maybe I could have gone to a higher ranked place but Brookes was genuinely my first choice and am extremely happy to go there. Nice city, quite close to home, not too big, good facilities and literally dream placements in Oxford.
Original post by Cameron10
Thanks mate. What grades did you get and are you studying there right now? Any A+ students you know there? Also what are you studying?


We know the UCAS points for admissions to both of these universities. The figures aren't perfect because you get people doing 5 AS levels and 4 A levels, you get UCAS points for knowing how to muck out a horse and play the flute and the IB is generously rewarded in UCAS points.

Essentially someone with BBBb has 350 points; someone with AAAa has 420.

39% of Brookes history students have 400 points or more. 17% of Brookes' politics students have 400 points or more (there are no figures for the joint honours course)

80% of Sussex history and politics students have 400 points or more. 25% have fewer than 400 points (which might suggest Sussex's maths dept isn't so hot). The figures for straight history are 63% and politics 65%
Something you really have to bear in mind is that 'better' and/or Russel group universities will have more academically focused courses with less work experience. You need to work out whether the experience or the name is more important to you.

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Original post by carrotstar
Something you really have to bear in mind is that 'better' and/or Russel group universities will have more academically focused courses with less work experience. You need to work out whether the experience or the name is more important to you.

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Since I'm considering a career in teaching, and politics, I feel like experience will benefit me more in that respect.
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Original post by Misovlogos
That couldn't be further from the truth; people on this forum think that university reputation linearly determines career outcomes. The effect is far milder.


In my experience, university reputation matters a lot, and going to a very reputable one like Birmingham gives you far more credibility and prestige generally. But students from ex-polys do get decent graduate jobs too.
Oxford Brookes is an amazing University with an incredible history. Its has an excellent reputation for Social Sciences and led the way in joint subject/modular courses back in the 1970s. You have a place at Brookes? GO!.

The ex-Poly sneer is usually from people who haven't got a clue what a Poly is/was, and frequently aren't at any University themselves.

I have taught courses and attended conferences at Brookes. Its a great Uni - vibrant, with good courses, interesting staff and some very bright students. Ignore the cheap comments, be proud of yourself and go to Brookes. Oxford is a fabulous city in which to be a student and Brookes is a very good Uni.
My sisters boyfriend got A*A*A* offered a place at University of Liverpool - Law scholarship.

He declined when to LJMU ex poly obv - quantity surveying got a 1st graduated in July and now has an amazing job for a pretty big company!

It doesn't really matter where you go, its mostly down to you!

Although some uni's are better for certain subjects than others.

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