What is more important in a university?
I'm struggling to decide if I want to attend a top Russel Group uni like UCL or LSE because they will open doors for me in the future and they are universities that come with a lot of prestige or going somewhere where I will be happy. Other unis provide a better course but I don't know what's more important. (The other unis I'm referring to are also Russel Group but not top 10 in the league tables)
Thoughts? Opinions?
Thoughts? Opinions?
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Original post by jenniferlopezgg
I'm struggling to decide if I want to attend a top Russel Group uni like UCL or LSE because they will open doors for me in the future and they are universities that come with a lot of prestige or going somewhere where I will be happy. Other unis provide a better course but I don't know what's more important. (The other unis I'm referring to are also Russel Group but not top 10 in the league tables)
Thoughts? Opinions?
Thoughts? Opinions?
I looked at UCL and at the end of the day, the sound of the course wasn't up to par with other universities. You don't want to spend three years somewhere you can't stand.
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The course that you will pay around £30,000 to study.
Admittedly, prestige does make a difference, but I think that it depends on what it is you're studying. If you're studying Arts or Humanities, prestige matters more. For STEM, I tend to think that personal ability and knowledge is what will take you places. I might be wrong, but that's what I think.
Admittedly, prestige does make a difference, but I think that it depends on what it is you're studying. If you're studying Arts or Humanities, prestige matters more. For STEM, I tend to think that personal ability and knowledge is what will take you places. I might be wrong, but that's what I think.
Original post by VannR
The course that you will pay around £30,000 to study.
Admittedly, prestige does make a difference, but I think that it depends on what it is you're studying. If you're studying Arts or Humanities, prestige matters more. For STEM, I tend to think that personal ability and knowledge is what will take you places. I might be wrong, but that's what I think.
Admittedly, prestige does make a difference, but I think that it depends on what it is you're studying. If you're studying Arts or Humanities, prestige matters more. For STEM, I tend to think that personal ability and knowledge is what will take you places. I might be wrong, but that's what I think.
What? No.
What ultimately matters regardless of subject is personal ability, determination and for job hunting contacts (unfortunately). Prestige only plays a role in certain sectors like banking, 99% of industries don't care.
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Most recruiters will be aware of course prestige as much as university prestige. As such studying at great universities in lovely cities such as Lancaster, Exeter or Newcastle is equally as prized as if you went to UCL or LSE.
Ultimately it's 3 years that you will only have one time around, enjoy it while you can.
Ultimately it's 3 years that you will only have one time around, enjoy it while you can.
Original post by yabbayabba
What? No.
What ultimately matters regardless of subject is personal ability, determination and for job hunting contacts (unfortunately). Prestige only plays a role in certain sectors like banking, 99% of industries don't care.
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What ultimately matters regardless of subject is personal ability, determination and for job hunting contacts (unfortunately). Prestige only plays a role in certain sectors like banking, 99% of industries don't care.
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Ok, you start off by saying 'No.' to everything I said, but then go on to say that 'prestige only plays a role' - but that is what I am saying. It does play a role, and more so for Arts and Humanities than STEM (in my opinion). And who mentioned 'industry'? What if you wanted to get into academia? I'm pretty sure that the institution you went to makes a difference if you want an academic career.
I find your objection to my post very confusing.
I'd choose a uni based on satisfaction level. What is the point of studying in a reputed uni when you are not satisfied. You should also consider facts like second year accommodation, if its easily available. I'd personally also look at the department and see if it is really strong or not. For example, if it has good connections with industries. At the end of the day, you need a job. Don't compromise your happiness for rankings 
Original post by VannR
Ok, you start off by saying 'No.' to everything I said, but then go on to say that 'prestige only plays a role' - but that is what I am saying. It does play a role, and more so for Arts and Humanities than STEM (in my opinion). And who mentioned 'industry'? What if you wanted to get into academia? I'm pretty sure that the institution you went to makes a difference if you want an academic career.
I find your objection to my post very confusing.
I find your objection to my post very confusing.
It's your distinction between humanities degrees and Stem degrees that I dispute. Why would prestige matter more for humanities than stem?
For the vast majority of graduates going into regular graduate jobs where you went to uni is not all that important, only a little.
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Original post by yabbayabba
It's your distinction between humanities degrees and Stem degrees that I dispute. Why would prestige matter more for humanities than stem?
For the vast majority of graduates going into regular graduate jobs where you went to uni is not all that important, only a little.
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For the vast majority of graduates going into regular graduate jobs where you went to uni is not all that important, only a little.
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My reasons are anecdotal. My father has worked in industry designing CPU's at IBM (back in the 80's) and academia as a lecturer and even went up for professorship (but turned it down). He has spoken to hundreds (a conservative estimate) of students in the past about their job prospects and seen their success and failure, as well as speaking to people in other departments (his is Physics) about what they have seen. He has told me a lot about his experiences, and from what he has told me, arts and humanities students benefit more from the prestige of an institution. There is a limit, though: London Met will be seen as poor regardless of what you study, while St. Andrews and Oxbridge have prestige across the board. That's not to mention prestige for a particular course and not just the university as a whole - it's all bit fuzzy-edged really.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by VannR
My reasons are anecdotal. My father has worked in industry designing CPU's at IBM (back in the 80's) and academia as a lecturer and even went up for professorship (but turned it down). He has spoken to hundreds (a conservative estimate) of students in the past about their job prospects and seen their success and failure, as well as speaking to people in other departments (his is Physics) about what they have seen. He has told me a lot about his experiences, and from what he has told me, arts and humanities students benefit more from the prestige of an institution. There is a limit, though: London Met will be seen as poor regardless of what you study, while St. Andrews and Oxbridge have prestige across the board. That's not to mention prestige for a particular course and not just the university as a whole - it's all bit fuzzy-edged really.
Ok, I see.
With anything in life it's down to the person. I think the reason people who go to more prestigious universities tend to do better is generally not because of the name attached to the university but their individual characteristics - whether being naturally gifted at something or hard working, whatever that may be.
There are likely to be people who have gone to "lower" universities but succeeded very well, and vice versa those who went to Oxbridge but don't achieve much afterwards.
In terms of getting jobs who you know is more important than the prestige of the university, which is also why people at prestigious unis tend to do better because companies target them for networking events and they have an alumni network of high achievers.
I think Russell Group Unis can go hand in hand with a uni that will make you happy. There's a good twenty-odd uni's there and definitely something you will like. At the same time it's worth remembering that the Russell Group isnt' everything and there's a lot of very highly ranking and prestigious universities which are not part of it. Yes- try and for as prestigious a uni as you can but by no means sacrifice happiness for it.
Original post by VannR
The course that you will pay around £30,000 to study.
Admittedly, prestige does make a difference, but I think that it depends on what it is you're studying. If you're studying Arts or Humanities, prestige matters more. For STEM, I tend to think that personal ability and knowledge is what will take you places. I might be wrong, but that's what I think.
Admittedly, prestige does make a difference, but I think that it depends on what it is you're studying. If you're studying Arts or Humanities, prestige matters more. For STEM, I tend to think that personal ability and knowledge is what will take you places. I might be wrong, but that's what I think.
I'm going to do a History degree. Why do you think it matters more for humanities?
Original post by NerdyMeg
I'd choose a uni based on satisfaction level. What is the point of studying in a reputed uni when you are not satisfied. You should also consider facts like second year accommodation, if its easily available. I'd personally also look at the department and see if it is really strong or not. For example, if it has good connections with industries. At the end of the day, you need a job. Don't compromise your happiness for rankings
Thank you very much, this helped to clear it up a bit for me.
Original post by gaba1411
I think Russell Group Unis can go hand in hand with a uni that will make you happy. There's a good twenty-odd uni's there and definitely something you will like. At the same time it's worth remembering that the Russell Group isnt' everything and there's a lot of very highly ranking and prestigious universities which are not part of it. Yes- try and for as prestigious a uni as you can but by no means sacrifice happiness for it.
Thank you
. In regards to prestige what confuses me a great deal is that there are unis that are way above some Russel Group ones in the league tables such as Bath, do you know what would be ranked better by employers? Top ten in the league tables or Russel Group in 20-30 place?(I realise I'm putting a lot of thought into prestige but I'm just trying to make an informed decision)
Somewhere you'll enjoy. You'll do better.
Original post by jenniferlopezgg
I'm going to do a History degree. Why do you think it matters more for humanities?
Copy-paste from another reply I made:
"My reasons are anecdotal. My father has worked in industry designing CPU's at IBM (back in the 80's) and academia as a lecturer and even went up for professorship (but turned it down). He has spoken to hundreds (a conservative estimate) of students in the past about their job prospects and seen their success and failure, as well as speaking to people in other departments (his is Physics) about what they have seen. He has told me a lot about his experiences, and from what he has told me, arts and humanities students benefit more from the prestige of an institution. There is a limit, though: London Met will be seen as poor regardless of what you study, while St. Andrews and Oxbridge have prestige across the board (Russell Group are also prestigious, but you get the point I'm making). That's not to mention prestige for a particular course and not just the university as a whole - it's all bit fuzzy-edged really".
if IB/Law//Consultancy go with top 10. if not noone gives a ****.
Original post by Coffeetime
I looked at UCL and at the end of the day, the sound of the course wasn't up to par with other universities. You don't want to spend three years somewhere you can't stand.
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Strange. I am going to UCL to study central and eastern European/Russian history. UCL is seriously the best place in the world for this area of study and it has similar expertise in classical history, Jewish history, mediaeval history, American/caribbean history, Egyptology, archaeology and many other fields. Not liking London is a perfectly valid reason not to consider UCL but I do not understand why you think it is subpar when it plainly is not.
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