The Student Room Group

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Original post by kemi28
This might sound silly but I feel like I'm dumb because I didn't get into my firm which was a Russell group uni and I'm going to my insurance which is around the 60s on The Guardian league table.

So my question is, in the long run after you graduate and start applying for jobs, does the reputation of the uni that you went to matter?


Nope, only in law and a minority of other cases.
Original post by kemi28
This might sound silly but I feel like I'm dumb because I didn't get into my firm which was a Russell group uni and I'm going to my insurance which is around the 60s on The Guardian league table.

So my question is, in the long run after you graduate and start applying for jobs, does the reputation of the uni that you went to matter?


Not really, if you've been to university and graduated, that says enough in itself. I think it's a bit different for the more high paying jobs that require that top level jobs, but I'm not certain. Don't worry about where it comes, if it provides what you need, that's all that matters.
Yes if it's Oxbridge.
Reply 4
unless you're going to Oxbridge or London Met, then no not really.
Reply 5
Thanks everyone
Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but there's nothing you can do about it now so no point worrying!
Reply 7
Original post by kemi28
So my question is, in the long run after you graduate and start applying for jobs, does the reputation of the uni that you went to matter?


Matter to whom? you didn't finish your question. It matters compared to other graduates. It doesn't matter compared to non-graduates.
Reply 8
Original post by xylas
Matter to whom? you didn't finish your question. It matters compared to other graduates. It doesn't matter compared to non-graduates.


does it matter to employers?
Reply 9
No point in dwelling on it now. You might just as well try and get the best grade possible and find some work experience on the side to compensate for it. :smile:


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 10
Original post by kemi28
does it matter to employers?


To some yes, definitely.
Original post by kemi28
This might sound silly but I feel like I'm dumb because I didn't get into my firm which was a Russell group uni and I'm going to my insurance which is around the 60s on The Guardian league table.

So my question is, in the long run after you graduate and start applying for jobs, does the reputation of the uni that you went to matter?


It matters for some subjects .If I were you I would get as much experience as possible & get a good degree (2:1 and higher)


Posted from TSR Mobile
I think so, yes, but not always.

I go to a newly-qualified Russell Group university that joined in 2012 alongside Durham, York, and Exeter. So, prior to then, these universities hadn't been RG classified, which really proves how 50/50 the Russell Group actually is. Durham, for example, is an amazing university, but are you telling me that people would have shunned it prior to 2012? No. People have always thought highly of Durham, whether or not it was RG.

Universities such as Leicester and Kent are arguably on the up, both of which are not RG. They are still good universities, despite not belonging to the RG.

I do think that universities can be influential in terms of how employers perceive you (they know that RG universities have a reputation for academic excellence, for example), but they also know that achievement is also a personal quality. People go to Oxbridge and get third class degrees, and then some people will go to Bolton and get a first. Arguably, a first from Oxbridge is a lot harder to achieve than a first from Bolton, but it is a first nonetheless.

Employers may take your university into consideration, but they are more interested in you as a person.
Somebody on TSR described Russell Groups as a marketing ploy, which I think is fairly accurate. Like others have said, if it's not Oxbridge it doesn't matter. That's not to say Wolverhampton is better than Liverpool because it obviously isn't. The point is to not get too hung up on league tables, often universities jump quite a considerable way year on year, so they can't be an accurate gauge of a university's reputation.
Reply 14
Original post by holly_1994
I think so, yes, but not always.

I go to a newly-qualified Russell Group university that joined in 2012 alongside Durham, York, and Exeter. So, prior to then, these universities hadn't been RG classified, which really proves how 50/50 the Russell Group actually is. Durham, for example, is an amazing university, but are you telling me that people would have shunned it prior to 2012? No. People have always thought highly of Durham, whether or not it was RG.

Universities such as Leicester and Kent are arguably on the up, both of which are not RG. They are still good universities, despite not belonging to the RG.

I do think that universities can be influential in terms of how employers perceive you (they know that RG universities have a reputation for academic excellence, for example), but they also know that achievement is also a personal quality. People go to Oxbridge and get third class degrees, and then some people will go to Bolton and get a first. Arguably, a first from Oxbridge is a lot harder to achieve than a first from Bolton, but it is a first nonetheless.

Employers may take your university into consideration, but they are more interested in you as a person.


Original post by EloiseStar
Somebody on TSR described Russell Groups as a marketing ploy, which I think is fairly accurate. Like others have said, if it's not Oxbridge it doesn't matter. That's not to say Wolverhampton is better than Liverpool because it obviously isn't. The point is to not get too hung up on league tables, often universities jump quite a considerable way year on year, so they can't be an accurate gauge of a university's reputation.


That helps a lot, thanks
Not as much as people think. Your classification, your modules covered, your dissertation topic and your extra experience will all be looked at before the "ranking" of the university.

Do you really think graduate employers even look at the league tables? Why would they? They're not going to know if your uni is ranked 7th or 70th.
Original post by kemi28
This might sound silly but I feel like I'm dumb because I didn't get into my firm which was a Russell group uni and I'm going to my insurance which is around the 60s on The Guardian league table.

So my question is, in the long run after you graduate and start applying for jobs, does the reputation of the uni that you went to matter?


I would say YES it matters but other factors need to be taken into account.

First of all what are you studying. If you are studying mythology you have different employment opportunities compared to science degrees like engineering and mathematics. Secondly the degree classification is also important, a first from Queen Mary may be better than a third from LSE.

I would divide universities in the following broad categories:
1) Oxbridge
2) Red brick universities
3) Second Wave of Civic Universities
4) Plate glass universities
5) Ex-polytechnics or so called new universities

Another way do divide them is
1) Russell Group (RG) universities
2) 1994 group universities (Group ultimately dissolved in November 2013, but hey you can still see the historical members which were around 20)
3) other pre-1992 universities
4) post 1992 universities also known as ex-polytechnics or new universities.

The most prestigious universities are found in RG, followed by the1994 group, followed by other pre-1992 universities followed by the post 1992 universities, broadly speaking.

Generally, speaking most employers will shun ex-poly graduates so try to keep away from them, yes some of the ex-polys may be not be that bad but they will always have the ex-poly label.

Then I would say unless you are in Oxford or Cambridge and in other top 10-15 universities such as Imperial, LSE, Warwick, UCL etc. it does not really matter. I would not personally make a fuss between a university which is ranked 35 or 42. I mean most people would see no difference from a degree in Kent compared with a degree in East Anglia (both plate glass universities) other things being equal.
(edited 8 years ago)
Yes, i was looking at some top law firms in london and it said something like "graduate from LEADING university" so ye for law i guess it matters.
A company that recruits graduates every year will have HR people that know the stereotypical differences between graduates from difference Universities and therefore may develop a preference for a particular few universities.

For example, maybe they notice a lot of students from Birmingham City are consistently late completing work compared to most students from Durham.
Yeah its like the only thing that matters (in terms of employment opportunities which is what I imagine your question concerns)