The Student Room Group

What's better - a 2.1 from Oxbridge or a first from Aston?

What are your thoughts on this? :smile:

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Oxbridge 2.1 over Aston 1st. Obviously if it was a 1st from Imperial or Bristol or whatever it would definitely be different.
Most will say Oxbridge. But unless one has degree at Oxford, got a 2.1 and done the same course at say, LSE, no one can say to be honest. [snip]
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 3
Depends on the prejudices of your employer I expect. [snip]
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 4
It depends in what field. If I could pick one of the two, I would pick the Oxbridge degree as I think it would open more doors. Unless you're going into academia, it could be different.
Reply 5
Original post by noobynoo
Depends on the prejudices of your employer I expect.

A 2.1 from Oxbridge would make me think you got in to Oxbridge because your parents kept a tight leash on your learning but when you actually got there you failed miserably.

A first from Aston (whatever that is) may make me think your a high achiever but lack the self confidence to have applied to Oxbridge.

IDK.


A 2.1 is not a fail at Oxbridge it may be elsewhere but the standards are a lot higher at Oxbridge.
Reply 6
Original post by cpdavis
What are your thoughts on this? :smile:


1st from Aston. As a student ambassador ive seen the research and employers are far more concerned with a high grade in the right degree than where you went.
Original post by noobynoo
Depends on the prejudices of your employer I expect.

A 2.1 from Oxbridge would make me think you got in to Oxbridge because your parents kept a tight leash on your learning but when you actually got there you failed miserably.

A first from Aston (whatever that is) may make me think your a high achiever but lack the self confidence to have applied to Oxbridge.

IDK.


You're kidding, right?
Getting a 2.1 is nowhere close to failing miserably.
In the eyes of most employers, a 2;1 and a 1st is all a bit of a blur. A 2:1 from Oxbridge gets you a look in at Mckinsey or Goldman Sachs. [snip]
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 9
Personality > 1st > 2:1

IMO of course.
Reply 10
This is a very good Thread! Can I also ask, is getting a first in Oxford just as hard as getting a first from Aston? [snip]
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by LoseSmallWinBig
In the eyes of most employers, a 2;1 and a 1st is all a bit of a blur. A 2:1 from Oxbridge gets you a look in at Mckinsey or Goldman Sachs. A first from Aston and well, you've got a chance but you need A LOT more on your application than that.


Agreed. People on here seem to put a lot of emphasis on degree classification opposed to the institution [snip]
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Will*
This is a very good Thread! Going slightly off topic... can I also ask, is getting a first in Oxford just as hard as getting a first from Aston? If so, wouldn't that mean that based purely on undergraduate achievements, that a person with a first from Aston is a significantly achiever than a person with a 2.1 from Oxford, seeing as the person from Aston would have achieved a first with poorer resources e.g. Lecturers, Libraries, etc... BTW I don't go to either.


No, for a comparable subject, getting a first from Oxford is harder.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 13
It depends on the individual.

When I graduated from Aston in 2010 I was the top student in the entire university. Not just in my subject, but across ALL subjects. I averaged well over 80%. I then went on to blitz MSc Economics at the University of Bristol and now I'm doing a PhD.

Reasons I went to Aston: I had a rough time at college and didn't work very hard in my A levels at all (only got ABBB), and I also needed to stay in Birmingham for family reasons.

Is someone who got a 2:1 from Oxford or Cambridge better than me?! Definitely not. But it completely depends on the individual, which is why employers conduct interviews instead of just hiring on the basis of the CV alone.
Reply 14
Original post by noobynoo
Depends on the prejudices of your employer I expect.

A 2.1 from Oxbridge would make me think you got in to Oxbridge because your parents kept a tight leash on your learning but when you actually got there you failed miserably.

A first from Aston (whatever that is) may make me think your a high achiever but lack the self confidence to have applied to Oxbridge.

IDK.


LOL

Funny that your sig is a video of "Miss Teen USA" when what you've just said there is about the equivalent level of stupidity.
Original post by joe_bromfield
It depends on the individual.

When I graduated from Aston in 2010 I was the top student in the entire university. Not just in my subject, but across ALL subjects. I averaged well over 80%. I then went on to blitz MSc Economics at the University of Bristol and now I'm doing a PhD.

Reasons I went to Aston: I had a rough time at college and didn't work very hard in my A levels at all (only got ABBB), and I also needed to stay in Birmingham for family reasons.

Is someone who got a 2:1 from Oxford or Cambridge better than me?! Definitely not. But it completely depends on the individual, which is why employers conduct interviews instead of just hiring on the basis of the CV alone.


But you didn't just get a 1st, you beat the entire university.

You should be at least as likely as someone with a 2:1 in a compareable subject at Oxbridge to get an interview, but you are not indicative of the quality of the average student with a first from Aston.
It's a tough one... As logically you would say that the 1st if by far better than the 2:1. But then when you factor in the universities, Oxbridge is a lot more respected and highly regarded than Aston.

I guess it all comes down to what your employer values more... :dontknow:
Original post by noobynoo
Depends on the prejudices of your employer I expect.

A 2.1 from Oxbridge would make me think you got in to Oxbridge because your parents kept a tight leash on your learning but when you actually got there you failed miserably.

A first from Aston (whatever that is) may make me think your a high achiever but lack the self confidence to have applied to Oxbridge.

IDK.


Your first point - I wouldn't think a 2.1 is failing miserably, I know geniuses who are on track for 2.1s at Oxbridge

Your second point - I'd absolutely agree with. I'd probably assume that they had a family reason or something preventing them from applying to better unis - though would wonder why they hadn't applied to Birmingham.
2:1 from oxbridge.
Reply 19
Original post by Noble.
LOL

Funny that your sig is a video of "Miss Teen USA" when what you've just said there is about the equivalent level of stupidity.


haha. brutal.

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