Where Students who turn down Cambridge University end up

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Agree but then again holding this point of view makes you some kind of elitist apparently..

Even if I've literally seen the differences first hand and have personally benefited more in just one year from simply changing universities myself to know how very real this stuff is.

I don't WANT to feel like there are legitimate differences in outcomes and quality on average - nobody does. It's just plain and simple reality however.

As mentioned no one is talking about the obviously motivated people, we're talking about the 90th to 15th percentile - i.e. the majority of people.

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Out if curiosity from what universitywere you at originally before Exeter?

Reply 141

username738914

Original post by e^iπ

Out if curiosity from what universitywere you at originally before Exeter?

Swansea

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Reply 142

e^iπ

I'm just saying information that there is nothing to feel superior about if you attend a universal that's ranked much higher than the likes of Keele. You may well be competing with one of it's graduating for your first job as university choice doesn't seem to matter in most careers.

I think the main problem with lesser unis is the environment created their (the people on average are less able) so an exceptionallly bright student for such a uni has no way to gauge his/her progress.

But the thing about Harvard not differentiating between Keele and Durham is true though.

Reply 143

e^iπ

Original post by Princepieman

Swansea

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So was the teaching there just crap? or did you feel as if the students there were not that smart?

Reply 144

username738914

Original post by e^iπ

So was the teaching there just crap? or did you feel as if the students there were not that smart?

lack of opportunities, lack of motivation and ambition in the majority of fellow students, lack of interest in careers, lack of collaboration with and presence of good employers, lack of strong (non-sport) societies, lack of challenge within the course, etc

On the other hand, it has a great community feel, fantastic location, great nightlife, a much easier style of and delivery of exams (spread out exams, challenge of the exams is less rigorous). Great research opportunities and opportunities to stay at Swansea for PhDs etc..

So, it was definitely not all "bad" just "bad" in the areas that I prioritized. Without a doubt I definitely grew socially as a person but probably not academically or career wise.

Reply 145

e^iπ

I said you could be competing with Keele grads or universities of a similar standing to Keele, Not that you are

Durham isn't exactly the top of the crop now is it? So therefore you have nothing to feel superior about. Its like feeling superior about having an above average IQ when comparing yourself to people with a below average IQ, the gap is there but its not as pronounced as you think.

From your tone, it seems that Durham fosters an atmosphere of arrogance and unfounded elitism. I suppose the Oxbridge-esque collegiate system at Durham might delude some into believing that Durham is something special... I assure you, it really isn't

The average person outside the UK has never heard of Durham, they only really know about Oxbridge just like the average person in the UK has never heard of Brown university but have heard of Harvard and Yale.

Reply 146

e^iπ

So where do you go to then? And what course?

Reply 147

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

This thread has gone quite a way off topic from discussing people turning down Cambridge, through some Keele-bashing and onto discussion about the personal university history of several users now. I'd like to add my support to @auburnstar's point earlier that there are no "lesser" unis. There are courses that are taught much better at some unis than others. There are universities that serve your CV and employ-ability better than others. I will not pretend that Keele is comparatively high on that list compared to other universities mentioned in this thread; but there are no "lesser" or "greater" universities in a general sense and using these phrases is patronising to say the least. The people who attend or have graduated from universities who's courses aren't regarded as particularly academically brilliant are no "lesser" people.