Russel Group vs other good unis: employability

I was wondering how it works in terms of employability in the UK, as firms perceive the russel group and the other unis. For example, I ve been thinking as my first choice to go to the univ of kent to study english lit and cw, but I could go to russel group unis. Its my first choice because its social environment, quality of the departments and professors and its opportunities and connexions with american publishers and unis. I think this kind of outweighs the status of russel group, right? Or do you think these factors in the UK are not as relevant as the status of the uni?

I was wondering how it works in terms of employability in the UK, as firms perceive the russel group and the other unis. For example, I ve been thinking as my first choice to go to the univ of kent to study english lit and cw, but I could go to russel group unis. Its my first choice because its social environment, quality of the departments and professors and its opportunities and connexions with american publishers and unis. I think this kind of outweighs the status of russel group, right? Or do you think these factors in the UK are not as relevant as the status of the uni?

The Russell Group is just a self-selected group of research intensive universities. You will be doing the right thing by choosing Kent for the reasons you have outlined.

Employability is determined by your degree classification, work experience through internships, and your network.

There are many high ranked unis not in the Russell Group - St Andrews and Bath are just two examples. There are good unis in the Russell Group, but they aren't good because they are in the Russell Group.

Yeah sure, but the russel group gives them strength in terms of employability right

I was wondering how it works in terms of employability in the UK, as firms perceive the russel group and the other unis. For example, I ve been thinking as my first choice to go to the univ of kent to study english lit and cw, but I could go to russel group unis. Its my first choice because its social environment, quality of the departments and professors and its opportunities and connexions with american publishers and unis. I think this kind of outweighs the status of russel group, right? Or do you think these factors in the UK are not as relevant as the status of the uni?

Yeah sure, but the russel group gives them strength in terms of employability right

Few people outside of educational circles likely even know what the Russell Group is or what universities are part of it.

I doubt the fact they are in the Russell Group helps. The Russell Group is based on research which for most careers won't help. The unis in the group are good for employability in their own right, with or without The Russell Group.

I was wondering how it works in terms of employability in the UK, as firms perceive the russel group and the other unis. For example, I ve been thinking as my first choice to go to the univ of kent to study english lit and cw, but I could go to russel group unis. Its my first choice because its social environment, quality of the departments and professors and its opportunities and connexions with american publishers and unis. I think this kind of outweighs the status of russel group, right? Or do you think these factors in the UK are not as relevant as the status of the uni?

Employability is determined by your degree classification, work experience through internships, and your network.

Dont companies and employers use it as an indicative criterion?

The RG has nothing to do with employability. There is a trend between highly competitive jobs and RG grads, but this has more to do with in general the more academic unis are big research unis and the more academic grads lend themselves as better candidates for the super-competitve law/finance jobs that get a lot of publicity and interest (even if most people arent going into these roles).

The reality is for many careers this is irrelevant and even generally speaking doesn't hold up for example: Bath and Loughborough are both not RG yet generally speaking (and I mean very loosely speaking) have better reputation and employability then many RG unis such as Leicester, Cardiff, QMUL.

Dont companies and employers use it as an indicative criterion?

I'm dubious about that. I have seen it a couple of times (over a lot of years) - but doubt that most companies or recruitment agents know which universities are in the club and which are not.

A level scores are used far more than many people believe which could give the impression that higher ranked universities give an advantage whereas the reality is that its the admission grades that count for a lot. There are probably exceptions to this for employment sectors (banking and law for example) and certain courses that have a 'wow' factor (Oxbridge. Imperial, maths or economics at Warwick, Physics at Manchester etc).

Thanks! I thought the RG was consensually known amongst people.

Thanks! That is a relieve tbh. Do you know which unis are more “respectable” or known to be good, have good departments in english/Lit/Creative Writing?