Chances of getting on a Masters at a top uni after UG at average uni

I'm just wondering if the chances of getting into a top uni is affected by the uni your undergrad degree is from. Would you still be likely to be able to get on a Masters course at Oxford after a degree from eg Keele (with a first)?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Academia isn't fussed about nebulous things like the supposed 'prestige' of the uni you went to - they are more interested in whether you got a First or a 2i, do you have interesting things to talk about and if you can pay the fees.

Apply.

The benefit of having attended a good university over a weak one is evident when a student applies to a university like Imperial or KCL with a 2.2, even when the admission requirement is a 2.1.. In this instance the university is likely to make an exception and still admit you. This, however, will rarely happen if you went to a weak university.

In depends on the course and how oversubcribed it is. The less demand, the easier it should be to get in. Oxbridge and LSE are really the only hard universities to get into at PG level. The rest are relatively easy to get onto with a 2.1, but I still think the likes of Imperial or UCL will look down on a degree from a so-called weaker university, and in some cases still reject you.

This is actually nonsense. Universities do not look at an oxbridge 2.2 and think thats better than or equal to a 2.1 from anywhere else. What utter tosh.

How did you arrive at this opinion? It does depend on the course, but less demand does not translate to easy entry. Many oversubscribed programs require a high 2.1 or a 1st, but so do less popular courses at top universities. Standards are in place for a reason and departments simply take on fewer students rather than lower their standards. The idea that Oxbridge and LSE are really the only hard universities to get into at postgraduate level is ridiculous.

From an academic's point of view I can tell you that the idea that someone was apparently academically able enough to get into Oxbridge but only managed to get a 2.2 would worry me far more than someone getting a 2.1 from any other Uni.

I had already said that it depends on the course, and how oversubscribed it is. A lot of PG courses are just money making schemes for top universites, they aren't always hard to get a place for.

Well now you've changed your tune. Before you said only Oxbridge/LSE are competitive to gain entry and now you're saying in general postgraduate programs "aren't always hard" to gain entry. I totally disagree on the money making schemes part, by the way.

Whether or not a course is oversubscribed is only one (and not necessarily the most important) factor influencing entry standards. Many departments will handout offers only to those students who meet the minimum standards. Often, much more in the way of work experience (and other attributes) is required. If they enroll just a couple of students, so be it.

For example, IR postgraduate programs at St Andrews require a high 2.1 or a 1st (minimum 3.6 GPA). Some programs are oversubscribed and no one gets in with lower than a high 2.1 or a 1st. Other programs, especially those related to theory, are in far less demand, but they still require at least a high 2.1 or a 1st. Some years 50 people will apply and only a handful will be accepted. Faculty want to invest in only the best students.

I can name several top univesities that will accept a 2.2 for at least one MSc course:-

St Andrews
Imperial
UCL
Nottingham

This is actually nonsense. Universities do not look at an oxbridge 2.2 and think thats better than or equal to a 2.1 from anywhere else. What utter tosh.