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Is Derby that bad.. really!

I am set to go to Derby Uni in Sept 08, I cannot move, as my family are settled (I'm 28) but I am starting to really stress that I am not going to be able to find a training contract not qualifying from a Red Brick or Russell group uni. Nottingham Uni is accessible to me, but I personally think I have less than a hope in hell of being accepted. .. Is Nottingham Trent any better than Derby, reputation wise.. Or Leicester at a push. I know Derby is currently #24 for Law (Guardian League table).. and Notts Trent and Leics are both lower, but does reputation count for more than League tables??

Anyone out there go to Derby and have any success stories to share...please..

Reply 1

Tomber

13

Leicester and Nottingham are both light years ahead of Derby and Nottingham Trent. Try for one of those. Ignore the League Tables, especially that Guardian one, they have obviously given you a totally misleading impression.

Reply 2

Purple

18

The Guardian league tables are terrible.

Reply 3

Purple

18

What about Sheffield or Birmingham?

Reply 4

Terrafire

3

In your position, I would make it my aim to get accepted by Nottingham. Depending on your ability this might be mildly challenging or bloody difficult, but it would certainly pay off later. What makes you think you wouldn't get in?

Reply 5

Mav

OP

Well I am a mature student (28) didnt do any A levels at all, although did an Access Course at Derby Uni a couple of years ago. Also in 2004 I started a Nursing Diploma at Nottingham University, but I hated it so pulled out after a year... Think my chances of another chance there would be slim to none...

Reply 6

Mav

OP

Terrafire

In your position, I would make it my aim to get accepted by Nottingham. Depending on your ability this might be mildly challenging or bloody difficult, but it would certainly pay off later. What makes you think you wouldn't get in?

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for the advice about Nottingham, went for it and just found I have an unconditional offer from them....

YEY!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again...

Congratulations.

Tomber

Leicester and Nottingham are both light years ahead of Derby and Nottingham Trent. Try for one of those. Ignore the League Tables, especially that Guardian one, they have obviously given you a totally misleading impression.

After Derby there's a monumental jump before you get to Nottingham Trent. I wouldn't say that Leicester is light years ahead of it at all, not in terms of student body at least. Teaching and endowment, almost certainly.

Reply 9

Lawguru

The Research by HESES, who track graduate employment and prospects suggest that you do have a better chance with Redbricks in the area. NTU has the highest "new University graduate prospects rate in the region, but that may be skewed by the fact that they offer most of their Law Students places on their own PG courses, which counts for the survey. Interesting that Nottingham are fishing in the same recruitment pool as Derby - things must be tough!

Reply 10

TommehR

13

I would direct you to Post #7 in this thread.

Reply 11

Mav

OP

Lawguru

The Research by HESES, who track graduate employment and prospects suggest that you do have a better chance with Redbricks in the area. NTU has the highest "new University graduate prospects rate in the region, but that may be skewed by the fact that they offer most of their Law Students places on their own PG courses, which counts for the survey. Interesting that Nottingham are fishing in the same recruitment pool as Derby - things must be tough!

Just because I applied to Derby and Nottingham does not mean they are fishing in the same "recruitment pool" as you so eliquently put it, just that I only applied to universities around where I lived..

Reply 12

farmerdragonball

It’s very confusing to try and tell law Schools apart using league tables. One way you can tell is to look at the law firm brochures of MC firms to see where their trainees come from- Oxbridge, London Colleges, Redbricks etc. How many Derby graduates get in? Not many is my guess.

Reply 13

Terrafire

3

Mav

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for the advice about Nottingham, went for it and just found I have an unconditional offer from them....

YEY!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again...

Congratulations, that's great news, and I'm really glad it all paid off for you. :smile:

Reply 14

fuzzyduck

10

Mav

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for the advice about Nottingham, went for it and just found I have an unconditional offer from them....

YEY!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again...

Well done, that is fantastic news. You now have much better chances. And if Nottingham think you're good enough for them, I'm sure you have an excellent chance of getting a training contract later on.

Reply 15

bryan

10

kirstinx

The Guardian league tables are terrible.

couldn't agree more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply 16

Danny_777

16

Mav

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for the advice about Nottingham, went for it and just found I have an unconditional offer from them....

YEY!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again...

Congratulations!!

Reply 17

Wangers

16

Mav

Well I am a mature student (28) didnt do any A levels at all, although did an Access Course at Derby Uni a couple of years ago. Also in 2004 I started a Nursing Diploma at Nottingham University, but I hated it so pulled out after a year... Think my chances of another chance there would be slim to none...

There'd be different Admissions people anyway - and they don't remember re-applicants the next year - so they won't know you either.
Go for it.

Reply 18

Lawguru

Mav

Just because I applied to Derby and Nottingham does not mean they are fishing in the same "recruitment pool" as you so eliquently put it, just that I only applied to universities around where I lived..

No insult meant. Simply that Redbricks and new Unis tend to recruit different students. By the way, rather than reading the cvs of every law firm on earth to find employment prospects, you can look at the Unistats site, searching for Law and then employment prospects. Makes for sobering reading.

Reply 19

sexygenocide

7

What are you dick's on about?

You do know that employers are most fussed about what grade you got when considering applicants for training contract, not where it's from. I got a 2:1 from Derby and I am now working at a magic circle firm in London. A 2:2 applicant from Oxford or Cambridge would not even be considered. So forget worrying about this, just focus on getting the grades from wherever you go, and just as importantly make sure just to whore yourself around to anyone you can for some work experience and you'll be fine as long as you can survive and interview. Same applies with the LPC, again go wherever the hell you like, just as long as you do it that's alll that matters. Sometimes employers may show a little favour to candidates who went to the same law school to do it, but even then it's just for the old bastards to reminisce about their long forgotten youth so it's not a massive help. Hope this clears a few things up.

Is Derby that bad.. really!

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