University rankings should not exist
Just a thought that I’ll share 
I am at a Uni in the UK but come from another European country. When you look up universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Denmark etc etc they are hardly ever ranked. Well maybe they have a certain place in the world rankings but nobody really cares if you went to the University of Amsterdam or Leiden University. They all have similar entry requirements, teaching standard and financial situation. Then you look up unis in the UK and the US and there are 100s of rankings. And people care so much about the reputation, league tables, prestige! It is so bizarre to me because do employers actually sit there with latest rankings and check if an applicant’s Uni is placed 10th or 20th? Of course people know that Oxbridge, Harvard, Yale etc have exceptional students but other than that should it really matter where you study? And rank those institutions, compare one to another, assume this about UCL students and that about Sheffield students?
What are your thoughts about it?
I am at a Uni in the UK but come from another European country. When you look up universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Denmark etc etc they are hardly ever ranked. Well maybe they have a certain place in the world rankings but nobody really cares if you went to the University of Amsterdam or Leiden University. They all have similar entry requirements, teaching standard and financial situation. Then you look up unis in the UK and the US and there are 100s of rankings. And people care so much about the reputation, league tables, prestige! It is so bizarre to me because do employers actually sit there with latest rankings and check if an applicant’s Uni is placed 10th or 20th? Of course people know that Oxbridge, Harvard, Yale etc have exceptional students but other than that should it really matter where you study? And rank those institutions, compare one to another, assume this about UCL students and that about Sheffield students?
What are your thoughts about it?
(edited 2 years ago)
Given that (UK ones, at least) are published by newspapers and based on open and widely used data it's not possible to prevent them from being published - nor is that desirable either, I think. They ultimately exist because there is a market for them.
However, I think you perhaps overestimate their use. They change annually and can be "gamed", too, so unless you follow them like you might, say, the football league tables, you're unlikely to know what the ranking is this year. As you say, people are generally aware of places like Oxford, Cambridge, etc. without the use of league tables, and their perception of which universities are "good" is more likely to be based on what universities were good when they were applying, or where many high performing students go.
However, I think you perhaps overestimate their use. They change annually and can be "gamed", too, so unless you follow them like you might, say, the football league tables, you're unlikely to know what the ranking is this year. As you say, people are generally aware of places like Oxford, Cambridge, etc. without the use of league tables, and their perception of which universities are "good" is more likely to be based on what universities were good when they were applying, or where many high performing students go.
Original post by usernameee123
Just a thought that I’ll share
I am at a Uni in the UK but come from another European country. When you look up universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Denmark etc etc they are hardly ever ranked. Well maybe they have a certain place in the world rankings but nobody really cares if you went to the University of Amsterdam or Leiden University. They all have similar entry requirements, teaching standard and financial situation. Then you look up unis in the UK and the US and there are 100s of rankings. And people care so much about the reputation, league tables, prestige! It is so bizarre to me because do employers actually sit there with latest rankings and check if an applicant’s Uni is placed 10th or 20th? Of course people know that Oxbridge, Harvard, Yale etc have exceptional students but other than that should it really matter where you study? And rank those institutions, compare one to another, assume this about UCL students and that about Sheffield students?
What are your thoughts about it?
I am at a Uni in the UK but come from another European country. When you look up universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Denmark etc etc they are hardly ever ranked. Well maybe they have a certain place in the world rankings but nobody really cares if you went to the University of Amsterdam or Leiden University. They all have similar entry requirements, teaching standard and financial situation. Then you look up unis in the UK and the US and there are 100s of rankings. And people care so much about the reputation, league tables, prestige! It is so bizarre to me because do employers actually sit there with latest rankings and check if an applicant’s Uni is placed 10th or 20th? Of course people know that Oxbridge, Harvard, Yale etc have exceptional students but other than that should it really matter where you study? And rank those institutions, compare one to another, assume this about UCL students and that about Sheffield students?
What are your thoughts about it?
Employers don't really care either, even employers that are very picky about reputation group universities into their own leagues. No one actually cares whether your school is ranked 4th or 6th and even schools and employers base these leagues on a school's reputation rather than rankings which often fluctuate.
I have to say there seems to be a big focus on the rankings in the uk. I know when I was applying to university all my friends seemed to care where the universities they were applying to ranked on the list. I took a different approach and focus on my course ranking at universities and what university best suited my own needs. Most employers care about the grade not the university.
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