Does going to A top uni really help?
If didnt enter a top uni and got into a basic ranked uni with scholarship , and obv studied well with good grades , will someone from a top uni that has the same grades as me have more of an advantage over me in jobs or something? i feel so depressed, if i dont get good grades and dont get into a good uni , i feel like i wouldnt get a job or anything, my parents and everyone around me wants to get into a ivy league uni, but i never had any high expectations but just like , getting into a uni that just has good campus life and nothing more... i never thought that getting into a good uni would be that big of a deal, this saddens me ,when i was 10 i thought id get into a good uni ( a uni that isnt top ranked) and i wouldnt care, now that i think like this, it makes me think im lesser than other people who aim for top unis, would i not have the same advantages as them?
Reply 1
Original post by anonymous
If didnt enter a top uni and got into a basic ranked uni with scholarship , and obv studied well with good grades , will someone from a top uni that has the same grades as me have more of an advantage over me in jobs or something? i feel so depressed, if i dont get good grades and dont get into a good uni , i feel like i wouldnt get a job or anything, my parents and everyone around me wants to get into a ivy league uni, but i never had any high expectations but just like , getting into a uni that just has good campus life and nothing more... i never thought that getting into a good uni would be that big of a deal, this saddens me ,when i was 10 i thought id get into a good uni ( a uni that isnt top ranked) and i wouldnt care, now that i think like this, it makes me think im lesser than other people who aim for top unis, would i not have the same advantages as them?
Hi there,
Some people will say rankings matter, some will say they don't. I wouldn't hold so much weight to them, because a 2:1 in one place is still a 2:1 in another.
Prestige can be helpful, and employers might look at this, but it also depends on your grades. A 2:1 at a lower ranking university is still a better grade than a 2:2 at a higher ranked university, so also take into account where you will be happiest and do better.
I'm sorry to hear you are feeling this way. It can be a really stressful process, so I hope you can get some advice and reassurance that will help you. Getting a scholarship is fantastic, and you should be very proud of the grades you get and the work you put in. It's also great to have goals, aspirations, and expectations, but don't let them weigh on you too much. Maybe speak with your family and friends about this, as it might help take some of the pressure off of you.
Overall, find somewhere where you'd be the happiest and do well. Take rankings into consideration, but don't let them weigh on you. You can also consider using this as a stepping stone for doing further studies for postgrad at a higher ranking university, so it isn't the only option!
I hope this helps,
Isabella
Third-year Geography with a Year Abroad Student
(edited 10 months ago)
Original post by Chester Student
Hi there,
Some people will say rankings matter, some will say they don't. I wouldn't hold so much weight to them, because a 2:1 in one place is still a 2:1 in another.
Prestige can be helpful, and employers might look at this, but it also depends on your grades. A 2:1 at a lower ranking university is still a better grade than a 2:2 at a higher ranked university, so also take into account where you will be happiest and do better.
I'm sorry to hear you are feeling this way. It can be a really stressful process, so I hope you can get some advice and reassurance that will help you. Getting a scholarship is fantastic, and you should be very proud of the grades you get and the work you put in. It's also great to have goals, aspirations, and expectations, but don't let them weigh on you too much. Maybe speak with your family and friends about this, as it might help take some of the pressure off of you.
Overall, find somewhere where you'd be the happiest and do well. Take rankings into consideration, but don't let them weigh on you. You can also consider using this as a stepping stone for doing further studies for postgrad at a higher ranking university, so it isn't the only option!
I hope this helps,
Isabella
Third-year Geography with a Year Abroad Student
Some people will say rankings matter, some will say they don't. I wouldn't hold so much weight to them, because a 2:1 in one place is still a 2:1 in another.
Prestige can be helpful, and employers might look at this, but it also depends on your grades. A 2:1 at a lower ranking university is still a better grade than a 2:2 at a higher ranked university, so also take into account where you will be happiest and do better.
I'm sorry to hear you are feeling this way. It can be a really stressful process, so I hope you can get some advice and reassurance that will help you. Getting a scholarship is fantastic, and you should be very proud of the grades you get and the work you put in. It's also great to have goals, aspirations, and expectations, but don't let them weigh on you too much. Maybe speak with your family and friends about this, as it might help take some of the pressure off of you.
Overall, find somewhere where you'd be the happiest and do well. Take rankings into consideration, but don't let them weigh on you. You can also consider using this as a stepping stone for doing further studies for postgrad at a higher ranking university, so it isn't the only option!
I hope this helps,
Isabella
Third-year Geography with a Year Abroad Student
Can I do Like Bachelors from a normal uni , then when i decide to do Masters , can i do those in a higher ranking uni and if i had a 4.0 gpa in a bachelors in that uni would i get Scholarship from a top ranking uni?
Where are you planning to study? You've referenced scholarships and GPA, which sounds more like a North American context?
The Student Room mostly focuses on UK based universities/schools/students, so the same advice may not necessarily apply in another country as it would here.
So it's helpful to understand where you would be studying (also generally what you intend to study and what you want to do afterwards may be relevant to the discussion)
The Student Room mostly focuses on UK based universities/schools/students, so the same advice may not necessarily apply in another country as it would here.
So it's helpful to understand where you would be studying (also generally what you intend to study and what you want to do afterwards may be relevant to the discussion)
Reply 4
Well, getting into a highly ranked university is important since the big companies do not have the time to visit every university during their recruitment drive so they tend to pic the top unis. With over 100 UK universities you can understand.
So, going to the low ranking university of blank blank rather than a highly ranked university will mean you will end up with the same level of debt (£9,250 x 3 course fees plus £9k x3 living expenses) but much slimmer chances of landing a great job.
Even the top universities have courses that are not popular so why not look at these courses:
Newcastle, Environmental Science
Lancaster, Criminology
So, going to the low ranking university of blank blank rather than a highly ranked university will mean you will end up with the same level of debt (£9,250 x 3 course fees plus £9k x3 living expenses) but much slimmer chances of landing a great job.
Even the top universities have courses that are not popular so why not look at these courses:
Newcastle, Environmental Science
Lancaster, Criminology
Reply 5
Original post by artful_lounger
Where are you planning to study? You've referenced scholarships and GPA, which sounds more like a North American context?
The Student Room mostly focuses on UK based universities/schools/students, so the same advice may not necessarily apply in another country as it would here.
So it's helpful to understand where you would be studying (also generally what you intend to study and what you want to do afterwards may be relevant to the discussion)
The Student Room mostly focuses on UK based universities/schools/students, so the same advice may not necessarily apply in another country as it would here.
So it's helpful to understand where you would be studying (also generally what you intend to study and what you want to do afterwards may be relevant to the discussion)
nah I am doing A levels and wana go to eu / Uk i guess? I just wana get into uni with atleast some scholarship so my parents dont pay everything.. and do a part time job to pay for it lol... and i dont mind other countries either, my main issue was just the top uni thing, would it have any difference finding a job? or any benefit ? if i had good scores in the normal uni would it be the same as the dude who had good grades in the top uni? idk
Reply 6
Original post by artful_lounger
Where are you planning to study? You've referenced scholarships and GPA, which sounds more like a North American context?
The Student Room mostly focuses on UK based universities/schools/students, so the same advice may not necessarily apply in another country as it would here.
So it's helpful to understand where you would be studying (also generally what you intend to study and what you want to do afterwards may be relevant to the discussion)
The Student Room mostly focuses on UK based universities/schools/students, so the same advice may not necessarily apply in another country as it would here.
So it's helpful to understand where you would be studying (also generally what you intend to study and what you want to do afterwards may be relevant to the discussion)
and m gonna study cs
Reply 7
Yeah I mean any sensible business hires you off your individual achievements, and the uni you go to is only a small part of that. Let’s say we’re comparing someone who went to a slightly above average uni such as Uni of Reading (ranked 35th currently) to someone who goes to a good Russel Group like Southampton Uni (Ranked 20th currently), the Southampton student wouldn’t be hired just because their uni is slightly better!
Now if we take a bog-standard uni like Bournemouth and compare it too LSE, obviously the LSE person will be picked. Basically, as long as you uni choice is slightly above average (Let’s say Top 40 at least, as that is decently higher than the middle point of uni’s), you shouldn’t give it too much thought. Obviously uni’s like Oxford and any top 10 uni will have an advantage, but for most job positions, and the majority of the time, people aren’t chosen based on their uni alone
Now if we take a bog-standard uni like Bournemouth and compare it too LSE, obviously the LSE person will be picked. Basically, as long as you uni choice is slightly above average (Let’s say Top 40 at least, as that is decently higher than the middle point of uni’s), you shouldn’t give it too much thought. Obviously uni’s like Oxford and any top 10 uni will have an advantage, but for most job positions, and the majority of the time, people aren’t chosen based on their uni alone
Reply 8
What university are you thinking of going to? I should be able to tell you how much it will affect you as I’ve researched this topic a lot myself phahaha
Original post by Anonymous
nah I am doing A levels and wana go to eu / Uk i guess? I just wana get into uni with atleast some scholarship so my parents dont pay everything.. and do a part time job to pay for it lol... and i dont mind other countries either, my main issue was just the top uni thing, would it have any difference finding a job? or any benefit ? if i had good scores in the normal uni would it be the same as the dude who had good grades in the top uni? idk
Well "GPA" is not a term used in the UK generally and is not how degrees in the UK are graded either.
UK students normally don't pay out of pocket for university as if they are home fees students, they are usually entitled to funding from student finance England/Wales/NI (or SAAS for Scottish students). Perhaps due to this, there are very few scholarships in the that will cover the cost of study. Usually scholarships/bursaries are means tested for those coming from low income backgrounds and are just "top up" amounts to add to the student loans they will presumably also be taking.
In the EU it will vary completely depending on the country and uni(s) under consideration. In Germany outside of one region (Baden-Wurttemberg I think?) university is free for all domestic and international students, and you just pay a small semester fee of a couple hundred euro which is actually for the student union and student travel pass. However you normally need C1 German and you will also need to be able to pay your living expenses (a student visa may also require proof of finances too).
In the UK for computing sector roles where you study is generally less important I gather relative to preparing for technical interviews, leetcode, having a portfolio of coding projects on github to demonstrate your work, and generally preparing for assessment centres and the psychometric tests companies use.
(edited 10 months ago)
Original post by Anonymous
Yeah I mean any sensible business hires you off your individual achievements, and the uni you go to is only a small part of that. Let’s say we’re comparing someone who went to a slightly above average uni such as Uni of Reading (ranked 35th currently) to someone who goes to a good Russel Group like Southampton Uni (Ranked 20th currently), the Southampton student wouldn’t be hired just because their uni is slightly better!
Now if we take a bog-standard uni like Bournemouth and compare it too LSE, obviously the LSE person will be picked. Basically, as long as you uni choice is slightly above average (Let’s say Top 40 at least, as that is decently higher than the middle point of uni’s), you shouldn’t give it too much thought. Obviously uni’s like Oxford and any top 10 uni will have an advantage, but for most job positions, and the majority of the time, people aren’t chosen based on their uni alone
Now if we take a bog-standard uni like Bournemouth and compare it too LSE, obviously the LSE person will be picked. Basically, as long as you uni choice is slightly above average (Let’s say Top 40 at least, as that is decently higher than the middle point of uni’s), you shouldn’t give it too much thought. Obviously uni’s like Oxford and any top 10 uni will have an advantage, but for most job positions, and the majority of the time, people aren’t chosen based on their uni alone
TOP 40 is crazy man wouldnt it be difficult to get into that uni eh?
Reply 11
Original post by artful_lounger
Well "GPA" is not a term used in the UK generally and is not how degrees in the UK are graded either.
UK students normally don't pay out of pocket for university as if they are home fees students, they are usually entitled to funding from student finance England/Wales/NI (or SAAS for Scottish students). Perhaps due to this, there are very few scholarships in the that will cover the cost of study. Usually scholarships/bursaries are means tested for those coming from low income backgrounds and are just "top up" amounts to add to the student loans they will presumably also be taking.
In the EU it will vary completely depending on the country and uni(s) under consideration. In Germany outside of one region (Baden-Wurttemberg I think?) university is free for all domestic and international students, and you just pay a small semester fee of a couple hundred euro which is actually for the student union and student travel pass. However you normally need C1 German and you will also need to be able to pay your living expenses (a student visa may also require proof of finances too).
In the UK for computing sector roles where you study is generally less important I gather relative to preparing for technical interviews, leetcode, having a portfolio of coding projects on github to demonstrate your work, and generally preparing for assessment centres and the psychometric tests companies use.
UK students normally don't pay out of pocket for university as if they are home fees students, they are usually entitled to funding from student finance England/Wales/NI (or SAAS for Scottish students). Perhaps due to this, there are very few scholarships in the that will cover the cost of study. Usually scholarships/bursaries are means tested for those coming from low income backgrounds and are just "top up" amounts to add to the student loans they will presumably also be taking.
In the EU it will vary completely depending on the country and uni(s) under consideration. In Germany outside of one region (Baden-Wurttemberg I think?) university is free for all domestic and international students, and you just pay a small semester fee of a couple hundred euro which is actually for the student union and student travel pass. However you normally need C1 German and you will also need to be able to pay your living expenses (a student visa may also require proof of finances too).
In the UK for computing sector roles where you study is generally less important I gather relative to preparing for technical interviews, leetcode, having a portfolio of coding projects on github to demonstrate your work, and generally preparing for assessment centres and the psychometric tests companies use.
i see, for cs , leetcode is important for software engineering only tho no? if i were to get into AI data sciences , nvm if i go into cs i would have to go into all of these anyways to have a stable career like a doctor does lol, or else its gonna be difficult finding a job later on in life. thanks for your input
Original post by Anonymous
i see, for cs , leetcode is important for software engineering only tho no? if i were to get into AI data sciences , nvm if i go into cs i would have to go into all of these anyways to have a stable career like a doctor does lol, or else its gonna be difficult finding a job later on in life. thanks for your input
Well in the UK CS degrees had such poor employability for so long about 10 years ago the government commissioned 2 inquiries into the matter. And there are only more CS grads now.
If you want a job at graduation you need to work for it regardless of what subject you did at uni or what area you're going into - the only exception is medicine in the UK (currently) which has a guaranteed job at the end. There are no guarantees for anything else, and plenty of people who did an "employable" degree, went to exams for 3 years and have nothing else to show for their studies except a piece of paper saying they got a 2:1 or 1st, who are not functionally any more employable than your average school leaver.
Your job prospects are thus going to depend on you and what you do to make yourself employable by aggressively seeking out work placements/experience/internships/etc, and preparing for all the things grad schemes will throw at you to filter candidates. The degree is just a tick box part of that process in the UK normally.
This may be different in other countries although I suspect not that different realistically.
Reply 13
People who graduate from some universities may (not must) tend to do better in the employment market than others, but this is not because the universities are ranked high in league tables.
The reasons are (1) that those universities are highly selective at the admissions stage, and (2) that those universities may be able to provide a higher quality education and better equip students to compete for jobs, not least because those universities may have more resources than other universities. This explains why, when some organisations recruit on a university-blind basis, the successful candidates may (not must) still tend be those who have graduated from highly ranked universities.
But there are many good universities in the UK, as well as a few less good ones. It's best not to fixate on rankings and perceptions of prestige, and to focus more on the course and the place.
I add that going to university need not only be about getting a job afterwards. There are many benefits to university beyond the career which follows. University allows a person time for personal growth, the opportunity to make friendships that may endure, and the chance to try new sports and activities. With luck, university should be a rewarding and memorable few years of your life, to be looked back on with pleasure later in life, regardless of what career paths you take.
The reasons are (1) that those universities are highly selective at the admissions stage, and (2) that those universities may be able to provide a higher quality education and better equip students to compete for jobs, not least because those universities may have more resources than other universities. This explains why, when some organisations recruit on a university-blind basis, the successful candidates may (not must) still tend be those who have graduated from highly ranked universities.
But there are many good universities in the UK, as well as a few less good ones. It's best not to fixate on rankings and perceptions of prestige, and to focus more on the course and the place.
I add that going to university need not only be about getting a job afterwards. There are many benefits to university beyond the career which follows. University allows a person time for personal growth, the opportunity to make friendships that may endure, and the chance to try new sports and activities. With luck, university should be a rewarding and memorable few years of your life, to be looked back on with pleasure later in life, regardless of what career paths you take.
Reply 14
Original post by defosaifi
TOP 40 is crazy man wouldnt it be difficult to get into that uni eh?
What do you mean? You mean it’s hard to get into a top 40? I doubt it. Depends on the uni but top 40s tend to take BBC minimum which isn’t really that hard to get, but can still get you into a somewhat respected uni
Reply 15
Original post by defosaifi
Can I do Like Bachelors from a normal uni , then when i decide to do Masters , can i do those in a higher ranking uni and if i had a 4.0 gpa in a bachelors in that uni would i get Scholarship from a top ranking uni?
Hi there,
As it has already been mentioned, GPA and scholarships aren't discussed a lot at universities in the UK.
If you complete a Bachelors from a middle-ranking university and finish with the right grades and any other requirements to get into a Masters programme at a higher-ranking university, I can see no barriers to you being able to do that.
Scholarships are usually reserved for those of lower-income backgrounds or those with significant barriers, as most UK university students will apply for student loans. If the terms of the scholarship/s available apply to you, I'd definitely apply.
I hope this helps,
Isabella
Third-year Geography with a Year Abroad Student
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Should I attend bath
- help pls..
- Is English lit gcse important??
- Russell Group universities are actually very good. We should stop dismissing them.
- QMUL Law Offer Holders
- Does Russel group matter as much as people say in Law?
- Will a Masters at a target uni overwrite a 1st from a non-target??
- Got any advice for Yr 12/13 about Open Days? Share your Thoughts :)))
- Liverpool veterinary school: offer holders thread
- Failing Science
- Should I drop a IAS psychology?
- Dealing with medicine rejections (a very big rant sorry)
- University of Bristol accommodation?
- A level choices advice?
- should i do RS (WJEC) or Sociology (AQA) A-level
- What to choose
- How Do You Stay Organised with Uni Assignments?
- Do I study Biomedical sciences at an IBMS accredited uni or a Russell Group uni?
- Nottingham econ or Warwick history for Investment Banking
- High-achieving to under-achieving student
Latest
Trending
