Is it worth doing a foundation year to get into a 'better uni'
I've got ABB, and I want to do a Mechanical engineering BEng. Now, I can still get into some universities, like Exeter and (if I am lucky) Birmingham, and do a regular degree, or I could do a foundation year and get into a higher-ranking university (like Southampton and Sheffield). I'm not sure how much to value the ranking system, so I'm not sure how to proceed.
Thanks!
Thanks!
(edited 1 month ago)
Original post by al3x_p
I've got ABB, and I want to do a Mechanical engineering BEng. Now, I can still get into some universities, like Exeter and (if I am lucky) Birmingham, and do a regular degree, or I could do a foundation year and get into a higher-ranking university (like Southampton and Sheffield). I'm not sure how much to value the ranking system, so I'm not sure how to proceed.
Thanks!
Thanks!
What are the benefits for you going to a "higher ranking" university just out of curiosity?
Do you honestly think that your application will be binned simply because it doesn't have the right university written on it? Do you think you will be overlooked by someone who comes from a different university? Do you think employers are really so dump that the university counts for more than who you are, what you know and what you can do?
Employers couldn't care less where you studied. All they are interested in is what you know, what you can do and how you will impact positively on the profit margin. Some of the worst employees come out of Oxford and Cambridge and some of the best engineers are self-taught with no formal qualification.
Original post by hotpud
What are the benefits for you going to a "higher ranking" university just out of curiosity?
Do you honestly think that your application will be binned simply because it doesn't have the right university written on it? Do you think you will be overlooked by someone who comes from a different university? Do you think employers are really so dump that the university counts for more than who you are, what you know and what you can do?
Employers couldn't care less where you studied. All they are interested in is what you know, what you can do and how you will impact positively on the profit margin. Some of the worst employees come out of Oxford and Cambridge and some of the best engineers are self-taught with no formal qualification.
Do you honestly think that your application will be binned simply because it doesn't have the right university written on it? Do you think you will be overlooked by someone who comes from a different university? Do you think employers are really so dump that the university counts for more than who you are, what you know and what you can do?
Employers couldn't care less where you studied. All they are interested in is what you know, what you can do and how you will impact positively on the profit margin. Some of the worst employees come out of Oxford and Cambridge and some of the best engineers are self-taught with no formal qualification.
I'm not referring to job prospects, I'm talking about quality of teaching.
You can look at things like rankings and TEF ratings, but to be honest it's all subject to being gamed. That's how uni's recruit students and earn income after all.
Broadly speaking, quality of teaching is quite subjective, what works for one subject or student won't necessarily be great for another.
Personally I would not be swayed by rankings. You'd be better off attending open days and researching the course content and assessment methods, (and whether they specifically suit you). You also need to look at industry connections, internships, placements and career service provision.
Broadly speaking, quality of teaching is quite subjective, what works for one subject or student won't necessarily be great for another.
Personally I would not be swayed by rankings. You'd be better off attending open days and researching the course content and assessment methods, (and whether they specifically suit you). You also need to look at industry connections, internships, placements and career service provision.
Original post by al3x_p
I've got ABB, and I want to do a Mechanical engineering BEng. Now, I can still get into some universities, like Exeter and (if I am lucky) Birmingham, and do a regular degree, or I could do a foundation year and get into a higher-ranking university (like Southampton and Sheffield). I'm not sure how much to value the ranking system, so I'm not sure how to proceed.
Thanks!
Thanks!
All those universities you listed are essentially on the same level.
The ranking system isn't official by the way. Each newspaper has their own methodology, and they tend to produce different results year-on-year despite there rarely being any significant changes in universities and departments in such short spaces of time.
Original post by al3x_p
I'm not referring to job prospects, I'm talking about quality of teaching.
Even more prevalent in teaching. The bar for getting a job in teaching is having a pulse. However, rather than look at prestige, look at the specific course and also the tutors on that course. I would want to know and meet the person running the course before I enrolled and decide if I like that person. Then, from a university / teacher training provider perspective, I would be asking about the expected workload, teacher training hours and so on. I also wouldn't bother with the teaching degree. Get a degree in something interesting and then go on to do a PGCE if that is still your destination. In this way you can access the lucrative bursaries. Good luck!
Original post by al3x_p
I've got ABB, and I want to do a Mechanical engineering BEng. Now, I can still get into some universities, like Exeter and (if I am lucky) Birmingham, and do a regular degree, or I could do a foundation year and get into a higher-ranking university (like Southampton and Sheffield). I'm not sure how much to value the ranking system, so I'm not sure how to proceed.
Thanks!
Thanks!
No, absolutely not.It will leave you with much higher debts and there's no significant difference between the 4 uni's you've mentioned anyway. Go for the ones that offer the engineering options you are most interested in.
Original post by hotpud
Some of the worst employees come out of Oxford and Cambridge and some of the best engineers are self-taught with no formal qualification.
Whilst there is always a spectrum from every university, in general ive found Oxbridge engineers in industry tend to be excellent. They definitely skew into certain industries, consultancy, aerospace and energy sector seems to be littered with them (I always assumed this is due to the higher industry standard salaries), they also seem way more likely to work in r&d side versus manufacturing/quality type roles, definitely disproportionally sit in chief engineer/director level roles from my experience. So im not sure on a macro level i agree with this statement.
The big thing with Oxbridge engineers is how many graduates go work in big-4, management consultancy or finance, so a lower percentile of engineering grads probably end up working in engineering roles.
(edited 1 month ago)
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