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What's better: 2-1 from "top" uni or first from other unis?

I was just wondering...

Say you went to somewhere like Oxbridge (or even a London uni like UCL) that is "world renowned"...

Is getting a first from a uni like Birmingham or Nottingham considered better or worse (by say future employers) than getting a 2-1 from one of these top unis?

Thanks..

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Reply 1
ozzie_football
I was just wondering...

Say you went to somewhere like Oxbridge (or even a London uni like UCL) that is "world renowned"...

Is getting a first from a uni like Birmingham or Nottingham considered better or worse (by say future employers) than getting a 2-1 from one of these top unis?

Thanks..


Depends on employer, but generally no.
ozzie_football
I was just wondering...

Say you went to somewhere like Oxbridge (or even a London uni like UCL) that is "world renowned"...

Is getting a first from a uni like Birmingham or Nottingham considered better or worse (by say future employers) than getting a 2-1 from one of these top unis?

Thanks..

My form tutor once told me that a first from anywhere else was equivalent to a 2-1 from Oxbridge.
Reply 3
I guess most people would rather have someone who is one o fthe best at what they do, regardless of the status of there University. I know for a fact that I would rather employ you if you had a 1:1 in a "crappy" uni like London Metropolitan than someone who got a 2:1 in the fantastic, if not slightly pretentious uni that is Cambridge (or Oxford or LSE or UCL...)
Reply 4
Some would say... do what YOU need to do. And stop thinking about the others.
Reply 5
birmingham and nottingham are kinda top uni's....a non top uni would be those that resort to advertising on TV *ahem*de monfort*ahem*
Nottingham and birmingham are both top universities imo :confused:
But I would say no
Reply 7
Some may think that way, some won't.
Not really a good comparison - probably need to pick a more 'average' uni, like.... Sussex. (not to piss on my uni choice, or anything, cos I love it!)

But I think in the majority of cases, a first always wins. So just work hard :tongue:
Reply 9
However I should clarify that you will probably have better career prospects having gone to somewhere like Oxbridge, though not because employers see a Oxbridge 2:1 > Somewhere-else 1:1. There are other factors at play, such as the strength of careers services, general development, etc.
Reply 10
Beam...
birmingham and nottingham are kinda top uni's....a non top uni would be those that resort to advertising on TV *ahem*de monfort*ahem*


I once had a CV from a graduate who misspelt his university as "Demon Fort University"...
Reply 11
ttx
I once had a CV from a graduate who misspelt his university as "Demon Fort University"...


haha thats bad...
the sort that are easily enticed by TV :rolleyes:
I think people should be instantly banned for making this thread.
A first is better at a average uni than a 2.1 from Oxrbridge more times than not.
oo_Lucinda_oo
Not really a good comparison - probably need to pick a more 'average' uni, like.... Sussex. (not to piss on my uni choice, or anything, cos I love it!)

But I think in the majority of cases, a first always wins. So just work hard :tongue:


The same Sussex that was recently voted a top twenty uni in the Guardian University guide???

Op, this is a really good question. One that doesn't really have an answer. But for the vast majority of jobs, a first from a uni will put you in good standing. For obvious reasons, a first from oxbridge will trump it, though. It's kind of hard to compare.
One Man Clique
The same Sussex that was recently voted a top twenty uni in the Guardian University guide???

Op, this is a really good question. One that doesn't really have an answer. But for the vast majority of jobs, a first from a uni will put you in good standing. For obvious reasons, a first from oxbridge will trump it, though. It's kind of hard to compare.


Haha I know, I was so pleased for it!

But you know, it's consistent rankings that matter, if they stay the same/improve then perhaps I could agree.

And they still aren't doing too well in the bloody Times.

And rankings don't actually mean much - if someone asked everyone to list top 20 uni's, they probably wouldn't put Sussex in there, it would just miss out I think.

But apart from that...
Reply 16
Lots of people decide not to go to Oxbridge for reasons other than their intellectual ability. If they are capable of a first at Oxbridge, they will ace a first elsewhere.
oo_Lucinda_oo
Haha I know, I was so pleased for it!

But you know, it's consistent rankings that matter, if they stay the same/improve then perhaps I could agree.

And they still aren't doing too well in the bloody Times.

And rankings don't actually mean much - if someone asked everyone to list top 20 uni's, they probably wouldn't put Sussex in there, it would just miss out I think.

But apart from that...


Yeah, I agree. But I've just signed up for a master's at Sussex so I'm a bit defensive at the moment! :smile: Most people I talk to haven't even heard of Sussex!!

I agree, though. Rankings don't mean that much on the whole. You could go to a top twenty uni with an awful department, for example.
Reply 18
One Man Clique
The same Sussex that was recently voted a top twenty uni in the Guardian University guide???
.


The problem with the Guardian rating is that it puts too much weight in NSS survey ratings. Employers don't care if students are "satisfied" with the experience they got at uni, they care if the uni produces good graduates.

For a time LSE had a reputation for ****** teaching but good graduates, why ? - because the ****** teaching meant the graduates had to be motivated self-starters and teach themselves in order to do well. Which in the end produced a much higher calibre of graduates.
Reply 19
If you went to DMU or London Met and got a First, then I'd most definitely take a 2:1 graduate from Oxbridge/Russell Group/1994 Group. If we're comparing say a graduate with a First from KCL or Nottingham and an Oxbridge graduate with a 2:1, then it'll come down to other things such as capability, confidence, personality, how they perform in interview, team group tasks, etc. and also the content of the degree if it's a specialist position which requires lots of mathematics/statistics or something similar.

But really, if you go to any Russell/1994 Group university and do well (a 2:1 or First), providing you're an excellent candidate yourself, you'll get a good job and go far if you want to.

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