If you think studying at a Russell Group university is the best option, think again. There are many other high-ranking universities offering outstanding courses, excellent student satisfaction and employability rates, says Elizabeth Ivens
Slowly sneaking up on the heels of that long-heralded marker of school academic prowess ? how many pupils get into Oxbridge ? has been a relatively new statistic: rather, how many Russell Group successes a school has.
Although it was formed way back in 1994 as a way to represent its members? interests in the wider world, in the last few years the words ?Russell Group? seem to have passed into the common parlance of teachers, parents and students as synonymous with the best universities.
And yet the Russell Group was never intended to be a singular marker of university excellence, even though its current 24 members undoubtedly include many of the UK?s elite universities. A self-selected group
In fact, the original grouping of Russell Group universities was entirely self-selected. Many others have since chosen not to be members or there are practical reasons why they do not seek to join.
Membership is clearly no bar to success, as many of them regularly feature in the lists of leading universities in the country for academic results, student satisfaction and for courses.
So are schools doing their students a disservice by promoting the Russell Group universities as they do, because it gives the impression that not being Russell Group is som...