We need to talk about The Russell Group, Zero Gravity, and the simple truth about high performance.

Traditional looking archway leading to leafy quad

😊 Welcome

This week we need to talk about The Russell Group. It may be every Head Teacher’s dream to have as many of their students as possible go to Russell Group universities, but are they really the ‘top’ universities in the UK? What is the substance behind the reputation?

We also have a quick look at Zero Gravity, a start-up powering students from ordinary backgrounds into top universities.

And we finish with a universally positive thought from Jake Humphrey, TV presenter and all round top bloke.

✍️ We need to talk about The Russell Group

Have you heard of the Russell Group? If you’re just at the start of your decision-making journey, you might not have. But rest assured, as you start to investigate your university options, it’s going to crop up!

The Russell Group, you see, is a group of 24 universities regarded by many as being the top universities; the most prestigious universities; the universities that the best students should be applying to.

They formed in 1994 as a group of 17 research intensive universities after a handful of informal meetings at the Russell Hotel in Russell Square*. They now have a membership of 24, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Manchester, Southampton and Liverpool, amongst others.

In my time working with hundreds of schools I have seen how proud they are to have sent students to Russell Group universities, whether through boasts on their websites and school brochures, listings of student destinations on posters and notice boards, or in presentations made on parents’ evenings.

Many Boards of Governors will even set targets for entry to Russell Group universities, considering them to be the best destinations for their students.

In on-line discussions on teacher and adviser groups, Russell Group membership is frequently used as shorthand for ‘competitive’.

And at a fair at one famous public school I visited, they even put the Russell Group universities in a row at the front of the room, with other universities behind.

The press don’t help with their continued use of the term Russell Group to describe the so called ‘top’ universities.

Russell Group membership is seen by many, to equate to the prestigious, high quality, elite universities. It’s a bit like in the US, the Ivy League is taken to mean quality by those who don’t know any better.

And just like the Ivy League myth, it is nonsense for several reasons.

Read more

💡 Did You Know?

If you are studying at a UK state school, have some decent GCSEs, and come from a background or an area where heading off to a selective university is not the usual path, then please have a look at Zero Gravity.

They provide mentoring, on-demand courses and live masterclasses that can seriously improve your chances of getting into university. You could even be eligible for a scholarship.

And if you are a teacher or careers adviser at school from a low participation area, you can become a Zero Gravity school and recommend students who you think would benefit!

📢 Quote of the week

We have done over 200 episodes of The High Performance Podcast.

We have now honed High Performance down to this simple sentence.

‘Do the best you can, where you are, with what you know.’

Nobody can ask more of you than that. It’s all you possess.

Jake Humphrey, TV presenter/Podcaster/Investor/Entrepreneur

This really is universal, and while Jake’s podcast is normally all about sport, business and entrepreneurship, this simple idea applies to you and me as much as it applies to any of their guests!

Thanks for reading!

Jonathan

🎯 In case you missed it

When is a top university not a top university?

📅 Next week

Coming up next week: How not to become a university ‘drop-out’

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Previous

How to avoid becoming a drop out statistic, UCAS application basics, and why it's OK to be uncomfortable.

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Next

How to prepare for university interviews, applying early, and one special ability that education gives you.