Going to university soon

Very true there is an assumption on mumsnet that all teens will do Alevels ( ususlly in a sixth form attached to their school ) and go to unversity.

And not just any university. It has to be a top 10 or RG university. Their DC will then go on to become a lawyer, banker, work in finance, other perceived as greedy profession, and any DC who don't aspire to work in a magic circle/big 4 firm in the city is lacking in aspiration.

I also find that it is parents who are lawyers/work in finance that are the most vociferous on these threads.

No, I am not resentful or jealous at all. DD has a specific career path in mind and would those types of career deathly dull, and really dislikes London.

Maybe because they have something to discuss about that which they are looking for advice on ? You seem resentful about people discussing this - why?

Almost all of my friends children are either at or are actively planning going to university. Some people don’t know anyone who will go down that route so the average number is slightly irrelevant. For some people the assumption is all these people will go, for others it’s none of them will. I totally get what you are saying though OP as I see it over and over myself - it’s in the 4yo needs an en-suite thread right now “your dss will be off to uni in 6 years” but it’s not mentioned by the OP. It’s often in bedroom or holiday threads and sometimes CoL and it is often said about very small dc with no mention of their future plans by the OP.

Very true there is an assumption on mumsnet that all teens will do Alevels ( ususlly in a sixth form attached to their school ) and go to unversity.

I know somebody with an art degree and all she can get is short term minimum wage contracts. She is very often out of work in between but her family have always helped. An art degree is largely pointless.

I think there's certainly an element of keeping up with the Joneses on here, and a culture of fawning over wealth. So once the 'everyone in our circle went to uni, and their parents funded it and bought them a little flat' posters get going, people with different experiences opt out of the discussion, leaving the performatively well off to one up each other. I dont suppose the truth needs to get in the way of that.

I have a child in this age category and he is not going to uni.

Every single person that chats to him, from people of tills, to random dog walkers, to our friends say 'what uni are you hoping to go to'

When he says none, im going to work, they look really awkward and say 'maybe you will go next year'

My area is middle-class and I think quite mumsnet demographic.

Among his friends none of the boys are heading to uni at 18, but the girls are.

I think the most detectable is LMC, regardless of prosperity, and that some of the wealthier posts are pure fantasy.

Same reason so many DHs are 'high earners', the style and beauty board is full of recommendations for £100 jumpers and people think you can't buy a family home for less than £800k. The most vocal demographic on here are well off MC people, or those aspiring to be such, and compulsory uni for their 'very bright' DC goes with the territory.

There does seem to be a distinct MN "life plan". Uni at 18, then house share while you build your (well paid) career, while simultaneously partying and travelling the world! Then in your 30's, get married, help with deposit from mum and dad for a home. Kids in your late 30's.

I don't know many who in their 20's, were leading this fun, exciting lifestyle. A lot of graduates I've known have struggled to find work in their field. Non graduates tend to be doing low paid apprenticeships or minimum wage jobs. I only know 2 people who travelled extensively, and that was only because they worked in the various places they visited, and they lived at home before and after. But they weren't building a career at the same time.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, of course it does, but not as much as MN would have you believe. Lot's of kids don't go to Uni. Lots of people are just managing to get by in their 20's and 30's (and beyond). Most people live an average existence.

I read this as "drop out" of education.
Not become a drop out of society which has the more negative connotations.

Ds is 20 and earns nearly 26k. One of his friends earns 33k. They both went to college not uni. Are they dropouts too??

How judgemental.

Exactly.

Unless people have a strong vocational direction I think degrees cost too much these days.

One of ours wants to be an astrophysicist engineer.
One wants a maths based law career.

They both need to go to uni to do this.

Their current predicted GCSE grades and test results, particularly in the subjects required in the A’level subjects they want to take, indicate they are academically capable.

They both want to move out, are looking forward to being independent, not sure how much they realise how skint they will be but they will. Quite keen on living somewhere else and meeting new peers to study and have fun with.

So with al that information why would we assume they wouldn’t, at the very least, try and go to uni?

Well yes because you don’t just turn up at uni gates with a suitcase!

If your 16-18 yr old teen is doing A’levels they will have some idea of their potential grades, they will have been looking at possible uni applications, looking at or planning to go to uni open days.

Their 6th form will be advising about career paths, courses which are required for some career paths, possible careers and if they need degrees. Or careers with “x degree”.

It’s not really an assumption, it’s a long process, which doesn’t just happen. So if your teen is putting in the work during 6th form, has a list of unis they want to visit, has investigated careers and courses, why wouldn’t you assume they weren’t at least going to try and you make your plans around those assumptions?

My eldest didnt go to uni and neither did any of his friends. My eldest was never academic and struggled in school/college and it was never something he even considered.

My second son starts uni in sept and all his friends are also going, i know because i spent a week helping them all write personal statements as i interviewed for a uni they were all applying to as they all want to go into the same industry that requires degree level studying (all areas of computer science). This has always been a part of his plan since starting secondry school.

My youngest is about to start GCSE's and uni is in her plans, again though because her career goals requires degree level study (nursing or paramedic). A lot of her friends are looking at uni, though their aspirations are more varied than my son's friendship circle.

I guess it depends on career goals, and the child. 2 of mine have very clear aspirations that require uni, one didnt. If they dont i guess it depends on interests, my eldest is very outdoorsy, but also very much into how things work and go together, mechanic, eletrician, building work etc type roles were what he was looking at so uni was never condisdered, but if his interests were academic, even without a career goal, then may be uni would have been looked at more whilst deciding his future goals.

Mumsnet however, isnt the best cross section of society to gather accurate statistics that represent things like this.