Does everyone go to University now?

[Newearringsplease]

Now perhaps I'm getting on but when I was at school university was for the really clever kids, those who were going to be doctors, vets, lawyers and teachers. Now it seems every one goes, what's changed?

DS is doing an apprenticeship and several of his friends leaving 6th form this summer are also planning this.

The other side of this is people we know in their 20's / 30's who attended uni with no firm plan in place, have £000's of student loan debt and a job they could have accessed with GCSEs.

The other side of this is people we know in their 20's / 30's who attended uni with no firm plan in place, have £000's of student loan debt and a job they could have accessed with GCSEs.

I'm 30 and this reflects my experience - but it's important to note that we were having it drummed into us in school that you needed a degree, for everything. Also - you can't get that job with GCSEs if the other applicants all have degrees. I could get above basic admin roles due to a degree being listed as essential criteria.

I remember posters in school - I think they had pictures from pop idol or one of those shows - "you may not make it as a singer / DJ / etc, but you could do a degree in media / marketing / sound engineering and have an amazing career!". The career advice was crap; all we were given was marketing materials from universities trying to sell their degrees.

I think the tide is turning. When I was in school EVERYONE went to uni, some to study some utterly ridiculous subjects at poor universities with poor grades.
Several of these people are still working in pubs on minimum wage, and will never get close to paying off their loans.

More and more know I hear of people leaving at 18 into apprenticeships and training roles

wood but your father's experience is far from typical. Many people from disadvantaged backgrounds did not attend university despite being able.
Unfortunately, to some degree that's still happening.

I'm glad I started this post, I feel like I've learned something

BogglesCoggles
I can't speak for law degrees but I can assure you that science degrees are not as you describe. For starters, you need to attend and produce work in weekly labs. Often 2-3 x a week. You have weekly problem sets to complete. These are often complex mathematical problems that run into many pages per problem. There are also summative projects to complete each term. And of course a scientific research dissertation. None of this can be done 'the night before'.

Yes definitely Benes. A lot of young men did national service.

Some 'lesser' institutions which used to be teacher training colleges, agricultural colleges, art schools, etc, were also upgraded to universities, and some courses in them which were diplomas, were extended to become degrees. Nursing training has become a degree too (it used to be hospital-based).