To wonder if it's worth going to university?

[SirJamesTalbotAndHisSpeculum]

I think a lot of people think that going to university is the be-all and end-all of life.

In fact, having a degree doesn't always mean that you're more likely to find employment. It also means that you start off life with a huge debt.

What do others think? AIBU to say that there are many other routes into employment?

however some things now require degrees that didnt used to.
for eg. nursing.

why would you employ someone without a degree when you could employ someone with one?

Because the person without the degree might be an all round better fit? I've been involved in recruitment and candidates having a degree is complete red herring.

i work with a colleague with a degree, she can't spell, which shocks me, she is good at some things but considering she has a degree, not relevant to her current job admittedly, i am surprised she is not more educated

I see uni as somewhere to learn something specific for a purpose. Maybe you want to be in academia, or get a job that requires a degree. Now that degrees are v expensive and it can be difficult to obtain further funding for an additional BA if you already have one, people have to think carefully.

If my kids were not sure about what course to take, I’d suggest getting a job, doing some edX courses and finding out what they want and how they would use it.

EleanorReally Some people cant spell, doesnt mean they arent educated. Can you read and understand what your colleague writes?

DD1's degree is in biochemistry, currently working in biomedical research. Relevant degree essential for anything but the most base level of jobs.

Surely it depends on how well you did in your degree as well - a first or 2.1 is very different to a Pass. Anything below a 2.2 is worth little - you cannot apply to do a PGCE with less, it probably just looks like you spent your time at uni pissing about so better to have no degree at all probably. I know someone who got a Pass in their degree subject - it hasn’t been any use to them and they now do a job they love which would have just required a college diploma so going to uni was a waste of time - and repaying those fees is now a huge waste too.

i work with a colleague with a degree, she can't spell, which shocks me, she is good at some things but considering she has a degree, not relevant to her current job admittedly, i am surprised she is not more educated
Being able to spell is not a sign of good education or even intelligence! My ds and dh are dyslexic, they are very intelligent, both in engineering, neither can spell at all. DS could spell the same word wrong 5 different ways on the same page!
My manager is the Accountant of 4 distinguished companies , also cant spell.
DS went to uni for 2 years and dropped out, however finally got a job as a temp on a packing line for a pharmaceutical company. Within a year he has been given a permanent job in another department and promoted again, at 23 earns more than most of my friends dc who have degrees and are 5 -7 years older and work in Central London.
How much the uni experience helped him ,I dont know.
DD needs a degree for her career, but her degree is very much placement based and no exams which suits her , but it looks like she may need a masters now as well, so an extra year, but it means she will be 2 grades higher when she starts work

It also means that you start off life with a huge debt
Its not a debt, its a tax on your earnings which you stop paying after 25 years

totally depends on career and individual

half my family (3 siblings) went to uni, the other half didn't

the ones who didn't go have done well in life- one started as a trawlerman, then loaded cars onto ferries, is now an officer in the merchant navy & has very comfortable lifestyle, the other worked for a while and then set up his own business in related field and did very well

the ones who did (my brother and me) both did degrees that were essential for our future careers so there wasn't much debate there

we all did what was right for our individual needs and were fortunate enough to have parents who valued different skills

sneering at ex-polys seems rather a cheap way of maintaining your own self-satisfaction: some unconventional degrees at low-status universities have excellent employment stats

ditto sneering at people who didn't get top marks

ime a 2:2 might signify pissing about, it might equally signify a massive amount of work and a student who has learnt skills they never dreamt of (including how to organise their work)

Unless you are very passionate about a certain subject, or want a high-flying career, i.e. doctor, then don't bother. Media studies, social sciences - waste of time, money, and you're looking at shitty employment opportunities.

A few years ago I was looking at OU degree in history, but they themselves talked me out of it because the only possible employment would be tour guiding or teaching (no effing way), and its way too costly to pursue it as a hobby.

That is spectacularly bad advice from the OU

A few years ago I was looking at OU degree in history, but they themselves talked me out of it because the only possible employment would be tour guiding or teaching (no effing way), and its way too costly to pursue it as a hobby.

So why is it that my history students go into publishing, business, heritage management, law (conversion), civil service, journalism etc etc? Why are so many of our politicians history graduates if all that history gets you is a job as a tour guide?

Universities keep employment stats on alumni and traditional humanities subjects tend to do quite well.

sneering at ex-polys seems rather a cheap way of maintaining your own self-satisfaction: some unconventional degrees at low-status universities have excellent employment stats

Is this in reply to my post? Where did I sneer and where did I say I myself had a university degree?? I was saying the person I know could have achieved the same great job by getting the college diploma - making it in fact more valuable than their degree, especially as it wouldn’t have incurred the same student debt that’s now being taken out of their pay every month - the opposite of sneering I would think?? And a 2.2 is a good grade - I did say that too. Please read posts properly before getting your knickers in such a twist.

*sneering at ex-polys seems rather a cheap way of maintaining your own self-satisfaction: some unconventional degrees at low-status universities have excellent employment stats

Is this in reply to my post*

No, it was aimed at the poster who did sneer at ex-polys. You didn't. Please read the whole thread before you get your knickers in a twist.

So why is it that my history students go into publishing, business, heritage management, law (conversion), civil service, journalism etc etc? Why are so many of our politicians history graduates if all that history gets you is a job as a tour guide?

That basically means re-qualify and work as something else. It helps to have a history degree, but it alone won't lead you to a job in a desired field, because the demand is very low.
It can be interesting to study, but that's basically it.
My friend studied animation. As cool as is sounds, she does get a few gigs at Aardman, but it does not make a living. She normally works in construction.

That basically means re-qualify and work as something else.

That is a hopelessly blinkered and utilitarian view.

Those jobs use the skills developed by a study of history, it's not re-qualifying.

fish most professional careers require lifelong learning and regular training. Degrees like history are highly desirable in the graduate labour market. Close to 70% of graduate jobs don't ask for a specific subject. They want graduates and the skills they have developed while studying. Humanities degrees develop a whole range of desirable employability skills.

That is a hopelessly blinkered and utilitarian view.

unfortunately. i was raised to believe that university/degree is the only way, otherwise i may as well go clean toilets.
I now have a pretty much crap degree, and very little practical skills. I don't regret having an education, but i wouldn't push my own kids into it.

No such thing as a crap degree

If you make the most of your time at university then you will develop employability skills. No matter what subject you study.

It can be interesting to study, but that's basically it

No, it's not. Many employers are happy to take on history graduates and train them because their degree shows they have transferable skills. Obviously, it requires a certain amount of work from the graduates themselves- in finding potential employers, selling themselves, and using their skills in a flexible way. You won't just walk into a graduate job and never have to learn anything new again. But there are many jobs that you will be far more likely to be considered for- and far more likely to do well!- with the skills that come with a degree.

I was not raised to believe a degree was the only way, but I can see quite clearly that there is one thing that distinguishes my dh who was able to move on from manual to managerial work when he reached middle age from his workmates who had no alternative but to carry on slogging until their bodies gave way. And that one thing was the ability to read complicated texts and write coherent reports. Skills that he had gained during his degree and evidenced on his CV by having the degree in question.

Because you need a degree to even be considered most decent paying jobs

DD has her own business and charges between £100 - £500 per day. It will rise as she gets older.

She has a handful of barely passed GCSEs. As DD has found out, a lot of jobs say they need a degree but if you are capable you don't.

DD this year picked up a job that a friend's ds got a degree in but has failed to get any jobs.

If you want your child to succeed confidence and being able to speak to anyone goes further than a degree in a lot of cases

Olivers your daughter is the exception rather than the rule.

If you want your child to succeed confidence and being able to speak to anyone goes further than a degree in a lot of cases

That really depends on your idea of what 'succeeding' is.

A degree opens more doors as it’s easier (maybe only possible, not sure on this) to work abroad in places like USA, NZ, Japan. Some careers require degrees, but it’s certainly not the holy grail. Many, many successful people left school at 16/18 and grafted off their own back.