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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to consider selling my house to fund a degree?

129 replies

7654321j · 25/04/2020 15:17

More of an 'am I being completely ridiculous?'

I went through school with undiagnosed dyslexia. My grades were all over the place, totally inconsistent and very little correlation to how much effort I'd put in, and ultimately, I dropped out of university in my final year.

There's always been a question over whether I'm autistic too. I have no friends and I haven't since I was a young child. I don't really fit in anywhere.

I've always worked in unskilled jobs but I find everything apart from the actual work difficult. I'm bored and I get frustrated when things are unfair/illogical/half arsed/pointless. I hate having no autonomy. I was managed out of my first workplace for poor social/communication skills.

I feel like even if a degree didn't lead to a more interesting job, I'd possibly benefit from the student support and social side of things but it's a huge amount of money to spend when I might not get anything out of it.

Is it an option worth thinking about or is it just a massive waste of money? When I dropped out, fees were £3k so it was reasonable to think 'I can always go back later' but now they've pretty much trebled, is it worth it?

OP posts:
Ineedabreak19 · 25/04/2020 16:21

I used to work in the HE sector although a while ago now so here's my advice:

  1. do you live in a university town/city? If so, can you get a job on the Admin side & then apply to study p/t while working. You might be eligible for staff discounted rates after a year.
    www.jobs.ac.uk/search/administrative
    DO NOT SELL YOUR HOUSE

  2. Apply for a distance degree via Open University, Birkbeck or another university & continue to work p/t to fund it.
    DO NOT SELL YOUR HOUSE

  3. Take in a lodger to raise extra cash.
    DO NOT SELL YOUR HOUSE

  4. Let your house out and move into a house share near the University to generate an income.
    DO NOT SELL YOUR HOUSE

Haggisfish · 25/04/2020 16:23

You could try getting a science apprenticeship and working your way up?

Ineedabreak19 · 25/04/2020 16:25

If you think you are autistic then I'd strongly advise you to get a diagnosis because help will be available for you at university if you need it.

Read up on autism and females in the website below:
thegirlwiththecurlyhair.co.uk/

SecretsInSpitalfield · 25/04/2020 16:30

OP- try to look at your situation from a different angle or from someone else’s viewpoint .. think of the thousands of graduates with degrees and they can’t get their ‘foot in the door’ for their chosen profession and if and when they can the pay isn’t that great and the thought of them getting on the properly ladder in this day and age is just a dream! Do you want to be in their shoes? It’s easy to sell a house but to start again from scratch ? Please don’t sell your home!

megletthesecond · 25/04/2020 16:30

No. No. No. No.
Do not sell your house.

I know how frustrating it is when you want to fund higher ed. I had to drop out of OU and I'll have to pay a lot if I pick it up again.

TwistyHair · 25/04/2020 16:30

I was looking into science apprenticeships for a bit. There are some where you get lab experience. Also, what about healthcare scientist apprenticeships?

ChicCroissant · 25/04/2020 16:31

Don't sell your house to fund a University degree!

I would also ask yourself - honestly - if the reason you didn't finish the first time is likely to happen again. If you go to Uni now you'd have to fund the tution expenses on top of your living expenses. Have you changed jobs a lot as well, because you get bored with them (not the first one, you've mentioned the circumstances around that one).

I don't think a University degree is going to give you what you are looking for here OP, unfortunately. There are no easy answers either, sorry to say.

orlarose · 25/04/2020 16:32

No don't do it! I had dyslexia diagnosed just before I went to uni so I do sympathise. I'd start off with lower level courses to see how you get on first. I have gone on to do further study and would of hated the pressure to do well etc due to haven't sold our house.
@IamtheDevilsAvocado I'm genuinely curious about the thousands. Most I'v got is about £150 per term and a weekly meeting with an advisor. That was for undergraduate, not had a penny for post grad.

lifestooshort123 · 25/04/2020 16:33

Please don't sell your house as you will never get back on the ladder. A degree won't necessarily get you a more interesting job and to go to make friends/have a social life isn't really right. You must have done well enough at school to have been accepted at uni so don't really understand why your grades were suddenly all over the place. I admire you for wanting to lift yourself out of a boring job but not sure selling your house and going back to uni is the answer. Can you do any training courses where you are to improve your position? Or look for a qualification you can get at a training centre (a friend got their SIA licence that way and has a goodish job from it). I wish you luck but please don't sell your house!

MarginalGain · 25/04/2020 16:33

The world works in such a way that it's really much easier to make money with capital than a university degree, so in this sense, it's a bad idea.

I'm still curious about your intended degree is, though.

mamanyoga · 25/04/2020 16:45

I think you should do an apprenticeship and mayne you could get funding for a degree from your employers?

IHaveAMagicBean · 25/04/2020 16:51

Ridiculous idea!

Take out a home owners loan if you must, but don’t sell your house. You may never be in a position to buy again. Going to uni doesn’t gaurentee you’ll get another job.

AlwaysCheddar · 25/04/2020 17:07

Sorry but if you think it’s sensible to sell your house to fund uni, you need educating.

LynetteScavo · 25/04/2020 17:11

This is probably once if the worst ideas I've ever read on MN.

It would be a much better idea to look at an OU degree and exploring how you can access social support in your community.

LilyE1234 · 25/04/2020 17:23

Can you not try and find an admin job in the field you’re interested in with the hope that with experience, you can learn on the job and they might fund your studies?
That’s what I did, I did a year or so as a PA/admin support whilst helping the department I was keen to end up in as much as my workload allowed. They have funded my qualification and I’ve been promoted twice since joining 4 years ago.

Dozer · 25/04/2020 17:25

Don’t do it!

Ohhgreat · 25/04/2020 17:29

Have you looked at degree apprenticeships? Earn while studying, so no selling your house. It's open to any age assuming you dont already have a degree.

negomi90 · 25/04/2020 17:30

I have a uni degree, I am exceedingly introverted and hid from the social side of things.
Going to uni will not force you to socialise if you don't already do so. It won't change who you are.
I also have a very good job , my only debt is student loans, but I can't afford to get on the property ladder.
Do not sell your house.

Dyrne · 25/04/2020 17:32

I second the recommendation to look into apprenticeships or similar - there are some great science/lab based ones now.

If you’re set on university, could you consider aiming for a healthcare one like nursing that would allow you to apply for a second round of student finance?

Or, absolute last resort, look at remortgaging and releasing some equity to fund a degree; then taking on a lodger.

There’s plenty of ways to get somewhere that don’t involve you needing to sell your house!

To be honest it sounds like you’re fed up and want a “do-over” of your life, but is university really the only answer? You clearly didn’t have a great time first time around!

Original poster
7654321j · 25/04/2020 17:46

I probably should've said the house is a two up two down shoebox in a cheap part of the country. I'm happy to have a roof over my head but there's no reason I wouldn't be able to buy again. It's not an inheritance I'd be pissing away or anything.

Great opportunities with great training and benefits are rare (most apprenticeships pay £4ph so I'd have to sell my house to live anyway) and competitive.

I don't know how to reply to people without sounding like I'm saying no to every idea that isn't 'yes, sell your house' when I know that the advice is well meaning but employers aren't tripping over themselves to employ people like me.

I tried to keep my OP relatively short but I didn't jump straight to sell my house and get a degree from nothing. I have tried to get a better job. It's a lot easier said than done.

But yeah, it is a stupid idea.

OP posts:
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 25/04/2020 17:49

If you can save up and buy a house again easily, surely you can save up for university fees? Just having a degree doesn’t guarantee you a job.

sanityisamyth · 25/04/2020 17:49

I'm selling my house to pay for tuition fees. It's scary but I'm loving being back at uni (despite the strikes and the virus!!) and really looking forward to a change in career. I also have a good lump sum locked up for a house deposit when I graduate as well so there's a bit more stability.

Life is too short to be stuck in a job/career that is no longer fulfilling.

IndecentFeminist · 25/04/2020 17:51

Could you do a degree bit by bit via distance learning? OU etc?