To ask if you went to uni did you regret it ?

[Lardlizard]

Yabu if you don’t regret
Yanbu if you do

God, no!

I don't regret going to uni at all, but I wish that a) I'd picked a different course (the one I did was useless for getting a job) and b) that I'd worked harder. I'm now doing a second degree with the OU and I'm a MUCH better student in my 40s than I was in my 20s.

Will never regret it. Honestly the best and happiest three years of my life.

I didn't go to Uni and it's one of my biggest regrets. Still done ok on the job front but feel I missed out on a milestone.

No, I earn a good living and use my degree.

Definitely no regrets, it changed my life and opened up doors both in my career and view of the world. 5% of my school went to uni in the mid-90s and the figure has increased slightly since I left so there was a lot of social pressure to not be a ‘SWOT’. I’m glad I persisted What makes you ask the question?

I did a STEM degree and it landed me a job in technology that's interesting, working alongside good people who respect my expertise. I have multiple degrees, without which I wouldn't have been able to get a foot in the door, nevermind the speed at which my career trajectory has grown into. I occasionally meet people who learned on the job but they tend to be hardcore geeks for whom university wouldn't have benefited anyway - the normal route in, with least resistance, is uni, post grad if some sort etc.

I wouldn't have the earning potential or ability to be the breadwinner while WFH in the current climate, I'd be completely fucked. As are my siblings who had the same background (working class, no one goes to uni) who didn't value education or move away from home in order to exploit better job options.

I am constantly reminded of an alternative reality when I look at my siblings.

I regularly think about how thankful I am to the funding bodies that made my degree possible (shortage of students studying in my area, had stipends which were small but critical!).

Loved my degree (until 3rd year). Never thought I’d get a job from it..... I have never got from it!!!

Absolutely loved it and it has paved the way for a good job.
I learnt to be a 'semi' adult and had the time of my life

Absolutely loved every minute!! I did a nursing degree in the early 1990’s, so received a monthly bursary. Secured a couple of jobs in care to see me through, so left with no debt. I come from a wc insular community so moving to a city based uni completely opened my eyes to a new life. Uni was the best time of my life. I made the best friends, who still remain my best friends 25 years on. I wouldn’t change a minute of it. I feel sorry for children these days, many families will not be able to afford the experience. My oldest child will leave school in 2 years and has already opted for an apprenticeship with a company who will support him with his degree.

Totally regret it. Useless degree that I can’t do anything with, got myself into so much debt (not just student loan) when I was a student that hampered my 20’s. All my friends that didn’t go to uni were streets ahead of me in terms of pay by the time I’d graduated and still are now.

I would only encourage my children to go to uni if they’re going to do medicine, nursing, law, basically something that they NEED a certain degree in in order to do a profession and will actually use it. A degree that’s held in high esteem and will result in a well paid career.

I regret it. The only thing stopping me from wishing I could go back and slap some sense into 18 year old me

I chose the course through clearing hoping I could go on to do medicine as a post graduate. In my second year I finally realised that it really wasn't going to happen, and I didn't want to study biology any more. Near enough flunked the third year, and pretty much gave up on ever hoping to achieve anything with my life after that.

13 years down the line I'm still a massive loser with a £10k student debt for a degree I will never use.

I'm 29 and started my degree last year. I would like to be a teacher.. i didn't do it when i was 18 as i was very immature and didnt want to live away from home but now i drive and can drive to and back from uni so i can live in my own home not halls. I dont regret starting the degree and dont regret doing it later in life as i am serious about it and wouldn't have been at 18 years old. I will have fees to pay once done but it works out at £25 a month or something like that so worth it. Just found out i'm pregnant! Soo it's gona be a hard few years but im gona try my hardest to push through and get that cap and gown!!!! X

I do not regret the experience as such, but it didn't get me a job. I wish I had chosen a different subject.

Best days of my life. My degree was a bit of a rip-off though as there was very little teaching (albeit fees were much lower then). My job also requires a degree.

I wish I'd made more of my time there. Stayed with an abusive arsehole boyfriend from my home town so did a lot of travelling backwards and forwards to see him instead of enjoying myself there. I also wish I'd chosen a different career path (nursing) but that's probably a different thread!

Best thing I ever did. It was transformative..... I was the first person in my family to go do it so wasn't a natural thing to do but I loved every bit!

I have a degree, MA and PhD as well as other quals.

I've also worked in HE for 15 years ( in various jobs but most recently as an academic) and I still get a buzz walking through a bustling university campus. I used to work in widening participation and I loved bringing kids on to campus and seeing them get excited at the prospect of being a student.

@Piper1879

I regretted the university but not my under grad or my masters. I 100% regret my phd

Which uni? And why?

Went to a red brick in the 90's did an undergraduate course. Hated it, felt like a total fish out of water. Went to an ex poly in my 30's to do a vocational masters, I saw that course as a means to an end/job and didnt care about making friends with a group of people who were typically 10 years younger than me. It lead to the professional carer I have now and more post grad courses.

I don’t regret it, although I went to a top university and did a subject that employers look out for meaning I now have a good career and very well paid job 5 years on.
Only bit I do regret is not getting involved enough with clubs etc. But then spending more time doing this may have lead to lower grades.

I work in a university (non academic but professional support role) and have done for 12 years.
Things have changed beyond recognition.
Some of the courses on offer you can totally see the logic of wanting to study them but many many subjects I just think "why would you waste your time / money / effort to try to get that qualification"
And now there are so many other things which have changed for the worse in my opinion - drugs, prostitution, suicides, political correctness - and now not even "being there" because of the pandemic.

A few years ago I would say I absolutely want my kids to go - now when they get to that age if they say they proposed a viable alternative to uni (eg apprenticeship or straight into work) I would seriously consider supporting them in that.

I regret the university choice for my undergraduate (Durham), not the course (although I wouldn't necessarily do the same again) or having gone to university. I loved my masters (SOAS), and only really regret not considering a phd there.

If I were advising my DC, I would definitely tell them to look more broadly than just university...

I loved it so much I did four degrees although the third and fourth were out of necessity and the novelty was beginning to wear off by the end.

Generally, though, absolutely loved it and did very well out of it.

Yes, I regret going to uni. I have an excellent, well paid and respected job that I absolutely loathe. I often wonder if I hadn't gone to university if I would be happier 😔

I loved University. They were the happiest years of my early adulthood.