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

[Lardlizard]

Yabu if you don’t regret
Yanbu if you do

I don't regret it but I wish I'd realised at the time that the people I hung out with weren't the right sort of people to spend time with if you want to get a good degree - they took the attitude that it was naff to do any work. I'd always advise people going to uni to find the people who work hard and hang out with them.

Also in the states a lot of people go undeclared and can attend a range of subjects which is fascinating and people are likely to work out what they like. I love the idea of attending some engineering lectures then a couple of art history, say. Their unis are amazing anyway.

I don't regret the subject. It's my favourite job in the world! University was the only one that offered the perfect course so in that sense no, but in terms of university experience I think I could've had a better experience in a smaller city but I don't know where really.

I hate how over here you now need a masters to do anything.

No, but regret going to the university I did.

greenpestopasta

I'm a bit stunned at your post. I did an English degree also at an RG and of my entire cohort, I don't know a single person who became an English teacher. Most of us went into industries like journalism, marketing (a very large number in very very well-paid roles) or publishing. A few went into law or finance via in house programmes (PWC-esque) as the quality of the degree was what mattered, not the subject. Its a very antiquated attitude to suggest that English degrees are only for teaching.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience X

@Greenpestopasta

If anyone could suggest anything you can do with an English degree that ISN'T teaching, I'd be most grateful to hear.

Law, accountancy, journalism, publishing, communications, marketing. You can do pretty much anything non STEM related with an English degree. I can’t think that it wouldn’t be of interest to employers.

My experience was similar to Greenpestopasta. Not English, but similar academic degree at a well respected old university. About five hours a week of teaching and then finished university with a degree that no employer was interested in. I have no idea what other people on my course went on to do as I didn't get to know a single person. But I know that school friends who did similar degrees ended up either as teachers or with no career to speak of. The luckier ones were able to afford to do a masters in something more focused and it was that that set them on the path to a career. I couldn't afford to do a masters but to be honest I was so lonely and disillusioned by the time I left university that I couldn't realistically have coped with one anyway.

isabellerossignol and greenpestopasta
I'm so sorry to hear you've both had rubbish times.

I did an English degree at a 'good' uni (RG, the usual 5 hours a week etc) and got a 2:1. I didn't do any sort of PG, and all of my employers have simply required me to be 'degree-educated'. I appreciate this won't be the case for everyone, but I've personally never found my degree to be anything less than an advantage on the grounds that it's not 'specific,' so it's seen as a standard of ability rather than a specific knowledge base. I ended up in a graduate-level post in marketing (degree-educated was the only requisite for academic ability) and then moved between organisations and learned about my industry from within (Finance sector) I worked my way up to Board level, until I left after my maternity leave as DH also has a very demanding role and it would be a struggle to make parenthood work around both roles. I absolutely credit my degree with getting me started however. Simply having one was what opened the door. Similarly, when recruiting over the years, the onus has always been on the 'degree-educated' element and core subjects such as English, Classics, History etc. have always been very, very desirable when recruiting into comms posts.

My course mates have all had similar paths, though they're all more ambitious than me, and would never dream of giving it up. Not one of them is a teacher, and all are in professional corporate roles.

I'd say it's always better to study in a subject you're passionate about than any degree that you feels gives a 'clear career path'. Unless that's Medicine or a health care role, that clear career path simply doesn't exist.

I'm sorry your experience has left such a sour taste. Big hugs xx

The power of hindsight now of course, some 20 years later is that I could have just done another degree aged 22, but that felt ridiculous at the time.

Ain't that the truth. I realised I hated my course after a year, but thought "it's too late to change now". I was 19! I could have started another course been done by 22! Pretty much gave up my working whole life because I didn't want to "waste" one year at uni.

I don't regret it even though I hated the experience for various reasons; I love learning but often hate the learning environment, and it was huge relief when it was over. Saying that, my degree was very well run, gave me loads of useful skills aside from being eligible to join the industry's governing body, and it's opened up a whole new world to me in middle age. It also changed my mindset from "I'm not academic" to "I'm a scientist" which I'm so happy about.

I regret going straight from school and/or with no ASD diagnosis at the time and doing the subject I did, as I wasted my opportunity at it.

I am now doing a Masters online and am doing much better as I now have at least some of the disability support I need, and am more self-aware etc.

A degree is no longer a ticket to a good career. Pretty much everyone has one so they’re worthless. Simply having a degree won’t give you any advantage over other candidates who have a degree, a masters, plenty of experience and related voluntary roles, for example. Most employers in my experience, want demonstrable experience, which is hard to get when you struggle to get the initial foot in the door, degree or not. I don’t doubt they did open doors in the past but for graduates certainly in the last decade and in the future I don’t think they’ll provide anything except debt.

I don’t regret it, but then I’m now working in a field that requires you to hold said degree for regulation/registration and you’re not allowed to practice without it. Wouldn’t be where I was if I hadn’t gone to uni.

Yeah I do - I didn't go to a 'good' uni and did a rather generic subject (English) so it hasn't really helped me career wise. I enjoyed doing it but it's a lot of money for little return. Wish I'd worked a bit harder and done a more STEM based course like biomedical science or pharmacy... probably not clever enough for those really but it's a dream for me now.

Regretting it now that I'm half way through my masters dissertation write up!

In reality I dont regret a second of it. I have absolutely loved being a mature student and I'm even contemplating doing a PhD.

I went to uni, but lost interest in the subject towards the end of 3rd year and decided not to stay for 4th year (Scotland so degrees take an extra year). I have a degree but no honours. I'm hoping to do an OU degree soon though, as I feel like I could have done better if it was a subject I would stay interested in and as I'm quite a bit older now I have the self discipline to actually work on essays etc!

I don't regret it at all. It's a great life experience.

I have tried many of the suggestions, I appreciate them, but it does make me wonder what the posters graduated, because lI would have loved to get into publishing, but talk about a brick wall- I think you probably need connections. The rest you need a postgrad for, or you need to get an in-house placement - again, connections and sheer numbers were against me. I applied for many graduate paths, and always did fairly well, but fell at the last hurdle. I asked for feedback, and was told it was a numbers game- they had thousands of applicants. This was peak recession, so unfortunately there was little to be done

A year or two ago, there was a long discussion on a Facebook group set up for the alumni of my university, and many of those who graduated in the last 10 years or so have similar tales. Huge numbers of teachers and call centre workers. Of course, we have a smattering of journalists and lawyers, but vast swathes of my classmates are still working in low paid or temporary jobs which have little or nothing to do with their degree.

I feel as though many of my age group were simply lied to by schools and parents. The recession compounded things, and now I doubt I will ever make anything of myself. I will never stop trying, but I'm getting too old now, there is almost a decade of fresh new graduates behind me now, and I am married with children, so limited in that way. I have not done a postgrad, partly because I simply don't know what I could do now, I am so detached from the clever, quick girl I was at the start of my degree. It is my last shot, and I'm terrified I will waste it- I can't afford to do a postgrad if it will not provide a tangible reward in terms of career progression. Again, I'm sure my litany of failures are largely due to my own choices, so I'm not pinning the blame solely on my degree, but as I said, anecdotally my situation is not unusual

Loved it. First degree in the 80s, so living on a grant. First postgrad in the 90's, so student loan. Masters in the 2000s (part time), sponsored by work, but working full time when I did it with no time off for study - I had to make up all the hours I was away, or take holiday. For four years.

I don't regret any of them. Learning is awesome, and universities are stuffed full of like-minded, curious people. I made amazing friends that have lasted a lifetime.

greenpestopasta

I do understand. But - aside from the comparatively small sector of STEM and Medical-based roles - no one is appointing (or NOT) on the basis of a degree discipline.

I think in part there's a lot to be said for finding routes into roles through other means. And no, no one I know from my course had 'contacts.' For example, there are lots of council/public sector roles that provide a solid foundation in areas such as marketing for example, that then give the experience to move between industries. Publishing is notoriously hard but my peers who work in that sector started on free work experience whilst working PT in Tesco or Morrisons of an evening until a job opened up anywhere, be it in admin or wherever they could get a foothold. One friend badgered and badgered every person she could find in the publishing world until she got a month of (very shit) work experience where she literally opened post and delivered internal mail, but it was then a CV talking point at interview etc... Another now works in TV production but spent a good year working for nothing as a site runner just to get contacts. No one walked into a job or had contacts, a lot of them were bloody relentless and there were tough, thrifty years before the work paid off, as I expect is the same for many. For me, I applied for any job with 'marketing assistant' in the title and I mean ANY. I applied for roles from Edinburgh to Penzance. I took the first job I was offered (the freedom of life before children!) but I had to in order to get started.

I appreciate it must feel disheartening but the degree subject isn't the issue, as your tale is mirrored by graduates of every subject under the sun. The truth is - unless you are applying for Medical/health or STEM posts - no one appoints a person on the basis of their degree discipline, and nor will a 'generic' degree ever be a hindrance. Job seeking and 'Job-securing' are skills in their own right. The art of a cover letter/personal statement is where interviews are won and lost, and interview skills are more important than ever. You've clearly had success in securing interviews so your degree discipline hasn't held you back there at all?

From your posts here - and please take this in the spirit it is intended - you seem wholly defeated, and that your glass is now half empty. But from what I can see:

You have an excellent, widely recognised degree from and excellent RG uni. You're a parent, so you have experience and skills far beyond that of a 'stereotypical' graduate. It means you are likely to be viewed as a stable influence, who can manage difficult situations in the way only a parent can. You have a wealth of experience and life skills to offer that SHOULD be singling you out as something special, if you let that show.... You're a catch!

2008 was a very, very long time ago. Good luck, you really, really can do it xxxx

greenpestopasta I think we're the same age, I also graduated at the height of the economic recession. I agree with your statement here: "feel as though many of my age group were simply lied to by schools and parents".

For our generation it was the first one where huge swathes of the cohort couldn't rely on solid academics coupled with some work experience to get started in their career.

In my case, the only thing that separates me from my peers is a mix of this:

1. studying in a STEM subject which had (does have) a dearth of workers, nevermind female ones, and talent is hard to come by - now I am a manager this is a constant headache

2. being ruthless about focusing on key skills that are in demand - for example, I walked away from 1 software engineering job about 10 months in because the tech was dying and I was in a team of 50-something coasting guys who just wanted to coast into retirement, that is no place to set myself up for graduate employability if my employer ever made redundancies etc

3. moving anywhere in the UK, being prepared to relocate abroad if need be. So, mobility.

Those 3 things have stood me in good stead, they're harder when have a spouse and children but not impossible. Maybe it's time for a real "let's shake things up" conversation with your other half?

Doing research about in demand/growing areas based on REAL vacancies and salary research,plus developing a plan to get there including planning your spouse's job alongside that, and being willing to relocate, is how you're going to move forward.. if you want to make that sacrifice.
It's not for everyone.

I look back at my 20s and simply couldn't do the all nighters, eating pizza for dinner in a coding crisis 3 nights in a row when a release goes wrong, 100+hr work weeks that I did to really move my career on.. it'd kill me now! And yet without that work ethic, and stepping up into some high stress jobs.. I wouldn't be in my position now, which I love.

It's a difficult place for you with a partner and children, but not impossible.

No regrets
It was the best of times
The worst of times

@Greenpestopasta It was in multi media journalism and it was more like professional training rather than a standard academic Masters. It was at an ex polytechnic but the course was accredited and well regarded among employers in the area, the lecturers had also previously worked in the industry and arranged work placements for us.
The salaries in media aren't great but I've never been out of work and it's fun and varied. A related field that lots of English grads go into is PR or marketing. You can do professional qualifications in those through their respective Chartered Institutes, they also have distance learning options and are reasonably priced compared to a degree.

I had a similar experience to you with my BA, some weeks there was only 3 hours contact time and the work was easier than my A Levels. I don't think anyone failed despite some people doing very little work and hardly turning up to lectures.