AIBU to feel that some parents just want their children at Uni even if its a BS degree

[DistinguishedSocialCommentator]

Hello
I come from a background/culture where education is seen as very important and going to a university is a must (My parents came to England in 1962)

Yes, more and more jobs are seeking degrees and often even when not necessary. There are many professions where you must have a degree to join the course training

However, what I and my family call BS degrees, to name but a few

Arts
Studio Fine arts
Arth History
Business studies
Exercise Science
Fashion

I cant see what jobs they will get as there must be other routes, less intensive and extensive to get the job they want

When I've talked about mickey-mouse degrees at parties etc and not be aware that some parents children or they may have studied them, they start to defend the indefensible.
The biggest bS degree is 'Politics' - WTH!! Sadly, we know a few people whose children have done that and ended up running the family shop/business - total waste of a degree

There are other degrees just as crappy - they should be banned IMO

AIBU to think these degrees are a waste of time and often do not aid the person into a job in that field?

None of it matters- whether you get an ‘acceptable’ (in your eyes) or ‘unacceptable’ degree, it’s what the person decides to do as a result of/ with it that matters. I did a science degree where we all filed off into ‘good’ jobs that a huge amount of us left. Out of our year less than a half are In related jobs at all, and we should have been braver and done something where we would have ploughed on and found something we could do for the love of it. I kind of take your point in that now I’m telling my sons work, do apprenticeships or go to university/college, don’t do a course for the sake of being in college

Years ago, I worked in an office where we had a young guy who was on a gap year whilst intending to go to university to do "Meeja Studies." Once, I joked "oh, you going to be producing 'Newsnight' then, Kevin?" whereupon he looked me straight in the eye and solemnly said "Oh, yes!" Bloody Hell, he meant it.

He came back, eventually, with the aforesaid degree - to work in his father's upholstery firm. It seems the BBC had it's quota of producers.......

🤔DM AGAIN great source 😁

There's literally no such thing as a BS degree. They are all hard work, they all have transferable skills, they all take commitment to get a good mark. You and your family clearly do not value education, you value capitalism and the desire to make money.

I may not agree with all the degrees you have listed, but think that too many people go to university, too many jobs require a degree for little or no reason, and it has created a divide at 18 replacing that which existed last century at age 11.

Requiring a degree when it is of little value and not required for a job is also a form of indirect discrimination in a way.

Furthermore, how many kiddies have been "pushed" towards university by Mums and Dads determined to be able to brag to the neighbours "......and the very first in our family to go to university!"

It doesn't matter what they study - anything - it's the perceived social cachè that matters, innit Ma & Pa?

You are so ignorant OP.

having worked as a professional dancer dd is going back to uni as a mature student to study excercise science.

It is essential in order for her to get employment in the area she now wants to go into.

🍿

I've done research on this. It specifically looked at first generation students motivations for going to university.

This wasn't a theme that emerged 🤷🏼‍♀️

What a woefully narrow-minded and ignorant OP. Having seen some of your posts on other threads, I'm not surprised though.

I'm a teacher at a very good girls' school where lots of the students also come from families with attitudes like yours. These girls have it drummed into them that they have to do maths and science A Levels and then medicine. The maths department have huge A Level classes full of girls who hate maths but feel they have to do it, and who apply for medicine (but don't necessarily get in) even though they don't really want to do it.

My DH ended up having to do a degree through the Open Uni in his 30s as he had hit a ceiling in career advancement and needed a degree to progress past the essential criteria.

Studied for and got an arts degree and was able to progress his career and is now pretty senior.

His career is still lagging a bit behind mine as I got my politics degree in my early 20s and was not held back by the lack of a degree. I am now exec level on 6 figures.

HNRWT. Whilst it is just rude to discuss Mickey Mouse degrees around people who you have no clue what degrees they had done, you have acknowledged these kids go run 'family' businesses etc etc.

there is your answer. families have ££££ to spend on their kids who are free to study anything they like.

I did a hard degree to secure a career. I probably would have done a Mickey Mouse degree if I knew I had 3 houses waiting for me and endless holidays and my kids will be taken care of by grandparents.

jeoulous much @DistinguishedSocialCommentator

Oh, someone said I was you on thread about exhausted parents. I didn't respond to them! Yes, I agree, they are Mickey Mouse but don't be jealous. And it's rare for me to trout out 'jealous' comment.

A friend wanted to do fashion- her mum earned well but not rich, but not enough. Mum refused and she had to do teaching.

Politics - when mixed with other topics is possibly one of the most important degrees.

I agree with this too.

A strictly utilitarian mindset about learning is rather dispiriting!

Many thanks. Exactly what two of our kids did and now in the top 5% pay bracket
One of the three kids went to uni to be a dentist now going for orthadentist gets paid less than the 2 other siblings.

Medal. There is more to life than being in the top 5% pay bracket, fortunately. You do realise that's not everybody's motivation, right? Also, I think you mean 'orthodontist'.

The idea that a business degree is BS when it's offered at top ten universities and require at least AAA is nonsense

Agreed. That has been my experience too. Some end being well paid journalists and then comms for successful political parties.

@DistinguishedSocialCommentator ignores every post that challenges them - they completely ignore my posts about how to actually become a pilot, or about how Bradford, Stoke and Liverpool have a vast arts base.

They can't even acknowledge that Bradford is the 2025 City of Culture

When they are proved wrong they ignore it completely and bang on about they shit they make up in their heads.

I mean even when they contradict themselves - by saying on another post they left education at 18 and claiming here they have a degree they just decide it's best to ignore.

The OP is on a huge wind up - I'm only here to contradict some of the rubbish being spouted in case people with kids approaching Uni age actually think it's true.

Cal yourself distinguished but don't see the use in Arts?

Riiiight

I won't be encouraging my DC to go to university unless it's imperative to what they want to do in their careers, or they're actually passionate about it. I'd rather send them on courses and have on-the-job training.

I also won't encourage them to go to uni to "experience" it, but that's for a different conversation. What a waste of money 🤣

Thanks for the heads up @ghostyslovesheets

As someone who works in HE and is a qualified careers consultant working with graduate labour market data day in day out I feel the same. I'd hate for someone to read the OPs posts and take it as the truth.

It's ridiculous though isn't it? He needed just any degree to progress. There are so many routes to learning and his experience was surely more valuable than a random degree

Fellow careers adviser here - working with 14-25's it's amazing what people believe to be true!

I agree with this. I think it also depends on what ‘circles’ you move in; some parents seem to consider a university education (for their children) as a necessity regardless of what the actual course is.