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?

We certainly encouraged our kids to go to uni, but didn't force anything, didn't need to. We're both uni educated, as are the majority of my cousins on both sides of the family. Our generation was the first to go to uni.

They all followed their individual interests and took 3 very different degrees.

I think it would be pretty pathetic to "push" their kids into uni for bragging rights. I don't know anyone like that.

Yes, maybe you could give the OP a menu, in case he or she runs out of betting his/her reputation on the authenticity of royal photos and passing on his/her family’s ideas about education.

This.

OP, you are coming across as very ignorant. Education is not purely for a job. Why shouldn't someone be able to study whatever they are intetested in? I did a PhD for the sheer pleasure of learning, and contributing to the world's research in a specific area, not for my career. Learning for learning's sake is wonderful and when we stop doing that, the world will decline.

I think you've been as tactful as a swinging brick here but I do agree with some of what you've said, possibly just not how you've said it.

I think there are a lot of jobs where on the job learning would be much more beneficial than a degree in any old subject just for the sake of having one but employers need to catch up with this way of thinking. I would be a prime example of this I left uni half way through when I realised I had no passion for my particular subject and had no intention of finding a career in that field. I work at director level for a mid size company with 30 locations. I have 7 years experience at this level but I couldn't get a job in Aldi as an AM for example as I don't have a degree...any 2:2 would do. So in this case a recent graduate with a 2:2 in arts would be more qualified than me apparently. Until employers move with the times people will continue to study anything even if they have no intention of following a career in that subject because it opens up other opportunities that aren't available without one. However for people who have every intention of going into employment in their field of study I think it would be unfair to call their degree BS.

You did!!! For any degree not on your 'approved' list.

Still waiting to hear what your educational attainment has been...!

I think you need a much larger education than the one you’ve currently got OP, you’re coming across as extremely unintelligent.

OMG - your OH has a BA!!!! How on earth did you lower yourself?

You decided your kids weren't going to uni "to enjoy themselves"??? WTF? I've encouraged mine to enjoy themselves as DH and I both did!!

"End up hooked on drugs" - because they went to uni?? WTAF??? Listen to yourself.

I think you have to be on a wind-up. Either that or you are quite mad.

I am interested to know why you are such a consistently terrible speller. Perhaps you should have gone to university. Your grasp of grammar is also very wanting.
Signed
An Arts graduate ( with a major in Politics and Literature)!!

Oh I’ve just recognised you, you’re the batshit RF conspiracy theorist that posts about body doubles.

You are the one who is deliberately and stubbornly obtuse!!

I don't believe you even have a degree.

Well seeing as you've condemned this person to a lifetime of shit jobs, the debt doesn't matter one jot because they will never pay it back.

"There sure is bud" - bloody hell! People can be happy in life without high-flying careers. Geddit luv??!🙄

Some parents do push and push hard to get kids to uni
The background I come from, parents often see not befitting their
status if their kid/s do not go to uni as its the done thing.

However, we have never been like that as we have seen many instances as per my op and through friends and work noted incidents kids go to uni and at time a crap uni, come back, out of work and they either go to work for parents if lucky. At times kids and parents get depressed as Lucy/Johhny has a "great degree but can get a job." this is often a line of work related to their degree.

One of my cousins was breathing about her son only getting 30k and had 2 lots of degrees better educated than their other cousin's son who lived in London, only had the one degree but got paid a lot more.

In the old days uni was free. These days, it costs loads of money and I've heard phone call-in shows on radio where ex students worry re their debts from uni,

Yes, go for a degree but think hard about the prospects afterwards and the debt and how you will pay the mortgage/food etc

That's because they can't!!!

You're a pretentious arsehole aren't you?!

That's because they can't!!!

True!
Why bother starting a thread on a topic and then only reply to people who agree with you!!
I guess it's the actions of someone who isn't confident in the point they are making. Nothing good comes from living in an echo chamber 🤷🏼‍♀️

In the old days uni was free. These days, it costs loads of money and I've heard phone call-in shows on radio where ex students worry re their debts from uni, Yes, go for a degree but think hard about the prospects afterwards and the debt and how you will pay the mortgage/food etc

How is this your business?

From reading your replies you sound an absolutely terrible person and as others have pointed out, not well educated either. You have not posted this for a sensible debate, but a ‘I am far more superior than you’ ego boost.

Whilst there are degrees which may seem pointless/ ‘silly’ to some, the degrees which are required for certain career paths are often careers where the pay is terrible. Social Work, Teaching, Nursing - I have a masters in one of those, yes you can walk into a career but infact you end up in a very niche pool of jobs and progression. The progression is often slow due to needing X number of years at each stage of career. I very much wish I had undertaken a degree in one of the ‘mickey mouse’ degrees as you call them as I can hazard a steong guess the pay, job choices and progression is far better than many which ‘require’ a degree.

Clearly your "background" is as judgey as fuck.

You don't value education, not one bit.

BA in Judgemental Studies with a minor in My Family Thinks.

How old are you, @DistinguishedSocialCommentator? Just wondering as the route you’re thinking of is really tough and often not possible these days re working up. A lot of people can’t get jobs to work up in.

I was in the ‘intern’ generation. The one where to get a job you had to work several years for free (before it was finally made illegal). That will also have shaped my perception. However, the reality is anyone thinking they can walk out of school into a job and work up nowadays is highly likely to get a big shock.

What a nasty thread you have started

Retired at 50 some years ago.
Apparently.

Kate Middleton did quite well out of her art history degree

I didn't go to university. I wouldn't encourage DS to go just for the sake of it and get saddled with a massive loan. I have friends who went to uni who are earning less than me and have huge debts that they're paying. I do value education but not at a price! I don't regret not going at all myself.

However DS wants to be a vet so uni will be essential. Which is fine as he has a clear goal.

Did you complete a degree in ignorance, OP?