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?

If some people are so dissatisfied with the loan/fee system, are they lobbying for a change? Rather than an abandonment of third level eduction? There are other models.

I lived in London years ago and you couldn't pay me to live there now!!!

You may not be aware but living in London or daily travel gives a greater chance to a job of choice and possibilities of good pay and that is a fact. London is the centre of jobs but please feel free to disagree with me.

I do disagree with you. and so do the facts....this just simply not true. London is not the 'centre of jobs'. I attended a training session just last week on graduate employability by the country's leading expert on this data. He made a huge point about this being the biggest myth when it comes to graduate employability. In fact, for fashion and marketing jobs then you should head to Manchester.

Thnak you for the figures so you are in debt of lets say 30k and once you start earning peanuts, plus salt, you start paying off your debts. What about the rent/mortgage/fod/travel etc.

Do you knowhow much to lean repayments actually are? A graduate on a starting salary of £30k would be paying back £16 a month. If their salary drops below the repayment threshold then they stop.

Personally I would like my own kids to go to uni but I’m in Scotland and the financial burden is very low . I studied in England and those saying oh you only pay once you start working , yes true but it’s still a big chunk of money in my case £300 q month so yes I do believe people. Should not do Mickey Mouse degrees just for the university experience because the being up 60 k in debt is not to e taken lightly. Thankfully in my case was worth it but for many even on the same path as me it was not .

I am starting to feel sorry for this chap

I had one of the first type of loans and owed £6,500. First job where I earned enough to repay it, the repayments were about 10% of my monthly take home pay, which was pretty onerous.

Arts degree here. Scholarship kid. WC background - my degree opened many many doors- in fact for most of the jobs I’ve had in the last 25 years a degree has been compulsory.
Having it has also meant that not one single person in a work context has EVER questioned my academic ability or ability to do my job. That’s been handy.

Also, how fucking boring would the world be if it was just full of scientists and mathematicians…

OP, I know you loathe any figure that doesn't come direct from that arbiter of truth, the Daily Mail, but these are the most recent Government labour market statistics which quite clearly show it is better to have a degree than not to have a degree. I can only assume, from the way you talk, that you happen to know every single one of the (only) 13% of graduates who were unemployed in the most recent figures, as you constantly bang on about all these grads who don't have jobs. I don't know any, every graduate I know is working should they choose to be doing so. A couple aren't because they are doing other things, such as PhDs, the lazy so-and-sos. I mean - what do they think a Doctorate will do for their employability...??

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-labour-markets

This paints an even more positive picture. This report specifically looks at first degree graduates.
Only 5% were unemployed and that includes those who have a job lined up but just haven't started yet.

Over 75% of those in work are in professional level jobs.

What do graduates do? 2023/24 | Luminate (prospects.ac.uk)

Seconded.

Do you buy any pictures for your house? Do you watch tv? Do you listen to music? DO YOU WEAR FUCKING CLOTHES?

You can thank arts educated people for those.

Jesus Christ.

Not to mention, some of us are just not gifted in these areas! I'm not dope, but wouldn't have done well (or even passed) a maths or science degree.

Its 5 o'clock somewhere....

I’m happy to disagree with you. I spent a couple of years in London. It was fun, poorly paid, and rent and cost of living/time commuting just sapped my soul. Moved back to Scotland and have a better standard of living than I would in London.

There is (well paid) life beyond the M25.

I have a friend whose daughter got an art history degree. Now she earns a lot of money as a high-level manager in software development. It turns out that having a very strong understanding of the visual world and the ability to analyze what works and not work in terms of influencing and moving people is ideal for the very visual world of software development.

Why do people keep guessing what I'm say re london. town/city/country is favoured by 100% of anybody. You may not be aware but living in London or daily travel gives a greater chance to a job of choice and possibilities of good pay and that is a fact. London is the centre of jobs but please feel free to disagree with me.

Leaving aside the fact that your sentences are making less and less sense...

'London is the centre of jobs' is a pointless and meaningless statement. There are jobs all over the UK, and London is a very expensive place to live.

You’re entitled to hold this opinion, sure.

People are also entitled to think you’re a bit obnoxious as a result.

😂

DS is going to Loughborough in September after trying for 2 years to get there to do Sports Science. It’s a highly respected Uni which is incredibly hard to get into and he needed very high grades to get a place.

Quite honestly I’d love him to not go to Uni because I don’t want him to start adult life saddled with a huge debt/tax bug unfortunately he won’t be able to get a job in the area in which he wants to work without a degree.

Aren’t you a delight, OP?
I’ve got an MA(Hons), MSc, and PhD, all in language/literatures based discipline. I’m also just finishing an MBA.
What about learning for learning’s sake;for the love and interest of a subject? Would you have us all changed into automatons? There would be no arts (and many humanities) based degrees, or scholars, in your world.
I have a pretty good job. I work in senior Professional Services in a university. Shock horror - it’s not in London either! Many of us have no desire, or need, to be in London - or even the South of England. Happily ensconced in Edinburgh, and enjoying life with the enrichment education brings!!

A lot depends where you do the degree. A degree in Art History from the Courtauld is an excellent qualification, much less so from an ex polytechnic.
A Social Science degree from LSE or a top University will be worth studying for. And so on.
But it's true that many parents are snobs and would sniff at their child doing say, gas engineering, specialist plumbing, gardening/horticulture, train driving, e-car engineer, sales person, hospitality etc etc.
I really think young people should at least work for a year to gain some maturity before spending 3 years and oodles of dosh on a degree.
And unless they really need to travel to university for a particular course they should stay at home and go to the local university.

Snob!

The differene bettween my children and yours I guess because of what you said, our were always interested in computers and were pretty good on them. We all knew that they'd just be good at it. That is the difference.

My daughter did a Fashion Management degree and is now a successful senior buyer -she has probably helped to influence your family's clothes choices-don't be so blinkered!