To say that university degrees are barely impressive anymore?

[PithyKhakiShaker]

It feels like degrees are everywhere now and half the time they don’t guarantee anything - not a good job, not better thinking skills, not even basic literacy sometimes. Obviously education matters but AIBU to think degrees have become so common and so varied in quality that they aren’t as impressive or meaningful as they used to be?

I don't have a degree but I think they are good for health professionals, teachers, dentists etc and so on .. there's a handful that seem worthless

I've always said, I wouldn't want a degree if I'm unsure of what I want to do due to the debt and I've been told 'it's not proper debt and you don't have to pay it back'

I’m hearing more and more people saying degrees are now pointless. But, as a poster said above, they’re still an entry requirement for the majority of well paid & secure jobs…. So I’m not understanding why this opinion has become so popular? I would imagine people who do degrees are interested in their subject and want to work a professional job in that field.

There’s degrees and there’s degrees. Try being a doctor, engineer, architect or maths teacher without a degree. On the other hand if a photographer doesn’t have a degree in photography who really cares.

Yeah I’m sure they’d be a whizz at A Level chemistry or French 🙄

I have a degree and work in education, and I agree most degrees are nonsense.

I work with complete numpties who have degrees. I also work with people without degrees who are amazingly intelligent.

I imagine those aren’t widely offered at primary school level

It didn’t say only in primary school, it said particularly in primary school.
Okay I will rephrase - I’d love to see someone teaching at A level or GCSE without a degree. I think the same about primary actually even if some TA thinks they do all the teaching and it’s a piece of piss. Just like when a doctors secretary reckons they’d be able to do that job with their eyes closed or where John from the pub reckons he knows more about the law than a judge.

Yes but there are degrees and there are degrees.

You might be impressed by a 2:1 in English from Oxford, Durham or Exeter. Or a degree in biomedical science from Lancaster, Sheffield or Strathclyde.

But not impressed by a 2:1 in Biomedical science from London South Bank University or a 2:1 in English from Wrexham or Bedfordshire.

I think you're wrong. Degrees are more common, many young people are educated to a higher level than previously. But they're worthwhile and show someone has achieved degree-level education. That is valuable.

There have always been different degrees at different universities with different entry requirements - and that's fine. Obtaining a degree shows you have the skills and abilities to obtain a degree.

Other nations aspire to 50% of young adults with degree-level qualifications for a reason.

Seeing as most universities don’t understand basic biology I would say their degrees aren’t worth anything.

Most degrees aren’t “impressive” and haven’t been for 25 years. Like A-levels aren’t “impressive”.

Certain subjects have more cachet, some universities are more prestigious. Many jobs expect a degree as a basic requirement. But few people are actually impressed by a Bachelor degree because so many people hold them.

Also agree that in "my day" (I graduated mid-90s) a First was exceptional. I think on the day I graduated out of the whole cohort of 300 odd, there were 2 firsts. 30% getting a first is ridiculous. But then again, grade inflation is a thing in school exams too.

I did for 30 years

I think the prestige of the institution is usually the most important thing, and these degrees are still valued accordingly. Not a popular thing to say, but true

This ^^

There's a Uni ranking list for a reason and some pickier employers treat a degree from those near the bottom as no degree at all, so loading yourself with debt to attend one of them seems a bit pointless

What about those who did degrees but not A levels

Presumably you would have done an access course. They are pretty hard and often prepare you better than A levels.

Nope. My DS did the btec Instead of A levels then uni still at 18 ( same as rest of year group who did A levels). He's still in uni so fairly recent

Okay so A level equivalent then. Scottish students do Highers, lots of students do IB. It’s still a post-secondary qualification.

It's difficult as I think they are very expensive and often not worth it in that sense but many companies still use them as a CV sifting tool.

I think how you apply yourself is as important as where and what to. I have worked with people who have 2:1s from Oxford, LSE, Nottingham etc and their standard of writing and thinking is appalling. Presumably they did it well at university but in the workplace, while they are bright, their written work is underwhelming. Conversely I’ve worked with graduates from “lower ranking” universities who’ve been very impressive, albeit far less self-confident. I’d still strongly encourage my own kids to go for the most appealing course in the best uni they can, but as a recruiter I don’t blindly assume “better” is in fact better.

I have a degree. I graduated in 2006 and already things were at a point where a degree was needed for the most basic admin job. I needed one for the job I got after graduation, as a receptionist. So, a total nonsense really.

But now? Degrees are an expensive commodity, bought by students who are paying so much, they demand a pass. They're totally worthless, unless you want to be an engineer, doctor, teacher etc.

I hire for support roles in the professional services sector and it would never occur to me to look at a person's academic qualifications. Experience and attitude is everything.

A friend's son is studying art history and on track for a 2:2. He's not even working part time on top. So he'll come out with a pointless degree and no work history, a tonne of debt, and will 100% guaranteed be unable to find a job.

I sort of agreee.
But I think from those that don’t have a degree it’s only trades or posh kids that are getting the better paid work.

It was the Blair Government that took away the free tuition.

The young adults going to uni now will be in the workforce until they are 70, or at least not eligible for a paltry (if any) state pension and retirement benefits.

They are going to be entering the workforce and living their young (possibly) whole adult lives with a more uncertain world, less secure food supplies, increasing nationalism, rolling back of hard won personal freedoms, manipulation of the press, energy tensions and a climate that will increasingly cause stress, with decreasing standards of world leaders. This is the world we are passing on to them.

If they want to piss out doing 3 years of what, what do people think is irrelevant to study, “American Studies” “Sports Management” or whatever you judge as non-worthy then what’s the problem?

Many on here won’t be happy unless they are all in NMW jobs, filling potholes and wiping 90 year old arses.

Honestly I would be doing anything to delay adulthood, being a slave to a mortgage, or maybe just maybe enhancing my chances, meeting people, making contacts to do something I found interesting and worthwhile (not well paid).

So sneer all you like, dismiss degrees and further education as frivolous, not the youngster’s problem. They should go, work hard, have fun (because sure as shit there are many olders on here who don’t want them to do that and want them paying taxes and manning the hospitals for their benefit).

Degrees still are about so much more. There are other paths in life than living in your childhood bedroom for 5 years, building wall after wall in a 20 mile radius, until you save enough for a 35 yr mortgage on some soulless new build and a finance car.

We should be raising our amazing, creative, positive, hard working, academic, accepting, free thinking, kind, fun, talented, forgiving younger generations not fucking sneering and feeling superior they are in huge amounts of debt for studying something they enjoy.