Do you want your children to go to UNIVERSITY? Did you or DH/DP go?

[RTKangaMummy]

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I don't think you're mememe at all, Pink, you've got a really good point and another perspective since this thread is a little one-dimensional imho

I hate this idea that you have to have everything all decided and tidy when you're 18 and that will dictate the kind of life that you have

MrsBadger, when I described uni as safe what I meant was that it was a safe place to explore various interests. It's possible to take a class one term and then do something completely different the next while going from job to job would be more difficult and perhaps not as fulfilling. I would certainly have felt a greater responsibilty to stick with a job compared to easily changing my major and finding a course (both at uni and in life) that was more suitable for me.

Drugs, etc is a good point but I think that those things are, unfortunately, always out there. I think it's a matter of parents staying actively involved in children's lives even while they're away at uni. Lots of phone calls and regular visits. I was four hours away from home when I was at uni but my parents made sure we got together either at home or they came to see me at least twice a month and we talked 3-4 times a week, certainly every weekend. If I had been veering off the rails they would've known about it.

I think too that because my parents were paying for it (this was in the US) I did feel a responsibility to try harder and not just doss around for four years. I wanted to be sure that I got something useful from the experience and I definitely think I did.

I went to uni and did a bsc and a msc
DH did a bsc msc and phd

Not bothered if my children want to go to university or not. Sometimes think I had a more priveleged start but at the same time depends on what they are happy doing. They may want to put it off until they are older which is fine.

Both DH and I went to Univesity and we both have a Bsc and PhD in Chemistry. We met at our place of employment across the lab bench. We both have very good and well paid jobs (albeit I am now part-time) and there is no way we would be in this position without our qualifications. We are both from poor working class backgrounds and we have had so many opportunities, travelled to so many places, had so much training compared to the rest of our family.

We definitely want our boys to go to university because it is a wonderful life experience and they will find out who they really are as well as make life friends. We really hope that they will study either Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Engineering (esp aeronautical), Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy or at a stretch Law(we don't believe in being to prescriptive ). However, they must be happy and content too.

I didn't, but will be in September !

DH did.

WRT the kids going - It depends entirely on what they want to do with their lives.

Both DP and I went. I know lots of people who are very successful and didn't go so I believe the key to success is finding something you love and are good at....not further education.

That said, I would like my kids to go for the experience.

DH and I both did, I want the DD's to go if that's what they want and they get an offer at a decent institution to read a sensible degree. (would include things all traditional courses in the definition of sensible, we don't have a problem with learning for it's own sake but will not be funding a degree in pet grooming!)

If my children want to go to university then I will suport them. But if they don't want to go then thats fine it is their own decision. I didn't go but DH did. My eldest is just finishing her first year at uni, she's doing Zoology.

DH studied at OU then was put thru uni by his employer. I never went to uni - too wild and rebelious -sorry meant lazy!
However as the time is now right for me I have applied to go to uni at a very ripe old age (ie mid 40's - it took me along time to make up my mind) I have an interview on 21st June for a place at at Huddersfield to do my Cet Ed, wish me luck.
As for DS I would like him to go but only if it is the right thing for him. Its way too expensive to mess about.

I'm a lecturer so it might sound like sacking myself, but I'd say a good 50 percent of my students should not be at university at their stage of their lives. They haven't really worked out who they are yet and are probably studying the wrong subject - almost all of them retrain a couple of years later. Which means still more debt - 20K for a BA/BSc in an expensive city. OK, I know for a lot of them we give them a passport to a well-paid job, but that's because employers have an unhealthy obsession with a CV that says '2.1' - and since most do psychometric tests on candidates, why bother with the degree?

I didn't... In my family everyone else left school at 15/16 and after a 2 week holiday went to work in local factories.I was the only one to even take any O levels, (that shows my age!).Managed 2 terms of A levels in maths, economics and geography. Then went to work in a bank,(Mum was sooooo proud !!!!).Many years and six kids later am seriously considering OU degree.
DH is a chartered engineer, but did not go to university. He was sponsored by his company and got his degree part-time over 5 years.
Neither of us feel we "missed out" in any way, by not going to university. Many of our friends did and seem now to look back at those years through rose tinted glasses.
As for our own ....
DS1. followed dad into engineering, did 4 year uni course and now working, well on the way to paying off student debt and just got a mortgage for his first home.
DD1. Now a primary school teacher,so unlike DB not on great money and will struggle to pay off student loan.
DS2.Never enjoyed school but did stay on to complete A levels (looking back must admit to some parental pressure).He then spent a year doing shop work before starting 4 year apprenticeship. He's very happy enjoying work/college,has bought his first car and is more importantly debt free. The qualified men in his chosen trade earn £50K so in 2 years time he could be earning more than the older two and be debt free. The only thing they have that he won't get is letters after his name. Also he wont have to have his picture taken 'looking like a right prat in one of those silly hats '... that's his words not mine!

The 3 little ones are still at school. I will encourage them in whatever they choose to do.Some careers require a university education some don't. As long as they can provide for themselves and their families, (yes I would love to be a granny!) and are happy who cares whether they go to uni or not.

university of life...of course

cant believe no one has come up with this chestnut

err..and on a bit of a tangent...

i think ...on a hippy level... that university places being devalued...or their elitism being lessened [paraphrasing from other posts]is no bad thing...to me[naive im sure]...its about choice and access to what an individual wants as their 'further ed'...[pet grooming for want of a better example...or other non rated courses mentioned on this thread]

i think the elitist precious mentality is outdated heirarchical and therefore discriminatory.

DH and I both went and studied history (another "useless" subject??? ), met over a seminar table there, and I look on the whole time as one of the best periods of my life, even though I've only just finished paying back the debt - over 10 years later (when I was teaching I didn't earn enough and kept deferring it!). DH has a PhD in medeival history and now has a fab job in IT, I have a PGCE, but went back to uni again and got a law degree, now a solicitor. Neither of us could have our jobs without our degrees.

I agree with Ellbell - I think a higher education level of learning is of value in its own right. DH is a case in point - his degree and PhD have nothing whatsoever to do with his degree, but he swears that having to learn medieval latin and reading manuscripts for the PhD meant he could learn any computer language. And it seems he was right.

However, if DSs don't want to go, then so be it.

We're all graduates of the 'university of life' beansontoastEvery on gets a first, no elitisum.

Some s**t courses on offer there too.....debt,divorce.......