Can DD say I didn’t go to university?

[BlackBean2023]

Bear with me, I don’t think this is a silly question!
DD is applying for a programme which includes “your parents did not go to university”.

DH’s highest level formal qual is a L2 NVQ.

However, I have a postgraduate level professional qualification (CIPD that I studied via distance learning through a university as an adult) and a post grad diploma in a related discipline.I don’t have a BA/BSc and in my mind DD will be the first in the family to go to University.

that’s OK and in the spirit of the scheme isn’t it?

That's absolutely fine - you didn't go to uni and you didn't get a degree. That's what the criteria means.

That’s fine. Mature study doesn’t ‘count’ if you get me!

@BlackBean2023 Yes, that's an accurate description. Is this by any chance for a US college application? So that she qualifies as "first generation"? If so, I would say yes, absolutely. That's not bending the definition. Normally the question is "did either of your parents attend a 4 yr undergraduate program"

in which case the answer would definitely be NO

how would they even begin to check these things anyway if everyone answered no to the question?

You didn’t go to university. I work in a university and that’s how we would classify your “status”. Kudos to you for all the professional training though!

Your words: I studied via distance learning through a university as an adult

Of course you went to university.

I think you need to study the guidance on the application form and seek clarification if necessary.

I would consider that studying at University, even if it was distance learning, counts as going to University? Unless they specify "in person". But I don't know what the criteria is, and presumably nobody else here does either. So the only sensible option is for you to go back to the organisation setting the criteria and seek clarity.

distance learning is not "attending"
you're fine

I agree, you did not attend university nor gain a degree.

Never really had to think about it as I did go to university but I would have said no in your case, I would assume it meant someone attending full time university eg after school

Bugger! Wish I’d known that when DS was applying to uni.
Both DH and I left school at 18 and studied part-time a few years down the line to get degrees / post grads.
I’m now a Senior Lecturer in a uni and DH is a Prof in a different uni - do you think we’d qualify? 😂

When we’re asking if a parent or carer went to university, we meant did they go to do a full degree, at an in person university, before they were 25 (or 21 in some cases)

Thanks all, she’s applied 😁

@BlackBean2023 they have no way of checking, which is why it shouldn't be used as a selection criterion.

That’s interesting to know. presumably they do some form of due diligence else it’s open to misuse

It's completely open to misuse. There is no way to check. They don't usually even ask for parent names. Even if they did ask for names, the most they could ever do is try to find them on LinkedIn or Facebook etc to see whether they were displaying university credentials. Unless they had an unique name, how could they be sure they had the right person?

I always understood this question as an indication of the level of education and by extension, the level of support the applicant would have received during their own education, so an applicant with a parent with degree level education would have had more support and opportunities to excel academically than an applicant whose parents do not, and would not be able to invest as much support into their offsprings education due to their lower education attainment level.

This is why the question is asked to give the latter applicant a bit of chance to access a university level education to break that cycle of low achievement for that particular family. Whether the degree level qualification was done long distance or online etc etc would be neither here nor there, so long as it was achieved before age 25 because the fact still remains that those parents would be able to provide excellent support to their own offspring towards their academics and this is what i think the question is aiming at rather than whether the parent 'physically attended' university.

All depends on the wording. If it’s a Sutton trust dinner scheme they have additional guidance

I still think it's a bit daft @LadeOde - as I said earlier DH (Professor) and I (Senior Lecturer) would both fall under the 'didn't attend uni' umbrella, even using your definition, because we were both in our thirties before we got our first degrees.
We had DS late (I was 42) and we were both academics by then, but he could legitimately say we didn't attend uni.
I think a better question would just be your highest level qualification, because even though it wasn't gained by age 25, someone who has HE level qualifications is likely to be more invested in their own DC's education.

I've never seen it phrased as under the age of 25. I went at 28 and subsequently have a BA and an MA, close associates did the same via OU - of course that is attending uni, even if via distance learning.

DS1 said yes when asked, because I did go and I have degrees.

Professional qualifications such as the OP are slightly different I think.

Yes, I 100% agree, it is all completely daft! including the age thing (i only put that in as its one of the conditions, not that i agree with it). I can see why they decided to include it, but it was poorly thought out as a means for contextualising. Your context is a prime example of why it makes no sense.

My colleague did an evening class at the age of 34 while working full-time to gain a degree which another colleague has nastily referred to as a mickey-mouse degree. Would that count as having 'gone to university'?