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Is there any point in a degree

With employer valuing experience and some many people (even sportsmen) getting degrees, is it worth the debt?
For access to graduate schemes alone I would say that they're worth-it. However, regardless of the debt incurred or the manner of resulting opportunities granted to me because of it, I would never take-back my current studies merely because they're so damn interesting! Additionally the value of having an extra couple of years to mature and adventure with friends before being hauled-off into work is valuable in itself.
Original post by Hashtosh302
With employer valuing experience and some many people (even sportsmen) getting degrees, is it worth the debt?


1. Experience of Uni
2. Acquired skills.
3. Access to graduate market.
4. Access to certain professional careers.


Worth it for some and not for others.
Reply 3
Avatar for Hashtosh302
Hashtosh302
OP
2
Original post by 999tigger
1. Experience of Uni
2. Acquired skills.
3. Access to graduate market.
4. Access to certain professional careers.


Worth it for some and not for others.

You could get relevant skills without going to uni while being cheaper
Reply 4
Avatar for Zacken
Zacken
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http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4239244
Well.....this is awkward


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Original post by Hashtosh302
With employer valuing experience and some many people (even sportsmen) getting degrees, is it worth the debt?


It really depends on your ambitions, I think. Obviously, if you want to be a doctor/lawyer/vet etc., university is a necessity - you simply can't become a lawyer without an undergraduate degree of some kind. For other professions, it's debatable - there are graduate fast-track schemes, yet there's a lot of debt, and you could spend several years instead getting work experience etc. The quality of the university is also noteworthy; any degree from Oxbridge and similar is arguably worth it, yet a degree in a non-vocational subject from, say, London Met, might be deemed a waste of time and money in the long-run.

Ultimately, it depends on what you want. If you're desperate to have the experience of uni and think that your career/life would benefit, go for it; yes, it's a lot of debt, but the way you pay it back effectively makes it just a graduate tax more than debt per se. But if you're not passionate, then there's probably little point, and there will probably be better alternatives.
yes if your to old to get into apprenticeships and would like to change your career.
Original post by Hashtosh302
You could get relevant skills without going to uni while being cheaper


Academic skills. plus they come with all the rest.
These days with university being £9,000 and more! in tuition fees, I would have to say unless you go to a top ten 'target' university where companies recruit from then university is looking less and less appealing, as there are so many ways you could learn all these skills on the job with good A-Levels which cost you nothing. When the fees tripled a lot more applications were made to better universities and basically that is it, if you want to go to a good university then you have to pay up! A degree is a must to complete all the way to doctorate so if you can see that happening then its what you have to do.

Another thing which is something I have recently talked about on here is studying abroad with campuses of a UK university outside of Europe such as Nottingham in China and Malaysia, Heriot-Watt in Dubai, Middlesex in Dubai, Malta and Mauritius! So say civil engineering at Heriot-Watt in Dubai, this is a 4 year programme, a lot of construction is happening in the middle east, you can learn arabic which is a fascinating language and central to the culture as Dubai becomes more globalised and increasingly a tourist attraction.

[video="youtube;tKxhrapXcfI"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=53&v=tKxhrapXcfI[/video]

You could extend this by one year by an industrial placement which could be in Dubai, London or anywhere in the world, so that is 5 years, you could then study a 1 year masters perhaps back in London, or at Nottingham in China and then you could complete a 3-4 year Ph.D. back in the UK and with a gap year before your bachelors, all in all, a total of 10 years of your career planned.

2025 - 2028/9 Ph.D.
2024 - 2025 M.Sc. in China
2019 - 2024 B.Eng. Civil Engineering in Dubai with Placement Year
2018 - 2019 Gap Year travelling the world
2016 - 2018 A Levels in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics

So if you are 16 now, you are looking at completing this plan at the age of 28/9 which is a significant start to your career, where you now have 30 years to go make a difference to the world and hopefully retire early at 60 :smile:

So university yes it has costs but it can be a great way to learn and progress and get through time.
Some professions you need a good degree from a reputable uni. Some you can manage without. Employers like to see some good experience and someone who can ultimately do a good job. If you can prove you can do this,then a degree is not necessary but just a way for them to assess your abilities before they invite you to an interview. .*
Let's put it this way to become a section manager at waitrose you now need 20years experience or any degree.

These days the difference between sitting at a till at most companies or managing is a degree
Original post by niteninja1
Let's put it this way to become a section manager at waitrose you now need 20years experience or any degree.

These days the difference between sitting at a till at most companies or managing is a degree


Whats the 20 years based on Is that Waitrose policy.

Someone without a degree could do the Waitrose retail apprenticeship.
Original post by 999tigger
Whats the 20 years based on Is that Waitrose policy.

Someone without a degree could do the Waitrose retail apprenticeship.


Waitrose policy
Original post by niteninja1
Waitrose policy


Linky?
Original post by 999tigger
Linky?


Its internal policy on our intranet
Original post by Hashtosh302
With employer valuing experience and some many people (even sportsmen) getting degrees, is it worth the debt?


Really depends on the individual. Personally I loved four years of studying I subject area I was genunially interested in, having low contact hours meant I could organise my day how I wanted to an extent- by that I don't mean that I was always down the pub, it meant I could wake up a bit later and study later which suited me, also I could choose where to study. Also after my gap year, the end part of which was spent in an office, I was pretty sick of office life, its only once I finished my Masters degree that I was ready to go back into one. Others might find the opposite- academic life isn't for them and they would prefer to be in an office doing real work.

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