Not going to university

Don't worry, not everyone goes to university, although it might seem like it at times! If you're not sure what sort of career you want, perhaps going to university wouldn't be a great move just yet anyway. Then if you later decide that you do want to go, the option to go to university is always open. I'll bet that not all the people who look down on you are 100% sure about their own career paths! At least you're not going just for the sake of an unrealistic image of 'student life' as propagated by the media (trust me, I've met people who do this! ).

I did think about... lots and lots haha, after so much pressure from teachers saying that without a degree you're a failure! But there's so much you can do in life, so many courses you can take, for example distance learning etc. In sixth form it feels as if life has only a couple of options. Although the student life is quite tempting... there are always parties elsewhere! Parties that don't land you in thousands of pounds in debt! Are you at uni or in school?

If you are not going to university because of the fee increase then you are making the wrong decision. You are making an idiotic decision. There any plenty of threads here on TSR, which explain the new fee increase and why it isn't a "big deal". You should aspire for a good career and one simpler way to do that is through university.

If you are not going to university because of the fee increase then you are making the wrong decision. You are making an idiotic decision. There any plenty of threads here on TSR, which explain the new fee increase and why it isn't a "big deal". You should aspire for a good career and one simpler way to do that is through university.

If you are not going to university because of the fee increase then you are making the wrong decision. You are making an idiotic decision. There any plenty of threads here on TSR, which explain the new fee increase and why it isn't a "big deal". You should aspire for a good career and one simpler way to do that is through university.

I'm going to university, but I've got friends who aren't who say they feel like this and get looked down on, but I agree with you, it's wrong that people seem to think university is the only option these days.

In my school the ones who had decided they weren't going to university kind of got pushed to the side, and the focus did seem to be heavier on those who were going uni. One girl had a full time job to go into after a-levels and she said that she was constantly being questioned on why she wasn't doing a degree. I know plenty of people that have good jobs without getting a degree, my brother is 22 and earns about £24k a year without going to uni while his girlfriend has just come out of her degree and has got her first job that's quite a bit lower in pay. And a guy a few years above me had a deposit on a house down with his girlfriend while his friends were graduating uni.
A degree is not essential to become successful in general (unless you're going for a specific career) but people seem to think it is.

I'm at university, but don't get me wrong - I'm there to work my bum off! From my school, most people went to uni, some got jobs and some are doing apprenticeships (one of them is doing an apprenticeship with a farrier, and with the cost of shoeing I'm pretty sure he'll be earning a fair bit more than many of my uni friends in a couple of years!). Personally, I don't think schools (certainly mine) give enough information about other options such as apprenticeships or even about gap years - they tend to focus too much on getting everyone into uni, when some people just aren't interested in or suited to further study.

hi erm could u tell me if you know about the apprenticeship about that farrier that your frend is doing thank you

What does your brother work at?

I've decided not to go to uni because of the fees. I believe that you can get pretty much anywhere, with the exception of maybe a doctor etc that you actually need a degree for, just by hard work and commitment. Unfortunately I go to a grammar school, so when everyone else is stressing about uni and I say I'm not going, I get dirty looks and excluded from the conversation! I've had a part time office job for a year, which I love and wouldn't give up for anything, and I don't really know what I want to do as a career so I think, for me, not going to uni is a good option. Anyone else have the same problem of getting looked down on because they aren't going to uni?

Yea, Doctor you need to go to university for......

and Lawyer
and Engineer
and Scientist
and all medical professions
and all top finance jobs
and all top management jobs


so yea.

Maybe OP will be the next Sugar.

an exception.

As are Richard Branson, Simon Cowell, Bill Gates (dropped out of college, but did not attain a degree) and Henry Ford. Many, many successful people did not attend university. But yes, a degree is often seen as the most easily-obtainable pathway to success. And for many, it is - but university is not the only way to a fulfilling career, and if OP wants to work their way up another way, well, more power to them.

Those are exceptions as well, the vast majority of business leaders will be degree level or above qualifed. And as the future goes on it will become increasingly hard to access top jobs without a degree.

However, if you have a good idea and you can work hard. Then nothing can stop you.