What's more important at uni: the degree or life experience?

They're probably equally important, but I know some people who base their university applications on the social side of a university. What does everyone think?

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Reply 1

Burge

What's important to you?

Money, happinness, greatness, fame? It's different for each person.

Reply 2

facetious

both, you cant do a degree with no social side, but you cant just go uni for social aspect, bit of a waste of money.

Reply 3

geetar

I'm tempted to say the degree, because I seem to have experienced far more of life travelling (in the holidays) and whatnot.

Degree.

1) The university does the subjects you want to study.
2) You can get the grades
3) The course is interesting (I have seen some very good French Studies courses, for example, and some awful ones).
4) Social life
5) Atmosphere - visit the place and get a feel for what it's like. You are going to be living there for the best part of three years, if not longer.

Reply 6

spacepirate-James

well both are equal but perhaps degree....

you can get life experience by not going to uni, but you cant get a degree by not going to uni....

the degree

The degree.

I had plenty of valuable life experiences before university and I have plenty of experience outside of it. University was never intended to be an 'experience' for me, I was never interested in that side of it, I just wanted the degree.

Reply 9

EmersonDrain

There's no reason why you can't have both

Reply 10

DavidR1991

Degree.

You can have a great time, but if you don't get a degree at the end of it, what's the point?

Reply 11

Apfel

Both, but mainly degree because you could get life experience just living away from home without uni. But you couldn't get a degree without a university. :smile:

Reply 12

teenboy

The degree, and any discussion otherwise is stupid.

We go to University for a degree - nothing more. The "life experience" we gain is certainly invaluable, but it all stems from our sole purpose: studying for a degree. Indeed if we were not there studying, and if we find that we fail exams and have to leave University, there would be no "life experience" to be had.

Anyone who says life experience is more important than a degree at Uni is probably somebody failing their exams!!! (also, studying for our degree is A PART of life experience)

Reply 13

Wololo

Are you talking about choosing a uni, or how you spend your time at uni?

Either way, it's very important to strike a balance. I focussed a little too much on the academics while I was at uni and it definitely made it harder to find a graduate job. Based purely on academics, I destroy most people and so getting interviews was very easy for me (sorry for sounding arrogant, but there's no point in beating about the bush), but I definitely would have fared much better in interviews if I had done more non-study stuff at uni.

Or rather, I should have been more active in societies. For example, I did a LOT of mountain biking during uni. I didn't join the club though, and just went riding with a small group of friends. I also ate many, many curries, but didn't join the curry society. I could go on about stuff I did, but none of it counted when it came to interviews, because I didn't join the society. Somewhat ridiculous IMO, but there you go.

So yeah, work hard and get a first (or 2:1), but become active in a sport or society, and also try to get a bit of work (or charity work) on your CV during uni.

When it comes to actually choosing the uni... just choose one in a town/city that suits you.

Reply 14

Wololo

Guys, before bashing the life-experience-at-uni side of things, do bear in mind how many opportunities to do stuff that university literally throws at you. You'll never have such easy access to millions of opportunities again..