why are there so many people collecting degrees?

Reply 20

localfox1000

13

[video="youtube;hjCkN1Hnmoc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjCkN1Hnmoc&feature=related[/video]

Reply 21

mrs_bellamy

18

Original post by Multitalented me

I peronally disagree lol. My reasons for this is because with studying you always have the pressure of doing well in exams/coursework while with work this isn't as evident. Also when you've settled in a job you pretty much know how everything works however when studying you can sometimes have trouble understanding/remembering everything which can lead to great frustration/stress etc.

I think this depends a lot on the job. Sure there are some jobs in which you can become quite settled and sure of what you are doing, but many have a long career ladder to progress through, which many more ways in which you need to prove yourself. This might mean doing exams outside of work, passing assessments in work, networking, impressing your colleagues, meeting deadlines that are just as stressful or even more stressful than coursework. I think whether you find work or uni more stressful will depend very much on the person and the type of course and career they choose. Despite the deadlines, university can be a lovely bubble for a lot of people compared to work. More time off, freedom to organise much of your time how you choose it, how you do in your exams doesn't really effect anyone other than you, student loans etc.

Reply 22

CherryCherryBoomBoom

21

Original post by Claudine

Studying is easier than working...

I personally find working easier tbh. I feel more motivated to earn some money than a bunch of grades on a piece of paper.

Reply 23

Lewk

15

Original post by CherryCherryBoomBoom

a bunch of grades on a piece of paper.

That's like saying "they're just a bunch of useless pixelated digits on some screen" at the bank

Reply 24

ch0llima

16

Original post by Claudine

Studying is easier than working...

Many people including myself would disagree with this.

Reply 25

nulli tertius

21

Original post by migeon

I met someone the other day who took a first degree in Cambridge, then MSc, then phD at Imperial and then MBA at London Business School. what is the point of it all and, most importantly, WHERE DO THEY GET THE MONEY FROM?

The first three are necessary for a career in scientific research/academia.

Possibly he ultimately didn't like research/couldn't find a post/wanted some money and went into some other career. Alternatively he did go into research but has drifted into a management role. In any event, an MBA (probably employer funded) is important for his present role.

Reply 26

Akkuz

17

Original post by localfox1000

[video="youtube;hjCkN1Hnmoc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjCkN1Hnmoc&feature=related[/video]

Love this!!

Reply 27

CherryCherryBoomBoom

21

Original post by Lewk

That's like saying "they're just a bunch of useless pixelated digits on some screen" at the bank

Good point :p:

. It's a long story, but basically education just upsets me at the moment. I'm the type of person who can try working hard at it but still end up with mediocre to poor grades, and it's bloody frustrating :angry:

And hey, at least those pixelated digits of money are more useful to me as they mean I can actually spend them on buying and paying for stuff, whereas grades don't always reflect my overall intelligence and effort.

Reply 28

geetar

16

It's more cool than collecting pokemon cards, that's for sure.

Reply 29

Mbob

12

Original post by Akkuz

If you do some research and look at the CEO's, managing directors, and high end managers of global firms they all have undergraduate degrees, masters, PhD's and MBA's.

Experience is king but underpinned beneath that is a lot of knowledge.

Most probably don't have PhDs, to be fair.

Reply 30

Moiraclaire

9

If you want to be an academic ?

like become a researcher in your field and give lectures etc ?!
Some people love their subjects -it's adorable, don't criticise.

Like I'm going to study economics and i might decide I'd like to work for the IMF or something where you end up doing research, so if I wanted to do that, a Phd would be the obvious thing to do....

Like people have said, the abstract can be much more interesting than real life :L depends on your personality !

Reply 31

Jale

11

I know another PhD student who got paid by their lab to do an MBA in order to support the commercial aspects of the lab (they had invented a new kind of bioprobe).

Also I know someone who did a double Major Bachelors degree in the US, then a masters, then worked at harvard, then did a PhD and is now doing postgrad medicine!

Reply 32

Lewk

15

Original post by CherryCherryBoomBoom

Good point :p:

. It's a long story, but basically education just upsets me at the moment. I'm the type of person who can try working hard at it but still end up with mediocre to poor grades, and it's bloody frustrating :angry:

And hey, at least those pixelated digits of money are more useful to me as they mean I can actually spend them on buying and paying for stuff, whereas grades don't always reflect my overall intelligence and effort.

Ah I see what you mean now, I felt like that with biology at A level, I know a lot about biology (especially pathology) but my D grade doesn't reflect that at all because i have such a poor exam technique, thankfully I'm doing maths at uni now which doesn't require you to have exam technique :biggrin:

Reply 33

arbaaz

12

because knowledge is power
and you get to say to people that your a student at 25 plus which justifies studenty type behaviour e.g. it being acceptable that your always broke or the last time you had anything associated with a fruit was the apple martini you had. :smile:

Reply 34

arbaaz

12

Original post by Jale

I know another PhD student who got paid by their lab to do an MBA in order to support the commercial aspects of the lab (they had invented a new kind of bioprobe).

Also I know someone who did a double Major Bachelors degree in the US, then a masters, then worked at harvard, then did a PhD and is now doing postgrad medicine!

sorry if i sound silly but what is a double Major Bachelors degree ?
and wow they must like learning! how old will they be when they graduate? cause after the post grad medicine surely they'll have to do training as well which is 2 years plus?? :smile:

Reply 35

Joinedup

20

There's a chap on my volunteering who's got a Bsc, a Mphil and 2 x Msc. The funding situation was more generous in the 70's & 80's.

Reply 36

Eubacterium

13

Original post by migeon

I met someone the other day who took a first degree in Cambridge, then MSc, then phD at Imperial and then MBA at London Business School. what is the point of it all and, most importantly, WHERE DO THEY GET THE MONEY FROM?

Cheapest scenario:

BSc: Government paid. (Someone mentioned student loan but that is to live on not pay tutition fees.)
MSc: Got funding from research council.
PhD: Got funding from research council.
MBA: Don't know how that works, maybe funding from research council or saved up from PhD salary + jobs.

Lots of people get the first 3 degrees, it allows them better understanding of their subject and to undergo research and contribute to their field. It also significantly increases their job prospects. Then if the person wanted to work in a managerial position in a scientific industry, they might had thought a MBA might fast track them to it.

Reply 37

Fallen

17

Original post by Daydreamer18

I was talking to my friend about this just a couple of hours ago, after our tutor said she's done 'a few' undergrad degrees.

I find that a bit odd. Fair enough, continuing studying a subject you're passionate about to PHD level etc.. but multiple undergrads? Not too sure..

I dunno, I would love to do a degree in Physics.

I do Computer Science, which I love, but my other love is Physics. I actually do about 70% of the Physics lecture courses/problem sheets (skipping over the Maths which is very similar to stuff I already do for my course), but obviously I don't have any tutorials in it, labs, or get to sit any of the exams.

Just truly passionate about Physics, as well as CS.

Reply 38

migeon

OP

Original post by hobnob

Why didn't you just ask that person when you met him? If he was happy to tell a stranger about his degrees, presumably he wouldn't have minded explaining why he took them and where he got the money from...

because students in real life hide useful information from me, they like to brag about things, but they don't want me to know more. thats why I come to TSR questions.

Reply 39

Megaross

16

Yeah I don't understand people who spend 10-15 years at university getting numerous degrees.
I work with a guy who's got a masters in electronic communication or something and a first degree in some computer science course he did after. He does near enough the same job as I do and I'm a student with no degrees, it only pays £17.8k a year! (I'm part time so mines pro rata pay)

I don't know where some people get there money for a start, secondly, who wants to spend so long at uni? I can't wait to finish my third year and start earning and get on with my life.

Given the chance I'd sack this degree off and do medicine but I did the wrong A levels, by the time I realised what I wanted to do I already finished college.

(edited 12 years ago)

why are there so many people collecting degrees?

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