Is university a waste of time?

From what i have gathered, many degrees are absolutely worthless without a masters or a phd.

There are only a few courses that you can get jobs with straight away after a person has finished uni.

I've heard of lots of cases where a person has a degree in law for example but has ended up working full time at sainsburys because despite having a degree, they cannot go any further with it, jobwise as it requires qualifications at further education which probably takes another 6-8 years to achieve and some people just give up with it all.

I'm 17 at the moment and i've applied for psychology at uni, only to find out that it would probably take me roughly, 13 years to be a clincal psychologist, thats including a masters degree, a phd, a medical degree, entering a foundation 1 & 2 programme which would probably last around 2 years + speciality training for around 6 years....i'll be about 30 by then!! And it's not just psychology, this also applies for many other academic courses too.

I mean, is there anyone here with a degree, that are actually working successfully in their dream job?

Is there anyone here in a position to prove that university can be worthwhile?

Reply 1

randomgirl

14

You are gonna get a rather bias response posting it on here.

Reply 2

RyanT

15

Take maths/economics/finance/engineering/computer science at a decent uni and you will be fine. Some other subjects are OK (not sciences though, crap pay - but medicine good etc). Anything else is taking a gamble.

Anything from an ex-poly is extremely dubious though.

Reply 3

louisedotcom

13

Arrrgh

From what i have gathered, many degrees are absolutely worthless without a masters or a phd.

There are only a few courses that you can get jobs with straight away after a person has finished uni.

I've heard of lots of cases where a person has a degree in law for example but has ended up working full time at sainsburys because despite having a degree, they cannot go any further with it, jobwise as it requires qualifications at further education which probably takes another 6-8 years to achieve and some people just give up with it all.

I'm 17 at the moment and i've applied for psychology at uni, only to find out that it would probably take me roughly, 13 years to be a clincal psychologist, thats including a masters degree, a phd, a medical degree, entering a foundation 1 & 2 programme which would probably last around 2 years + speciality training for around 6 years....i'll be about 30 by then!! And it's not just psychology, this also applies for many other academic courses too.

I mean, is there anyone here with a degree, that are actually working successfully in their dream job?

Is there anyone here in a position to prove that university can be worthwhile?

You dont need a medical degree to be a clinical psychologist by the way.

You only need one if you want to be a psychiatrist. Different jobs- and even then you generally do a med degree and then post grad psychology stuff.
For clincal psychologists you are looking at 6/7 years to be a qualified clinical psychologist (depending on whether you do maters or go straight onto PHD) It is not 13 years worth of study.

Reply 4

Good bloke

19

It is certainly true that a lot of people who go to badly-rated universities to study media studies and business will not be equipping themselves for much worthwhile, but far from true to say that few course will allow you to get a relevant job straight away.

Many high level and well paid jobs involve a loing journey of learning and gaining experience and qualifications: other examples are medicine and engineering.

Reply 5

meekan

Do a geoscience degree, mint job in the oil industry :smile:

Although your obviously not going to get that straight away...

Reply 6

xxxchrisxxx

11

unless you have a solid alternative plan, perhaps uni isn't such a bad idea.

Reply 7

Anatheme

18

Arrrgh

I'm 17 at the moment and i've applied for psychology at uni, only to find out that it would probably take me roughly, 13 years to be a clincal psychologist, thats including a masters degree, a phd, a medical degree, entering a foundation 1 & 2 programme which would probably last around 2 years + speciality training for around 6 years....i'll be about 30 by then!! And it's not just psychology, this also applies for many other academic courses too.

In France Master is the minimum level required to get a *good* job. I can't even imagine not continuing my studies after a degree.

And here again, you have at least 8 years of studies in medicine, then you can get your specialization (and most of the time, people double their 1st year 'cause it is too hard to deal with). To become an obstetrician, you have 13 years studying medicine, lol. I think I'd die XD.

(5-6 years is far enough for me, but 3-4 is not enough)

Reply 8

HCD

16

It's only a waste of time if you waste your time. Your own ambition and intelligence are your only limits; I feel that mine could not be satisfied outside of uni.

Reply 9

Sam18

I walk straight out of University and into a job with my degree...but being a pharmacist is sort of the only thing I can do with a pharmacy degree though... :rolleyes:

Reply 10

ThePants999

14

Arrrgh

I'm 17 at the moment and i've applied for psychology at uni, only to find out that it would probably take me roughly, 13 years to be a clincal psychologist, thats including a masters degree, a phd, a medical degree, entering a foundation 1 & 2 programme which would probably last around 2 years + speciality training for around 6 years....i'll be about 30 by then!! And it's not just psychology, this also applies for many other academic courses too.
Huh? My wife's retraining as a clinical psychologist - she originally did Law, so for her it's an introductory course, conversion diploma and PhD (no Masters). You qualify after the PhD. Not sure what you're on about with the medical degree and whatnot. Sure, you keep on training, but that's true in loads of careers - you do start working after the PhD.

I mean, is there anyone here with a degree, that are actually working successfully in their dream job?

. Yes, me. Also my wife, sort of, except she's since changed her mind about what her dream job is.

Reply 11

Tomber

13

An aid to getting a job isn't the prime purpose of a university education.

Reply 12

billet-doux

14

It's not 13 years to become a clinical psychologist! That's a psychiatrist you're talking about.

Reply 13

GodspeedGehenna

3

Arrrgh

I'm 17 at the moment and i've applied for psychology at uni, only to find out that it would probably take me roughly, 13 years to be a clincal psychologist, thats including a masters degree, a phd, a medical degree, entering a foundation 1 & 2 programme which would probably last around 2 years + speciality training for around 6 years....i'll be about 30 by then!! And it's not just psychology, this also applies for many other academic courses too.

Clinical Psychologist = BSc in Psych (3/4 years) + work experience, then a 3 year Clinical Psychology Doctorate.

So, it would take around 7-9 years, depending on how lucky you are when applying to get on the doctorate.

I dont understand where you got the idea that you need a med degree, a phd or a masters to become a clinical Psychologist. You just need a BSc and a hell of a lot of work experience to get onto the doctorate.

Reply 14

cascadingstylez

18

Im going to study Software Engineering at Wolverhampton University. Many people, including my tutors at college, have told me im wasting my time i need to go to Aston or Birmingham ..... bulls!

I phoned companies that were asking for juniors in the job im looking to do, they said its not what uni you graduated at but how much you know and how you work. Basically saying you need good experience, you dont get good at programming just because you went to uni.

In the computer trade, especially anything to do with development, you can get experience by freelancing. The more work you get freelancing the more experience and you can show all this off at interviews.

I suppose computing is different to medical stuff, unless your creating software that flys areoplanes or something.

I just ignore people, i will get where i want because i have great ambition ... so can anyone else.

Reply 15

Tomber

13

Could you get into Aston or Birmingham?

Reply 16

Good bloke

19

cascadingstylez

In the computer trade, especially anything to do with development, you can get experience by freelancing. The more work you get freelancing the more experience and you can show all this off at interviews.

I don't agree. You don't get experience in computing by freelancing, as employers are not willing to pay freelance contract rates for inexperienced and untried people. Rather, you get experience which can then open the door to freelancing.

Reply 17

KDG

5

University is not a waste of time for me. Even if, in the unlikely event that i did not get a better job from coming here, I would still pay for a degree, since I would feel awful going through life without the understanding I am gaining here.

Reply 18

mtbab

17

OP can you be a Clincal Physch without your first degree....not really, so its not a waste of time

Reply 19

Victor See

I mean, is there anyone here with a degree, that are actually working successfully in their dream job?

You could spin this the other way and ask if there is anyone here without a degree who is working successfully in their dream job.

I think more people with degrees than without would be in their dream job.

Is university a waste of time?

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