The Student Room Group

I don't think I want to go to university anymore

The other day I sent off my application positive that I wanted to go. Now I have thought about it the whole last week and the weekend and realised that I don't want to go at all. I feel very pressured to go to uni to do an art degree by my family.

my boyfriend is very sympathetic he said if I really want to do art then I don't need to go to uni to do it. As art is subjective he said that I don't need a degree to justify how good my art is to people.

I am so confused.

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Reply 1
Whilst I don't agree necessarily with your boyfriend's belief that an arts degree is not required (many are very useful), the more important issue here is that you don't want to be at university at all.
My advice here is to withdraw your application if you're sure that you don't want to go to uni; don't feel pressured by anyone if it's not what you want to do.
Reply 2
Why did you want to go in the first place other than family pressure? Have those reasons changed and are they still valid?

What would you do instead?
Don't withdraw the application, keep it there so your options stay open incase you change your mind. If, in 6 months time, you still don't want to go, then you just don't accept the offers. There's no point closing the door before you're sure - especially as it seems you've only just decided you don't want to go to uni, you may change your mind in the next 6 months.
Reply 4
I would get a job obviously, there are some people asking for trainees in illustration and wanting people who would love to try their hand at book binding and stuff like that.

I wanted to go ... ... ... I don't know why really. I don't think they were my reasons for going, I don't think I had any initially I think it might've been to please my family.
Reply 5
i would agree with whats been suggested - just leave the application for now, just so you've got it as back up if you change your mind.

perhaps have a look around and see if there's any jobs/placements/travelling you would like to do as a gap year instead - like the ones you mentioned just now. do some research and see what takes your fancy!

at the end of it all if you decide you do actually want to go to uni then you're application is still there so you've still got that option
The thing with fine art, music, etc. is that, yes, you don't need a degree to be successful, but a degree usually gives you time studying under some already very successful and talented people who could improve you to a level you could not achieve by yourself - many consider this a worthwhile investment.
Reply 7
whilst i dont want to put off or angry anyone, i read an article on 'what a degree is worth'. Apparently from research it showed that a graduate with a degree in arst earns the same as someone who has done their as a levels.
You should look this up or do some research becuase uni is going to cost you a lot and especially if you dont want to go at all then?
Reply 8
really tseten? thats what I have read too. My teachers have said that too, evne though their meant to be promoting going to uni to get an atrts degree a good thing.
Reply 9
It is a question of whether or not you value education for its own sake. If you do, then 3 years studying art will never be a waste of time or money. But if you see a degree purely as a means to an end, such as a career or job prospects, then it is probably not worth it.
Student debt being what it is today, many people are better off starting work with A levels.
I don't see a degree as purely a means to an end. I am wondering if an art degree is really worth it, not degree's as a whole.
As people have said above leave your application, of you decide in August that you deffinately do not want to go to uni then just don't go, all you've lost is the £15 fee, not a year of your life if you decide that you infact did want to go to uni! That's the advice we have been given.
Reply 12
letsbespecific
I feel very pressured to go to uni to do an art degree by my family.


An art degree is a waste of time.:cool:
And leaves you unemployable.

An acquaintance did an art degree and now is doing a printing apprenticeship, since she cant get a job with her degree.:s-smilie:
Reply 13
fscksleep
An art degree is a waste of time.:cool:
And leaves you unemployable.

An acquaintance did an art degree and now is doing a printing apprenticeship, since she cant get a job with her degree.:s-smilie:

...Which is exactly why you should not do a degree, any degree, in the hopes of getting a good job or a fantastic career. You should do a degree because you want to study the subject for three years. No other reason!
i defo agree with Lizj that degree that youre going to study should be something YOU want to do.
and do keep your application just in case you change your mind.

in fact i felt like you when i sent off my application. before i sent it, i was really excited but then i wondered whether i would be actually good enough to do a degree at unis i chose and blah blah blah.
i try to look on the positve side like meeting loads new people and just having fun!
its really up to you whether you want to go or not, but you should try and look at the positive side associated with uni and uni life!

good luck!!!
Reply 15
dont let anyone else pressure you or make your decisions for you
it was always assumed i'd go to uni, all my friends were going, and i tought my parents expected me to. so i' here and i hate it, im not motivated to do the work, i feel too guilty for spending money on fees and accom so far, and my mum would be upset at me if i quit so... i'm stuck here... and i hate it

live your life for yourself, only go if you want to. you can always go to uni later on in life. if youre not sure then at least take a gap year. i wish i'd gotten a job instead
Well I told my family, surprisingly they were supportive of it. They suggested that it might be best for me not to go after all and that I could probably game the same skills by going to book Binding classes or going to artist training classes in the evening etc and build up a portfolio good enough for an employer of those fields as they don't require degrees of any kind just skills.

I have been book binding and teaching myself for the past few years really since my daughter was born. So that might give me a leap into this.

You guys really helped me with your different viewpoints though and opened my insight into what I could do if I applied in a few years to go to uni instead once I have my priorities straight. Thank you :smile:
Reply 17
letsbespecific
Well I told my family, surprisingly they were supportive of it. They suggested that it might be best for me not to go after all and that I could probably game the same skills by going to book Binding classes or going to artist training classes in the evening etc and build up a portfolio good enough for an employer of those fields as they don't require degrees of any kind just skills.

I have been book binding and teaching myself for the past few years really since my daughter was born. So that might give me a leap into this.

You guys really helped me with your different viewpoints though and opened my insight into what I could do if I applied in a few years to go to uni instead once I have my priorities straight. Thank you :smile:


I don't know if it's any help, but you might be interested in looking at the courses at the Open College of Art if you don't think uni is for you, but you'd still like to build on your skills :smile:
Delirium
I don't know if it's any help, but you might be interested in looking at the courses at the Open College of Art if you don't think uni is for you, but you'd still like to build on your skills :smile:


Omigod You have made my day Thank you. I'm going to bookmark though now :biggrin: If I'd known that place existed I would've applied a long time ago.
I know this post is old, but did you end up pursuing an art degree in the end?