The Student Room Group

Is A Computer Science Degree Worth It?

Hi everyone,

I’m currently holding a place for Computer Science at the Uni of Nottingham. However, the student debt is really starting to worry me.

I looked for apprenticeships in my area, but I live about 45 minutes to an hour away from any city, so not many are coming up anywhere near me.

I would take a gap year to consolidate my thoughts, but I fear that brexit could mess up tuition fees, and the uni had confirmed that a bursary I’m eligible for will be reduced next year, so I don’t want to take a year out, not find anything, and be worse off bursary and student loan wise.

I thought I was okay with just trying uni for a year and seeing if I liked it, but I suffered a really bad anxiety attack last night so now I’m not so sure.

If anyone could make any comment or insight I would be really grateful.

Thanks!
(edited 4 years ago)

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What would you do if you didn’t go to uni?
Original post by TeacupAndTragedy
Hi everyone,

I’m currently holding a place for Computer Science at the Uni of Nottingham. However, the student debt is really starting to worry me.

I looked for apprenticeships in my area, but I live about 45 minutes to an hour away from any city, so not many are coming up anywhere near me.

I would take a gap year to consolidate my thoughts, but I fear that brexit could mess up tuition fees, and the uni had confirmed that a bursary I’m eligible for will be reduced next year, so I don’t want to take a year out, not find anything, and be worse off bursary and student loan wise.

I thought I was okay with just trying uni for a year and seeing if I liked it, but I suffered a really bad anxiety attack last night so now I’m not so sure.

If anyone could make any comment or insight I would be really grateful.

Thanks!

Hey, I'm starting compSci at Nottingham this September! I am going to have to make this reply short but I had similar fears as you. The main thing that reassured me into starting my degree was that student debt is only a deferred taxation - if you don't earn more than around 25k after completing your degree, you don't pay anything back. If you earn over that threshold, you only pay back 9% of the amount over that threshold - so it's pretty win-win.
As for the anxiety, just try to relax and realise that you aren't in any danger! I'm sure you'll really enjoy the course if you decide to take it on :smile:
Original post by CityofMud
What would you do if you didn’t go to uni?

I think I’d look around for some apprenticeships, maybe in software or something similar?
Firstly on the note about Student Finance - that kind of thing isn't going to be affected by the political or economic situation in the country; the terms of the loan are highly unlikely to change any time soon (certainly not in the next 12 months or so anyway). So don't worry about that.

As for the bursary, how much less? It might be better to think of the bursary as a bonus; a lot of people to go university without any bursaries, so anything extra you get like that is nice but shouldn't be a critical deciding factor really.

The most important thing to remember is that by starting university you need to motivate yourself to studying something for 3 years. If you feel unsure, then that opportunity won't disappear by deferring a year, or even more than a year. It maybe the case that the bursary and/or other financial arrangements change slightly, although that seems it's fairly small in the grand scheme of things. (Student debts accrued over 3 years are large no matter what happens). Most people end up viewing student debts as a kind of 'graduate tax' (not much different to any other kind of tax really..). It's a chunk of money which is deducted every month before your salary lands in your bank account. It's not great, but you can live with it.

Student debts are definitely something to think about, but similarly it shouldn't be the sole reason you decide not to go to university if the subject is something that you would really like to study and think you'll be successful at.

On the note about applying for an apprenticeship, have you considered the option of relocating somewhere for the apprenticeship? The salaries on a lot of Computing-related apprenticeship schemes should be enough for you to support yourself; there are ways of living reasonably well in most towns and cities outside of London; you can often find reasonably-priced houseshares on sites like EasyRoommate and SpareRoom..

The main downside to a degree-apprenticeship is that you're committing to following a specific career path from the moment you accept the offer; but there are some very significant upsides if you can settle on a particular career path right now, including the lack of student debt, but most importantly the fact that it's a really strong and reliable route into whichever profession you choose.

Lastly, even if you end up in a low-paid/low-skilled job for 12 months, that's hardly a waste of your time (It's only one year out of many..); you can earn and save a good sum of money and have some time away from education to get a fresh outlook on life; you might end up in some basic office jobs or retail/warehouse work, or bar work, etc - there's really nothing wrong with doing that for a year - and it's better to do that than to find yourself regretting a university choice.
Original post by dreamer234
Hey, I'm starting compSci at Nottingham this September! I am going to have to make this reply short but I had similar fears as you. The main thing that reassured me into starting my degree was that student debt is only a deferred taxation - if you don't earn more than around 25k after completing your degree, you don't pay anything back. If you earn over that threshold, you only pay back 9% of the amount over that threshold - so it's pretty win-win.
As for the anxiety, just try to relax and realise that you aren't in any danger! I'm sure you'll really enjoy the course if you decide to take it on :smile:

Small world haha! Are you staying on campus?
Original post by winterscoming
Firstly on the note about Student Finance - that kind of thing isn't going to be affected by the political or economic situation in the country; the terms of the loan are highly unlikely to change any time soon (certainly not in the next 12 months or so anyway). So don't worry about that.

As for the bursary, how much less? It might be better to think of the bursary as a bonus; a lot of people to go university without any bursaries, so anything extra you get like that is nice but shouldn't be a critical deciding factor really.

The most important thing to remember is that by starting university you need to motivate yourself to studying something for 3 years. If you feel unsure, then that opportunity won't disappear by deferring a year, or even more than a year. It maybe the case that the bursary and/or other financial arrangements change slightly, although that seems it's fairly small in the grand scheme of things. (Student debts accrued over 3 years are large no matter what happens). Most people end up viewing student debts as a kind of 'graduate tax' (not much different to any other kind of tax really..). It's a chunk of money which is deducted every month before your salary lands in your bank account. It's not great, but you can live with it.

Student debts are definitely something to think about, but similarly it shouldn't be the sole reason you decide not to go to university if the subject is something that you would really like to study and think you'll be successful at.

On the note about applying for an apprenticeship, have you considered the option of relocating somewhere for the apprenticeship? The salaries on a lot of Computing-related apprenticeship schemes should be enough for you to support yourself; there are ways of living reasonably well in most towns and cities outside of London; you can often find reasonably-priced houseshares on sites like EasyRoommate and SpareRoom..

The main downside to a degree-apprenticeship is that you're committing to following a specific career path from the moment you accept the offer; but there are some very significant upsides if you can settle on a particular career path right now, including the lack of student debt, but most importantly the fact that it's a really strong and reliable route into whichever profession you choose.

Lastly, even if you end up in a low-paid/low-skilled job for 12 months, that's hardly a waste of your time (It's only one year out of many..); you can earn and save a good sum of money and have some time away from education to get a fresh outlook on life; you might end up in some basic office jobs or retail/warehouse work, or bar work, etc - there's really nothing wrong with doing that for a year - and it's better to do that than to find yourself regretting a university choice.

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply!

With the student finance thing I was more meaning the fact that the cap on tuition fees could change- I’ve rang the uni and they’ve said that whilst they are hoping to keep them the same, they could inflate.

In terms of the bursary, it goes from two thousand a year to one thousand a year, so three thousand different over the whole course.

I have considered relocation, however this is difficult for me personally; a family member I live with is disabled, and I also have quite severe anxiety as I mentioned above. The nearest apprenticeships I’ve found so far that are relevant to me are 1-2 hours away, so I don’t know how commutable that journey is.

Thank you for your really detailed response!
Original post by TeacupAndTragedy
Hi there,

Thanks for your reply!

With the student finance thing I was more meaning the fact that the cap on tuition fees could change- I’ve rang the uni and they’ve said that whilst they are hoping to keep them the same, they could inflate.

In terms of the bursary, it goes from two thousand a year to one thousand a year, so three thousand different over the whole course.

I have considered relocation, however this is difficult for me personally; a family member I live with is disabled, and I also have quite severe anxiety as I mentioned above. The nearest apprenticeships I’ve found so far that are relevant to me are 1-2 hours away, so I don’t know how commutable that journey is.

Thank you for your really detailed


Original post by TeacupAndTragedy
I think I’d look around for some apprenticeships, maybe in software or something similar?

You’ve already mentioned that it’s difficult to find them and that it’s difficult for you to relocate...?
A CompSci degree is definitely worth it in terms of employment prospects. If you can handle the subject and work hard at interviewing you should be able to secure a job even before graduation. I work in tech and act have a few developer friends from Notts, the programme is reputable. As another poster mentioned you don’t pay the debt back until you start earning a certain amount. So in terms of money it’s a worthwhile investment.

However all this hinges on you successfully being able to complete the course. If your anxiety issues may prevent this then it’s better for you to take a year out to think it through.

also OP if your town is too small to have apprenticeships you’re going to have to relocate eventually. Might be easier to do on a grad rather than an apprentice salary, though!
Original post by CityofMud
You’ve already mentioned that it’s difficult to find them and that it’s difficult for you to relocate...?
A CompSci degree is definitely worth it in terms of employment prospects. If you can handle the subject and work hard at interviewing you should be able to secure a job even before graduation. I work in tech and act have a few developer friends from Notts, the programme is reputable. As another poster mentioned you don’t pay the debt back until you start earning a certain amount. So in terms of money it’s a worthwhile investment.

However all this hinges on you successfully being able to complete the course. If your anxiety issues may prevent this then it’s better for you to take a year out to think it through.

also OP if your town is too small to have apprenticeships you’re going to have to relocate eventually. Might be easier to do on a grad rather than an apprentice salary, though!

Yeah, a few come up close to here, but it’s reslly few and far between.

Thank you for your input regarding the actual degree - obviously the decision is still mine, but I really appreciate others people’s perspectives, especially people who are in similar fields.
Original post by TeacupAndTragedy
Yeah, a few come up close to here, but it’s reslly few and far between.

Thank you for your input regarding the actual degree - obviously the decision is still mine, but I really appreciate others people’s perspectives, especially people who are in similar fields.

No probs feel free to PM
Reply 13
Having done an apprenticeship many years agao, I eventually ended up doing a BSc later in my career, because of the things I missed in the apprenticeship. I'm not saying they're a bad idea, but you have to remember the pros and cons. Pros include getting practical experience sooner, not worrying about fees and finance, earning a salary - all good reasons. But you're trading that for the things the company wants, in terms of what you study, the need to be productive and possibly lower earning at the end of your apprenticeship. Plus, as others have said, student finance is not so horrible. Sure, you pay back, but chances are you'll be doing that against better long term salary expectations. Now, as a hiring manager, I can tell you that a Comp Sci degree is definitely worth it. Naturally, it is what you can actually do that matters most, but I know what I should be getting if I'm hiring someone with a BSc. Go for the sandwich course and you'll get the opportunity to show it and put it on your CV.
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by DVDER
Having done an apprenticeship many years agao, I eventually ended up doing a BSc later in my career, because of the things I missed in the apprenticeship. I'm not saying they're a bad idea, but you have to remember the pros and cons. Pros include getting practical experience sooner, not worrying about fees and finance, earning a salary - all good reasons. But you're trading that for the things the company wants, in terms of what you study, the need to be productive and possibly lower earning at the end of your apprenticeship. Plus, as others have said, student finance is not so horrible. Sure, you pay back, but chances are you'll be doing that against better long term salary expectations. Now, as a hiring manager, I can tell you that a Comp Sci degree is definitely worth it. Naturally, it is what you can actually do that matters most, but I know what I should be getting if I'm hiring someone with a BSc. Go for the sandwich course and you'll get the opportunity to show it and put it on your CV.

I think the kinds of apprenticeships you're thinking of aren't really the same thing. Most of the higher Computing-related apprenticeships are usually full degree qualifications where there's a significant chunk of university study with exams and coursework (usually one day per week for 3-4 years), like this one: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/digital-and-technology-solutions-professional-integrated-degree/

Specifically on technical IT careers, academic success is far less important anyway in about 90% of the jobs out there (those which aren't related to academia, e.g. research into cutting-edge areas like AI/Machine Learning/etc.). For most it's really all about the kinds of skills which are best learned from first-hand experience; i.e. analytical skills, solving real-world problems, understanding technology, etc. So where a degree is really useful for employers hiring inexperienced graduates, it's not relevant when it comes to hiring into senior or leadership positions where the need is for people with a great deal of experience and expertise that vastly outweighs anything that they might have previously studied many years earlier at university.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by winterscoming
I think the kinds of apprenticeships you're thinking of aren't really the same thing. Most of the higher Computing-related apprenticeships are usually full degree qualifications where there's a significant chunk of university study with exams and coursework (usually one day per week for 3-4 years), like this one: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/digital-and-technology-solutions-professional-integrated-degree/

Umm...nope that's what I'm talking about. Have you done an apprenticeship? If you have, you simply appear to have a different opinion, in which case it would be good to hear your views on pros and cons, rather than just posting links.

The rest of your post seems to be agreeing with my view that that is what you can do, rather than what degree you have.
Reply 16
Ohh...forgot to mention that Comp Sci degrees are specifically sought for senior positions. Show me a good few (or even one) real job posts for a head-of or director role in a signficant organisation and I cede the point.
Original post by DVDER
Ohh...forgot to mention that Comp Sci degrees are specifically sought for senior positions. Show me a good few (or even one) real job posts for a head-f or director role in a signficant organisation and I cede the point.


I specifically mentioned "technical IT careers". Director roles aren't technical. Even if technical people may sometimes end up doing those jobs, the roles themselves are all about commercial strategy and usually a long way removed from making technical decisions (Unless it's quite a small company).

Statistics from CWJobs, which has got a pretty good listing of technical jobs:
"Senior": https://www.cwjobs.co.uk/jobs/senior?s=header 2,197 jobs
"Senior AND Degree": https://www.cwjobs.co.uk/jobs/senior?q=Senior+AND+Degree 293 jobs


And realistically the jobs which specify a degree on-paper in the description are highly unlikely to turn away someone who has the right skills and experience without a degree because the demand for those people is much higher than the number of people who have a proven ability to be able to do the job well
Reply 18
Original post by winterscoming
I specifically mentioned "technical IT careers". Director roles aren't technical. Even if technical people may sometimes end up doing those jobs, the roles themselves are all about commercial strategy and usually a long way removed from making technical decisions (Unless it's quite a small company).

Statistics from CWJobs, which has got a pretty good listing of technical jobs:
"Senior": https://www.cwjobs.co.uk/jobs/senior?s=header 2,197 jobs
"Senior AND Degree": https://www.cwjobs.co.uk/jobs/senior?q=Senior+AND+Degree 293 jobs


And realistically the jobs which specify a degree on-paper in the description are highly unlikely to turn away someone who has the right skills and experience without a degree because the demand for those people is much higher than the number of people who have a proven ability to be able to do the job well

Well of course there are plenty of non-grads doing "IT" joba: IT Support, Sysyem Admins; Helpdesk. But these people earn considerably less than Comp Sci grads.

Which is what the OP was asking about.
Original post by DVDER
Well of course there are plenty of non-grads doing "IT" joba: IT Support, Sysyem Admins; Helpdesk. But these people earn considerably less than Comp Sci grads.

Which is what the OP was asking about.

Also if you look at the CWJobs link I pasted above - network engineering, cloud/platform engineering, cybersecurity, software engineering, devops, games programming, hardware/embedded programming, etc. There's absolutely no difference whatsoever between the earnings of a graduate versus non-graduate in those jobs. Nor do employers particularly care about hiring graduates-vs-non-graduates into those jobs either as long as they have skills/experience from elsewhere. Certainly not at senior levels.
(edited 4 years ago)

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