Would you bother with uni knowing what you know now?
I haven't logged into this forum for ten years. I remember reading posts, and honestly used to make me feel a bit inadequate and slightly stress me out. All so competitive, and very hierarchical.
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
I'm 37 in a couple of weeks.
I'd still go, I'd change nothing at all. I didn't need to be prepared for work because I was in my mid-20s when I went to university and I had been working on-and-off for over 10 years by the time I got there, and had worked full time in various guises since I was 18. I knew all about the world of work, which is why I wanted a degree.
Things have changed a bit now, and for the better. It is easier to progress now without a degree (though a lot of places will still want you to get them - my Dad has worked on the same plant for 30-odd years and now they want him to get a degree to prove he can do the job...). There are some more options for people without degrees, it's not quite as limiting, or at least in theory.
Similarly, I didn't really worry about deadlines or stress about presentations because I'd done all this stuff in work and I knew that my worst day in the uni was tons better than my best day as a concreter, or my best day on the dock, or my best day loading tankers, or even my best day working a bar.
I think a lot of it is about managing expectations and knowing a bit about the job market. I always go on about people going into things 'with their eyes open' and honestly, I don't think most 18 year olds do, well, anything with their eyes open. Especially university.
I'd still go, I'd change nothing at all. I didn't need to be prepared for work because I was in my mid-20s when I went to university and I had been working on-and-off for over 10 years by the time I got there, and had worked full time in various guises since I was 18. I knew all about the world of work, which is why I wanted a degree.
Things have changed a bit now, and for the better. It is easier to progress now without a degree (though a lot of places will still want you to get them - my Dad has worked on the same plant for 30-odd years and now they want him to get a degree to prove he can do the job...). There are some more options for people without degrees, it's not quite as limiting, or at least in theory.
Similarly, I didn't really worry about deadlines or stress about presentations because I'd done all this stuff in work and I knew that my worst day in the uni was tons better than my best day as a concreter, or my best day on the dock, or my best day loading tankers, or even my best day working a bar.
I think a lot of it is about managing expectations and knowing a bit about the job market. I always go on about people going into things 'with their eyes open' and honestly, I don't think most 18 year olds do, well, anything with their eyes open. Especially university.
(edited 1 month ago)
Yes. Can't do what I'm doing without a degree.
Original post by girl_in_black
Yes. Can't do what I'm doing without a degree.
Can I ask what you do?
Original post by sambennett1234
I haven't logged into this forum for ten years. I remember reading posts, and honestly used to make me feel a bit inadequate and slightly stress me out. All so competitive, and very hierarchical.
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
I think there are several arguments against getting a degree nowadays. But it really just depends on your interests. There are more and more alternatives, such as degree apprenticeships which are a nice balance, giving four years of work experience and pay as well as a free degree (albeit they tend to be from poorer universities which can cause issues later on). The increasingly digital world is also meaning that certain hard skills like coding are far more valuable than the average degree, but people don't always just do degrees for the career outcomes.
(edited 5 days ago)
Original post by sambennett1234
I haven't logged into this forum for ten years. I remember reading posts, and honestly used to make me feel a bit inadequate and slightly stress me out. All so competitive, and very hierarchical.
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
I have just retired from the public sector and joined TSR to get information for my student offspring!
Yes, I would definitely go to university again if I had my time over, even with the loan.
Having first and higher degrees opened massive opportunities for me career-wise, and led to higher-level training and promotion opportunities which I could not otherwise have applied for.
It also led to my being able to survive quite well as an unexpected single parent. It even led to being able to retire slightly early.
You don’t always see the total benefits until much later in life.
Having said that, I would probably have chosen a different career, but that is another story!
Although I've never held a job which strictly needed a degree I would still go. I wasn't mature enough at 18 to have coped with professional workplaces unless I hit it really lucky, and gained a lot from societies, friends, parties and travelling.
However - if the finances would be a struggle for family or a huge risk of needing work, too little money to fully benefit from the experience I would seriously look to delay or take an apprenticeship.
However - if the finances would be a struggle for family or a huge risk of needing work, too little money to fully benefit from the experience I would seriously look to delay or take an apprenticeship.
Yes, definitely. I graduated from uni in 2018, attempted (and failed miserably) at trying to be a science teacher and got a job as an Associate Practitioner in the COVID labs for three years.
In those years, I (mostly) finished my IBMS portfolio (only 4 pieces left and 3 are finished, they just need signing off) and am now doing my Masters course (5 years after graduating from my BSc) in Biomedical Science (same as my BSc), yes I went back to uni to do my Masters as it became apparent I needed it in the future if I wanted to get above a base salary (Band 5).
So, yes, I certainly would. I’m also REALLY happy I started my MSc when I did as if I done it immediately after leaving uni, I’m also certain I would have failed as my experience in a diagnostic environment has helped me IMMENSELY (averaging 67/68% per piece of work as it stands now, with 2 exceptions).
In those years, I (mostly) finished my IBMS portfolio (only 4 pieces left and 3 are finished, they just need signing off) and am now doing my Masters course (5 years after graduating from my BSc) in Biomedical Science (same as my BSc), yes I went back to uni to do my Masters as it became apparent I needed it in the future if I wanted to get above a base salary (Band 5).
So, yes, I certainly would. I’m also REALLY happy I started my MSc when I did as if I done it immediately after leaving uni, I’m also certain I would have failed as my experience in a diagnostic environment has helped me IMMENSELY (averaging 67/68% per piece of work as it stands now, with 2 exceptions).
Original post by sambennett1234
I haven't logged into this forum for ten years. I remember reading posts, and honestly used to make me feel a bit inadequate and slightly stress me out. All so competitive, and very hierarchical.
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
I thought about this forum, because I paid off my student loan last week. It was about 25k when I graduated, a lot of money, but probably tiny compared to what most people have to deal with now. Made me think about how pointless all that worrying was - essay deadlines, presentations, seminar debates. Nothing can prepare you for real work.
I loved my time at uni, but having paid off that student loan, it was pretty poor value. I received a 1st from an OK red brick, but to my disappointment, not once have I ever had to show my degree. I vaguely remember it coming up briefly in my first interview, but was very much just a tickbox. After that, no one cared (I ended up going into tech, so my humanities degree wasn't exactly relevant).
I suppose some might argue that my degree means I can communicate slightly better, and indirectly means I can manage my day to day work better, but I'm sceptical. Maybe this is why humanities are falling out of favour.
With hindsight, I don't regret uni, but regret studying quite as a hard. The experiences with friends, having several years of completely free enjoyment was worth a lot more than the piece of paper I received at the end.
Curious to see what others think? Now I'm approaching 30, I'm probably too old for this forum now anyway...
Do you need a degree? In pretty much most walks of life, no. Do you need some form of formal training or learning for most walks of life? Absolutely. For me, that is the problem. We have a disconnect between what universities are offering and what potential employees / entrepreneurs need. And ironically, it is many of the newer universities that are filling that gap.
Original post by tamil fever
Can I ask what you do?
I'm a doctor
Original post by girl_in_black
I'm a doctor
Coool
I would, yes, but the options available to school leavers are far better today than they were when I was considering my options on the mid to late 2000s.
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