MoneySaving Poll: Have you been to university?

What would the single question be? How would it be more useful than the options presented?

Wizard_of_Id wrote: »

I would have rather seen a simple Yes or No choice, no need for age brackets or any of the various options, typical of university relatic topics needing to feel complicated to justify themselves.

I do think age is relevant, because 15 years ago there was a great push to get 50% of young people into university, with many more places opening up. Im not sure this such a good thing.


University for me was an escape path from a northern inner city upbringing into a quality career. Education is a great enabler of social mobility and I strongly believe in it for SOME individuals.


What I have noticed (now as a graduate recruiter for a large blue chip) is that we see many more less able students who drift into university, accrue huge debts and come out with low/average degrees in "odd" topics. Their expectations were mis-managed to the extent they believe that any graduate will gain employment in a well paid graduate scheme. But honestly they are not that good, and would struggle in a top company (and be very unhappy)


In my opinion these people would be much better served a in a vocational training. I would expect to see the results and opinions of this poll very skewed to those who were of university age in last 15 years.

Yes, I am in 60+ age band and yes have been to University. But in mid-thirties, when children were young and flexibility (only 9 contact hours a week) and student loan plus part-time work enabled me to. I worked before then in University admin and promotion limited to a level above which graduates only appointed. I was working class background and, like many in University admin, thought 'Are these students bright or what?' Fact is, there is a lot of research that shows social class 'powerfully reasserts after graduation' i.e. the best jobs go to those more fortunately born, and degree is used merely to legitimise these 'unfair' employment appointments. I did okay out of my degree - professional job as a teacher - and of course both my children are graduates. Uni provides brilliant networking opps, my two have friends across the UK and around the globe. For most students, Uni can be just a finishing school, with academic differentiation now being by Masters rather than undergraduate. My University admin experience, pre my own Uni studies showed a cycle, year on year, that you have to be pretty dire not to graduate at all. So of course 'being a graduate' will not get you a job; being of the right social class is the only guarantee. Twas always thus!