University degree not worth as much as touted

LydiaJ

misskool wrote: »

The degree is only worth as much as you want out of it.

Some people with degrees don't always pick the best paid jobs

But a good degree from a well regarded university in an academic subject does give you more opportunities (especially, of course, if you combine it with the sort of transferable skills that Cleaver was talking about). You can choose to go for something lower paid but with more job satisfaction, or you can choose to go for something that pays shedloads.

My dad (who was an academic doing scientific research and teaching in a university) always said that the students that got thirds always ended up making more money than the ones that got firsts. That's because the ones with firsts ended up in universities, or in the R&D departments of businesses, whereas the ones with thirds went into much more lucrative non-subject-specific careers like accountancy and management consulting.

Asheron

Cleaver wrote: »

Asheron, I can't quite work out whether you're another poster having a laugh with a great character, a satirical genuis or a mentalist. I guess it doesn't really matter as I enjoy all your posts as they just have a really funny turn of phrase. That and they're completely bonkers.

Would you be more positive about degrees if the certificate at the end were made of gold?

Thanks, Some things I post are very hard to believe. I understand. But more and more people are willing to listen during hard times.

PasturesNew

I don't have a degree. I went to one of those Next Step people the other week to ask "Hey - what should I do? Should I stick around here? Should I move away? Should I study? Should I get a degree?" ... and they said: "There's no point you doing a degree, you already have a magic piece of paper and experience on your CV ... go get a job"

Jonbvn

amcluesent wrote: »

>in the long run, a bachelor's degree was a good bet.<

Right now, I'd keep a CV from peeps with a 1st from a Russell Group uni and offer an internship. If they had a Masters, I'd consider an offer of employment.

This seems to be quite a normal approach for most employers in my experience.

Interesting article in the Grauniad regarding just this issue.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jan/31/unemployed-graduates-credit-crunch-andrew-hankinson

A Desmond in Journalism from any old Poly just does not cut it with employers I am afraid.

Lotus-eater

Cleaver wrote: »

Asheron, I can't quite work out whether you're another poster having a laugh with a great character, a satirical genuis or a mentalist. I guess it doesn't really matter as I enjoy all your posts as they just have a really funny turn of phrase. That and they're completely bonkers.

Would you be more positive about degrees if the certificate at the end were made of gold?

Asheron always makes me feel more normal, no matter how odd most people in real life think I am. At least I don't think I'm bonkers when I read his posts.

I have a very relevant question, if you truly believed the world as we knew it, was coming to an end, would you try to warn everyone on a forum where no one cared, or would you just buckle down and get ready for it?

Really2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I have a very relevant question, if you truly believed the world as we knew it, was coming to an end, would you try to warn everyone on a forum where no one cared, or would you just buckle down and get ready for it?

Or option 3. Party hard and live like a rock star for the last few months.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Really2 wrote: »

Or option 3. Party hard and live like a rock star for the last few months.

I'm going with option 3....

abaxas

The problem with degrees are they are not moderated.

A good example of this was a student in my year who got a degree in 'homosexuality'.

He didnt, he got a degree in electronic engineering but failed the final year, said it was due to worrying about being gay and automatically got a 2-1.

chucknorris

I think things have changed now and a degree is nowhere near as valuable as it once was. I graduated in 1990 and back then it was a different scenario, there were grants and no tution fees which meant that you could graduate without a significant overdraft.

elona

Lotus-eater

If I believed things were getting really bad then I would put my family first and do my best to keep me, DH and Dds safe.

Look at the fury if you suggest house prices or the stock market will not keep magically rising - or shock- might fall!

Shoot the messenger seems to be the prevailing attitude.

I would do my best to point out a problem so people had essential information- but if they chose not to believe it or to "join the dots", that is their decision to make.

A lot would depend whether the world changing event was something like recession and financial based, something like another world war, severe disease like H5N1 or a new plague or something Apocalyptic(sp)? like an asteroid striking the planet.

If it is something we could not do anything about then just enjoying life while we can seems appropriate.

I am really intrigued now. What EOTWAWKI event or events had you in mind?