Is returning to university worth doubling my student debt?

ladyhepburn

*Deleted**

anna_p86

What do you want to do after university? I get the impression that uni is the be all & end all for you. I think really it's worth it if it means you getting into a career or job that you enjoy & are able to continue.

Re: your illness, I hope you're getting good support & will apply for disabled students allowance (DSA) hopefully if you do go to uni you'll have a more positive experience now you have a diagnosis.

I understand it's hard to answer this but I think you need to think about your long term goals & if you're really well enough to do this.

Good luck

climbgirl

ladyhepburn wrote: »

Isn't it a 'better' debt than a bank loan or mortgage, for example? If I didn't return to study, I honestly don't know what I would do instead - 28, without a degree, out of work for 7 years (prior to that in the family business, so the reference is useless) and having a life-long illness - with the possibility of a sudden relapse - isn't exactly good employment material.

To answer the question whether it's a better debt or not - that all depends on what you plan on studying and what your job prospects are at the end of the degree. You say you want to do astronomy? What would you use that for at the end of the degree? What is the job market like in that sector? Are graduates highly sort after or is it very competitive? What are the pay levels like in that industry?

The point is, if you can't get a decent paying job at the end of the degree, then it's a very expensive hobby for the next few years and you need to weigh up if you can afford that.

You say being out of work for 7 years doesn't make you very employable - probably true, but being out of work for a few more on top of that is only going to make that situation worse.

You seem to have discarded the first diploma in languages as a way into a job. Why is that? What languages do you speak? If they're specialist, then you shouldn't struggle too much to get a job, they're niche skills.

I would suggest that if you do go back you make sure that you are studying something that is going to lead to a good job in a market where graduates are sought after. You seem to be using the idea of going back to study as a bit of a safety blanket, as a way of escaping your situation (being unemployed). But unless you pick a degree that's going to make you highly employable in the future, I don't really see the point to be completely honest. I don't think you have no prospects in your current situation - why can't you use the skills learnt in your first diploma?

I'd also wait until you were sure the bipolar was under control before commiting funds to university. I have a friend who suffers from this and I understand what it's like. Your priority needs to be to get yourself as well as you can and get that under control.

Good luck, I hope it works out well for you.

climbgirl

Nobody's doubting your ability to do well - I think what Anna meant by saying that you see uni as the be all and end all is that you don't really have a clear idea of what you're going to do at the end of it. I picked that up from your first post as well. You seem to be using the idea of university not as a means of upskilling yourself to get a good job but as a way of escaping the job market for a few more years.

Yes there is an awful lot more to university than pure job training. Learning for learning's sake and the social aspects are so invaluable.

But you also have to be realistic - you'll be coming out of this £50,000 in debt. That's a huge number to pay off, especially if teaching is one of your job options. You'll be into your 30s then with no real work experience to speak of and a big debt.

Is there any way you can try and work while you're studying, take a little longer to do the degree? Even in a supermarket job or similar? I worked 35 hours a week through my undergraduate degree and had a full time job while I was doing my Masters. Yes it was a hard slog and there were so many times when I was tired but I came out of it with barely any student debt and I'm so thankful I did that.

I'd suggest you do a little more research about what lies at the end of the degree for you. Your answers seem to be a little vague around this and you really need to get your head around how easy it is to get an observatory job and what the pay will be like before you commit to this. Think of the £50k as an investment - what are you getting at the end of this that makes spending that £50k worthwhile? Is the job at the end of it worth spending £50k to get? Is it possible to start in an entry-level position and study alongside your work?

climbgirl

Good luck with it all - hope it works out well for you.

Lokolo

You will not get student tuition funding to do a degree if you have already completed a degree.

So how are you planning on paying tuition fees?

CLAPTON

to study physics and astrophysics you will need at least 3 As at a/l ; Physics, maths and further maths; preferrably 4 to include chemistry

to pursue astrophysics as a career you will need a 'good' first at M Phys level

I would advise against doing astrophysics at first degree level but doing a Physics degree but one where you can choose to do astro options (gives you greater job opportunities while allowing you to do astrophysic if you want to..... numerous uni do this Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds York etc). Most astrophysicists do general physics for a first degree and only study astro at Ph.D level


Being blunt, I wouldn't give a damn about the debt: just look at it like this ; if you do OK and end up earning more than 21k pa then you will pay 9% extra deductions from your salary; if you fail and don't earn more than 21k then you will never pay it back

My biggest concern is whilst I don't understand fully about your time at uni or your illness or what you have been doing until now, I find it difficult to believe that some-one of Physics 1st class material couldn't get a job in 6 years.. but there may be good reasons

I wish you the very best

Lokolo

Sorry I am going to be a little blunt and possibly rude.

But what on earth are you thinking?

You have the illness which you don't know when it could pop up, and you want to go on and do a Astrophysics degree, after spending 6 years already in higher education without completing a degree. You haven't had a job. You haven't studied Physics or Maths for 6 years.

You are saying this will make you happy but how do you know this? Why did you study languages if it didn't make you happy? Or did you think it would but then it didn't? Just like this degree could do.

You seem to have the attitude, oh if I become ill I will stop again, which imo is completely wrong.

If you had said you want to go back finish your degree that you've already started, then you'd have my upmost respect, but you're just giving up, wanting to try something different because you think it would be more fun.

Personally I can see it being a waste of time for you, waste of money for you, and waste of money for taxpayers.

epsilondraconis

If I were in your position I would go for it, taking into account Clapton's advice regarding the Physics degree. However I would make a few points:

1. If you have been interested in Astronomy since you were 5, I would question why you didn't pursue this before.
2. You indicate that you would like to perhaps work in an observatory. Let's be honest, anyone that has an interest in astronomy would love that job. The problem is that there aren't that many positions available for that role and competition would be very strong. You need to think what would differentiate you from other candidates.
3. Someone I know did a degree in astrophysics and obtained a 2:1. He couldn't find a related job in the field, his only option was to become a teacher which is what he didn't want. He therefore took a job completely unrelated to physics because he had bills to pay etc.

If you are happy to become a physics teacher at the end of your degree, then definitely go for it; however it may be difficult to get your dream job.

Good luck...

Lokolo

ladyhepburn wrote: »

Lokolo

Yes, I don't know when it will 'pop up' - it could be 5 years, it could be 20 years. Should I put my life permanently on hold? Becoming ill again will affect whatever I happen to be doing at the time, work, study or family. I will have to stop everything, and not by choice. For example, no-one stops driving a car or flying on a plane because they might have an accident.

I agree, so why can you not go and finish your language degree? It's not that I don't want you to do a degree, it's that you want to completely start again.

ladyhepburn wrote: »

I studied French, German, Italian and Russian because for 12 years I wanted to be an interpreter. I come from a bi-lingual family, and my sister is following the same route. Bipolar disorder affects memory and concentration, to an extent, and simultaneous interpreting requires such extreme concentration that you're only allowed to do it for 30 mins at a time. To try and pursue that career is completely unrealistic, and there isn't a demand for language teachers because fewer pupils are choosing language GCSEs. I have no choice to give up, and something I just had to come to terms with.

Then honestly, you'll not be able to do Physics or Maths.

And just because there isn't a demand for languages, doesn't mean you have to go into a career into it. I do Computer Games Programming, but I'm going into a Games Programming career.

ladyhepburn wrote: »

As it is, the taxpayer (and I was one) has funded 6 years of university-level education for me. I've only studied at university-level because the job I wanted absolutely required a degree. Most of my friends went to university, but only one of them is doing a job that is actually linked to their degree. The same can be said for a lot of graduates. Isn't that more of a waste?

No of course it's not, they've done a degree which they completed, and they're working in a different field - but have they gone and done another degree? No. So why should you?

As I said, just because you have done (or could finish) a degree in languages, doesn't mean you're going to be stuck there, just like your friends.

They're out earning money, paying taxes, paying back student loans. You're just getting more from the state.

epsilondraconis

If you do decide to go for it, I would recommend you start recapping your knowledge of maths as soon as you can.

Hope it all works out for you...