Tonight with Trevor McDonald (degrees worth it?) 24/11

TeaBoy_2

yeah i didn't actually think everyone earned exactly 400k more but on average, so the question 'are degrees worth doing?' the answer is yes in most case. the vast majority of cases i would guess.

its bummer you've not found a job yet but aren't you still glad you did a degree? the sense of achievement and of course the student life.

netally

I'm glad i'm back studying. Not just for the money but the self-confidence going to uni has given me. I was in a really dull office job, I worked my way up from office junior and was on 22k a year. But I was SO unhappy and bored. I figured the worst that can happen is if I graduate and can't find a job I like, i'll just go back to that line of work! So far i've enjoyed uni for the social aspect, the way it has broadened my horizons, challenged me and made me get off my !!!! and read those books i've been meaning to read for years!

Jersy

Originally Posted by black-saturn
Everyone on this thread is going to think I'm mad but I'm going to try and steer my daughters away from going to uni if I can

i wouldnt necesserily put them off, i would tell them to be cautious, and dont go because

a) their mates are going
b) because its the right thing to do

from going the hard way, make sure they go to a top uni. or else dont bother.. thats my advice!


however, mixture of As and Bs and get into the work place would be what i wish i had of done (had no motivation then so didnt get As and Bs)

chances are they could do their degree through work!

and because they are gettin in early, they have a good chance of boucning up through the organisation

Acc72

Jersy wrote:

and because they are gettin in early, they have a good chance of boucning up through the organisation

For a number of reasons, people very rarely join one company and stay there "working their way up".

We also need to be realistic about glass ceilings - I believe that the days where somebody started on the shop floor and worked their way up to Chairman are long gone.

We can all come up with an example of where this has happened, but in a population of 56m they are very few and far between !!

You also find that those without qualifications who are successful, would have been successful whatever they did - this does not make it a cereer option as 99% of the population do not fall into this category.

Somebody can always take away your job, but they cannot ever take away your qualifications.

I do agree about the reasoning behind going to Uni - many people go because they don't know what else to do or want to have a laugh - this was fine when I was a student, but I got a grant and it didn't cost me £20k !!

Acc72

I also meant to say ...............

Anybody who is willing to spend £20k (when you factor in 3 years loss of earnings £50k +) to get a degree in "Communication Studies" or whatever must be mad (and to be honest, anybody who makes such a decision is very unlikely to reach senior management / higher earnings anyway - so what is the point ??)

RoB_Fernandez

I graduated from university 1 ½ years ago. I studied a supposedly good management degree. I did not wish to work for someone. So started my business 1 ½ months ago, I do not feel my degree gave me any help in starting my business. You need to learn by doing (however maybe it has helped with my approach)

BUT, I do feel my degree help me meet some of my best friends that I will have for the rest of my life. It also helped me understand different cultures and people from different parts of the world, which has helped my business more than my degree.

I think meeting some of your best friends, having fun and enjoying life are the biggest strengths of university. I value my friends more than my degree.

Rob