Should I discourage my kids from going to Uni?

rachbc

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Isn't Architecture 4 years?

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3 year degree, 1 year in work experience than another 2 years ft study (to get stage 1)

Then 2 yrs work then more exams to finally get RIBA recognised

Icey77

Any wrote: »

I am not normally touchy but as an accountant I find this post nearly offensive. I love my job, I worked bloody hard for my title (while at f/t job) and for someone to say something sounding so degrading??...

Same here, actually really offended :mad:
What, exactly, is wrong with being an accountant????

cazziebo

There is something going wrong somewhere. When I was at school in the late 70s only the class swot got straight As. At my daughters' school half the class seemed to get all As. Maybe we were all just thick then...

It's an interesting discussion. My oldest daughter is doing a degree in Occupational Therapy which is a career choice following many years volunteering at riding for disabled and working with disabled kids at Camp America. (Got to say, back then that wouldn't have been a degree course but would have been no less respected for it)

My younger daughter has a place at Uni to do law but is currently working in a callcentre which she enjoys. She is having second thoughts. In her team there are two law graduates - one been there for three years. I'm trying to encourage her to study English or History or Philosophy - all subjects I know she'll love.

My own degree is in Philosophy and English Lit. There will be those who say "mickey mouse" but I got so much out of my studies - how to learn, how to think logically, how to communicate as well as meeting the most amazing group of people.

Never underestimate the value of real education.

PS to Any - three of my best, most inspirational bosses have been accountants. Edited to add - and that was in the most successful businesses - bloddy hard taskmasters though!

Turtle

Agree re the accountancy thing - being a person who's not particularly mathematically minded, I'd be proud to be able to say I was an accountant.

I went to Newcastle University and got a 2:1 in Psychology (BSc). I can't see how this could be described as 'Mickey Mouse' to be honest - there was a lot of science and maths in there and I worked very hard to achieve what I did. It was an intense course and I don't know anyone who just tossed it off. I did the subject because I was interested in it and although the job I do now is not unrelated, I wouldn't have needed the degree to get it. Had I been in a position that I'd have been in the amount of debt that many graduates are in now though, I doubt I'd have gone.

Any

I personally don't think any of these degrees mentioned are Mickey Mouse ones-I thought that this expression only applies to courses with few hours of lectures and/or easy subject not requiring much academics. Philosophy or English literature are definitely not easy and require quite high level of academic thinking..

Any

Degree/professional level accountancy requires massive amount of strategic thinking.. We are not just a number crunchers!!:-) We must now what these results mean, analyse and decide what to do next. For numbers you have the calculator:-)) and there is the legislation and rules you have to be aware of as well.

milliebear00001

That is what concerns me. 'Mickey Mouse' used to mean, a 'new' subject that was a populist choice, perceived, rightly or wrongly to have little academic rigour behind it. It is very worrying that this terminology seems to be used more recently to describe properly academic subjects, with a whole history of teaching and learning behind them, but which do not directly 'lead to' a money-making career.

Gloomendoom

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Crikey, entry requirment go up! You need 2A's and a B to study Pharmacy at Manchester they can't go up anymore, surely! Believe me 25 years ago the entry requirement was nothing like that.

That is true, but 25 years ago everybody and his dog didn't have 2 A's and a B.

Stricter entry requirements or even supplementary entrance exams are almost inevitable if good A level grades can't be used to sort the wheat from the chaff.

patchwork_cat

milliebear00001 wrote: »

That is what concerns me. 'Mickey Mouse' used to mean, a 'new' subject that was a populist choice, perceived, rightly or wrongly to have little academic rigour behind it. It is very worrying that this terminology seems to be used more recently to describe properly academic subjects, with a whole history of teaching and learning behind them, but which do not directly 'lead to' a money-making career.

I don't think that 'Mickey Mouse' now means any degree that won't lead to a money making career. I think your definition of academically rigorous would be a good definition of non 'mickey mouse'!

I did hear a few years ago anecdotally of a degree in circus skills - IMO that is 'Mickey Mouse'!!

Maybe it is the seemingly narrow spectrum that makes people think Spanish Poetry is 'mickey mouse', it's direct relevance in the workplace may be hard to see, but one would have to have a good command of Spanish to study it's poetry, so translators, teachers etc. would be openings at the end.

Sublime_2

I would encourage my kids to do anything they were interested in pursuing, whether getting a job, or going to Uni. I would support them no matter what their choice, as long as they were enthusiastic, and keen on what they were studying.

Got many years to go before mine will be old enough. Who knows what system will be in place then.