Should I discourage my kids from going to Uni?

Pee

Do discourage them. If it works, they were never going to amount to much with or without a degree. If it doesn't work, they will earn more in a private sector job in the longrun. Teaching and nursing were financially good options previously, although teaching requires a degree and the nursing course also often involves a degree now, I am not sure that they will be in the future. I'd encourage them to go into banking, myself.

JC9297

milliebear00001 wrote: »

I would be really disappointed if my kids didn't choose to go to uni. In my day (admittedly many moons ago now) a university education was not simply a means to an end in terms of getting a job. Yes, some degrees are linked to a specific career, but plenty are not. This doesn't make them worthless - what happened to loving one's subject and wanting to pursue it?! A degree (and leaving home to go to university come to that) conveys far more benefits, both socially and in terms of life skills, than simply equipping them to do a particular job.

It should be the place where new adults find their way to deciding what they want to do for the rest of their lives, and broaden their horizons, not narrow them to a single option at barely eighteen.

My degree is in philosophy and politics by the way. I worked in the City and am now a teacher. I couldn't have done either of those jobs without my degree - a good degree is always of value and equips you with skills for life.

But back in your day (and my day) it really only was the brightest young people (approx top 15-20%?) who went to university and then went into graduate level jobs. The subject read was often not relevant but the fact that you had a degree reflected your intelligence and ability to apply it.

Now so many average ability children pass 'A' levels and then go on to university, they then think they deserve a great job because they've got a degree. There are many jobs that have become graduate level entry that back in the 70s and 80s would have been offered to kids with 5 'O' levels or 2 'A' levels.

It used to be that just having a degree was an achievement, now employers want to know which university and which subject, not all degrees are equal.

mountainofdebt

rachbc wrote: »

Absolutely - there are no specific academic requirements for entry to the police - spending the time getting fit and doing some community work would be just as valuable - a graduate still has to sit the same assessments as anyone else

Junior looked into going into the police force when it looked as if his application for the armed forces was going pear shaped and when he spoke to a police officer about it, he was told that many of the large forces are looking to only recruit people who have been special constables and that the smaller forces tend to follow what the larger ones do.

Also it would give the daughter an insight to the work to see if she actually did like doing what would be expected of her.

milliebear00001

JC9297 wrote: »

But back in your day (and my day) it really only was the brightest young people (approx top 15-20%?) who went to university and then went into graduate level jobs. The subject read was often not relevant but the fact that you had a degree reflected your intelligence and ability to apply it.

Now so many average ability children pass 'A' levels and then go on to university, they then think they deserve a great job because they've got a degree. There are many jobs that have become graduate level entry that back in the 70s and 80s would have been offered to kids with 5 'O' levels or 2 'A' levels.

It used to be that just having a degree was an achievement, now employers want to know which university and which subject, not all degrees are equal.

I would agree with your last paragraph. It's always been the case though, that some unis and courses carried more weight than others with employers. I would hope my kids would choose both wisely.

JC9297

milliebear00001 wrote: »

I would agree with your last paragraph. It's always been the case though, that some unis and courses carried more weight than others with employers. I would hope my kids would choose both wisely.

That's true, it's just become even more important than ever.

ViolaLass

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the OU.

shop-to-drop

ViolaLass wrote: »

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the OU.

It was reported that OU has significantly had funding reduced and so fees will need to go up considerably.

onlyroz

I will be encouraging my kids to take science or engineering subjects - such skills are always in demand.

joeblack066

I have 3 adult sons, none of whom went to Uni, by their own choice. Out of their large circle of friends the only one who has ever been unemployed is also the only one who went to Uni, and whilst there managed to get a criminal caution for pratting about when drunk, and so no longer has a clear CRB. Christmas 2009 we had to take him a food hamper as he was so so skint.
My DD, 13, wants to be a primary teacher so will have to go to uni. However she wants to stay at home so that will help. I really don't want her starting life with all that debt, but will struggle to pay these extortionate fees. I would never have contributed to a tin pot degree just for the sake of saying ' oh yes, he's away at UNI y'know"!!
So I really think that, if it is an integral part of the career that they want to follow, then absolutely. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.

Oldernotwiser

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.

But then neither was the standard of A levels. Entry standards could go far higher if we stopped grade inflation at GCSE and A level.