Is a University degree worth it?

kwmlondon

Let me just say that I'm not a parent and I have no intention of having kids. If I did have kids I'd be hoping they would go to university, not expecting or pushing them, but I grew enormously and developed as a person beyond belief from the time I left home to the time I got my first graduate job.

If I were you I'd do everything I could to make my daughter believe that she's good enough to go to university (with hard work) and, if that's what she wants, I'd support her and be proud of her. I'd also say that it's a decision that she doesn't have to make for a long time, but it's really important to work hard to make sure that her choices are good ones.

That's just my opinion!

stinktankcynic

A degree 20 years ago, not so many people went to uni, but if you had a decent degree and experience then you probably got the chance of a better job. Now nearly everyone has a degree or qualification but they have paid, borrowed and got into debt for it. In my mind, unless your very talented, rich or focused on a career, paying huge fees, losing three years wages etc to get a degree which guarantees nothing is a big gamble. If you have contacts, use them, try and get an apprenticeship with training and prospects after school. Some do really well doing this.

Bigmoney2

andrewjf wrote: »

Thanks for your balanced views. Yes I'm aware that the fees don't have to be paid back until you earn over a certain threshold, but a main reason for getting a degree is to increase earning power, and so I expect a large proportion of graduates would have to pay it. In any case, it's still a large debt hanging over your head which will at some point have to be repaid as your salary increases.

In terms of thinking about the financial side of things, I don't think it is too early because as you know, investments take a long time to grow, especially as I don't have a lot of disposable income to put away (my Wife doesn't work as we have another 2 year old daughter).
So I am conscious of getting the finance side of things sorted out, even if it just helps her out a little bit.

If your household income is below a certain level, I think the fees can be waved, there are also burseries, so while your outlook and forward planning is admirable, I wouldn't get too hung up on it at this stage.

Although who knows what will be available in 7 yrs time.

Also she doesn't have to go from school to Uni, she could take a year out, get a job/ apprenticeship see how she likes it.
Maybe just encourage her to do her best grade wise, to give herself the most options later on.

PasturesNew

I'd say that whatever's decided, make sure that, on the side, as a continual learning process, she learns a manual skill that she can fall back on, something that would enable her to be self-employed if she ever wanted to. Whether that's carpentry or sewing.... people always want people to do things for them that they can't do for themselves, but are skills one can pick up over time. Landscape gardeners seem to get paid fortunes too ... and even lawn mowing is very lucrative.

Doing stuff with your hands..... priceless.

Also: hairdressing, decorating, even dry stone walling (I'd love to do that)....

Mojisola

Bigmoney2 wrote: »

Also she doesn't have to go from school to Uni, she could take a year out, get a job/ apprenticeship see how she likes it.

The people I know who did this got much more out of uni - they'd already got a level of maturity, had got a bit of money behind them, understood what a basic job was like and appreciated the opportunities that a good degree was going to give them.

Others who got a job found something they really enjoyed doing and didn't bother with uni but continued on the career path they'd chosen.

Person_one

kwmlondon wrote: »

I grew enormously and developed as a person beyond belief from the time I left home to the time I got my first graduate job.

University study is not just about employment prospects, or even just about academic life.

While studying for my first degree I met and lived with people from all over the world, and had the chance to study abroad and live in an incredible city on the other side of the world at 20.

Its also important to remember that this isn't really up to you. At 17 when she's making this decision your daughter will be nearly an adult, she'll be her own person and she may have plans that you'd never in a million years have expected! As long as she knows she has your support and belief whatever she chooses, that's the main thing.

inmypocketnottheirs

The value of education must not be under estimated. Anything of vale comes with a cost.

TopQuark

The value of a good education is immense and countries with educated populations tend to better places to live for everyone (a case for why tertiary education should be tax-payer/state funded).

That said, I question the value of some of the more wacky and niche degree subjects from the new universities and the emergence of such courses over the last ten years has diluted the impact of higher education somewhat. Still, a solid subject from a good, established university is never likely to be a waste of time. And if your daughter is academically bright and interested in learning (and is still the same in 7 years time), then I think it would be a real shame not to progress into higher ed. just because of cost.

Certain career paths will of course require a degree as mandatory. I work at an international scientific institution in Switzerland and my PhD was necessary even at the selection phase of recruitment (most people don't need to have a PhD of course, but in my line of work it is a requirement).

Also remember that, depending on where you live, it's not essential to move away to university. I did my first degree a few years after tuition fees were introduced and my parents couldn't afford for me to move. I was lucky that we lived in a big city with good universities close by, so I was able to continue living at home whilst I studied. It was either that or not go at all, which was never an option.

Good luck to you and your daughter for the future

Jobseeeker

I would say if its for something vocational eg she wants to be a physiotherapist so studies physiotherapy or she wants to be a teacher so does teacher training then yes!

however if its say, english/maths etc id probably say no. Im in touch with all my friends from uni and most who did the latter arent doing well

coinxoperated

I came from a family that were eager to push my education but not for me to go to Uni. Because I didn't have to 'choose' which course I would be attending, I didn't. I'm now 23 and wish I could have gone back and gone to Uni. Yes I could go now, but I'm now responsible for my own set of bills and its hard to give up a full time wage an go into the *unknown*.

I would definitely say try and steer them to university and that being the plan. If they decide to change their mind at a later date, that's their choice, but pushing them to achieve grades good enough to be able to get into Uni is very important in my eyes.