Does it make parents look better' if their child goes to university?

Dunroamin · 7 September 2013 at 11:10PM

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

You didn't mention anything about that, you stated that media was a Mickey Mouse degree. Whatever that's supposed to mean. If you think any degree is easy then be my guest...it's a hard slog and people like you who disrespect people who have done their degrees just because you read the Daily Mail and picked up a slogan should keep their noses out of commenting on other people's hard work. As you have absolutely no idea what you are blathering on about.

Many degrees aren't that much of a hard slog these days. I've had several clients who've worked full time hours throughout university and still gained perfectly respectable results.

You can no more generalise that no degrees are easy than you can that they all are.

Soleil_lune · 7 September 2013 at 11:30PM

thorsoak wrote: »

Thank you! Actually I'm now semi-retired - working as a p/t baker in local convenience store :-D - never worked so hard, for so little money but can't remember when I've enjoyed a job more .......thinking about retiring (again) in 2 years time, and doing another degree then.....25 years after the last one!!:rotfl:

That's OK

Well if you are in a job you enjoy, that's great.

I guess the degree was just for you, to see if you could do it?

thorsoak · 7 September 2013 at 11:32PM

Exactly - at 70, I'm trying to wind down a bit!

Soleil_lune · 7 September 2013 at 11:34PM

I think some degrees are harder than others (medical and law and physics and maths etc are hard) and others like media, art, and drama are not as hard. But I think it's a little unfair for people to poo-poo them and make them sound worthless, as people still have to work hard to get a degree, even if the more 'arty' ones are not as difficult as the more 'academic' ones. The 'softer' degrees are still worthwhile, and show that the student is capable of learning and studying. And let's face it, 'any' degree, gives you a head start in life.

Soleil_lune · 7 September 2013 at 11:35PM

thorsoak wrote: »

Exactly - at 70, I'm trying to wind down a bit!

You don't look a DAY over 50! :j

Frith · 8 September 2013 at 12:09AM

Re: the OP - if someone I knew had got an E at A Level and failed the others, I think I would suggest they went back and re-took them.

If they got better results, they could then choose the course and university that suited them best.

But I wouldn't take it personally if neither of my sons went to Uni!

poet123 · 8 September 2013 at 12:10AM

Soleil_lune wrote: »

I think some degrees are harder than others (medical and law and physics and maths etc are hard) and others like media, art, and drama are not as hard. But I think it's a little unfair for people to poo-poo them and make them sound worthless, as people still have to work hard to get a degree, even if the more 'arty' ones are not as difficult as the more 'academic' ones. The 'softer' degrees are still worthwhile, and show that the student is capable of learning and studying. And let's face it, 'any' degree, gives you a head start in life.

It really doesn't, not today I am afraid. Maybe 20 years ago but not now.

Soleil_lune · 8 September 2013 at 12:12AM

Hmmm, maybe you're right Poet.

Dunroamin · 8 September 2013 at 12:14AM

Frith wrote: »

Re: the OP - if someone I knew had got an E at A Level and failed the others, I think I would suggest they went back and re-took them.

If they got better results, they could then choose the course and university that suited them best.

But I wouldn't take it personally if neither of my sons went to Uni!

Your choice of universities would be quite curtailed if you offered resits, particularly as the grades were so poor the first time round and with no reason. You'd get in somewhere but you wouldn't have unlimited choice.

Mrs_Ryan · 8 September 2013 at 12:19AM

My Mum pushed me into going to uni, to do a worthless degree that I didn't want to do, just so she could brag to the neighbours that I was at uni. When I got a full time job that I loved in the holidays and said to her I would rather stay working there than have to go back, she told me I either went back to uni or I could get out of the house. So I had to go back, I failed second year and had a nervous breakdown. She then pushed me to go and do my nurse training and again bragged to all the neighbours, again I had a breakdown as I was working over 70 hours a week, and again I failed. Luckily I got a job as an HCA so she could continue bragging that I had 'a nursing job' it doesn't look like I'm going to be ready to go back to uni for a long time as I'm off with work related stress at the minute but now shes trying to suggest that I go and do teaching!! I know she loves me but it's all about appearances with her and I do feel a little resentful that if she'd let me do the GNVQ and HND I wanted instead of forcing me to do A-Levels and a degree I didn't want to do because she doesn't believe in GNVQ's or HND's I might be a bit more settled...