Your thoughts on university

System

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

No idea, sorry!

You're not a very good barrister!

CH27

berbastrike wrote: »

You're not a very good barrister!

Charming!....

inkie

For some careers not having a degree is not an option. I didn't go straight from school, but did nursing, and then midwifery, and topped up my qualifications and studied part time for first degree. I am now doing an MA part time - in a different line of work now. Eldest daughter will be starting at university of Wales in September. I think it is about broadening your horizons and increasing independence and deepening your subject knowledge as well as obtaining a degree.

Voyager2002

claire21 wrote: »

I feel quite out of touch with the subject.

I'm 46 never went, both parents never went, all done well for ourselves.

Have 3 kids the eldest being 14

See in my head going back if you met someone that went to uni you were really impressed, you thought wow they are bright. They were like the cream on the milk.

It just seems to me like so many go now that it's not "special" anymore?

I met parents and it's the be all and end all that there kids make it to uni.

What are your thoughts, do you have to go now to get a decent job, is there no working your way up in a job anymore?

My 3 kids go to private school all about just over average in school sets eg no super bright child (debate not about that please) but I have no urge that they go to uni, only if they want to. But should I be thinking they have to in this day and age to get somewhere?

Wow! Five pages of replies, so lots of interest...

The main point I want to make is that your oldest is about 14, so it is too early to know whether university is going to be appropriate for them. About half the age-group go to uni, so half do not, and I refuse to believe that fifty per cent of the population will all be failures. So if uni is not right for some or all of your children, do not make them feel like failures.

The most important thing you can do over the next few years is enable them to get a good idea about the different kinds of careers that are realistic options for them. Some of those will require degree-level study (and perhaps higher degrees); others will require different kinds of training and experience after leaving school. Good information will help to motivate them while at school and help them to make good choices about what to do next.

System

Did anyone else who went and perhaps regrets what they studied found that they've never know what the wanted to do in life? My youngest sister is dead set on being a pharmacist, so she picked the right a levels and is working hard towards that goal. I see my brother as being similar to me, in that he's not sure what to do and is probably going to study something he enjoys/is good at which worries me as I don't want him to have the same regrets I did

I wish I'd known what I wanted to be in life (still don't know 9 years later)

chucknorris

pinkshoes wrote: »

I'd say a degree IS worth it, but only from a decent university in a worthwhile subject.

I got my quantity surveying degree (first) at Leeds Poly (now known as Leeds Met), when I started in industry I was promoted rapidly. But I had also started two businesses when I graduated, within 10 years I had to leave the industry because my businesses were not only making more than my salary but my input was only in the evenings, weekends and holidays. When I sold one of my businesses I found that I wanted to do more, so now I lecture part time at a university, I was always interested in lecturing but the money wasn’t good enough, these days it isn’t just about money any more. I’m financially independent now (both my wife and I are multi-millionaires), the Leeds Poly degree kick started my success, so anyone reading this don’t think that you won’t get anywhere in life without a red brick university degree, believe me, it just isn’t true. The truth is that your degree is just the starting point, once in industry it doesn’t matter what university you went to, what matters is how you perform in your chosen career.

busiscoming2

barbarawright wrote: »

Could they? Are they working with lots of non-graduates who are the same age as them?

Some I know are the others I don't know.

angelil

Now to go back, read through, and add my (possibly unappreciated!) comments to what others have said:

busiscoming2 wrote: »

Positively [uni] taught them independence, how to manage their finances and generally improved their self confidence.

I agree with the rest of your post, but take issue with this as a reason to go to university, as young people get this from leaving home anyway. No reason to spend thousands of pounds on this.

(not picking on you specifically, by the way, for having said this - many others on this thread have said the same thing, but in different words)

As for a degree showing persistence, and this thereby being a positive quality, I'd say it only goes so far: some of the stupidest people I know have PhDs. Being highly qualified doesn't necessarily show intelligence, or the ability to be good at a job. Persistence is just one of a few things you need to do well in your career. Again, subject knowledge is just one thing. If you have subject knowledge but can't apply it, or have subject knowledge that nobody wants, then that's useless too. I suppose the trick is to hit on the right combination of things (although this is almost certainly easier said than done!). As others have mentioned here, having a degree does not mean a job is a divine right.

aimeemum

I went to Uni straight out of school and did a degree in history I got a 2:1 from a good 'red brick' university. I fully intended to follow a path into heritage and started well before having my children and some bad experiences have led me to re-think. I knew when I was 16 what I really wanted to do (veterinary nursing) but I was considered 'bright' and was expected to go to university thanks to labour's targets at the time (I'm 30 and was in the first year to take the AS levels) so I chose the subject I was best at and enjoyed and went. In hindsight I shouldn't have gone, but my parents were so keen, and so was my school, that I got swept up in it. I really enjoyed it, and got a lot from it, but it's been totally useless and now I still want to do what I wanted at 16 but am still no closer nearly 15 years later! In fact I'm further away!

My husband is currently a mature student in his final year of a biology degree. He too is 30, but has spent 10 years working. He was a retail manager at 19 *youngest in the country at the time in his company*, and then drove buses for 6 years before deciding that actually what he wants to do is teach, so here he is. He has a job for life through his PCV and can literally walk into work (proved it last summer when it took him 48 hours to find a full time job! I had been job hunting for 6months!!) and he has had all the same funding opportunities I had at 18, but is now (all being well) going to achieve what he wants to do, while still having a second career path open to him at any time.

I have 3 children, the eldest of which is only 4 but I do worry about what the future holds for them. I will definitely be encouraging them to get a trade under them. A skill that they can rely upon to give them an income come-what-may. I have nothing and seriously, it's a horrid place to be in. I have a piece of paper and can tell you all you would ever need to know about Henry VII but that's no good in a job market! If they want to go to Uni later on then brilliant, or if they're keen to follow a career path which requires a degree then of course we will support them, but it's certainly not a given that a degree=success and as such they will be given every opportunity to follow any path that they choose, as long as they are happy!

VJsmum

notanewuser wrote: »

I, now anybody can go so long as they're prepared to come out with £30k's worth of debt. Degrees have dumbed down (as have GCSEs and A levels) so a graduate can be illiterate, innumerate and completely unemployable.

I realise you are "trolling" somewhat on this thread, but the above is totally untrue, it is still extremely difficult to get onto most degrees

Flugelhorn wrote: »

there is a hardened minority who will still be drinking wine during the 0900 lecture.

I have never had anyone drinking wine in my 0900 lectures.

chucknorris wrote: »

I got my quantity surveying degree (first) at Leeds Poly (now known as Leeds Met), when I started in industry I was promoted rapidly. But I had also started two businesses when I graduated, within 10 years I had to leave the industry because my businesses were not only making more than my salary but my input was only in the evenings, weekends and holidays. When I sold one of my businesses I found that I wanted to do more, so now I lecture part time at a university, I was always interested in lecturing but the money wasn’t good enough, these days it isn’t just about money any more. I’m financially independent now (both my wife and I are multi-millionaires), the Leeds Poly degree kick started my success, so anyone reading this don’t think that you won’t get anywhere in life without a red brick university degree, believe me, it just isn’t true. The truth is that your degree is just the starting point, once in industry it doesn’t matter what university you went to, what matters is how you perform in your chosen career.

I, too, am a QS and I, too, lecture. Different poly / uni to you but much in the. Same vein. I am not a multi millionaire though

My (ex poly) uni, has one of the top rates of graduate employment in the country, particularly in our, vocational degrees. You can't do a QS degree in a Russell group uni, having done some marking of masters students on a. Construction Management course at our local Russell Group uni, I can tell you that their students can't hold a candle to mine. Our courses are approved by the RICS and they are very picky about who we can take, how and what we teach them and our assessment strategy. Ask my final year students if anyone can get a degree from an ex poly and that they are much easier but I don't guarantee your safety if you do.


The experience of being at uni can be got at any uni.

Oh and I can do proper spelling and grammar, but the blessed iPad makes it tricky