Your thoughts on university

Bennifred

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

If I wanted to spend 27k on something just for the love of it, I'd buy a land rover.

Gotta love a practical mind!

aimeemum

Bennifred wrote: »

It's a sad reflection of the times that all the posts in this thread (unless I've missed any) seem to think that it's only worth going to university if it contributes towards getting a job.

Does nobody think studying a subject for the love of it is worth doing any more?

I absolutely adore my subject (Early Modern History) but I wouldn't say that a. the degree has helped me progress or b. the knowledge and experience I got academically I couldn't have gathered through reading and personal experiences.

I would happily go back to study more - I love it, but the OP was asking about the 'usefulness' of studying at university. For me, it wasn't.

theoretica

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

If I wanted to spend 27k on something just for the love of it, I'd buy a land rover.

Some of us do love studying more than land rovers...

Janepig

I certainly wouldn't actively encourage my two to go to University when the time comes. At the moment they're 8 and 10 and DS wants to play rugby for the Scarlets and DD wants to be a hairdresser (that's been something she's gone on about for as long as I can remember) and do some sports coaching in her spare time. Obviously that may well, and probably will change over the coming years.

I've got 3 GCSE's (back in the first year of them being awarded, when 10+ A*'s just didn't happen!), DH has got a degree - he scraped a pass back in the early 90's, mainly because he lost interest and had to be cajoled by me into sticking with it and finishing it. Out of his year of 30-odd graduates only himself and another classmate got jobs straight from uni. He went into training in the subject he did his degree in and has continued in that field, but doesn't earn all that much more than I do.

I started in my organisation as admin (with a heap of admin type qualifications picked up after I left school because I didn't know what else to do with my meagre pickings) and worked my way up a bit to what I do now. If I was to attempt to apply for this job now I wouldn't even get an interview as it's all graduates. In fact, both our receptionists are graduates, as were the last two receptionists and goodness knows how many before them. I think all our admin staff under the age of 30 are all graduates. Most of them are Law graduates. If either of my children come home and tell me they want to study law I will do my nut!!

Although I do get a bit narked occasionally that DH has got the bit of paper to show for his education and I don't, I'm certainly the brains of this operation - he's good at what he's interested in but don't bother asking him about anything else. And certainly with the vast majority of graduates I know, particularly at work, when it comes to stringing a sentence together they haven't got a clue!

Also, you can have a broad life experience at work, meeting all sorts of people and learning new things, that's not something confined to University. In fact, I would say that you meet a broader range of people at work, particularly people of all different ages. When I started working for my organisation at 21, I had colleagues up to retirement age who I made friends with and who I learned lots from, not just about work, and who I have kept in touch with. And that has continued, I have colleagues who are friends who are older and younger than me, including some new friends in their early 20's who are helping me to stay "down with the kids" :D:D

Jx

Person_one

I think it's a real shame that so many people now view university and education in general as just a means to an end. As though all that matters is whether it leads to a 'good' job. Personally, I think education is worthwhile for both the individual and wider society even if it never earns you a penny.

I think I blame tuition fees for that, so many parents now view a degree as an investment like any other, they want a measurable return for that outlay. Plenty of people through history have been well educated and made a huge contribution to society without ever being particularly successful financially.

claire21

Janepig

Again shocked, receptionists have a degree (not being mean about receptionists...just shocked)

I can remember leaving school with 7 O levels and going for an interview in a small office as a junior and being told I was over qualified and they wouldn't take me on as I would get bored and leave!

Valli

notanewuser wrote: »

so a graduate can be illiterate, innumerate

Do you have ANY references to back up this ludicrous statement?

Whilst I would accept that some degree courses are, possibly, less rigorous than others I cannot see how one could graduate were one illiterate!

Having obtained my own degree as a mature student I feel that the university experience is more suited to the younger (ie 18+) students because they can 'benefit' from the social aspect far more easily.

Nevertheless I greatly enjoyed the experience.

My son is in his first year of Uni; my daughter has offers for September. I am so pleased they are going to Uni as young students without the ties and obligations which coloured my own Uni experience. I'm just so sad that they are going to be burdened with debt for many years to come.

claire21

Person_one I understand where you are coming from but they have to be able to support themselves financially somehow.

notanewuser

Valli wrote: »

Do you have ANY references to back up this ludicrous statement?

Whilst I would accept that some degree courses are, possibly, less rigorous than others I cannot see how one could graduate were one illiterate!

Having obtained my own degree as a mature student I feel that the university experience is more suited to the younger (ie 18+) students becuase they can 'benefit' from the social aspect far more easily.

Nevertheless I greatly enjoyed the experience.

About 10 years managing the recruitment for a major international hotel chain....?

You can easily pass GCSEs and A levels without basic numeracy or literacy. Why would a degree be any different?

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/oecd-questions-uk-graduates-literacy-and-numeracy/2007979.article

Janepig

claire21 wrote: »

Janepig

Again shocked, receptionists have a degree (not being mean about receptionists...just shocked)

I can remember leaving school with 7 O levels and going for an interview in a small office as a junior and being told I was over qualified and they wouldn't take me on as I would get bored and leave!

To be honest it's probably why most of our receptionists over the last few years have been atrocious (apart from the last two who now have admin jobs with us) - I think one of them even had a masters. The current two are worse than useless. Back in the day it was a job you didn't need a heap of qualifications for, so you weren't sitting there thinking you were too good to be there, but it was often a springboard into bigger and better things in the organisation. I did many a stint on reception years ago and it gives you a good grounding in the sort of people we work with.

The two we have on there now can't even get people's names right when they phone through to let you know they're there, and often forget about people and leave them waiting for ages before they let the person they've come to see know they are there (not a good idea with the type of people we work with!). In a way I can't blame them but it certainly seems to be the case that with many degrees you still have to do your stint at the bottom and work up - and that experience can be invaluable!

Jx