Your thoughts on university

mrcow

I always ask where they went and what they studied before I'm prepared to think "wow".

I was the same 25 years ago. Some degrees have a "wow", some are a little more "meh".

notanewuser

I've never needed a degree and was earning high 5 figures when I hit 28.

Back then you needed good grades to get into uni, 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.

Flugelhorn

notanewuser wrote: »

I've never needed a degree and was earning high 5 figures when I hit 28.

Back then you needed good grades to get into uni, 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.

Oh yes. It ultimately comes down to the Uni and the degree - there are some places that I wouldn't have been so keen to see DC go to and help with funding.

Always wary of the "first class hons" from some places that would be the equiv of a 2:2 or

poet123

notanewuser wrote: »

I've never needed a degree and was earning high 5 figures when I hit 28.

Back then you needed good grades to get into uni, 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 don't disagree but are you the norm? What field are you in? Could you do the same starting out today?

claire21

Thanks all

They have no idea what they want to do, I didn't when I left school at 17. I wonder will a time come when they do know.

I get the whole experience of cooking, money management, catching a bus etc but isn't that what we did when we just left home anyway?

notanewuser

Flugelhorn wrote: »

Oh yes. It ultimately comes down to the Uni and the degree - there are some places that I wouldn't have been so keen to see DC go to and help with funding.

Always wary of the "first class hons" from some places that would be the equiv of a 2:2 or

I work voluntarily with a guy who has a first in history and a masters from a Russell Group uni. He can't use excel, has zero common sense and can't even keep a to-do list up to date. He's lacking so many practical skills its unreal. He thinks his bits of paper should have him in a good job.

Flugelhorn

notanewuser wrote: »

I work voluntarily with a guy who has a first in history and a masters from a Russell Group uni. He can't use excel, has zero common sense and can't even keep a to-do list up to date. He's lacking so many practical skills its unreal. He thinks his bits of paper should have him in a good job.

Oh I know what you mean about the common sense.... Uni makes no difference to that. Some very bright people are just clueless and seem to cause chaos wherever they go - I think they should really go to the Uni and stay there... drop hints to him about applying for a DPhil.

claire21

I had no idea that which Uni you went to made a difference to the qualification either!

poet123

claire21 wrote: »

I had no idea that which Uni you went to made a difference to the qualification either!

It makes a difference to how the qualification is viewed not to the actual qualification. Although, the syllabus for the same course varies from University to University.

The Times publishes a list of top universities.

For example, a degree from Bolton University would not generally be viewed the same way as the same degree from York, or Warwick. The academic rigour is perceived to be greater at the latter than the former. That said, some lower performing unis do have their niche courses which are well regarded.

Flugelhorn

claire21 wrote: »

I had no idea that which Uni you went to made a difference to the qualification either!

Essentially the name of the degree BA BSc MA (from Scotland etc) are all first degrees. They are graded 1 / 2.1 / 2.2 / 3. For many employers the key is "where was the degree from?" - hierarchies in universities which can vary by subject - often the higher up the tree the harder to get in but not always...


http://www.theguardian.com/education/table/2013/jun/04/university-guide-history-history-of-art