Your thoughts on university

claire21

Am I right in thinking it costs
About 9k a year and it's 3 years normally
About 10k a year from accommodation and living expense

barbarawright

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Though I know nothing about this sort of degree, it seems entry level jobs in most organisations seem to need a degree now, so that's changing too.

Indeed. It's all very well people saying that it's better to leave school and get a job with prospects and work your way up, but pretty well any job that required A-levels 30 years ago now requires a degree. Even if they don't say so in the ad, half the applicants will be graduates so why would anyone want a school leaver when you can get a graduate for the same money? This is definitely the case where I work - everyone under 35 has a degree though we don't specify we need it. So if the OP's children decide not to go to university, getting a job may not be an option though there are apprenticeships out there

Woolwich_Kim

barbarawright wrote: »

Indeed. It's all very well people saying that it's better to leave school and get a job with prospects and work your way up, but pretty well any job that required A-levels 30 years ago now requires a degree. Even if they don't say so in the ad, half the applicants will be graduates so why would anyone want a school leaver when you can get a graduate for the same money? This is definitely the case where I work - everyone under 35 has a degree though we don't specify we need it. So if the OP's children decide not to go to university, getting a job may not be an option.

That depends on the job though. From what I've seen, a school leaver is likely to stay in a job longer whereas a degree educated person may be more ambitious and move on in a couple of years.

silvercar

claire21 wrote: »

Am I right in thinking it costs
About 9k a year and it's 3 years normally
About 10k a year from accommodation and living expense

Tuition fees are paid with a government loan, generally 9k a year for 3 years.

Students also get a grant/ loan combination that is means tested to cover accommodation and living expenses. They can also get part time jobs.

So those amounts sound large, but most of it is a government backed loan that only needs repaying when they earn well. It is written off eventually. Think of it as a graduate tax rather than a loan.

System

Bleh

My experience wasn't great, but at 18 I saw it as the only way to be able to move out of home and sixth form really pushed it as being the ONLY option, the few of us that wanted to work got forced into applying for uni anyway, so I rushed into it and picked the subject I was best at (sadly that was media studies ) I wanted to do the practical side so did a degree in film and media production. In hindsight I probably picked the wrong uni for that degree but I had mh problems and was too scared to be on my own in a totally new city so ended up here where my friends and bf were.

I hated my course, but got told we couldn't afford for me to start over so I had to continue it. Somehow graduated (which actually I'm quite proud of considering I was holding down a job and trying to cope with my illness with no help whatsoever-it's a miracle I bloody lived never mind got through it).

I got a crappy job in a call centre then had a breakdown and it's only the past year I've been able to return to working, my job is on retail and pays about £7 so just over NMW, but you know what? I'm grateful to have any job and be able to cope with it so I'm not really bothered that I'm not using my degree.

If I could go back in time if probably do a different course, but I don't regret the overall experience. My course did teach me a lot of technical skills, plus transferable skills which I have applied to other jobs, I met some of my best friends here, and have a decent place to live plus my relationship with my parents is better since not living at home.


My bf is 23 and never bothered with uni, he's worked since he left school at 18, he used to hate students but has decided that actually he wants to study so is now preparing to take a levels so he can get into a good uni. I think he's seen both sides and wants to see if uni can offer him something else.

Counting_Pennies_2

I haven't had a chance to read all the replies, but I personally would say that something higher education is necessary. Uni great, but if they choose not to, something else after GCSEs are required.


Be that apprenticeships, HND (if they still exist)


Myself, I didn't go to uni, in fact I wasn't able to study for A'levels as I was in hospital at the time. I regret it terribly. Not just for the education I would have received, but also it broadens you as a person, turns you into an adult. You also get a huge amount of fun.


I missed that, went from GCSEs, hospital, hard graft for a job, and then continual hard graft at relatively low pay.


I feel future opportunities were limited without university education.


In order to progress any further in work, I needed to have a degree, so I ended up working fulltime and studying part time several evenings a week and at the weekend. It was a very tough three years of my life to get a degree on top of living an adult life. Not the route I would recommend taking!

marisco_2

Going to university means a lot more than just gaining a degree. For me, the focus was also on acquiring essential employability skills, such as self confidence, commitment, initiative, teamwork and time management. Many courses also provide opportunities to gain valuable work experience relevant to a degree, which can help lead to employment after graduation.

I think the social aspect is important. Meeting new people and making new friends was a huge part of university life for me. People from all backgrounds and ages go to university, so it was a great chance to develop my communication skills, learn about different cultures and societies and broaden my horizons.

Vikipollard

I'm 47, a school leaver from Thatcher's Recession of the early 80's. Went into 6th form while I tried to get a job. Took almost a year, but got one so dropped out of FE. Mum always wanted me to go to Uni (despite being only slightly over average), but I wanted to stay home because I had a boyfriend who I was worried about losing (worst reason not to go EVER).


Fast forward 20 years (we did get married btw, but divorced several years ago) and we have 2 DS's. Eldest DS *could* have gone to Uni - certainly bright enough - but listened to his Dad (where he was living) about how if he got a job he could have a couple of 1000 in the bank, so dropped out of 6th Form to work in McD's. He's now 23, working as a labourer for his Dad and considering doing an OU degree in construction engineering as he knows he has so much more he could give. By his own admission, he wishes he'd listened to me and stuck with A levels etc, but he's finding his own way forward now and I'll support his choice every step of the way.


Youngest DS wanted RAF. When he went to see them, they were very keen to hear about experience of leadership/voluntary type stuff, but also Uni. They saw it as a way he'd learn to live (and cope) independently; not solely about the degree itself (though they'd have loved Physics or Geography!!). He did go to Uni - not the one he wanted because he missed that by 20pts, but he went to another. I think it's one they call from the 'Millennium' group so perhaps one some people may have a negative view of? He graduated with a 2:1 in July (Psychology) and had interviews and assessments for three different police forces (civilian role) that month. All three offered him the job. He took the furthest one from home because it offered the best prospects.


The shy young man who left and went 100 miles away now lives in Oxford; still 100 miles away. He learned how to structure his time, his money and that he was responsible for himself. He has his student loan debt (fortunately went while the price was 'only' £3750 per year, so pre 2012), but came out with NO overdraft or credit card debt and almost £3k in savings for a deposit if he needed to move and/or a car for work.


He had a wail of a time - partying was some of it (one walk of shame into a lecture that I know of), but as others have said, the experience of different cultures and viewpoints is invaluable. He is now independent in a way that he would not have been had he stayed living here, and he has plans for what he wants to achieve. Moving across the country for work was less daunting because he'd already left everything and everyone he knew once already. And survived.


Long post, so sorry about that! Yes, the degree is important if your kids choose to go - but there is so much life experience that they also gain that will also enrich them for the future.

TheEffect

I went to Bournemouth University and graduated with a 2:1 in Computing. The university is not ranked that high, however I do value the experience at university more than the piece of paper at the end.

The only reason I went was because I thought I wanted to be a teacher, which required a degree. By the time I graduated, I'd lost interest in that idea.

Once I graduated, I did question why I went. I was 3 years older, in a lot of debt, back living at my parents, and unemployed with no real-life work experience. What exactly had changed in those 4 years? - I did manage to learn about money, being independent, how to deal with mistakes, meet new people, build relationships, eat lots of rubbish, drink too much, be responsible for my own work, rent/deal with landlords etc...

For me, university isn't just about getting a piece of paper. It's about building, learning and finding who you are. I'm glad I went, but would I recommend my future children go? Not unless it's what they want to do.

claire21

Reading back re grades
1 / 2.1 / 2.2 / 3

Is a 3 still good? Is a 3 the lowest it goes before a fail?