should you go to university/higher education without a plan?

Cubanista

hi,




so university has been in my mind for a while now, but the problem is that i have no plan or idea of what i want to study. i just know that i want to get a degree because it will help me get work. the problem is that without a plan of what i want to do i may struggle and lack the motivation to keep going on with it. i am someone who has to be extremely passionate about something to really want to commit to it and go all out with the idea.


i am also in my mid 20's without any direction. i am working in a crappy sales job that i am bored with and i want out into something different. i feel like my soul is leaving my body most days because of this hell forsaken work lol (it really is bad though). i enjoy media, film, music etc but i can pursue all of those outside of a degree education. i have never understood the need from employers to have a degree in media to work in that sector. i suppose i wouldn't mind working in that area of work, but without a degree level education i would struggle to even get an interview.



















what do you think? is it a bad idea to go to university or any higher education without a clear route in mind?



thanks,





Cubanista

Cubanista

i just want to jump into a job and work my way to a good level and really get the most out of it. i want to desperately earn good money and go for it, doing the best i can in making it.

Baby_Angel

Personally I wouldn't want to do a degree without any motivation from myself. I have only done Computer Science related degrees, so cannot speak from other subjects. There are modules where there is so much of theoretical non-sense and in some modules, you can't wait for the next lecture. You will have to study/read very long hours, research and loads of practical assignments and projects. Other than a few hours of lecture you will have to motivate yourself to do what is expected of you. You will have to commit yourself to the degree for a couple of years too.

I did it and reaping the rewards now. My position requires me to have a university degree and that is how I got my very first job and the one I am currently working. Degrees are not a must and they are pretty expensive too these days. So look at the pros and cons of what you want in your work life and then go for a degree. If you can get into a job as a trainee and get the experience required, you may not even need one.

Without a clear route, you will have a degree in about 3 or 4 years, maybe in debt and you may end up with a degree in a field you are not interested in, after all those years.

CP26

Degrees aren't everything in my experience.

I had no plan when I left school and opted for an apprenticeship instead of uni. I didn't want to spend 3+ years studying and still not know what I wanted to do.

I tried a couple of different jobs before I found my career and since then I've worked my way up. I have a good job, good salary, no debt and decent savings for my efforts.

My brother got his degree and couldn't land a job in the field he wanted. He took a completely different job and his degree didn't even come into it, but his previous experience was very valuable. He has had several promotions now and is doing well.

Many jobs also have professional qualifications to help you work your way up the ranks too. I've also taken in house training opportunities and put in for funding to attend external courses that are relevant to my role to help me progress.

My advice would be to focus on finding the career path you want rather than jumping into the degree option. You can then see what extra qualifiactions you might need and whether these could be met by other courses e.g. Accounting can be entered via the AAT route.

I wouldn't just go to uni for the sake of it...it's expensive and there's no guarantee you'll end up in the job you want as there's so much competition.

lozzb

go to university if you 100% think it will improve your life. have a goal or general interest in a professional job is important and a plan to get there. this is done by research. dont go to university if it is to get away from a bad job. that means you will only end up in another unsatisfactory situation. if it were me id be looking at my job. to see.
1. can any improvements be made so you can enjoy it better
2.do you want more challenges?
3. if it is at the end of the line, polish the cv off and start thinking about moving on and where too.
4.think about what you can offer skills wise and what you leanrt in your current job and then sell that to the new prospective employer.
5.work out if training is needed or night school.
only go to uni if you want to learn something, the new career or interest requires it as it is £27k of debt if you dont know what you from it. alot of graduates end up in entry level jobs until they get dream job. it is worth thinking about deeply. i have a degree and got alot out of it but the subject wasnt what i wanted in the end and currently serve hotdogs in football events. not trying to put you off but it is the reality.

Annisele

At the moment, I'm studying for a degree part time. I'm only doing it because I'm interested in the subject. I'm 100% certain that the subject is never going to be the slightest bit of help to my career. So I'd be the last person to tell you you shouldn't study something for its own sake!

On the other hand, I don't think a degree is remotely necessary for a good job. My job is great, and my existing degrees are useful to me - but they're not necessary. Most of my colleagues have degrees, but not all of them. When recruiting, experience matters just as much; I'd much rather have someone who knew what they were talking about than a wet-behind-the-ears brand new graduate.

If there's a subject you desperately want to do, *and* you can afford to study that subject even if it doesn't lead to a career, then I think you can safely go to university without a plan. Otherwise, I think the plan should come first.

Paully232000

Cubanista wrote: »

hi,




so university has been in my mind for a while now, but the problem is that i have no plan or idea of what i want to study. i just know that i want to get a degree because it will help me get work. the problem is that without a plan of what i want to do i may struggle and lack the motivation to keep going on with it. i am someone who has to be extremely passionate about something to really want to commit to it and go all out with the idea.


i am also in my mid 20's without any direction. i am working in a crappy sales job that i am bored with and i want out into something different. i feel like my soul is leaving my body most days because of this hell forsaken work lol (it really is bad though). i enjoy media, film, music etc but i can pursue all of those outside of a degree education. i have never understood the need from employers to have a degree in media to work in that sector. i suppose i wouldn't mind working in that area of work, but without a degree level education i would struggle to even get an interview.



















what do you think? is it a bad idea to go to university or any higher education without a clear route in mind?



thanks,





Cubanista

As someone who has studied at uni a few times, and now work in a Uni, I would not say it was a good idea to go and do a degree without having a plan of where it will lead to.
It is expensive, you may not get through it for one or other reason, and then you may come out of uni, with or without a degree in no better position than you are at the minute.

I would get a plan together of what you really want to do, and then work out whether this requires a degree or not.

I have seen too many people either get to the end of their degree and not have a clue what to do with it, or get part way through and realise that it is not for them, and drop out, having no clue, a few more debts, and be in no better position that when they started.

Every time i have decided to get a degree (apart from maybe the first time when I was 18), I have had a plan of what i wanted, what i needed to do to get it, and what was going to happen after i had finished, how much it was going to cost etc etc.

prowla

A university degree will open doors; you don't have to have the precise doors planned before you go to University, and they (or your viewpoint) may change by the time you get yours.

theoretica

I and many of my friends at university didn't have a plan of what they would do with their degrees, but they did have motivation. If you are significantly interested in a subject then I think studying it for its own sake can be a good thing, but if you are in it mainly for what it can give you then strategic planning seems a good idea.

gettingtheresometime

Speaking as a mum no you shouldn't.

A) you need to be interested in the subject if you're to enjoy 3 years of your life

b) you should have a plan of where the 3 years are going to take you ....otherwise you'll be 3 years older, goodness knows how much in debt and still be where you are now - wondering what to do

Running_On_Empty

Try study with the Open University and you can choose your courses and still earn money. It's not an easy ride, though.