# University



## Joecoral (6 Oct 2008)

To all people thinking of going to university: don't bother
You spend 4 years living on less money than people on the dole get, spend about Â£25k on fee's, come out with a good degree, but no one will employ you.
People who don't employ graduates want people with experience, which you don't have since you've been in university fulltime for the last 4 years.
People who do employ graduates also won't employ you unless you go back to university and get a masters/PhD, or unless you have experience, which you don't have as you've been in university fulltime for the last 4 years.
So in short, get a fulltime job at 16, earn a salary and work your way up from the bottom, then when you're about 22 you'll be in charge of the lucky few people who did go to university and have spent the last 4 years living on Â£5k a year who actually managed to get a job


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## Thomas McMillan (6 Oct 2008)

I don't get the hype about university. I'm currently doin A levels, and I wouldn't know what subject to do at university! I don't even know what career I want, but I'm doing media, film and psychology now so something related to those. As wall as what  you've said, I can imagine myself coming out of university with a degree in child psychology or something and then becoming an estate agent or something random like that, so there' sno point.

I've had enough of studying as it is anyway.


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## GreenNeedle (6 Oct 2008)

When I left school I thought the same.  I'm not wasting a load of years going to sixth form and then university, I am going to be earning whilst they are not!!  Then they will take ages catching up during which time I will have moved up the ladder.

In theory it works and perhaps 20 years ago it was very true but not anymore.

It worked for me as a trainee accountant, Â£70 a week commercial trainee to begin with at 17, Â£14,000 as an assistant shipping manager at 21, then...........I got made redundant and I have struggled to 'regain a job of that stature' ever since.  

You must be looking at some dodgy job papers.  Most of the decent jobs nowadays call for degrees or at the very least high qualifications in the subject.  Friends of mine who did go to university are earning Â£30k+ where I struggle to break Â£12k and have to take anything I can find.

However, I've always disagreed with the student complaint of 'struggling to get by'.  I think they should make the decision to  prioritise their housing and food etc and concentrate less on getting drunk every night, going to concerts, buying tour t-shirts etc.

The other argument is 'why should we pay, our qualifications will benefit the country so the country should pay'.  Another load of rubbish. They benefit through the more money that they 'eventually' earn.  Then half of them swan off to the USA etc to earn even more.

So in summary.  University is beneficial to you and there are loads of jobs that only degrees can get.  Study instead of spending your money on beer, hash, concerts etc.

I would vote for a government who reinstated the grants if the graduate had to sign a contract meaning they had to work for public bodies for a number of years, then we would actually get some of the benefit back ourselves.

AC


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## Tom (6 Oct 2008)

> You spend 4 years living on less money than people on the dole get, spend about Â£25k on fee's, come out with a good degree, but no one will employ you.
> People who don't employ graduates want people with experience, which you don't have since you've been in university fulltime for the last 4 years.



I'm having the same problem now, that's why I'm doing my own business! OK I'm only at National Diploma level and don't have the debts, but I have just spent the last 2 years on no money and no1 takes a blind bit of notice about qualifications.


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## aaronnorth (6 Oct 2008)

i am still not sure whether i am going to uni, i am going to stop on at sixth form though.


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## Joecoral (6 Oct 2008)

You certainly have a very stereotypical view of students supercoley, I certainly didnt waste all my money on "beer, hash and concerts", i put every penny I didnt need into a savings account, which now pays my rent in the absence of having a job


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## a1Matt (6 Oct 2008)

One of my biggest regrets in life is not going to Uni.  I find that some jobs are not open to me as I have not got a degree.

I spent 4 years studying (ND,HND) so am qualified and that helped me in getting my foot on the employment ladder.
Not alls tudents are lazy! .... I worked so hard to get through college and support myself that I collapsed from exhaustion on more than one occasion.  I did manage to finish it debt free, which few of my peers did   

Hang in there Joe, keep trying. I wish you luck getting a job, and one that you like.

In time to come I hope you will be pleased you got a degree.


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## GreenNeedle (6 Oct 2008)

Joecoral said:
			
		

> You certainly have a very stereotypical view of students supercoley, I certainly didnt waste all my money on "beer, hash and concerts", i put every penny I didnt need into a savings account, which now pays my rent in the absence of having a job



I'm afraid when it comes to things like this the majority who are falling out of the pubs in university cities or wearing the latest 'killers' t-shirts (or these days Lacoste shirts) or queuing up outside the overpriced nightclub each week give a bad image to those that actually do concentrate on getting their degrees.

More often than not the ones that complain about lack of money and how they are struggling to survive are the ones who are spending money on unneededs.

My mates complained that their grants were pitiful when they went to Uni and whilst they did all study and did get top qualifications leading to good jobs I had no sympathy for their financial plight at the time because they were quite literally ****** their grants up the wall.  Wish I had seen some of the bands they did though.

Its a double edged sword really. Quite similar to the man in the pub that was burbling on the other day to me complaining about all the EU immigrants over here stealing the jobs.  He was on the dole.  When suggested that if the people on the dole took all these jobs there would be no jobs for the EU workers to take and therefore no point in coming for work he replied 'Not a chance I'll do that kind of work'.  Not all people are like that but the majority tar the few.

One point I would make though.  Lincoln University opened about 10 years ago. Since then we now have several 'gig venues' 3 times the amount of pubs etc.  Does this suggest that businesses know what students spend their cash on?

Don't get me wrong, as I have suggested in my previous post I wish I had gone the university route, at the time it seemed silly but then the best decisions aren't made by 16 year olds!!!

AC


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## LondonDragon (6 Oct 2008)

I went to Uni, slaved off for 3 years to get my degree in Accounting and since I left uni I haven't used my degree for anything other than wiping my...... lol
I have since been in IT and I am now responsible for the Computer Network of a large Uni in London, did I waste 3 years of my life?? In my opinion I sure did.

Such is life


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## bugs (6 Oct 2008)

I didn't go to uni but I'm lucky enough to have been working from a time when it wasn't so critical as it is now. I have managed to establish myself on experience and reputation (people assume I went to uni).

However... these days I would definitely get a degree. My firm has an annual graduate intake. It does not matter what you have a degree in, just that you can demonstrate an ability to learn and understand a subject. I would bet the vast majority of our programmers have non-IT related degrees.

It's a tough time for everyone right now. If you have a degree then you've definitely got an advantage.


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## teg1203 (6 Oct 2008)

I think what most people believe when they begin to study at undergrad level is that the course they are pursuing will form their career. As LD and others have stated they are no longer following that path but they are still employed at degree level salaries. The title of degree  implies a level of learning and research above and beyond that for say "A" level and as attendence is invariably away from "home" it also  demonstrates an individuals ability to cope in the big wide world. What employers are looking for are individuals who are self reliant, studious and can demonstrate a work ethic. A degree demonstrates this regardless (mostly) of which subject taken. I guess i'm living proof of that as i currently work in the electronics industry and my degree is in Photographic Science which is fairly far removed.

My step son is about to start viewing Uni's and my advice to him is - stuff the cost (they can't send you to prison for not paying your student loan if you can't afford to), pick something you are interested in, make sure you come away with at least a decent qualification and things will work themselves out over the next few years. You may not be raking in the cash but the choice of jobs will be much greater and degrees are still portable.

It's an overused saying but money isn't everything. Job satisfaction is very important and remember if you graduate at 23 that still leaves 47 years of employment. If you have to do a range of jobs for nearly 50 years for chrissakes give yourself as much flexibility as possible or it's going to get very boring.

Whatever you decide to do never feel that you have to stick with it just because. It's never too late to learn a new skill, nothing can be unlearnt and there is always a market for people who want to work hard and achieve things.


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## Superman (6 Oct 2008)

I must be one of the few who actually have used my degree in the career that I have chosen. I consider myself very lucky but then doing a Masters Degree in Mathematics, you generally stand out from the crowd. There are so many people doing a degree now, that you need to stand out from the crowd and doing a degree in "Michael Jackson Studies" is just a waste of time and those people should go out in the wide world and get a proper job. Many see University as being more time off before they have to get off their fat backsides and get a proper job and step into the big wide world.

People are only held back from their own attitude and it might be the case that those who graduated will be bossed by those without degrees in the first few years, I know I was. However, as a graduate you should have the potential to progress at a quicker rate given the right attitude.

I've also heard graduates demanding Â£30k+ on their starting salary, those really should get into the real world. Those willing to put the effort in and work their way up will be rewarded in the long run and obtaining a degree pays for itself in a few years.
I can only comment on my situation, but my ~Â£10k "student debt" has been repaid within four years of graduating.

End of the day, Uni is for some and not for others. You need to weigh up what you plan to do in life before going to Uni. Whats the point of doing a Leisure and Tourism Degree when you want to be Cabin Crew?!


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## teg1203 (6 Oct 2008)

> I must be one of the few who actually have used my degree in the career that I have chosen. I consider myself very lucky but then doing a Masters Degree in Mathematics, *you generally stand out from the crowd*. There are so many people doing a degree now, that you need to stand out from the crowd and doing a degree in "Michael Jackson Studies" is just a waste of time and those people should go out in the wide world and get a proper job. Many see University as being more time off before they have to get off their fat backsides and get a proper job and step into the big wide world.



Masters in mathematics; stand out in the crowd - Is it the tank top and trousers that don't quite cover your socks?   



> End of the day, Uni is for some and not for others. You need to weigh up what you plan to do in life before going to Uni. Whats the point of doing a Leisure and Tourism Degree when you want to be Cabin Crew?!



I disagree wholeheartedly. The point is that while you may be cabin crew you have the option to be doing something else. Whereas if you start out being cabin crew you have to work a damn sight harder to move up through the ranks. Degree = options.


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