Collaborative Post
When it comes to university, it isn’t for everyone. Some know they want to attend from a very young age, some know they don’t and some decide they want to but then plans change. I fall into the latter category. I was all ready to go and study for a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing but after taking a gap year and exploring other options, it turned out university wasn’t the right thing for me after all.
Its funny though isn’t it? I’m now doing a job based around the job I would have been trying to do if I had gone to uni and graduated. Sure, I don’t have the degree behind me but I would say I have done alright so far, wouldn’t you? My Voucher Codes have recently conducted some research into whether a degree is really worth it. What do you think?
This article here based on the research makes for quite interesting reading. Apparently last month, a record breaking 424,000 university places were offered to students by UCAS. However with increased fees, less financial support and more competition for jobs nowadays, just how worth it is a degree?
Research found that the average starting salary for graduates is £25,000 although there are courses that do offer a higher starting salary, of course, including an engineering or mathematics degree. The worst starting salaries can be found in photography and social sciences among others. With the numbers crunched, My Voucher Codes found that based on annual tuition fees of £9000 and a maintenance loan of £4500, graduates will find themselves in an average of £46,635.00 of debt with £1852.20 of that being paid back each year.
Just looking at those figures terrifies me, especially for Jack’s future. Whether he decides to use his savings in his account for a car or university (it was started when he was very young), it probably won’t be enough when he is old enough! I am super glad I didn’t go now as I would probably be in mass amounts of debt and yet still doing the same job that I am now!
I do think a university degree can be very worth it for some people but for some, it just isn’t the right avenue in life and it certainly wasn’t for me nor was it for Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg – something to remember when I sometimes feel like I regret the decision a little. I know in my heart of hearts university wasn’t for me. Was university the right or wrong avenue in life for you?
I was so thankful for my NHS bursary when I was doing my nurse training as there is no way I could have completed uni with so much debt. You are so right tho – University isn’t always for everyone and there is no shame in that!
University was never for me and I got so much crap for not going! X
I never went to university but sometimes I wish I had gone, to wear that cap and make my parents proud.
I went to university and it did cost me a lot – I’m still paying back my student loan 12 years later. The degree I have is it really related to my job but it did give me the qualification to get a postgrad which I do use. I imagine I could have got to the point I am now without a degree but I’m still glad I did it. For me uni wasn’t just about getting a qualification, it was an experience too and I think in the long run it has helped my career.
I do wonder like you how we will afford it if our kids want to go though!
I went to university and even went further to get Masters degree. I see going to university as a necessity.
I wanted to go to university since I was about 15. It was literally all I wanted. I had no idea what I actually wanted to study – I flicked between interests a lot – but I finally decided on Film & TV Production. Now that I’ve finished university, I don’t really want to do anything in the Film & TV field – but I don’t regret one minute. I’ve made some of my best friends that I’ll never lose contact with, and I had a million different experiences that I wouldn’t have got if I didn’t go. I also had 3 years of being completely independent (I went to uni 4 hours away from home). So even though I have a lot of debt and a degree I might not do much with, I LOVED every minute of it!
I’m really pleased that I went to university, but agree it isn’t for everyone.
I didn’t go to university but looking back I wish I had to get into a career before starting my family x
I agree, university isn’t for everyone. I am much more of a learn on the job kind of person. Its not that I dislike the lectures or anything its just I find there is no better way to learn than to do and theory sometimes goes right out of the window once you put it into practice anyway.