# Future of Uni?



## mushr00m (May 23, 2011)

In the Uk, fees have now tripled, going from £3000 p/y to £9000 p/y.

I had plans to go to uni but now, I just think differently, im thinking now that going to university is now a complete waste of time and that employers are now looking for experience over degrees, I know alot of graduates who are stuggling to get a degee qualified job and are settling for simple bar work etc. Do you think the old, 'tune in, drop out' saying may make a bigger return. I mean the uni population has continued to rise, everyone wants to go to uni but now many peoples decisions about going to uni may now change, I think its ineveitable.


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## Ungweliante (Feb 26, 2009)

Institutionalized learning is like dining. The more you do it, the more it turns to crap.


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## Fleetfoot (May 9, 2011)

Ouchness...

I don't know about the UK, but I guess it'd be a shock because no one would be expecting prices to triple...heck, if prices tripled in the US, I'd follow my dream of marrying someone from a different country and traveling in bars singing karaoke and selling my art wherever I go and say fuck college (although it's too late for me to do that now. I'm currently a junior, and have put myself into at least 75k dollars into debt already). 

Who knows...the governor of my state proposes 54% of budget cuts to public education, and more money going into prisons...setting us up for success WOO!

Enough of my tangent...it's your decision if you think university is going to be worth your while in the end or not. Personally I was convinced that I'm going to struggle so much more if I didn't get a degree...but then you could just go to technical school for a year and be trained to do something. Is it cheaper to go part time? Could you do that as well as hold a full or part time job to gain experience as well as a possible education?


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## Dinky (Jun 6, 2011)

All I know is that my friend who finish high school and decided not to go to University is now earning 50K a year and is well on his way to earning 70K a year. And even though he's not going to University he's learning a lot on the job, as well as through the Internet, and he's planning on doing night courses at a community college to build up certificates related to his field.

A University degree isn't as important as it was 30, even 20 years ago in my opinion. I'm considering forgetting the piece of paper that says I know something and just learning it on my own time without paying for it. The system is fucked, man.

But I'm probably just saying that and will get the degree anyway, if only to please my parents and say "hey, look at this piece of paper I spent 6 years and $80'000 dollars on!"

The last generation really screwed things up for us. 9K for a year of schooling? Gee, thanks a lot!


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## viva (Aug 13, 2010)

It's entirely dependent upon what you major in.

Good luck getting a job as a doctor, lawyer, or engineer without a degree. If you want a a _guaranteed_ career, college is and always will be the only way to get there.


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## FaveteLinguis (Mar 5, 2010)

Depends on your plans, goals, pursuits, and what you want out of life. Some fields require a degree, others don't. If you can find a way to have somebody else pay for it through scholarships or sponsorship, I'd advise it. If not.....tough call, but having a piece of paper saying you're edumacated won't make too big of difference if you take the right opportunities, manage your money wisely, and continue working on yourself.

Personally I juggle between going full time, part time, and deploying overseas. I won't have my degree till I'm around 27-29. It's all about how you manage your life and goals.


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## mushr00m (May 23, 2011)

Dinky said:


> All I know is that my friend who finish high school and decided not to go to University is now earning 50K a year and is well on his way to earning 70K a year. And even though he's not going to University he's learning a lot on the job, as well as through the Internet, and he's planning on doing night courses at a community college to build up certificates related to his field.
> 
> A University degree isn't as important as it was 30, even 20 years ago in my opinion. I'm considering forgetting the piece of paper that says I know something and just learning it on my own time without paying for it. The system is fucked, man.
> 
> ...


Thats exactly what ive been thinking. College certicates are very beneficial, especially ones that have to be earned through hands on training and this is why im dubious of university, I just don't like the uni way of life, it doesn't appeal to me sitting in a classroom learning more about theory than the practical side of things, though, say, if I wanted to get into the healthcare industry, I know that you usually get put in a placement but whats to say you can't to that as a volunteer, voluteering is looked highly on, it proves to the employer that you are that commited to what you want to work in, I volunteered in some social care settings and I learnt some valuable skills not to mention I had the direct experience of working with a potential client, you can't much better than that. In the meantime, I gained some certificates to boost my theory knowledge. I suppose the question is, what is more important, theory or practical experience? For me, both but I would prefer more of the practical than the theory as I find this more valuable and in the meantime, do online/evening courses which are just so much cheaper, okay, it may take longer to get to the ultimate destination but its the journey that matters and whats the rush anyways, I don't want to feel forced into completing my training in a space of 3/4 years which is roughly how long in takes to complete a degree. I just don't believe degrees always give you the key to what you want.


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## lemonlemon (Mar 22, 2011)

If you have NO idea what it is you'd like to do, steer clear of committing to anything for a while. Take a gap year, or two, and use the time constructively. Work, and save. Volunteer. Experiment with different possible lives. 

I've got some years on you. My generation went to university as a matter of course. On reflection, the happiest and most successful were those who were very clear on their goals, whether they were academic or vocational. My friends who studied art and design tend to be happier and are earning more than those who stopped at a BA in humanities or social sciences. I know some happy teachers, and some rich (but less thrilled) lawyers, and a very few pleased academics. I also know some pretty satisfied massage therapists. 

People who sort of drifted through university often wound up drifting through their professional lives, mostly in offices. They get other things from their jobs - security and affiliation, for the most part - but a university degree certainly isn't required to do the work, though degree inflation makes it so.

I have some experience both studying and working in HE in the UK. I can tell you that courses and unis vary in quality to a *great* and unappreciated degree, and that it takes a fair amount of insider knowledge and research to work out which will give you what you're after. Also, that class remains a vital construct in your country... If you find, on consideration, that you do want to do something academic or professional, it's in your best interest to try to get into a Russell Group university. For vocational subjects some places are better than others (eg, art - Goldsmiths, Central St Martin's, Glasgow School of Art). 

Explore, research, think, and don't rush. The risk is real, and unfair - what's happened to young Brits is obscene.


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## lemonlemon (Mar 22, 2011)

HI again, ok I only now read your second post. College certificates... The funding picture is obv much better. But to be honest, a lot of employers don't understand them. They can't always tell the difference between a BTEC and an OCR and a City and Guilds diploma. 

It depends on the field. *If* social care is indeed your interest and not just an example, that's a bit easier (BTEC Health and Social Care is one of the few awards that enjoys some recognition; some colleges have agreements with universities that will allow you to eventually 'top up' to, for example, a degree in nursing, if you wanted to do that...). 

What do you think might want to do?

Also, some FE colleges are excellent. Some are really not. Please do as much research as possible to find out which is which in your area.


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## dirnthelord (Dec 29, 2010)

as for the title...

In the future, people won't go to university. every child will come up with a small embedded chip into their brain which is connected to a central server which will broadcast scheduled lessons, in this case memory patterns to the brain and we don't have to go to school or university to learn anything. Just pay a small amount and you will get the lesson within seconds. how fucking cool is that? damn it.


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## Romascu (Apr 27, 2011)

Rachael Trilby said:


> In the Uk, fees have now tripled, going from £3000 p/y to £9000 p/y.
> 
> I had plans to go to uni but now, I just think differently, im thinking now that going to university is now a complete waste of time and that employers are now looking for experience over degrees, I know alot of graduates who are stuggling to get a degee qualified job and are settling for simple bar work etc. Do you think the old, 'tune in, drop out' saying may make a bigger return. I mean the uni population has continued to rise, everyone wants to go to uni but now many peoples decisions about going to uni may now change, I think its ineveitable.


Go to one of the Eastern Europe-Central Europe countries with free education like Poland or Romania.

Free higher education + you live like a king with your UK money. (even if you are poor in the UK)

Or if you have enough money- go to Scandinavia --- free higher education on all levels, but the cost of living is greater than in UK.

Scotland has free higher education also (B.S. only though), but only for EU countries except England (muhahaha)

Ireland has it too, but not for English i think.


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## Cover3 (Feb 2, 2011)

vivacissimamente said:


> It's entirely dependent upon what you major in.
> 
> Good luck getting a job as a doctor, lawyer, or engineer without a degree. If you want a a _guaranteed_ career, college is and always will be the only way to get there.


diplomas aren't job guarantees anymore..


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## ukinfj (Apr 15, 2011)

Rachael Trilby said:


> In the Uk, fees have now tripled, going from £3000 p/y to £9000 p/y.
> 
> I had plans to go to uni but now, I just think differently, im thinking now that going to university is now a complete waste of time and that employers are now looking for experience over degrees, I know alot of graduates who are stuggling to get a degee qualified job and are settling for simple bar work etc. Do you think the old, 'tune in, drop out' saying may make a bigger return. I mean the uni population has continued to rise, everyone wants to go to uni but now many peoples decisions about going to uni may now change, I think its ineveitable.


I'm in the UK but there were a couple of bits of policy I didn't seem to get the whole picture for. I think it is this way:
- uni fees have tripled
- you don't have to pay anything up front (like you have to at the moment)
- if you can't afford to go to university you are given a grant (like you are at the moment) - t*his is the bit where I don't know if it's true
*

Having £27,000 hanging over your head is shit, but take it from a graduate. I owe God knows how many thousands of pounds for my education - which went past bachelors level - and I don't notice it come out of my wage. It's taken out according to how much you earn (very little in my case!) and by the time you graduate, you won't even have to pay it off until you earn £21,000 - I'm a skilled professional who graduated three years ago and I'm on £16,000 (in a graduate job). Depending on what kind of degree you do, you're probably not going to have to pay this debt off for a while and when you do you won't even know you're doing it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very far left, but apart from cutting funding to universities, I'm going to have to say I agree with the Tories on this one. I didn't have enough money to go to uni so I got a government grant to send me there. But if there were no upfront fees and I could just pay when I had the money instead, I'd rather do that - even if I have to pay more. At least I'll be able to afford it then without worrying. I don't think that's why the government have introduced this, by the way, they don't care about working class families struggling to send their kids to uni (trust me, it'll be easier for them after this comes into effect) but it doesn't make things harder. Don't get scared by the figures.

Secondly, *and more importantly*. You're talking about post-recession UK. Unemployment is rife, it's going to get worse, and we've got a skills shortage and a shitload of unemployed graduates who will take *any* job. Your friends, if they have graduated in the last few years, are just normal every day graduates in that they are doing waitressing jobs - it has always been that way (unless you've got connections). Grads take waitressing roles and do free work experience on the side. It's part of the territory (again, unless you're rich!) So you're going to have to do that anyway. Obviously it's better to get work experience while at uni because then you've got more time and you might get into your career faster.

That aside, why shouldn't you just get experience and not go to uni? Because, like I said, graduates will take *any* job. Mass graduate unemployment. You won't have your pick of jobs that don't require degrees, you'll be up against graduates, and you know who'll get the job? The one with the degree. My Mam has worked for 30 years in her career and she got made redundant. She's going for minimum wage roles that are far below degree level and graduates are *moving across the country* to take them because they're in the sector they want to be in and they're hoping to climb from there.

Technically, you don't need a degree. But in this ridiculous situation, your life's going to be a lot easier if you get one. Don't worry about the money. Seriously, that debt's not going to hit you for a long time.


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