Is a degree worth it?

[Pearls18]

Hun you keep saying a degree makes someone "well educated" there's a lot more to education and intelligence than 3-4 years studying one small topic in minute detail my husband has never been to university, neither have my parents but I would describe them all as well educated, and I can assure you I know plenty of dimwit graduates I really think you're attracted to the prestige of a degree but I think you'll find nowadays it really isn't what it used to be, you'll be surprised how many employers can snub them, especially in fields that don't require them, nothing stumps experience.

 

[Kiki1993]

Hun you keep saying a degree makes someone "well educated" there's a lot more to education and intelligence than 3-4 years studying one small topic in minute detail my husband has never been to university, neither have my parents but I would describe them all as well educated, and I can assure you I know plenty of dimwit graduates I really think you're attracted to the prestige of a degree but I think you'll find nowadays it really isn't what it used to be, you'll be surprised how many employers can snub them, especially in fields that don't require them, nothing stumps experience.

Thank you, I think I really needed to hear that, it is so true, i see it as something amazing and think it's because everyone in my area have never went to uni (council estate) .. a lot of them are dim wits to be honest but some are carers and enjoy their job and even though its crap pay they do it because they love it, i love working with kids and people and i have what i need for that, the hnd will give police opportunities and working in community so i definitely dont need a degree to do what i want .. honestly i wish my lecturers would just stop pushing it though, i said yesterday I didn't think i would apply next year and both lecturers kept saying "oh it's important, aim for the best, its just 2 extra years and you will have a sound qualification after" etc and it makes me rethink myself all over again But I'm pretty certain, there is no point doing it just to do it and have a degree that may impress certain people Okay i finally feel 100% about this

 

[LoveCakes]

Is it the same lecturers who would be teaching you? Remember they get paid to teach, if there aren't enough people to run a course they lose out so its in their interests to push it even if it's not in yours.

 

[Kiki1993]

Is it the same lecturers who would be teaching you? Remember they get paid to teach, if there aren't enough people to run a course they lose out so its in their interests to push it even if it's not in yours.

That makes sense I honestly wish i ddint go back to college, i want money and a job, i enjoy the course but the whole reason i went back was a degree, a hnd opens a couple core jobs so going to keep at it but see so many jobs i can do right now and want a baby so badly! just having a crap waiting day to be honest, i want a baby!

 

[aimee-lou]

How long have you got left of your course?

 

[MUMOF5]

I'm doing my degree at the moment and in my final year (finish at end july next year). I'm only doing it because I need it to do the job I want to do (midwife), that said I am proud of myself, no one In my family has ever gone to university, and I feel as if I am setting a good example to my children and giving them some aspirations to be successful. I'm 36 and doing it with six kiddies, you can do it after children, I'd suggest that if you really have your heart set on having a family Id do that first. There's no way I would've wanted to do this course and put having children on hold as I knew being a mum was far too important to me at the time. This has been a long term ambition of mine, and 16 years later I'm almost there . Good luck with your decisions xx

 

[Kiki1993]

It finishes in june 2016, if we had it our way we would try next new year but we do want to get married (probably elope in the December 2016, maybe a marriage if we have enough savings but a lot of money for one day) .. anyway our timeline if I can be patient is:
Finish course June 2016, Get a full time job hopefully by the October (part time job said they are trying to keep a space open for me), Marry in the December 2016, either start trying on honeymoon or in the April depending on when I get a job (so I qualify for SMP) ..

 

[aimee-lou]

Just a thought. Is there anything to stop you putting out feelers for jobs from next September? You know when you'll finish so you can be clear about start dates etc. I only ask as my hubby is currently on his pgce and has seen jobs advertised to start next year already (slightly different i know being in teaching but you know). If you can start looking for work while still in your final year you could walk out of college and into a job the next week lol. That would shorten your timeline and also give you more money for a small wedding celebration.

But.....18m flies by. Trust me!!!! Mine and hubbys life works in 9m cycles so for us we think in blocks and 18m is nothing. I would try to build in some short breaks and evening trips to the theatre and things. Reward yourself and enjoy yourself. Being a parent us a whole new challenge but you will have to wait a long time to be able to have freedom like you have now.

 

[Kiki1993]

I'm hoping to start looking throughout my final year but really throw myself in it from the march .. I was lucky enough to finish college first time around on a friday and start my first job on the monday ... hoping i have that luck again Quit my job last november with no job to go into, by my last day I had 5 job offers so I'm hoping this trend continues But will look earlier this time, i went a month from my last day to starting my new job last time and bills were hard during that time! (although the time off was great because it gave me time to help my parents) but finacially it was a stretch

 

[Wnt2beAMom]

Firstly: student debt isn't like normal debt, it doesn't work against you, you can't default on it, payments are very small. There's a very interesting Martin Lewis article that says we need to stop calling it debt and call it whatever they do in NZ or Aus (can't remember exactly!) it's an investment. I'm talking for the UK obviously.

Secondly: the sentiment "I feel one of us should have a degree" is flawed and is very much reflected by the society of that we live in unfortunately, not everyone should get a degree, not every job needs a degree, universities are businesses and while I said above it isn't like normal debt it's still a lot of money to do something you don't need to do.

Getting a degree because it's more socially accepted is silly (but I understand xx) when I left uni the people who didn't go were earning more than me as they had been working longer! I had to go to uni, I wanted to be a teacher, I didnt go down that route in the end but I still use my history degree and am now doing a masters, not because it looks good but because I have to to get to the next level, lord I wouldn't be doing it and paying for it if it wasn't necessary!!

We need to move away from this belief university is a tick in the box in life, it's not, the truth is degrees are becoming meaningless now because so many people have them and then so many people go into jobs that don't even require them, I have friends who omit them from their cv- imagine that, £20,000 spent and 3 years hard work to wipe it from history?! (I say £20,000 that's because we're on the old scheme, it's obviously more now!)

I totally get why 18 year olds sign up to uni to do a degree despite not knowing what they want to do, it gives you more time, it can be fun, and potentially it can open up job prospects. But it's not really a good reason to go unless you have an occupation in mind, not a chance would I have gone to university if the jobs I was striving for didn't require one. Going from your previous threads you really sound like you're at a cross roads right now, but in all honesty given what you want to do I think you will do better to spend your time and money on getting experience, not a degree.

I totally agree with what she said.
I wish someone had educated me on more of the options that I had. I did really well in high school and uni just seemed like the next logical step. I went to be a teacher but really didn't fit in and struggled through it. I finished the degree but finding a job really just depended on the people you knew and your references. Plus, I feel my heart wasn't in it. Truly my heart was in a career I've been doing since I was 15 yo but didn't think it was an acceptable career, and I didn't want to be looked down on for it.
Now, I don't care what people think, and I wish I had done more soul searching before "doing what society expected of me". Luckily I've been able to pay off all $25k of debt I had in only 1 1/2years.

I'd just recommend doing what you truly enjoy and not what people expect of you. And don't let the debt scare you if that is truly the path you want to go!