University- the pro's and con's
University. The whole idea of starting somewhere new, living away from home and trying a completely different lifestyle whilst learning a new subject and important life skills can seem both daunting and exciting at once. There's often one problem that bothers new students the most though- money. University is, ultimately, not affordable. The cost of books, equipment, accommodation, the course itself and then just the cost of living (food, clothes etc.) all totals to huge amounts that not even our parents could afford, let alone 18 and 19 year old students. And what do you get at the end of it? Yes 'life long friends' and life skills (which can be gained anytime, any place...) but also a huge amount of debt to pay off, and no immediate job prospects a lot of the time. Whilst having a degree used to put you above the rest, is university still the best option of school leavers?
Going to university is no longer a route that will lead you to a guaranteed job complete with an enviable salary. As it stands, university is now the most expensive it has ever been, and once graduating, students are finding it harder than ever to secure themselves a career. With all this considered, it does seem like university can be a total waste of time.
However, a degree is still necessary for a vast amount of careers. If you want to become a doctor or a vet or a lawyer or a dentist then a degree is completely necessary to support you in your future career- there is pretty much no way you are getting a job without one tucked under your belt. And, whilst it does often seem like degrees better support the more academic career choices, if you're interested in art, media or sports, often the contacts you make at university and the skills you learn will assist your career throughout its take off more than anything else- making university seem fairly worthwhile for all careers.
Furthermore, university graduates are more likely to earn a higher salary than people without a degree, and are also able to find employment in half the time a non-university applicant can. The vast majority of university students found full time employment within 3 months last year, whereas the non-university applicants took about double that length of time. Once graduates did secure themselves a job, they then earned an average of twice as much as employees who had left school at 16 or 18. These statistics show university to still be beneficial to achieving a 'dream job' as well as a high salary.
But, as in every argument, each pro can be matched with a con.
Whilst it is true that degrees are necessary for a lot of careers, it is not a necessity for all careers. Yes at university, you can meet 'contacts' who will help you out when you leave. Yet surely if all you can rely on is the contacts, three to five years of studying and paying extortionate fees seems a complete waste? If it is a career in the arts or media or sport that you're interested in, a lot of the time experience comes high on an employers list- well before a degree. There are also other, free journey's into these career paths such as internships and apprenticeships. You can earn and learn at the same time, without having to pay much more than travel costs each day, and can end up with a qualification afterwards. You can also put yourself forwards for voluntary work experience placements to gain further experience. And with social media being what it is today, it is easier than ever before to create the right kind of contacts to help you get your career off of the ground.
Following on from this, a degree no longer makes a job applicant stand out from the crowd either. Years ago, degrees were a lot rarer to have and so automatically secured you a job. Nowadays, a lot more people have one and so it is harder to stand out. Some of the very top most employers have stressed just how important work experience is in helping you to secure a job position. This means that whilst you may have a degree, if you have little or no experience, you will not stand out enough against other applicants with a degree. This 'con' makes not going to university look like a good idea, as on top of your university work and a job to help you try and afford your living costs, you would also have to attempt to cram in some work experience. It makes university seem a bit like a waste of time and money. Why not just opt for an internship or an apprenticeship instead?
Going to university is no longer a route that will lead you to a guaranteed job complete with an enviable salary. As it stands, university is now the most expensive it has ever been, and once graduating, students are finding it harder than ever to secure themselves a career. With all this considered, it does seem like university can be a total waste of time.
However, a degree is still necessary for a vast amount of careers. If you want to become a doctor or a vet or a lawyer or a dentist then a degree is completely necessary to support you in your future career- there is pretty much no way you are getting a job without one tucked under your belt. And, whilst it does often seem like degrees better support the more academic career choices, if you're interested in art, media or sports, often the contacts you make at university and the skills you learn will assist your career throughout its take off more than anything else- making university seem fairly worthwhile for all careers.
Furthermore, university graduates are more likely to earn a higher salary than people without a degree, and are also able to find employment in half the time a non-university applicant can. The vast majority of university students found full time employment within 3 months last year, whereas the non-university applicants took about double that length of time. Once graduates did secure themselves a job, they then earned an average of twice as much as employees who had left school at 16 or 18. These statistics show university to still be beneficial to achieving a 'dream job' as well as a high salary.
But, as in every argument, each pro can be matched with a con.
Whilst it is true that degrees are necessary for a lot of careers, it is not a necessity for all careers. Yes at university, you can meet 'contacts' who will help you out when you leave. Yet surely if all you can rely on is the contacts, three to five years of studying and paying extortionate fees seems a complete waste? If it is a career in the arts or media or sport that you're interested in, a lot of the time experience comes high on an employers list- well before a degree. There are also other, free journey's into these career paths such as internships and apprenticeships. You can earn and learn at the same time, without having to pay much more than travel costs each day, and can end up with a qualification afterwards. You can also put yourself forwards for voluntary work experience placements to gain further experience. And with social media being what it is today, it is easier than ever before to create the right kind of contacts to help you get your career off of the ground.
Following on from this, a degree no longer makes a job applicant stand out from the crowd either. Years ago, degrees were a lot rarer to have and so automatically secured you a job. Nowadays, a lot more people have one and so it is harder to stand out. Some of the very top most employers have stressed just how important work experience is in helping you to secure a job position. This means that whilst you may have a degree, if you have little or no experience, you will not stand out enough against other applicants with a degree. This 'con' makes not going to university look like a good idea, as on top of your university work and a job to help you try and afford your living costs, you would also have to attempt to cram in some work experience. It makes university seem a bit like a waste of time and money. Why not just opt for an internship or an apprenticeship instead?
University can be fun and you can create some amazing memories and meet some wonderful life long friends. It can be the best years of your life. But now, it may not always provide for a better future. It is important that students today don't go to university because they feel it is the only way they can achieve greatness and success later in life. In this modern period that we live in, there is so many alternatives that can help you to be the best you can be and can assist in pushing you into your dream career.
It is also important to remember that leaving school at 18 doesn't have to be the end of your education- although if you want to go straight into work, that's fine! You can attend college- which is free-, or participate in an apprenticeship and earn whilst learning and gaining a qualification. There are so many alternatives to help youths of today gain their dream job. It is important that they are well informed on all of them, and not just on university.
Love from,
Florence Grace
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