questions to all people who have graduated or studying at universities in the UK please read full question!?

Question

This will probably be quite long so bare with me lol I am 22 years old and at the crossroads in my life where i don't know what to do or where to go. I work a dead end job and can't seem to get a job in anything else due to no qualifications. I am thinking of doing an access course to go to a uni doing what i am not quite sure of just yet. Basically I want to know what it is really like everyone makes it out to be a party and people making friends and having a ball but surely it can't be like that if you have loads of hard assignments to do and assesments as well as probably have a job while living in your house. If you study an obvious course for a job like computer science or business management surely with the amount of people graduating you would have no chance of a good job? and then if you did a specialised subject of interest like say geography or film or animals there are already hardly no jobs so wouldnt it end up being pointless in the end? I know people are gonna type stuff-

like you do it for the experiance etc but if you are from a poor background like me and you come out with a degree which is useless to you and quite a lot in debt is it worth it? If you can't get a job and it means your in debt does this means you can't get a mortgage to a house later on because you are in debt? and if you live in manchester and there are no jobs around only in say london how would you move to london and gett he job if you have no money and your in debt and probably living with your parents still as I am. I'm sorry if some of these questions sound silly but I seriously don't have a clue about any of these things and when you talk to carrer advisors they just fob you off and say go for it not thinking about the aftermath of it for you personally. I want to hear what some current students and graduates have done and how they found it all. If you compared A level/access course assignments how much harder are the uni assignments? wil leave it at this for now lol

I also need to mention that due to me not studying in 5 years etc my brain is kind of dead, and i dont seem to be motivated for anything how can change this surely others have felt this way? for the guy who was going on about premiership football club etc that was just pure luck you knew the right person to get your foot in the door I don't know anyone to help me out hence why I'm using yahoo answers lol

Ok some very good answers so far. I think it is the right thing to do but as for support My parents cannot support me financially I currently have to pay to live at ome as they are not well off, people have said do something you love but seriously i cant think of anything I really love at all, I have a short attention span and find it hard to take things in, i know these sound like excuses but its true i have gotten so lazy in my ways it will be hard to get out of it. and as I will be 24 when I go to uni I'm sure I will be lonely and have no friends there as I currently dont have many att he moment lol I am unsure if i can cope with it as I am very shy and lack a lot of confidence how did everyone get stuck in with it?

Answer 1

University gives you an opportunity to achieve something. Quite a few students screw this up, with parties and sports and other non-academic activities. Quite a few screw it up by no parties, 100% studying, get a terrific degree, then wonder why they can't get a job . . .

The ideal is to learn how to do enough partying or sports to relax and enjoy yourself, and enough work to get a decent degree. Then you look back on it and say "Hey, if I'd made the wrong choices there, I'd have screwed up - but look, I didn't!". And then you go to the job market convinced that whatever problems the job throws at you, you'll be able to weigh them up and make the right judgment call again, because you've done it before. And any sensible employer can see that potential ability to cope, that you've learned on the way to your degree, and you'll be in.

Go for it, and the best of luck.

Answer 2

Your questions aren't stupid, they are very sensible. I left school at 16 and decided to do an access course when I was around 28. I did that then studied Law at Brunel then did the Legal Practices course. It was my hope to work as a solicitor but I couldn't find a training contract, for various reasons it didn't happen, I've since moved to spain where the law is fundimentally different. I have 2 student loans which I've never been in a position to repay yet and possible never will. They have not affected my ability to get credit, they shouldn't unless you actually default on them and you only have to pay them back if you are earning over a certain amount.

I had 2 small children when I went back to studying so no partying for me. It was extremely hard work and I can't honestly say the degree, the qualification itself, has been useful in getting me work. On the other hand I do not regret if for a minute. It was fantastic, great fun and I has helped me tremendously in other ways. I now earn my money in property development and speculation. Though the stuff I actually learnt at Uni is of little use here it has enabled me to grasp the legal system I am dealing with, and understand the tax. It's also given me enough confidence to do it. I don't doubt my abilities the way I used to.

If you aren't sure what to do then remember this, the next 4 years is going to go by anyway whether you do the degree or not. Where will you be at the end of it? As far as selecting a course that is very easy. Do something you enjoy, it is hard work and you really need to love it. There are lots of jobs out there that actually don't care what you degree is in as long as you have one. Many careers you can do what is basically a conversion course to give you the qualification for that specific job. Also if you don't really know what you want to do the time studying may highlight possible career paths.

If you can afford to do it, I'd say do it, I don't think you'll regret it. I certainly don't.

Good luck

Answer 3

I did an access course went to Uni got a science job and am in science now the job pays reasonable wage, and have manged to pay off my debts. I am also from a poor background and taking a "risk" like this is not easy to do but If you want to leave behind dead end jobs on the minimum wage with no security and therefore remain in poverty and pass that poverty on and hence the same problem you have to any children, then you must do something. How about an apprentaship for example? However here is my experience. The Access course was a good way back to study, I was unemployed at the time of doing it and got benefits to attend the course because of this. Life at UNI was hard, as a mature student you will not allways fit in with fellow students but there is allways an "old codgers club" somewhere. I studied science, if you want a job do a hard subject in the Technology or Science field, Arts deggrees, eg English philosophy have less of a record at getting you a good job. Be prepared to move, I worked in N. yorshire for a while also Hemel hempstead, high wycombe you get the idea go where the work is if you can. Banks are understanding of the needs of undergradutes and graduates so yes you will acumulate deabt, but when you lool at potential salary its easy enough to pay off especially if you dont party too much. Talking of partying I was in attendance at uni for of the order of 35 hours a week and then had homework etc so yes I went out but not partying often. I was also a mature student so kind of a been there done that attidude was in place. Other options is to get a basic science or tech qualification and try for very low level jobs in companies which will send you on day release, it takes a long time but you can eventually get a degree that way. To really look at you options go to your local carreer service and or studient information service at your local uni, even the job centre could help. I started my Quest at the careers office.

Answer 4

Most large companies will accept a mainstream degree of any subject as a 'way in' to their management training schemes. It is called the 'milk run'. In addition, several sectors (law, education, some areas of accounts) are 100% or almost 100% graduate- so to get near those jobs you need a degree. On the other hand, people do work their way up into management; it could take longer but there isn't the financial risk of uni.

If you want to do a degree- which is a great springboard for a career- but don't want to quit working, have you considered Birkbeck (Uni of London) or the Open University? Both provide 100% genuine bone-fide degrees, accepted by all employers (as opposed to those dodgy US distance Unis you get as pop-ups in your email).

A mate of mine got a degree in English over 5 years, going to class once a week- she even took time out from her course. She was able to hold down a 9-5 job all the time and the fees weren't excessive by any means. You could do it in 4 if you went 2-3 times a week, or gave up a day of your weekend; they are flexible.

Both do 'get back into study' courses to help your brain wake up too- they understand people in your situation.

That could be the ideal compromise; you get the cash to live on AND a degree. Plus, there's no ruch to accept any old job at the end because you have debts- you can use your degree to maximum effect.

Answer 5

Hi Cantona.

Having a degree tells an employer a number of things. It says you can retain information to a high level. It says you have commitment and a dedication to see things through to the end. It shows you have time management and organisational skills. It shows you can interact with people successfully. (You will do group presentations.)

It does NOT tell him you can do the job. It says you will likely be able to do the job.

You should also note that some areas of working life demand minimum degree level qualifications because of the type of job. The obvious one is being a doctor, but there are many other professions that demand this level of education as a minimum requirement if you wish to progress to senior positions in an organisation or be elegible for professional recognition.

You have the same chance of getting a job as anyone else but being overlooked for promotion because you don't have a degree? Unthinkable.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.

Answer 6

( Hi ' this a answer from a mum) I think at first you have to get the support from you're parents, as when my son wanted to go to uni he asked us if we could afford it , as like yourself we do not have a lot of money.Then we asked him what he wanted to do , which was computers. So we applied for grants ( not easy to do but we got in the end ) and he went to college first . we did not have a computer at home so he had to do is course work at the college ( which he said to us he was glad as you could not take it home and think I'll do it tomorrow ) so he was able to hand is course work in on time . Also it allowed him to have some weekends to him self.he got through and he went to uni. Again we applied for grants and sent him food parcels and the first year we helped with money ( i got a second job) but not all mums can as there are other children at home, again this is where you need you re parents support. he got through the first year and parted hard had a great time , but his grades were not as good as he thought , So the 2nd year he new his uni rota new he had to put his head down, he got is self a part time job near the uni . And he says knowing it was not always going to be handed on a plate, he did really well. Still party ed but only did it now and again. He applied for jobs while at uni to get some work experience and now he has a good job, does not live at home anymore since he was 17. He still had a good time at uni but new that when he left all he had achieved was by his own merits. We still don't have lots of money but love and encouragement got him through. But he says an experience not to be missed , and now he says it is something he would encourage his kids to do ( got none yet ) enjoying his money he worked hard at uni to get . hope this helps

Answer 7

Maybe you would be better off doing a course which is more hads on like an nneb (chilcare), something that you are interested in also qualifies you 'as' something when you finish.If its any help if you do decide to go to uni...a degree in anything qaulifies you to work as an englsh teacher abroad. I work in South Korea and i'm loving it. The pay is good etc. Good luck. Ps uni is difficult but its also fun, as for the cost its expensive but if you really want to do it then you have to sacrifice. Hope this helps!

Answer 8

I went to uni but dropped out before I graduated. It is something I really regret. I am now 32 and rapidly reaching the ceiling in the career I have chosen. My salary will not increase sunstantially in the near future and there really isn't a further step in my career that doesn't require a degree.

It is financially draining to be at college but you can adapt if you pull in the purse strings. There are grants and loans available or perhaps you could look at sponsorship (It isn't very popular in the UK compared to US but that can certainly help).

The most important thing from my point of view is the commitment. I lacked that as I chose the wrong course and felt weighted down by it. Plus I know that I lack motivation at times and you will need to be able to give yourself kicks up the bum to work even when you don't want to.

If you are really keen to have the experience (which can be a party a lot of the time) and are prepared to get down to the work when its needed, you should experience it. It was the best time of my life and a degree is useful to have as you move forward in your career. Most of my friends who graduated did not continue in professions relating to their degree but it helped them to find jobs as they could show they were able to commit to something and could cope with the work.

Answer 9

I have never been to University but I have studied with the Open University. If you are on a low income they will help pay for some of your fees. You can study whilst working at a pace that allows for that. You also get lots of help from your tutors and others in the same situation as yourself. It does take longer to get a degree but as you still aren't sure where you want to go you can use that time to work out the best route for you. The OU also allows you to customise your degree just for you. So you can choose any moduals you want to to make up your degree.

Answer 10

Please please please for your sake choose a course with the end in mind.

Really think about what you want to do and try and learn a skill which is of value in the marketplace, before you start.

Don't drift into a course because it looks 'interesting' without knowing what you want to do with it. I have made this (expensive) mistake twice.

If you can keep your eye on a goal at the end then the assignments will be easy.

Don't be one of these students that goes to uni and spends three years messing around. You will end up as just another useless graduate destined to join the army of bored office workers. University is not the antidote for an unsuccessful career in many cases. Think very carefully before you go.

Good luck to you.