It’s the biggie we’re all faced with come 18 and the question I’m so often asked by anxious students and parents. Should we really make such a big deal over it? What are the benefits and drawbacks of going? Why not find out?!

As a society we are taught from an early age that university is the only route to success. Many students I have met have almost felt guilty, ashamed because they didn’t go through higher education. So much so that I met a guy the other day at a networking event. He was what you’d term a ’success’ in his own rights, he had made a fortune through his various enterprises, yet he left it all at 40 to back to university…all because he felt guilty not having a degree! Now clearly he didn’t need a degree and he was wealthy enough to retire early and live a comfortable retirement, yet he felt somewhat compelled to go back university.

The beauty of life is we’re all different, and don’t want the same things in life…everytime I go shopping I see a t-shirt and think “who would buy that?!” only to walk out of the shop seeing someone wearing it.

If you’re reading this and not sure whether to go to university or not, this article will hopefully answer some of your quams and give you a clearer insight…

Pro’s and Con’s of Uni

Sometimes it’s nice to have little guidelines on things, but at the end of the day it’s your decision whether to go to uni or not.

University is great if you want to ‘use’ your degree, by that I mean if you want to become a Barrister, Vet, Doctor etc. In fact, you can’t get your foot in any of these professions without a good degree under your belt. But then again, not all of us aspire to fix kttens or wear a funny wig in court and it’s worth considering whether you actually need university to achieve your aspirations. For example I always wanted to study Law but didn’t really want to go through university, yet was oblivious to the fact I could become a solicitor by earning n’ learning through the ILEX scheme.

It is true that graduates are expected to earn about £160,000 more over a lifetime than non-graduates. However this figure includes brain surgeons, dentists and actors who push the figure up by a huge amount. In reality, if you we’re to study art for instance, you are only expected to earn about £35,000 more than non-graduates, and when your average three-year degree costs you about £38,000…well as they say, you do the math.

Student life…ahh possibly the best thing about uni (…I didn’t say it!). Who doesn’t want the 24/7 partying, lounging around the house watching Deal or No Deal. As I say to all the students I meet, you’re pretty screwed if your lectures fall at 8am every morning! Besides, contrary to popular belief, university is hard work, especially when it comes to writing a 10,000 word dissertation. Anyway, who says you can’t get the best of both worlds? Speaking to a friend a while back, she decided not to go to uni, was in a well-paid, comfortable job with prospects and every weeked she would go and visit her various mates up and down the country, who wre in uni, getting a bit of the student life.

Which Careers Need Uni?

Another question I’m often asked is ‘can I get into x (career) without uni?’…well I will write you guys a full-article about which careers need uni, but in the meantime here is a quick guideline…

Careers Needing a Degree: Barrister, Vet, Doctor (of any capacity…saying that Sir Alan has a couple of honary doctorates yet never studied for a degree), Teacher, Economist…etc

Career Not Needing a Degree: Journalist, Surveyor, Solicitor, Accountant, Managerial positions, Engineering, Air Traffic Control…etc

What’s Right For Me?

Only you can answer that question, I’m afraid, nice as it is to be told what to do! Don’t feel pressured down any route and most importantly don’t feel ashamed if you feel uni isn’t for you.

If you unsure what you want to do, why not get some work experience in different industries, see what the job’s like and then get some food for thought.

Success is the achievement of your ambitions. Some of us aspire to be brain surgeons, other aspire to be graphic designers. You are a success if you achieve what you want, and no-one can tell you what you want.

If you are actively looking for a career, why not email us your CV at cv@notgoingtouni.co.uk, and we’ll help you polish the baby up and help you find your perfect job!