I'm at uni at the mo. At the time, I got the offer from my first choice uni and hit the grades I wanted, so got in. That was nearly two years ago.

Uni applicants have been increasing dramatically in the last ten years. This year UCAS applications were up by 23% whilst the number of places available has been cut by 6000.

Is going to uni even worth it nowadays? I have friends who are well on their path to making a solid career and learning their trade without even getting half decent gcse's.

What do you think? Has uni been de-valued? Is it just a waste of time?

PLus all the debt, Im starting to worry!

It could be... in which case you have been conned... along with many others.

This nasty "student loan" idea should be abolished... but that is not the whole answer.

Universities have increasingly discredited themselves and what they do.  They are very confused about whether they should offer "vocational" or "academic" qualifications... which has been even further confused by the number of polytechnics which are now "Universities".

The disconnection of most tutors and lecturers from the real world means that a weird and horrible mix of shallow socialism and sloppy christianity is the prevailing ethos in most universities.  There are very few university environments where students are encouraged to think bravely and "outside the box"... the politically correct view is the only one acceptable.

All of which is pretty grim... add in the fact that any degre with the word "media" in it is likely to generate some amusement among prospective employers... and you could well be wasting your time.

However, insofar as you are most of the way through... carry on.

My suggestion is that you focus on what the study the subject encourages and enables in you.  It does not really matter what you are studying.  A degree should say that you know how to apply yourself... you know how to organise your work... that you have the capacity for some abstract thought... and that you are able to contextualise things.

There's more, of course... which you probably know anyway.  Just remember... it's not the degree or the subject... it's you.

Wed 17 March 2010 12.41pm, Longbord wrote:

 

The disconnection of most tutors and lecturers from the real world means that a weird and horrible mix of shallow socialism and sloppy christianity is the prevailing ethos in most universities.  There are very few university environments where students are encouraged to think bravely and "outside the box"... the politically correct view is the only one acceptable.

 

lol

Is that the voice of experience?

What do you think? Has uni been de-valued? Is it just a waste of time?

Depends what you want to do.

If you just want work of some description, you can always teach in your chosen subject.

Up to A level standard, I believe.

The ease with which you can do that would depend on the subject.

Maths, Physics Chemistry, no problem.

Hair-dressing, maybe not.

No.  Longbord.  Tuition fees should not be abolished.

All students on what ever course should pay their own fees.  If they get a degree and find a proper job after then they get their fees repaid.  Or perhaps their employer should pay.

I do not want to pay for micky mouse degrees by the tens of thousands to keep some middle range tech college pretending to be a university.  Oxford is a university.  Kingston tech is not. I will not pay for 'media studies, advertising, environmental health, waste disposal, environmental studies when they produce thousands each year who have not a cats chance of finding a job in that sphere.

Universities teach medicine, physics, biology, chemistry, mechanical engineering etc and I don't mind paying.  Advertising, media studies, photography can be paid for by the industries who hire these qualifications.  You want to study philosophy.  Fine. You pay and claim it back from the employer who thinks that is useful. I dont.