University- To go or not to go...

Hello! Ok so the first step in my university series is a discussion on whether university is actually the right option for you. Now when I was deciding whether I wanted to go to Uni or take another route I was constantly looking for posts like this to tell me exactly what to do so before we get into it, this post will not make up your mind for you, only you can decide if you really want to go or not and as hard as it is, you will be able to make up your mind eventually. This post is here to give you pros, cons and other options that might appeal to you more. So if you're interested please keep reading!

Pros of going to University:

1. Having a degree will never hinder you. You constantly hear people telling you 'Well, you won't get anywhere without a degree in this day and age' and to some extent that is true. Although a degree is not the most helpful in every career path you will never be turned away for having a degree. It will almost always work in your favour. The point from this is that a degree will never make you less employable, it might not be the most important thing on your CV, but they will never turn you away for having a degree.
2. University is a once in a lifetime experience. For many people university is their first time living independently, you will get your own space but with that also comes your own responsibilities. However you face these with other people your age, you will make life long friends and possibly get to explore a place you have never been to before. It is such a huge change and a huge step towards becoming independent and although that comes with it's challenges so many people say university has been the best times of their lives.
3. You could earn more money. Statistics show that university graduates earn more than people with A levels or no qualifications at all. The difference can be up to £350,000 for medical students and in the long run that really will make a huge difference. This is because with a degree in many professions you are seen as being more qualified as you have studied more and therefore are given better positions such as manager and therefore earn more than someone who does not have a degree. 
4. You could reach your dream job quicker. Degrees appeal to employers as it shows you are dedicated and hardworking, and if you manage to get a 1st, it shows you are clearly good at what you do. Therefore you may get a head start in the workplace and manage to progress and get promoted quicker due to skills they believe you have acquired going through university getting you to where you want to be quicker than someone who has not got a degree. 
5. Universities offer work experience and placements. Many argue that apprenticeships are so much better because you get on-the-job experience. However many universities offer a placement year, this is a year out of your university where you get to work in your selected field and gain experience. For example my sister who is at university for Fashion Buying and Merchandising has recently started her placement year shadowing a fashion buyer and gaining so much invaluable experience as well as coming out with a degree next year. If the course you are interested in offers a placement year it is arguable that this is the best way forwards as you will gain the experience which some employers prefer and a degree which other employers prefer. 

Cons of going to University:

1. Money. You've probably heard this a million times but it is a pretty big deciding factor. Depending on what your parent/guardian earns you will get a set loan. For some people this loan is just enough to cover their accommodation, therefore all other living costs such as transport, university textbooks, food shops, toiletries and all the other stuff will have to be funded from your own pocket. This can make university a horrible experience for some people, although theres often jokes about being a 'broke student' it is reality for some people and can be enough to ruin their entire experience, and that's before the thousands of pounds worth of debt they will leave with by the end of their degree. 
2. The wrong degree. Yes, at 18 you are legally an adult, however after not being allowed to decide if you are allowed to go to the bathroom or not for the last 18 years through school etc. you now have to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. 3 years is plenty of time to change your mind about your entire career path and there is nothing wrong with that, however with £9,000 a year plus every other cost of living independently etc to just switch courses and then spend an extra few years there or to have to completely retrain for a different job, going to university not knowing what you want to do is definitely not the best option. 
3. Some employers prefer experience. This is where apprenticeships, vocational studies and actually getting a job comes in the best path for you to take. These are on-the-job learning techniques that will give you the experience some employers are looking for that will get you that job you are looking for. 
4. Lack of jobs. This is all over newspapers, television and social media at the moment as it is a growing problem. The UK unemployment rate as of January 2017 was 1.6 million and in 2014 it was found that 13,985 graduates were working in jobs that did not require a degree at all. Therefore they were in debt from a degree they couldn't and weren't using, so what was the point? 
5. A degree doesn't guarantee a job. This kind of falls under the unemployment bullet point however it is something people forget. It is not just the lack of jobs it is the amount of people applying for the same job. Having a common degree can put you at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a job however having a degree that is too niche puts you in a very difficult position as the more specific the degree the less job prospects you may have. However having experience will never let you down and the more experience you have the more employable you will become. 

Other Options: 

• Apprenticeships- For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
• Gap Year- You don't take a gap year just to travel the world, you can use it to get a job, gain experience, explore your options and just generally take a year out to find your feet. 
• Work- Just going straight into a job 
• Studying Abroad- If you are interested in languages or anything of that sort studying abroad can be a really amazing, once in a lifetime experience. 
• https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/alternatives-higher-education - This website contains a lot of information about other options after school/college.