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3 Reasons Going To University Isn't Always The Best Option
This time of year, when university applications are due, I am always reminded of the dewy 16 year old version of myself frantically trying to get my UCAS application in on time.
I applied to Cardiff because my best friend told me too whilst we ate my college’s famed curly fries. Everything about my application was impulsive and ill informed, and my flippant attitude towards the whole process suggests how unprepared for major life decisions I was.
Nevertheless with the narrative surrounding me that university was the only option unless I wanted to be a labourer I proceeded. I filled out the forms, wrote the the personal statements, studied and drank for three years and earned a respectable but not atypical 2:1.
Before continuing to look for jobs in media like everyone else with a humanities degree. With that in mind, here are three reasons on why not going to university could be better for you in the long run:
No Debt, No Worries
Recently I met a 20-year old who had chosen to forgo university and worked in a shoe shop for the years I spent double checking the Harvard referencing system.
The two of us now work in the same job, earning the same money, except whilst I’m in an insurmountable amount of debt that is literally growing as you read this, he has managed to save ten grand.
If you play your cards right you can definitely be financially better off without a degree.
Experience vs. A Degree
We live in a time where 54 per cent of graduates end up in non-graduate jobs. Doing quite well in your degree these days is almost a redundant achievement, and experience is what sets you apart to employers.
Obviously there is the question of how to get experience without a degree which leads on to my next point.
The Internet Is The Way Forward
The internet can open up almost any opportunity if you use it correctly. Social media in particular offers you a platform to establish yourself in a whole range of fields.
So why not set up a blog or a Youtube channel, show people what you can do, whether it’s landscaping or lassoing. The 21st century job seeker is all about creating a brand, and that brand does not necessarily need to be university educated.
There are a tonne of reasons to go to university, but it is worthwhile considering the real reasons that you want to, is it because you have a passion for the subject you want to study or is it just because it’s the done thing?
Everyone's situation is unique but you should take the time to think about what you want. It is important to know that there are more options and opportunities open to you other than the straight, and increasingly expensive line that the government push you towards.
