Uni and life decisions!

Rudeboy1

Rudeboy1

Rudeboy1

Associate
Joined
26 Sep 2013
Posts
582
Hello everyone,

I know this is usually a decision people make on there own and it still will be, I'm just after some general advice on what to do.

I'm currently 19 and left college a year ago, have currently got myself a basic job working in a warehouse, thing is I only left college with a Btec qualification even though I did get two distinction star's + distinction.

My possible future options are to go into business with my dad which is my main priority but he doesn't take over the business he's working in for another 2-5 years if he even does atall (80% chance he does).

I'm thinking isit best if I go to university to get an A level behind me incase any future plans fall through? But if I stay working with my dad till I retire, there isn't a need for the A level. But I keep thinking it may be best to have it behind me anyway.

Life stresses me out :o

Any advice is really appreciated!
 
Rudeboy1 said:
Hello everyone,

I know this is usually a decision people make on there own and it still will be, I'm just after some general advice on what to do.

I'm currently 19 and left college a year ago, have currently got myself a basic job working in a warehouse, thing is I only left college with a Btec qualification even though I did get two distinction star's + distinction.

My possible future options are to go into business with my dad which is my main priority but he doesn't take over the business he's working in for another 2-5 years if he even does atall (80% chance he does).

I'm thinking isit best if I go to university to get an A level behind me incase any future plans fall through? But if I stay working with my dad till I retire, there isn't a need for the A level. But I keep thinking it may be best to have it behind me anyway.

Life stresses me out :o

Any advice is really appreciated!
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Do you mean a degree? A degree is what you would study at university. A Levels are qualifications you can study at sixth form or college :)
 
Yea hmm... go work for your dad.
I don't think education is for you... based on the fact you think a levels are done at uni.

On a more serious note... what would you do at uni? What subject?
 
I'd not just go to university for the sake of it, go if there is a subject you're interested in but not because you just think it would be something you ought to do.

Are you interested in the area the business you mention is in? It might well be worthwhile pursuing that, especially if your dad is going to take it over.

What sort of role would you take on there - could it be worth you acquiring some qualifications/experience in IT, accountancy, whatever area might be interesting to you personally and useful to the business.
 
Rudeboy1 said:
Hello everyone,

I know this is usually a decision people make on there own and it still will be, I'm just after some general advice on what to do.

I'm currently 19 and left college a year ago, have currently got myself a basic job working in a warehouse, thing is I only left college with a Btec qualification even though I did get two distinction star's + distinction.

My possible future options are to go into business with my dad which is my main priority but he doesn't take over the business he's working in for another 2-5 years if he even does atall (80% chance he does).

I'm thinking isit best if I go to university to get an A level behind me incase any future plans fall through? But if I stay working with my dad till I retire, there isn't a need for the A level. But I keep thinking it may be best to have it behind me anyway.

Life stresses me out :o

Any advice is really appreciated!
Click to expand...

University may seem like a waste of time, and i am sure people on here will tell you that it is.

By 24 years old i was earning over £40,000 a year without a degree.. Sounds great right?

No.. it sucked, i had no time.. 60 hours a week, constant stress and terrible quality of life.

You can get jobs in sectors that pay well without a degree, but a good 1st class honours degree opens up so many doors to careers with a great quality of life, nice working hours, weekends to yourself.. Often flexitime and other benefits.

Just don't get a degree in:

Anthropology
Psychology
East and South Asian studies
Communication and Media studies
Drama - dance and cinematics
Social policy
Hospitility - leisure, recreation and tourism
Sociology
Creative Writing
Animal Science


Almost all of these degrees are a waste of time and will more likely than not result in a very low chance of a decent career..

Choose a stem field, something that you know a job exists.

My dad was diagnosed with cancer when i was 26 years old, so i decided to leave my job and move home to care for him.. At that time i decided that going back to university was a good option.

And it was the best decision i have ever made.
 
BigT said:
Might also learn when to use your and you're as well! ;)
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He can make a great "collage" too

collage-popart.jpg
 
Unless you plan to go into uni to do a very specialist degree for a very specialist area of work its nothing but a waste of time and money.

Out of my entire 6th form year, only 1 person I know got a degree of any worth (nuclear medicine).
 
Only go to university if you have an idea or dream that needs it.

I wanted to go to university to help others in the same way I was helped. A long and very risky journey but hopefully I'm doing ok considering I'm doing it and funding it entirely by myself.
 
kindai said:
Unless you plan to go into uni to do a very specialist degree for a very specialist area of work its nothing but a waste of time and money.

Out of my entire 6th form year, only 1 person I know got a degree of any worth (nuclear medicine).
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This, if you gonna do a degree make it specific and know what you want to do, i know lots of people who do a degree because they feel they need to get a degree and then struggle to get a job, and when they do it's usually something they don't enjoy.

For example, one of my mates did a general degree, and a slightly less general masters, he graduated in January and has only now found a job.
 
You can do A levels, but doing an HE Access course specialising in the general area you want to go in would be faster (1 year), or you could study with the OU part-time whilst holding down a job, which would cover all the needed prerequisites in its first year modules. What do you actually want to do?
 
kindai said:
Unless you plan to go into uni to do a very specialist degree for a very specialist area of work its nothing but a waste of time and money.
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I have to completely disagree with this.

University is absolutely what you make of it, even if the degree you get isn't the field you go into the life lessons you learn, friendships you make, and skills you acquire are irreplaceable in my opinion.

That's before you even include the extra doors it opens for you when you come to apply for jobs. In the current world where its quite possible for there to be 100 people applying for a single job its common place for companies to set a "no degree = no interview" criteria. The fact that the degree isn't necessarily in the correct field can often be irrelevant and the simple fact you have a degree can open more doors to interview.

The waste of money option I also don't agree with. University is essentially free. The 40k of debt you can end up with is ultimately irrelevant as in truth you only ever pay back 9% of what you earn over £21,000 a year. Or in other words when you are earning £40,000 a year you pay back abut £1700. It's certainly affordable and in no way affects your ability to pay your bills, obtain mortgages, or generally live your life in later years. If you stop thinking of Uni fees as a debt and just treat it as a graduate tax (which it might as well be now) it suddenly seems much more affordable.
 
kindai said:
Unless you plan to go into uni to do a very specialist degree for a very specialist area of work its nothing but a waste of time and money.

Out of my entire 6th form year, only 1 person I know got a degree of any worth (nuclear medicine).
Click to expand...

Nonsense, every person i know that got a degree of any merit now works in that field.. And they wouldn't have got it had they not had the degree.
 
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