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Is university right for you? You鈥檒l have a lot of people giving their opinion. Teachers, friends, and random family members you see once a year. Then you go online and you get even more confused about what to do. So my goal today is for you to come away from this article having moved closer to making a decision and feeling clarity around your next steps. You can read through this and mull it over later or grab a pen and paper and turn it into a mini-workshop. There鈥檚 no right or wrong way to go about it.
Choosing a pathway to a career you want to follow is no easy feat. Around 38% of 18 year olds in the UK are preparing to start university this year. That鈥檚 higher than it's ever been. But what about the 62% not getting ready for uni? Clearly, it鈥檚 not the only option out there.
What options are available?
The long and the short of it is you have three choices after school. One of these will be your weapon of choice for tackling adulthood.
Higher education
Doing a degree will most usually take three years. For those unable to commit to full-time study, part-time is available for many courses. This is a whole other world from school and you鈥檒l get to continue your education while in a totally different environment.
Further education
At around one or two years, this is less of a time commitment. Courses are usually more 鈥榲ocational鈥 in that they focus on practical job skills to get you ready to transition into work.
Going into work or taking an apprenticeship
Getting a job right out of school doesn鈥檛 rule out going to uni at a later point in life. If you want to start earning an income right away, know exactly what it is you want to do, and are willing to go in at entry-level to work your way up, then this may be for you. Apprenticeships used to just be associated with trade industries (such as plumbers or electricians), but now include banking, law, IT, and others.
We, humans, like to make the decision-making process very data-driven and analytical, but your imagination should play a key part in it too. Take each of these three options and really imagine you鈥檙e doing it.
Really picture what it鈥檒l be like if you鈥檙e on campus.
- What are your classes like? Do you enjoy learning more about new topics?
- Who do you see yourself working with on group projects? For me, a few of these people became friends for life (others we just occasionally send cat memes to each other).
- Where do you like to study? Every student has their favourite caf茅.
- What do you do in your free time?
Do the same for further education and going straight into work. Okay, now fast forward five years and imagine what your life will be like by following each option. Feel free to do what we call 鈥榖lue-sky thinking鈥. If everything works out and you get all that you want, what does like look like? So if you do a degree, what job do you see yourself in? How will you be using the knowledge and skills that you learnt? What鈥檚 the office or work environment you鈥檙e in look like? Will you be living in a new city or country?
Hopefully, by now you鈥檙e starting to map out where each route will take you and what鈥檚 best for you. Let鈥檚 continue down this rabbit hole and see where it takes us.
Overcoming barriers
You may at this point be leaning towards not going to university. That鈥檚 great. As long as it鈥檚 because you鈥檝e decided you 诲辞苍鈥檛 want to go, you should never feel that you 肠补苍鈥檛 go. Time and time again I鈥檝e seen students give every reason under the sun and moon why they 肠补苍鈥檛 go to uni. It鈥檚 heart-breaking because 99% of the time it鈥檚 just not the case. Turn over every rock if you have to. The support is out there.
Don鈥檛 get the grades? You can do re-sits and ace it the second time around. Or you could do a foundation year before moving into a full degree.
Worried about the cost? There are a number of student loans and grants that you won鈥檛 have to start repaying until after you graduate. You鈥檒l also have the option to take a part-time job (I worked in a cinema and it was amazing).
Caring for your child or a family member? You can do part-time study or look into unis that offer more online options.
The point is that you shouldn鈥檛 think that uni is off-limits to you. Read our guide to student finance here.
Key questions to ask
Let鈥檚 wrap up by looking at a few more questions.
What will you get out of it?
Despite having two bachelor degrees himself, Tesla and Space-X founder Elon Musk cautions students against going into higher education. At least in America. He says, 鈥渋t鈥檚 basically for fun and not learning鈥. Does he have a point? Look, I鈥檓 not going to fault an industry-changing billionaire entrepreneur, but here鈥檚 the thing, ultimately a degree is about the skills, knowledge, and experience you鈥檒l get that position you to transition into a successful career. Most people will find massive value in completing a degree. For me, it equipped me with everything I needed to get started in international business.
Question: So for you, what is it that you want to learn and develop in the three years you鈥檒l be at university? What 鈥榟ard鈥 skills like programming, accounting, or a foreign language? What 鈥榮oft鈥 skills that employers value like working in a team, managing multiple priorities with deadlines, and critical thinking?
Will you need a degree for your career?
Some jobs will require a degree, others will see it as desirable, and others won鈥檛 at all. A good way to look at it is that a degree can be a direct route into many industries. It tells employers that you鈥檝e succeeded at something. Many degrees also offer a placement component. For example, at Cumbria, you can study a degree in Illustration with a work placement. The idea is you鈥檒l gain real-world experience in a company, make new connections, and learn how businesses work.
Question: Take a look at the job profiles on Prospects.ac.uk. While you may not know exactly what career you want to go into, will doing a degree improve your ability to get a job in an area you鈥檙e interested in? Would not doing a degree limit your choices?
How much do you value the 鈥榳ider student experience鈥?
For many people, it鈥檚 their first time living away from home. If you go in with an open mind and are willing to do new things, it can be an amazing and transformational time where you learn new things, have new experiences, and meet life-long friends. You can join a wide range of clubs and societies. I never thought that joining a society at uni would have me jumping out of airplanes, running for elections in the student council, and volunteering at food banks. If you have the chance to do a year abroad, living in Spain or Germany could be the best thing ever for you.
Question: Will you regret missing out on the fun of uni? Or is it just not a big deal for you?
Wrapping up鈥
It can be easy to get stressed about which pathway is the right one. It鈥檚 useful to bear in mind that you鈥檒l always be able to make different choices as you go through life. After all, the average person will change careers five times in their lifetime. Whatever your next step, you can be confident that you鈥檝e researched your options and are making an informed decision. Enjoy the journey and wherever it takes you.
Want to find out more?
You are ready to take that next step. Ready to make that life-changing decision and work towards your career goals. By downloading our prospectus you will have the world at your fingertips.
You can browse our 100+ unique course options and have access to finance and support information to get you started. Discover all of the courses available to you from Arts to Zoology 鈥 we鈥檙e excited to see what you choose.
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