Was it worth going to University?

Equivalent to a degree, but the course I did was all case studies, coursework, no exams and 10% of a uni degree 

Scuse me for replying on anothers response line (hehe autistic butting in anybody?)

Level 6 qualification is batchelor degree / degree apprenticeship level 

Hehe, a bit like levels of wizardry that I just looked up:

"Level 6 marks a point where wizards become significantly more versatile and reliable in their magical capabilities. "

Experience suggests that it's a point were one is still looked down upon by some more senior wizards who nonetheless sense the threat that one might be to them later on!

For me - who has been a few times, I would say on balance yes.

Study was tricky for me - undiagnosed AuDHD meant for interesting experiences.  Super successful in some units - barely scraping thro in others...

Timing a nightmare!

Naturally stuff that I could go monotropic in - fab.  Stuff that I could build understanding in from the bottom up - fab.  Stuff I was just expected to take for granted as the top down picture - nah...

getting told I had to read this whole load of books from cover to cover, that just wasn't the way I could solve the puzzle - still isn't

for me study was kindof both study and apprenticeship as I did eventually crack the code for reasonable success in healthcare - where clinical placements offered an opportunity to work out what he heck the academic stuff was meant to mean in practice.  So I came out prepared to work - hehe well sort of!  (still undiagnosed so most of my time running in survival mode from the complexities of the workplace mostly...)

Now, if they said to me "here's a library" off you go.  Here's a couple of loose pointers.  Spend as much time as you like here and let your learning guide you where to go next" well that might have been a different outcome.

Large language models are excellent now (Ok like everyone else I am probably short on the fact checking some times) for helping with learning.

I wonder what the current university experience is like given the huge changes that have happened there.

I remember having to read and cross check 30 odd papers for evidence research.

And combine that with critically review for meta-analysis.  Absolutely shed loads of work!!!

that's loads easier today...  and so analysis is easier to make I reckon

equally presentation - getting the right number of words , lining up the points to make in a way that meets audeince needs.

All told reckon that learning is about learning how to learn and about how to share it - ideally doing this all the way along.  Hmm... that's top down and bottom up at the same time.  How counter culture!

best wishes

I went to the local technical college rather than University, but it was HE, so still had to take out a loan.

I say no, it wasn't worth it. I had to swap my disability benefit claim for a £3000/year student grant, losing me £2000 per year in income. This is significant because I have not once worked in the field I studied (engineering).

I even wrote a letter to the principal of the college last year to express my regret. Of course it is far worse now. Benefits are worth far less. Student grants got replaced by loans. Cost of living went up, and tuition fees are far higher. My outstanding unpaid tuition fee loan is about £7000 now (for two years study).

Depends how you look it. I was similar to you. I turned a passionate hobby into a university degree with the intention of making it a career and then realised that making my hobby a job ruined my hobby so I had to think again. So work wise, no it wasn't worth it.

Was I ready to start work at that point in time? Definitely not. Did I have some great life experiences whilst there? Yes 100%. I was very fortunate to go to a small university where I could live on campus all 3 years and keep my world nice and small so it wasn't too stressful. One of the only people in my life I would truly define as a friend I met at university.

Was it all good? Of course not. Is anything always all good? I'd say no.

Are there any downsides? I have a student debt yes but in all honesty I don't earn enough to pay it back. I think I'm paying £1 a month. If I earn more money at some point that will increase but I'll be able to afford the increase so it's not an issue to me. I'm about 15 years in already so actually only have 10 more years and then it's written off.

I may not have used that degree so far and I may not have gone down that career path but I'm happy in the knowledge that I have it and that if I ever do feel I'm able to go down a higher career path, a degree counts for something, no matter what it's in and I may at some point have the option to do a masters or similar in something more in line with my career. I wouldn't have to start at the beginning of a degree late in life. 

So yes, I think it was worth it even if it didn't go totally to plan. If I had my time again I think I'd still go but I guess I'd pick a different degree.

I do wish the UK system was more like the American one for university. I would have really benefitted from minors and majors I think. It would have given me that bit more time to make decisions and not put everything on one subject. Seems better rounded to me and gives better flexibility career wise.

Whats a level 6 qualiifiction?

Definitely YES!  Because I never paid for it.  In the 1980s we got full grants, not loans,  later on for postgraduate study. Again the government paid all my fees and living expenses. 

My time at university was the high point of my life, the real outside world is a nightmare.

Oh yeah, worth it.

I did ten years in the field I got two degrees in. I might go back to that field again someday.

I learned invaluable experiences both in the field I was taught to do and in life/social experience.

I made life-long friends there that I have managed to keep since then.

Yeah, I’d say it was worth the intense student loans.

I can understand that 

I was on the earlier phase of the student loan so it was different to how it is now. I didn't plan on my health taking a nose dive like it has. As an investment in myself it was worth it. But then I did it for me, not for anyone else, I didn't care if I got a 1st or a 3rd, I just wanted to enjoy this precious time of learning, something I'd never really had before.

Interesting take, but is the debt worth it if no job at the end 

I didn't go to uni, I got an level 6 qualification in 2020 because someone said I was competent to do the role I was doing because I didn't have a qualification so I got the qualification to prove them wrong 

I think at 16 we asked kids to decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives and that we give the false impression that you can do any job you want if you have passion go and do it 

The reality so few end up in careers they did uni qualification in and those who do fight hard to get into the industry 

Even roles we think we need people to work in have no guarantee a job after training, my niece designed to do the uni route to become a paramedic, and yet students a year above her are being told no experience no job

But students on apprenticeships for the same job are finding it easier to get a job, so we have thousands coming out of uni with massive debt and no job in the role they got debt in

With regards to student loans it's stupid the whole system, apparently only around 30% of student loans are ever paid back, and I question the whole interest, what's the point of interest?

• Has me wonder are loans backed by an outside source and government ends up paying extraordinary amount of money in interest to an outside backer
• If no outside backer and money does come from taxes, then do they keep it like this for fiscal drag?

One of the reasons student loans rack up so much debt is because unless you earn more than £39k a year you are always paying less than interest each year 

At lower end £30 a month, is not touching anything 

Apparently the AVG student debt is £53000 so why don't they make it interest free, but everyone, regardless of earnings pays that figure back over 40 years at £110 a month.

Then everyone would pay back and we wouldn't need the stupid interest and if people are going to say but those on minimum wage can't afford £110 a month, then maybe it's time to consider if jobs at minimum wage should need a degree and if they do businesses she invest in training more 

I keep thinking about retraining , but I'm not going to get into that much debt at my age without knowing there is a high chance of a job 

I just don't think most uni students are in roles with a high chance of a job at the end 

I went from 2004-2008 and studied medaeval history and I loved it. I didn't go because I wanted a job out of it, I did it for me, because I wanted to, I already had one trade and was in the process of setting up another business when my health intervened and I became to unwell.

Would I do it all again, yes, but, the sort of courses that interest me are few and far between as theres no obvious route to a job. A history degree is not a mickey mouse degree, it's serious academic study where you learn real transferable skills. I would think twice about getting into the amount of debt students are faced with today and the student loans system is an outrage.

Education, especially at university level is about so much more than the subject you study, it's not a training course, it's not just about the university life, it's all the skills you learn the knowlege you pick up about other subjects from talking with friends. The teaching isn't just about sitting in class rooms, its about learning how to learn, not being spoon fed by teachers, its about learning how to research, how to think critically about your subject, how to write clearly, concisely and put a point of view across, whilst citing sources you agree with an why as well as those you don't.

I loved being around interesting and interested lecturers, the resourses of a university library, I enjoyed the work too, of being able to focus on particular areas of my chosen subject deeply.

I don't think I could do it now though, I'd never cope with the tech!