University?

[caliceg]

i am still at school but i'm not sure wether to go to university or not so my questions are:
1. should i go to university?
2. what jobs can you get if you don't go to university?

[Bambiagain]

Not knowing anything about you, this is a very difficult question to answer. But I suggest you ask yourself some questions:

If you go to university, what would you expect to gain from it apart from a qualification at the end?
What would you study? Is this a subject that interests you, that would lead directly to a good job (ie medicine, engineering, etc., etc.)?
Are you prepared to get into debt, or would your parents finance you?
Are you intellectually inclined? Do you enjoy school and learning? Obviously, if you want to study maths and hate learning French at school (just to take an example) you would know that you would be studying the subject that interests you and not the ones that don't. Not everyone can cope, however, with going into further education - do you really, really want to do it? If you feel that you are unlikley to stay the course, then don't bother to start it.

There are many jobs you can get without a degree. It depends entirely on your own interests and abilities. There are plenty of graduates nowadays going into jobs that don't need a degree because the market is saturated with graduates. In a lot of cases going straight into a job after A levels gives you a head start over those that go to university and you don't go heavily into debt with tuition fees. Why not try researching the sort of jobs you could and would like to do?

[slinky.kate]

how old are you,what are your interests,do you have any qualifications

[caliceg]

well the reason i am unsure about going is mainly the cost i'd just like to get an idea of any jobs that i could get without going

[Jennykenny]

I didn't go to university, but to a teacher training college, (this was many years ago), but the one thing that stood out the most at college was that the students who had worked for a year before coming to college were -by far - much more mature, in every way. This might be a good compromise for you? - and have a bit of money in the bank?

[lcg]

i am a nurse....pays £22k a year starting wage. you can't become one of those without going to uni....it depends what you want to do with your life.

[Kiki-frog]

What about some kind of apprenticeship with day release for college? My step son got good GCSE's and found an apprenticeship with an electrician, with two days a week at college. He's now 22, fully qualified and really enjoying his job.

[slinky.kate]

my son left school at 17,first interview he got an apprenticeship at the university and also studied there,done open university,he has been there 8 years and just handed in his notice as he has been offered a very good job in dundee,try an apprenticeship if you can find one as its very hard to get one nowadays

[caliceg]

thanks for your answers, can anyone give me a list of possible jobs i could get without going to uni? :)

[joggerjayne]

Uni would be one of the best times of your life.

I'd think really hard before skipping Uni.

[slinky.kate]

lists of jobs could be,waiter,dishwasher,hotel/hospital porter,work in supermarket,bingo caller,dustman,driver and i'm sure many more.

[caliceg]

thanks everyone i'm really starting to consider the benefits uni could have on my life. Yes, it may cost alot but now i think about it i think the advantages weigh down the disadvantages :)

[WELSHYORKIE]

caliceg - Any of the Armed Forces and learn a trade with them

[EvianBaby]

It entirely depends on what you want to do doesn't it? I mean, if you want to be a doctor then yeah, you'll need to go to uni but if you want to be a mechanic then you'd be wasting your time at uni.

I know tons of people that left school at 16 to go straight into work and now have very successful careers. My sister is a good example. Never went to college or uni but in her mid 30's is now one of the financial heads of Bupa.

I also know a lot of people who did go to uni and although they had a great time, they've spent years since leaving trying to find a job any way remotely connected to the course they did with no success.

[caliceg]

i would like to be a sheep farmer but i need a first job to earn enough money to buy a farm?

[EvianBaby]

Lol. Well how much money do you think you'll earn at Uni?

Go and find an old, slightly senile farmer to work for and if you get lucky he'll take a shine to you and leave you his sheep in his will.

[caliceg]

oi dont laugh! my dad is a livestock farmer and i love sheep! :D

[slinky.kate]

maybe your dad will give you an apprenticeship?

[EvianBaby]

Go here.

http://www.cornwall.a....php?page=_Home&tab=2

[joannie10]

i don't think Evian was laughing at you wanting to be a sheep farmer. I didn't go to University and neither did a lot of my friends. I am happy in my job but perhaps could have done better but never enjoyed school and studying so Uni wasn't for me. It is a difficult time for you with perhaps not a lot of jobs available but I feel that these days people seem to go to university for the sake of it - without really knowing why they are going and end up changing courses or dropping out so in some occasions this could be considered a waste of time and money (although I know not all!). Depending on your maturity it may be beneficial to spend some more time studying but there can be some very mature school leavers out there.

[caliceg]

I dont want to tell my dad that i want to be a farmer though because i think he would be wierd about it im afraid thats the way he is :(