Having a degree looks good and all but it's not actually worth as much as you think.
'Go to University. Get a degree. Get you dream job'. These are things I have been told pretty much my entire life and now that I'm heading into my third and final year at university I'm questioning if it's all worth it.
The government has announced plans to raise university fees beyond £9000 a year. They don't care about the amount of debt students are left with or the overdrafts we have.They went to university for free (Ironic isn't it?) and only want the uni experience to be for the rich and elite, not for everyone.
They say these fees will be allowed to rise by institutions who can prove there is a high level of teaching and achieving. I go to Nottingham Trent Uni, which will no doubt be included in the list of uni's with higher fees. Here's the thing though; I'm paying £9000 a year for independent study, lectures being cancelled nearly every week and poorly planned seminars, yet the government think I, along with other students, should pay more? Don't even get me started on the amount I have to shell out for books either!
I'm doing a joint honours English Literature and Media Studies degree. I hope to be a journalist, writing for newspapers and websites, like this one, in the future. I don't need a degree to do that.
When applying for freelance writing jobs, such as editorial positions for magazines, almost none ask for a degree. If they do they don't ask for me to specify what degree course I'm doing or what grade I've got. They want to see my experience and what I can write. I have experience in this industryand I have a portfolio of articles and ideas that is growing everyday.
Why then am I putting myself through the stress of getting a degree? Because I thought I needed it, but I don't.
It's not just me, there are thousands of other students who are also studying for a degree that they don't actually need. It is also worth pointing out that it of course depends on what degree you do. If you want to be a doctor for example then a degree in medicine is necessary, but that's not the case for everyone.
Even if you have a degree you're not guaranteed a job at the end of it. More and more employers are hiring people based on experience rather than what degree they have.
It's scary to think that I'm already paying a ridiculous amount for something that I don't actually need and that the amount will rise. To those who are considering university, ask yourself if it's worth it first. See what your options are because there are loads out there. You could end up saving thousands of pounds instead of spending it on something that isn't viewed as highly as it once was. I'm paying thousands of pounds for a degree and I don't really need it. It's frustrating.
So, is university worth all the money? My conclusion is no. It isn't.
