Learn > Student Loans > Is Uni worth it?

Don’t be scared of the number.

The £30k - £50k figure is thrown around a lot nowadays and is almost becoming part of life, with over half of 17 - 30 year olds having participated in higher education most people are starting their adulthood with this debt “around their neck.”

But is it really that big of a deal?

It really depends on why you’re thinking about university. If it’s been drummed into your head by school, college, family and friends that it’s the only option and you feel as though you don’t have a choice then you’re not going for the right reasons.

Valid reasons to go to uni

• Of course the main reason is that you need the qualification for the career you want i.e. - you want to be a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer etc.

• You want to experience the independence that university offers - Living away from home can open your eyes to the world and can help build character.

• For the social aspect - Some people may disagree that this is a decent reason to go to uni, but you are influenced heavily by the people you spend time with. The connections you make whilst studying could change your perception on life and make you grow as a person.

Poor excuses for going to uni

• You feel like you have to - If you really want to spend 3 years of your life doing something due to pressure that you may not enjoy then that’s a bad idea. You may enjoy it, but if you have doubts re-consider.

• Your friends are - So what? You aren’t all after the same life. Their aspirations may be completely different to yours so why follow on their footsteps. You won’t stop being friends because you choose different paths.

• You don’t know what you want to do - This is the worst reason to go to uni, yet so many people choose this route. If you don’t know what you want to do in life why would you start a 3 year course that (in most cases) just highlights that the one thing you don’t want to do is that course!

Alternatives

• Apprenticeships - Becoming more and more popular in recent years, apprenticeships were often only available for manual or trade jobs. Nowadays, you can probably find an employer that will employ you as an apprentice. An apprenticeship is a great way to get into full time working whilst studying on the side (usually a day a week.) You get paid to study but also get valuable workplace experience.

  See more on apprenticeships from the Government here.

• Full Time Work - You can even do this whilst you decide if further education is for you or not. Full-time working allows you to earn and gain useful workplace experience whilst you are thinking about your future. It might even be that whilst working you enjoy your job so much you want to continue there.

• Anything - There is no rule book that says what you have to do, nothing is mandatory. If you want to do something that nobody else is doing, then do it. If it works out well then that’s great, if it doesn’t you just pick yourself back up and start again.

In conclusion

University can be the best thing to ever happen to you, or it can be your worst nightmare. It’s something you should consider fully before making a decision. Three years is a long time so spending a few months thinking about it is well worthwhile. The debt should not put you off as it isn’t really “debt” as explained here, make sure that whatever you do is something you will enjoy and not look back on with regret in the future.

Was this helpful? Let us know - hello@thebankengine.com