'A degree is the passport to a successful career'

[Thorin]

I owned 17 cars and my own luxury yacht when I was 7 and a half years old.

[Tannhauser]

I owned 17 cars and my own luxury yacht when I was 7 and a half years old.

 

Off we go.

[Purity14]

I owned 17 cars and my own luxury yacht when I was 7 and a half years old.

 

My Dad is in the Army Navy and the Airforce, and he will blow you up.

[monsween]

Personally, a degree was the best thing I could have done. Got me a foot hold in the oil industry.

 

It really depends on what your degree is in. Phsycology is only gonna get you so far in life.

[j_jza80]

I was the lord of snake mountain at the age of 4.

 

[marc_p]

I became a Jedi master at 5 years of age.

 

I ownz the Jedi.......

[China Man]

Partly correct, some degree will open doors for example to be a doctor, dentist, pharmacist it is by law that you have a degree in your field before you are allow to take their registration exam.

 

Some profession there is no way you can just get in by doing it in the real world without going through Uni

 

then there are some degree which do nothing more than teaching you how to read a few text book and answer some multiple choice exam.....

[Paul]

What is it that you actually do Paul?

 

Did my apprenticeship in toolmaking, inspection. Then went on to aerospace as a Quality Engineer/auditor, currently a test engineer for BSI.

The experience and skills that seem to be sought after are aerospace / quality and auditing, these also fall nicely into many areas, due to aerospace standards being so high .

[VIL]

I have a degree and at no point have I ever used it in my career, however....

 

A degree does demonstrate that you have the ability to learn, retain knowledge and in some way apply it. Equally if there are 5 people going for a job who are all very good candidates and you can only choose one then the degree may be one of the factors in making a decision.

 

For some professions they are unaviodable, for others they are simply an additional measure.

 

Now I am an employer I treat a degree with its due respect as they do represent a lot of hard work for some people, but does it automatically make them the right person for the job and in front of those who dont have one.........no!!

[Paul]

A degree does demonstrate that you have the ability to learn, retain knowledge and in some way apply it.

 

Agree with the first two but how does a degree tell you somone has the ability to apply that knowledge in a work environment?

[China Man]

During my degree course it allows me to play with industral machines which make drugs and fresh willing patients to test them on.

[stevie_b]

It really depends on what your degree is in. Phsycology is only gonna get you so far in life.

 

I agree with Tannhauser about social science degrees not necessarily being easier. My background is physical science (physics to be specific) which I love, but I can also appreciate how hard social sciences can be.

 

Part of the physical (including IT-based) vs social sciences debate comes from the number of jobs that directly call on the knowledge of each.

 

In the physical sciences you need to regurgitate a lot of principles and proofs that are accepted as fact. In social sciences (I'm thinking of psychology in particular), trying to understand how humans think and interact is extremely difficult. People have various theories but AFAIK no-one's got it sewn up yet. Good luck if you fancy giving it a crack!

 

It might be relatively easy to obtain a good grade in a social science (this isn't a leading statement, I genuinely don't know although I suspect it's true), but it's just as hard as in a physical science to really make a difference in the field.

 

I disgress a bit from the original point. Having a degree doesn't generally make you better at a job. It does indicate that you've gone through experiences that those without a degree might not have, but the reverse is also true. Non-degree people have had life experiences at the age of 21 that most graduates haven't.

 

I think a degree will be important/vocationally useful all the time that employers stipulate that a degree is necessary for a given grade of job.

[Tannhauser]

Personally, a degree was the best thing I could have done. Got me a foot hold in the oil industry.

 

It really depends on what your degree is in. Phsycology is only gonna get you so far in life.

 

What does 'so far in life' mean? Material success? If so, it didn't seem to do to Hugh Hefner any harm. Mind you, he's often quoted as saying he would rather have worked in the oil industry.

 

 

So, several pages in, and what have we learned?

 

Mainly, it seems, that many people try to validate their own choices and accomplishments.

[Tannhauser]

Don't mess up this thread with your balanced arguments, Steve!

 

I think this is the take home point, however:

 

I agree with Tannhauser

[martini]

Physics and philosophy was one of my favourite modules - though I certainly don't use it everyday, at least in terms of productivity and work output. I do like to discuss things such as time travel, relativity and even our own existence. I learnt a tremendous amount during my degree. I was offered a place at a prestigious University to study engineering, but I really wasn't interested. I wanted to expand my mind and learn about the world around me, so I chose physics.

 

It just so happens that lots of people hate physics and it's deemed 'quite hard' and as such has done me OK. As Tannhauser says, most people define success by financial worth and not intellect. I'm not one of those people; I'm not a monetary snob, but an intellectual snob

[Tannhauser]

Agree with the first two but how does a degree tell you somone has the ability to apply that knowledge in a work environment?

 

I guess the assumption is that those are transferable skills. It's no guarantee at all, but it at least raises the odds.

[MaveriK]

I was the lord of snake mountain at the age of 4.

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm203/j_s14a/skeletor.jpg

 

That is the campist Skeletore i have ever seen, bar none!

[Abz]

I knew my post would cause some reaction!

[Scooter]

 

Mainly, it seems, that many people try to validate their own choices and accomplishments.

 

This is so true...... (and here I go with my validation!!)

 

I am probably in a unique group in that I went and came out with nothing, effectively dropping out in the final year............I was what most would define as a 'square' at school and got a good solid 3 A levels at college, however when at uni the onus is on you to learn with little or no backlash for slacking........I think I was a little immature and directionless and just lost interest in a course that I chose out of curiousity rather than a specific purpose!

 

My old man was a builder and I would undoubtably be a richer man now had I followed in his foot steps (but probably not healthier!) but I'm still glad I went as for all the lack of anything academically concrete to show for it amongst other good things in the vain Tannhauser mentioned about broading ones views, I did manage to discover a sport I was genuinely good at, represented my country, received a University cap for and went on to play for a decade or more with memories that will last for a lifetime.........like anything new that is not where/what you are doing right now it opens up different opportunies some of which you ignore/waste, some of which you grab and excel....

 

I do agree with the degree being seen by employers as recognition of 'the ability to learn' as the trainee auditor from Deloite's who came to us this year had a Archeology Degree

[Septic]

i was mentioning you to one of our partners the other day m8 yunus was most impressed of your account of dla. im working on the right time and people to get you sorted m8.....one of our top corporate bods plays mw2 but on the pc though

 

Omg are you serious? Wow I'm so grateful mate. The fact that you thought to even help me...I'm very flattered. I could give you a BIG hug right now lol. I might have to get the pC version lol.

[China Man]

I guess the assumption is that those are transferable skills. It's no guarantee at all, but it at least raises the odds.

 

There are difference between degree that offer little or no practical experience. Distance learning for example, no practical skills are validated

 

Then there are degrees that required you to have achieved standards at practical before you are allowed to graduate

 

Even the same degree course but from different college or uni will result in different standard, that is why some employer will only look for graduate from certain uni. This also bring in the argument of old school hire only people from the prestidge colleges.....

 

There used to be a hype attached to the well known colleges, Imperial college, Oxford, cambridge etc which I think because of the long research of their specialist department graduates will get more out of their years than some metropolitan college or what have you which have the "goverment standards" to fullfill.

 

I remember well when my father give advice to me and my sister, study medicine or law. When we ask why he answered " because those are called specalist and once you got your qualification and registered with the govening bodies no one can take away your job.

 

My sister choose to study interia design and I choose pharmacy. she choose the subject she loves and enjoy and end up jobless for a few years and end up doing a architech degree......wasted 3 years at getting a degree where other people with neutral creatitive and didn't went to uni took jobs that she is so call qualified.

[jonathanc]

I remember well when my father give advice to me and my sister, study medicine or law. When we ask why he answered " because those are called specalist and once you got your qualification and registered with the govening bodies no one can take away your job.

 

My sister choose to study interia design and I choose pharmacy. she choose the subject she loves and enjoy and end up jobless for a few years and end up doing a architech degree......wasted 3 years at getting a degree where other people with neutral creatitive and didn't went to uni took jobs that she is so call qualified.

 

My old man said the same thing to me and my sis too Be a lawyer or doctor....

 

And I went through what your sis went through as well

[China Man]

When people say study what you enjoy most... I agree if you don't need the money or job security. If you are like me who with no family help and have to fend for myself then get a degree that will get you registerd with a professional body

[marbleapple]

Be a lawyer or doctor....

 

4 years at uni, 2 years at law school, 2 years training contract all so I can qualify as a solicitor. I have mates that went into a trade after school with little if any A-Levels and they earn more than me without the need to incurr in excess of £40,000 student debt.

[China Man]

4 years at uni, 2 years at law school, 2 years training contract all so I can qualify as a solicitor. I have mates that went into a trade after school with little if any A-Levels and they earn more than me without the need to incurr in excess of £40,000 student debt.

 

You can always find the best of something and compare with the worse of something.

 

Go to Kings college, get a training contract LPC free and start paying off loans. Get hire by a commerical lawfirm and pay off rest of loan within a year.