If you have experience of studying at HE level what do/did you make of it?
The standard of work required, resources, work load, etc...?
I'll allow for some replies before I post my thoughts, if that's ok with you?
University Level Education: Your Thoughts
As far as the U.S. goes, I'd say a college education is worth less and costs more these days than in decades past. My ex is a professor with 5 degrees (including a Ph.D) and makes half of what I earn and is swimming in student debt. I spent 3 years at university and never finished my degree.
Ooh, intriguing...
On one hand, a degree has become not worth anywhere near as much as it should, I think because a large amount of the population has one in a subject that's not necessarily useful or that they'll build on.
But then, learning anything should never be discouraged.
So maybe a rise in apprenticeships should be the way forward, so people are actually qualified in something they can get a job with.
But then, just being able to say you can study independently and meet deadlines and handle different pieces of work simultaneously is good for the cv and good experience.
But very few people can afford the new fees, so they're being deprived of being able to prove they can do this.
But perhaps it'll make a qualification at this level more something that people genuinely have to commit to and want to do something with, rather than not working full time for three years and doing it 'cos they can't work out what else to do.
But then, there aren't that many jobs going in any area at the moment, so what are they supposed to do if not spend time learning?
And it's interconnected with other issues because if people aren't earning/moving out/doing something to improve their chances in future, then their unemployed or struggling or pension-dependent parents really can't afford current and future extra bills and housing problems.
But will most jobs in a few years time even be strict about graduates when hardly anyone will have been able to afford uni?
But then, what will replace the current jobseekers 'hierarchy'?
I don't know, but thanks for the opportunity to waffle
Good post, AJGO. Some really interesting points...keep waffling!
I'm asking more about the studying experience and the level of quality required to get good grades.
The reason is I've just had my results for my first two assignments. The first deserved the grade it was given. The second one was a written piece. I was very unsure over it and doubted it would get much more than a D. I'll be honest - I didn't work that hard on it compared to more recent assignments. It was given an A grade and it made me wonder 'is this the real level of HE?'. I suppose I'll find out with other assignments and compare them.
The value of a degree....well, I guess that's another thread!
Well done on the good grade! Perhaps being unsure made you make sure you covered the points that needed to be covered.
One of the things I learnt (but paid no attention to) was to not write as if the reader knew what you were talking about- you can make all the clever points you like, but for academic literature if you don't cover the basics and show in a very simple way what it is you're talking about, you haven't produced something that could be useful to the area of study.
In my experiance the workload is is really based on the course that you take.
I has something stupid like 28 hours of lectures+tutorials a week. Whilst the guy next door doing media studies had 8.
The jump between A-Levels and degree is massive IMO. Mainly in how you organise yourself. Get yourself into the habit of missing lectures and you'll miss them over and over again.
Im 35 now and STILL get nightmares waking up in the night crapping myself that I had done no work on my final year project. seriously.
I'm also amazed at how varied the teaching standards are. One guy is a proper academic - he expects the very best, whereas another guy is the most laid-back dude ever who would rather just sit and chat about life and films than teach us stuff.
£3,500 per year.
Quote: TopBanana @ November 5 2011, 12:33 PM GMTI'm also amazed at how varied the teaching standards are. One guy is a proper academic - he expects the very best, whereas another guy is the most laid-back dude ever who would rather just sit and chat about life and films than teach us stuff.
£3,500 per year.
I think university is about doing *your* best and you (non-specifc yous and yours) go becuase you want to study what ever it is you are doing. Not so much being part of a high grade statistic that secondary schools want you to be. You have chosen your course and univesity because you wanted to, you haven't been forced to (although there are those sorts of cases). Basically you take your education with your moneyless hands and make the best of it. The lecturers can be either of those types you (Top Banana) mentioned, because at the end of the day they give you (non-specific again) some of the information, probably just enough for you to get a fair pass. But if you want to do better then you have to take it into your own hands. That's the way I have always seen it anyway.
I rather wasted my time at uni when I did my undergraduate degree. I got great marks in year one, and then got a bit lost with it and only got average marks in years 2 and 3 (and of course the first year marks didn't count towards the final result, typical.)
I worked a million times harder during my postgraduate degree.
I think people go to uni too young. We shouldn't be allowed to go until our late 20s/30s, I reckon. Then we'd all take it seriously and work so much harder. (Plus it should be free, naturally.)
Given that some people don't mature when it comes to their drinking I don't think that is a good idea.
Well that type can go to a 'special' university.
I reckon you might be on to something with the age thing, zooo.
I have no qualifications which would have given me access as an 18 year old, nor do the other 4 mature students, but the leader of the course could not wait to get us signed up. Not just because of the extra tuition fee income as he turned 4 18 year olds down in favour of us, but because he knows that the vast majority of mature students will apply themselves at a much higher rate than the youngsters.
It's not a criticism - if I was 18 at uni I'd be out partying, too.
Quote: TopBanana @ November 5 2011, 5:41 PM GMTIf I was 18 at uni I'd be out partying, too.
Such is the state of many, a very unfortunate state of mind. (No offence to you TopBanana)
I don't drink, though, so... no potential problems!
My point is I wasn't ready at 18 for this kind of commitment.
Good for you.
Sadly very few are. They seem to think Uni involves drinking, partying and therefore being poor as a result.