University - Should I go?
University is by far the most popular next step for school and college leavers, and with so much attention focused on higher education, it can feel like it’s the only route open to you. But with more apprenticeships and school leaver programmes available than ever before, this simply isn’t true.
The decision to go to university is one of the most important choices of your life. University can be an amazing experience and for many it's the right choice, but it’s not one that should be taken lightly. This makes "should I go to university?" a vital question for any soon-to-be school leaver – and one that's worthy of serious thought.
To get qualifications for your career
On the other hand, if it’s because you need a degree to follow the career path you want to pursue, you’re on the right track. Jobs such as teachers, lawyers and doctors generally require you to have a degree, so university is the logical choice for you.
If you haven’t already, your next step should be to investigate what kind of degree you need to enter that profession – you can find out more by looking at our career zones.
University can also lead to higher-paid jobs. It’s difficult to put a figure on it and there are lots of confusing numbers out there. What it usually boils down to is the difference between "professional" and "non-professional" jobs, where professional jobs usually require a degree. On average, professionals started on £7,000 more, compared with non-professionals in the same area of work.
Why go to university?
If you’ve always assumed that you’d do your GCSEs, get your A-levels, then go on to university, ask yourself this: what makes university the right choice for you?
If your answer is "that’s what everybody does", "because all my friends are going" or "it looks like fun", you need to go back to the drawing board.