Uni of Life v Uni Degree?

[steveb64]

Many students do try to pass off that its far harder than it is. I completed a double honours degree in 4 years while working 20-30 hours per week. My gf is completing a 3 year degree part time in 4 years while working full time.

Saying that its not for everyone. Ive seen plenty of people who honestly found it really hard work.

From what ive experienced since finishing uni.

3 years of work experience is better than 3 year degree and no experience
10 years of work experience is worse than 7 years of work experience and a 3 year degree.

It can be really tough getting where you want to without a degree. Thats why my gf has gone back to uni because she was struggling to progress without it. Whereas Ive been given probably more respect than I deserved based on having a post grad degree.

Yep. I agree. Even though I've been working in IT and Telecommunications for years, with loads of different equipment skills, and a wide range of different systems, network, WAN, and design skills, my wife (with a degree and post grad diplomas) earns (doing management stuff) between half as much to twice as much as what I can... which is why I got to look after the boys...

[Pixie]

Formal education is becoming more and more specialised.

For example, medical doctors used to get a very good grounding in general science and physics and I would expect them to easily understand how laser based flow cytometry is performed.
In recent times I have encountered doctors who didn't understand that one can't get a platelet count from a clotted blood specimen.( the platelets form the clot and you can't do a count using a lump of congealed blood )

[GurlRacer]

They're both an experience. I'm thinking about doing my university years overseas.

Uni gives you a scientific view on life. Work gives you a creative view on life. (is creative the right word.. my english has gone to crap since being here!!) Don't forget our minds are all different, we all learn in different ways, so while uni is beneficial for some, it isn't for all. It's down to the individual to decide what will give them more education. Besides, we need balance in this world, and both uni and non uni students are needed in this world. (I mean, you don't need to go to Uni to be a chef.. maybe a polytech, but sometimes, pure talent and work experience gets you the job)

[SlashWylde]

attending university is nothing other than a key to unlock the door to the next room. It neither makes your 'more cleverer' or entitles you with a right.

still.. if you or your parents or the tax payer wanna spend 50k+ on a degree you better hope to god you get a $150k a year job to pay the fooka back.. Worth it ? Maybe for the memories. For gettin on in life? there are harder ways but definitely cheaper ways.

to get on in life you have to be driven and have some nouce about you.. the rest is just ink on paper..

Right, so how do you propose one should acquire the knowledge to be an ASIC designer then? Or how about an Embedded Software Engineer? Let alone a semiconductor design expert.

These are examples of specialised fields which require at a minimum a Bachelors degree qualification if not a PH.D.

There are thousands of talented scientists and engineers (for example) all around the world working hard to better themselves and to push the boundaries of their chosen field. These are the people who developed the technology which makes your motorcycle what it is.

Your ill informed comments de-value their many achievements. You are a simple-minded fool.

[boomer]

Right, so how do you propose one should acquire the knowledge to be an ASIC designer then? Or how about an Embedded Software Engineer? Let alone a semiconductor design expert.

These are examples of specialised fields which require at a minimum a Bachelors degree qualification if not a PH.D.

There are thousands of talented scientists and engineers (for example) all around the world working hard to better themselves and to push the boundaries of their chosen field. These are the people who developed the technology which makes your motorcycle what it is.

Your ill informed comments de-value their many achievements. You are a simple-minded fool.

It just so happens that this simple minded fool is a qualified Engineer.

Now who's mis/ill informed..??

Are you a lecturer by chance....Idjiot?! * edit.. i just checked your Profile.. your a sparky...

[SlashWylde]

It just so happens that this simple minded fool is a qualified Engineer.

Now who's mis/ill informed..??

Are you a lecturer by chance....Idjiot?!

LOL at myself.

No I'm not a lecturer. Just a hot-headed fool.

[hdus001]

I think its all to do with numbers and averages.

The extraordinary or gifted person or person with high drive will succeed whether he/she went to Uni or not. Many of the highly regarded entreprenuers of the world fall into this division. So do a lot of people who posted here personal stories of making it big inspite of not going to uni. You'd probably have done as well even if you went to uni, because you are bloody good.

What going to uni does is increase the chances of making a comfortable living even if you are not an exceptionally driven person.

I havent done any calculations but I'm willing to wager that the percentage of non-uni avergae people who have made it good is definitely much lower than the number of average uni-grads who have made it good. Note the term "average".

For eg, I dont consider myself or most of my uni mates exceptionally brilliant or anything above average, but within 7 yrs of graduating as Electronics/Software enggrs, most of us now have 6 digit salaries and have worked in multiple countries.

Ofcourse then there are some jobs for which uni is mandatory - doctors, scientists in specialised fields, physicists etc.