As the title suggests. Did you go to University? If so which one? What was your experience like? I’m currently making my choices just seeing what people think of some Uni’s. Each person is different so it kinda of defeats the whole purpose but O well.

Yes I did. Didn’t want to go but parents kind of pushed/persuaded me to and I’m glad they did. I studied Psycholinguistics (study of the brain, how it works, how you learn languages, 2nd languages, brain trauma etc brilliant and fantastically interesting course) at Essex. Essex was a fantastic place. I matured hugely, did drink lots and played lots of sport. However I learnt a lot about maturity, money, I became very independant and I made some brilliant friends. The only thing I would change is not trying a little harder in my 4th year, still came out with a good degree but could’ve had a brilliant one (splitting up with long term boyfriend and beer upset it). I would think long and hard about what course you are interested in and where it wouldl/could potentially lead you eventually.

The degree I did I haven’t used since (as I’ve ended up in the police) however I am still looking at doing a masters in forensic linguistics now. I could’ve gone into speech therapy however I wasn’t ready for another 2 years of study.

Good luck.

Yes, went to Uni of Bristol to do Mech Eng which was enough to put me off ever doing it as a profession 🙂

Had a great time, spent lots of time doing sport (and that was where I really got into mtbing), met my wife, made some great friends and grew up a lot.

That said, I do often wonder whether I’d have actually been better off professionally just going straight into a job from school and working my way up. I reckon that I’d have moved up most companies reasonably quickly and after a few years in many jobs (eg the ones where you don’t need a specific degree to do it), what degree you did or didn’t do is irrelevant. As it was, I went to a school where everyone just expected to go to uni ( I’m pretty sure that everyone did ) and the same for my family so it wasn’t really something that I consdered at the time.

With the costs that are now applied in increasing amounts, I’d serious consider whether uni is right for many who otherwise it would have made sense to go.

Yes. Bristol. Good. Just before they started charging tuition fees. Did engineering, didn’t use it for my job for years but I do now. Didn’t do much work, spent most of my time doing the clichéd drinking and smoking, and also being in a band. Not sure the time I spent working would justify the fees now! No mountain biking – it was nicked on the first day of lectures…

clubber, when were you there?

A little while before you by the sounds of it 94-98

Yes, however I started at Plymouth Poly, which changed its name just before I got my Ba then for my Post Grad it became a Uni, then I studied at Uni in the US, then I ended up at Uni in London for my Professional Practice course. The most recent of which was in 1997 so none of its any use to you really. I am thinking of doing a MSc next year based partly in a hippy quarry in Wales and somewhere in East London, and I’m unlikely to visit either of them because its a distance learning course.
Obviously none of this is of any help to you, but then you haven’t said what course your looking at so it’s all pretty meaningless.

clubber’s just a lad 🙂

Yes, ’96-’00 here. Mech Eng too – and they put me off it too! A good friend (who I appear to have mislaid recently) was in your year but ended up dropping back twice and ended up in mine – he used to organise the Beer Festival, which might have had something to do with his less than stellar academic performance…

Munqe, when were you there? I was there doing Economics/Econometrics in 84-87.

As to why I went there, it was 300 miles from home, which suited me at the time, plus it had a good reputation. It was absolutely necessary for me to get a degree so that I could get a professional qualification, which I need for my job.

I’d still do it now (a) because professionally I’d need to (b) I had an absolute blast. No way I’d be earning what I am now unless I’d done it.

University of York, ‘kin ace 🙂

I did – i dont use it at work but at the same time I’m not sure I would have my job without degree.

My Mrs didnt but now wishes she did as she is doing a role where she is a teacher on the cheap. If she had degree the school have said they would have made her into a teacher but without it she cant become one.

However my increased salary from a job with a degree is hammered by student load at 140 per month which I could do with now a baby is on the way.

In all honesty if I had my time again I would probably become an Electrician with a trade or something like that.

Salford, did audio and video system design. Liked it.

i went to brighton and did product design, with a year in industry.

after 2 years (before going into industry) i was going to jack it in as it seemed to me it was a bit mismanaged. the final year was awful – for one term we were working in a building site illegally as they had forgotten to organise us a work space; the next term it was a condemned building which had damp and was rotting at the edges.

I came out with a 2:1. the degree has been useful – I still use design in my job – alebeit in a much more mech eng type of way – but having it on paper has got me the last job.

However the year in industry is what has worked well for me, the company i worked for employed me through my final year a day a week (and were kind enough for me to work extra days and then take a month off before final hand in) i was then offered a job after graduation, which meant after 1 year graduation i had three years experience. i had a lot to talk about in the interview for the next place.

I also had a lot of fun and met a lot of good friends; i was quite independent when i got there but i certainly grew up a bit.

I ended up drinking and smoking at cornell. wonderful place for someone more motivated, but wasted on me. o well.

Thomthumb – actually now you mention it most useful thing about my degree was the 3rd year placement year. Kept job and finished off part time. Meaning degree took longer but I had 3 years in industry by the end.

I was not clever enough!

If I could do my time again, PlopNofear, I would love to go to one.

Just find one which is as far away from your home as possible, somewhere hilly would be a bonus 😉

I went to Glasgow in 1989 to study Statistics and then did a postgraduate course in Business and IT Systems at Strathyclyde.

You could get into my line of work without a degree, but it would be difficult and you would need a 5 to 10 years relevant work experience.

I enjoyed my time whilst there both academically and socially.

However, the cost of it nowadays would really make me think twice about going.

currently at portsmouth, doing diagnostic radiography, 2nd year.
Not keen, haven’t really settled in yet ha :/
hate it, want to quit but there are no alternatives so ..
fees are paid for by the NHS though!

B.Eng Mechanical Engineering at Huddersfield Poly 1988 – 1992

Didn’t work very hard. Played for the Rugby League team. Pissed 3 or 4 times a week. Shared a house with a famous mountainbike designer from Todmorden. Ate a lot of samosas. Learned how to cook fluffy rice.

But I did it when there were no fees and grants. I wouldn’t be happy paying £20k+ for my lad to do the same.

i don’t think the cost have to be as high as the media like to make out.

I came out with around half the debts plenty of people on my course graduated with.

mix of part time/ summer jobs. being careful and not opting for the ‘as much as possible’ option every time.

B.Eng Chemical & Process Engineering Sheffield Uni 2001-2004
Msc Process Safety & Loss Prevention Same as above 2004-2005

Didn’t work hard, drank lots, partied, went riding rather than to lectures, wouldn’t change it for the world.

Good point about the year in industry – not something I did but especially nowadays, it’s a huge advantage in trying to get a job once finished – companies always prefer to hire someone they know so there’s less risk of hiring a numpty who’s just good at interview (and there are lots of them about…)

No, was too much of a dosser at ‘a’ levels

If I had my time over again I’d love to go.

Not going, hasn’t held me back though and maybe I earn more now because I didn’t go to Uni, who knows?

BA Archaeology & Anthropology at Oxford University 1995-1998.

Not sure if it did me any good, but glad I experienced it. Couldn’t afford it now, mind.

I graduated in ’83. Spent too long indulging in bacchanalian pleasures to get a decent degree. I’d go again if I could and this time I’d probably do some work too. I really fancy Computer Forensics or Computer Security but at my age I’d be on the scrap heap before I got through the course.

Where was it? I think it is called St Mary’s University now, somewhere in Twickenham. I got a Uni of London degree but it changed to Uni of Surrey a couple of years after they got rid of me!

I owed about £2,400 when I finished… which was actually quite a bit then.

St Andrews for me. It was excellent. Nice, small friendly place and great mountain biking believe it or not. Drank a lot in first year, played a lot of golf and made some incredible friends and developed myself in ways I didn’t know possible. I did a masters in Maths.

Now doing a PhD with the University of the Highlands and Islands at SAMS. Have a gander if you’re after something different.

A few people doing mech eng

I did it at Liverpool Poly, which became LJMU. Not exactly rich in prestige, but not done me any harm. Hard and very boring course, but served me well getting jobs etc.

Liverpool is a good place to be a student by the way – a bit too good at times 😉

BSc in Chemistry at Cardiff (1997 – 2001) which I loved. Great place to be, good course and I used my degree pretty much exclusively for about 8 years after leaving.

Current job has nothing to do with my degree!

I really liked it, had a fantastic time at uni, I’m really glad I went.

Went late did a BA Geography at 29 (2002) and then an MSc Environmental Planning 3 years ago. Stupid idiot resigned last year to come home (Liverpool) from Surrey and now can’t get a job anywhere. Feel like it was waste of time and money at the moment though I’m sure things will turn around at some point.

Didn’t partake in uni life whatsoever. Was just there for the qualification.

Yes i went to Sunderland Uni from 94-97. I did Environmental Engineering and currently work for a waste disposal company. As above i made some really good friends, some i’m still in touch with while i lost touch with some straight after.

Drank alot, lots of sport but also worked hard, our course had the 2nd longest hours of the whole uni, only civil engineering was longer. Made me independant, got my head round money (worked through hols to get money together for term time) and ended my 3 years about £2k in debt.

Didn’t use my degree for my first couple of jobs but now do use bits of uni work. On the whole i’m glad i went. If our kids want to go (not got any but just about to start trying) i’ll support them all i can.

I think people have a misconception of Uni and think you have to be intelligent, I am not thick but my point is i got 2 x D’s and 2 x E’s ( all proper courses) it ia just finding the Uni that is filling places doing 1st year in anything then changing degree. I got accepted to do European Studies I never had ANY intention of doing that degree so changed at end of 1st year.
I was at Essex 1997-2001.

Did chemistry at Oxford early 90s.

Academically it was superb, world class education. Away from the books it was a bit mixed, the college system there can be oppressive, can feel like you’re at a tiny university rather than a massive one.

BSc in Chemistry at Manchester. 98-2002. Liked it so much I got a job here!

I did pretty badly with my degree because I “discovered” climbing and drinking and found these to be more exciting than my chosen subject.

I don’t regret a second of it though, even though I only have a 3rd despite being much more capable, the friends, and experiences where amazing!

University of Reading – Animal Sciences (1986-1989)
(called Physiology, Biochemistry & Nutrition of Farm Animals at the time).
Dump of a place and although I enjoyed the degree I was bored most of the time. I was a keen kayaker but the Uni club was pants – so I paddled with a local club or with my home-town poly club instead.

Then I did a PhD in the arse-end of nowhere (Ayr) – which I really enjoyed. Then I did a post-doc in the arse-end of nowhere (Wooster, Ohio, US of A). Now I work on the Stirling Uni campus for a private company.

Student life is wasted on students.

If I had my time again I’d probably do physiotherapy, or train to be a fire engine.

Yes. UWE… (B)ull (S)hit (C)ertificate in Quantity Surveying with Hons 🙂

I prefered Bristol Poly or Brunel Tech College.

Biomedical Chemistry at Sheffield Hallam 1999 – 2003.
Course was good, and I kind of use what I learned in my current job. I wouldn’t swap the time at uni for anything. It was amazing. Met some amazing friends, saw some amazing places, drank some amazing beers, learned some amazing things. And it’s where I met my wife.
Still paying off student loans though 🙁

I went to Aberdeen, studied French. ( i use the word studied very loosely) Aberdeen is a good uni and I enjoyed the social life alot, some might say too much and I probably should have done something other than go to uni straight after school. Went Back last year and did a PGCE primary qualification which I wouldn’t have been able to do without m first degree.

Biology at nottingham, 1998-2001

If I had my time again I wouldn’t go to university. Sure I had some good times but my overriding memory is of being very poor.

Haven’t used my degree since and my job does not require a degree

BEng (Hons) in Mech Eng from Staffs Uni.
Day release from work, 1 day/week for 4 years.
Loved uni. Highly recomended. (Especially if your being paid & funded to go).:-)

Currently a Project Engineer earning an absolute fortune.
Alright, slight exageration, I’m earning.