Got a few mates who went to Cambridge about 20 or so years ago…all loved it, all from a non-private school and non rich parent environment (i.e. same as me). I went to visit a few times and had a blast. Their mates were a mix of people from all backgrounds, some posh toffs and some from dodgy council estates, and they all mingled…students are students at the end of the day and beer is a great leveller. However it seems like it is hard work and seemed to be a lot more self teaching rather than the uni I went to (Loughborough) where it is more of a structured lecture/classroom teaching.

Needless to say they’ve all gone on to have very very lucrative careers…but then again they are all very clever and all very high achievers so no surprise there. I’m sure they would have all done very well for themselves even if they didn’t go to Cambridge.

I don’t think it matters what you do at Cambridge, it’s Cambridge. When junior (passionate about music) wanted to do Science Po Paris – communication et l’industrie créative, I said the same. The right university opens doors.

This is sort of true but then when you’re faced with thousands of applicants from universities all with (on paper at least) as good a degree as each other how else do you sift through the applicants? you start by ranking by the university or institution they went to.

However its not a given that just because you went to Oxbridge it’s a walk in the park…In our company we’re very aware of high achievers wanting to come and work with us just to get a blue chip company on their CV before sodding off for a posher job in the City…we’ve had too high a turnover from those types. Sure we’ll take a look at them, but hopefully weed out those who are serious from those who are not at the assessment centres.

As a non uni attendee I do doubt the economics applied to studying not very profitable jobs.

If he attends for 3 years at £10k per year plus accommodation plus spending money, the likely debt or expenditure is in excess of 50-60k.

If he is already getting gigs what additional uplift will be attained by studying it for 3 years as opposed to networking through gigs and practicing throughout the next 3 years instead?

A long time likely to see the return as far as I see it.

I cannot believe that colleges think they have a rightful ability to forbid part-time work.

Anywhere that does not understand the pressures and challenges of the real world – where people need to work, would worry me.

If he attends for 3 years at £10k per year plus accommodation plus spending money, the likely debt or expenditure is in excess of 50-60k.

Yeah but he’ll probably never pay that back if he stays as a gigging musician!

Yeah but he’ll probably never pay that back if he stays as a gigging musician!

But he could quite easily earn enough to be effectively paying a graduate tax via the student loans company.

*deleted* too tired to start a fight

As a non uni attendee I do doubt the economics applied to studying not very profitable jobs.

If he attends for 3 years at £10k per year plus accommodation plus spending money, the likely debt or expenditure is in excess of 50-60k.

If he is already getting gigs what additional uplift will be attained by studying it for 3 years as opposed to networking through gigs and practicing throughout the next 3 years instead?

A long time likely to see the return as far as I see it.

It’s not just music / arts – some 83% of students now will be paying their student loans back into their 50’s (when it will be written off after 30 years).

https://fullfact.org/education/about-17-students-are-forecast-fully-pay-back-their-loans/

That said, the average arts graduate will actually go on to earn less than they might have done if they didn’t go to uni:

https://wonkhe.com/blogs/once-in-a-lifetime-ifs-data-on-earnings-and-contributions-2/

but then again, graduates from Cambridge aren’t exactly average graduates. i wouldn’t counsel against it, but having spent 8 years as a full time self-employed musician / producer i do now find myself in a regular office job. But I’m still glad I did it.

I cannot believe that colleges think they have a rightful ability to forbid part-time work.

Anywhere that does not understand the pressures and challenges of the real world – where people need to work, would worry me.

They don’t think that and they don’t do that – they just say it like it is. Any student doing proper part time work (ie something above a Saturday shift) is going to be compromised on any serious degree at a place like Cambridge.

I’m sure some tutors might like to talk balloches about ‘forbidding’ part time work, like they’re going to send the degree police after you if you get an evening shift in a pub. But the basic message cannot be contested – it’s a world class, competitive degree, you’re there to learn, and terms are short. Use your time wisely.

Thanks Garry, well put – it’s pretty clear from the meeting we went to last night with Oxbridge recruitment geeks that their standards and expectations are much higher than regular unis.

Cambridge offer places to 1 in 6 applicants. Chances are he’ll end up somewhere else being mathematical instead.

My sister was invited to study there after achieving a 1st in Applied Maths via the OU. She popped 93% score and was called up by Cambs to do a post grad in Maths (can’t remember exactly what)

She thought she’d be laughed at attending, far from it. Being brilliant meant lots of students looking for help and assistance came knocking and have remained great friends.

She came from nothing, no school exams, ran away at 16 and after her first child at 21 decided to do OU study.. and it continued from there.

She said Cambs is one of the nicest friendliest collages where you aren’t looked down on if you come from nothing. The main cliques exist because kids tend to come from the same schools into Cambs and have already built up friendships over previous years.

I personally would be over the moon if my son went there, and I’d be helping him as much as I can to enjoy the experience.

Best of luck.

Maths is usually Warwick I think (from my understanding). Or St Andrews if in Scotland.

Couple of my cousins both did maths at university (their parents were maths teachers..). One at St Andrews, the other at Cambridge.

She lives in Cambridgeshire…

Yeah but he’ll probably never pay that back if he stays as a gigging musician!

The OP’s original post suggests Son isn’t necessarily planning on becoming a gigging musician. Not that there is anything wrong with being one and many students go to conservatoire or uni to become just that. It isn’t always a case of “networking through gigs and practicing throughout the next 3 years instead”.

Now that bikebouy is a really positive experience! 👍🏼