The pros and cons of going to university:
Upon deciding whether or not to go to university, there are many decisions and worries facing the potential student before applying, these include but are not exhausted to: is it the right thing to do? Are there other options? Will there be lots of debt? Will I get on with my flatmates?
The latter is the most influential for potential students deciding whether or not to go to uni, being thrown into a completely new environment with people you have never met before is a daunting prospect to say the least. Your neighbour could be the nicest guy in the world or an axe-crazy psychopath. Needless to say, everyone when joining halls is in the same boat; looking to make great impressions, new friends and fit in to this new way of life. The single most important pro of this scenario is that it enhances and hones your social skills, skills which will prove valuable later on in the workplace – only to be thrown into new environment with new people, only this time for money – the ability to adapt to new surroundings and become malleable with a vast spectrum of people is something that employers look for.
This all ties in with the big question of ‘will I enjoy it?’ the simple and plain answer is, yes. A survey by NSS (National Student Survey) showed that a whopping 85% of 1.8 million students (since 2005) have enjoyed their university experience. Having spent most of my time either in a drunken stupor exploring the city at night or daytime in an entirely new learning environment with A level class-structure becoming progressively more alien, every minute has been worthwhile.
The obvious academic gain is a massive pro for going to uni, 3 years of hard studying and you are better qualified and more equipped to deal with aspects of your chosen field than the majority of people in the country. This can lead to a blossoming career, higher wage packet and general intellectual superiority. That and the next time you play a pub quiz, you will win that bottle of house rose without even using an iPhone.
The cons: with two years experience at university, I found the cons to be few and far between. The main concern facing a student is financial apprehension, will money stretch far enough and the debt when graduating. With managing your money, a simple budget is the answer and if that’s not enough, educational institutions such as universities offer a wealth of help; be it help with budgeting or a financial crisis the size of Greece looming, help has always and always will be at hand.
The sceptics of universities will moan and groan about the price of doing so and debt when graduating. They are wrong. Granted, nobody likes to be in debt, but people are more than willing to take out mortgages worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. A student loan takes half the time to pay off and will be much more fun in accumulating I can assure you.