Diploma decisions | Have university degrees become redundant?

University degrees have historically been considered a rite of passage for people wanting to pursue a career in a particular field. From a young age, people are told that if they work hard academically, they can be whatever they want to be.

This has meant that at the tender age of 18, when the majority of people decide to attend university, young people say goodbye to their families and friends and set off for higher education. For most, this will be their first time having to be independent and self-sufficient, and these years will become some of the most formative of their lives.

Despite this, a third of young people today feel that university degrees are a ‘waste of time’, while 58% feel a degree “doesn’t prepare students for the real world” - increased figures from the previous year. With that being said, what are some of the factors influencing the way students feel?

Value since the pandemic

The pandemic saw a complete re-vamp of the way universities operate. Many students were forced to have virtual lectures and be confined to their university accommodation, disrupting their education and entire university experience. In a study from StudentMinds, 82% of those surveyed say the pandemic negatively impacted their academic experience.