Reasons to consider Higher Education

Why consider Higher Education as an option after school? People decide to go on to Higher Education for a number of reasons. We would like you to think about what is important to you! Going through this thought process will help you to begin to decide between courses and institutions, and what the right path is for you after school.

Here are some of the reasons we hear most often from students:

• The chance to study a subject in depth
• It's a route into a job I'll enjoy
• The career earning potential (doing it for the money!)
• Attracted to the student lifestyle (whatever that means to you...)

Let's have a think about these in some more detail...keep reading!

The chance to study a subject in depth

At school, you'll likely be taking a range of subjects this year. You might love all of them, but you may also have one or two that you are more passionate about. You may also be still to discover your passion - there are lots of courses on offer at college and university you can't study at school but could be exactly the right thing for you.

A university degree is typically four years long and gives you the opportunity to really focus and study usually one or two subjects in great depth, becoming an expert! You'll have the opportunity to work with academics who are leading researchers in the field, as well as in specialist facilities. 

So, your subject is really important! You might have an idea already about a course you're interested in. It could be that it's the same as something you're already doing at school or it could be completely different. Here are some useful tools to help you find these courses: UCAS course search; Plan It Plus; and My World of Work.

It's a route into a job I'll enjoy

For some professions like teaching, medicine or dentistry, there are specific university degrees you are required to have - for example, you need to have a Medicine degree to become a doctor. These are often the routes into jobs that we find students know most about at this stage.

However, many employers will look for a university degree in general to access a graduate level job, without asking for it to be in a specific subject. This is because they know that by studying for a degree you will have developed a certain set of skills (e.g. analytical and research skills, communication skills) that will help you to be successful in that role. So, having a university degree and having taken part in the university experience really can open up doors to a wide range of careers!

Career earning potential

On average, people with degrees will earn more money over their lifetimes than people who don't have a degree. Yes, there are exceptions, we are sure you can think of some (insert your answer here!), but in general, graduates do earn more simply because they have a higher level of qualification and have spent time developing those key skills many employers are looking for. A consideration for you could then be about your future lifestyle and paying the bills etc!

Finally, attraction to the student lifestyle

This is a factor we hear about a lot from school students, but it can actually mean a lot of different things depending on what matters to you!

At university, you'll have a lot more freedom to shape how, where and when you learn. Thinking about 'how', this could mean more flexibility to choose how you are assessed for example. 'Where' could mean geographically... maybe you are really keen to make the move away from home, or feel that somewhere more local is suited to you. It can also mean where you do your studying while at uni - perhaps you need the silence of a library to do your best work, like to have a bit of background noise in a cafe, or are very happy getting your work done in your bed at home. In terms of 'when', your university timetable will look very different from your school timetable, and you might have some choice in the timings of your classes for example. You can shape when you do your independent study which always suits night owls and not only the early morning workers among us, perhaps you'll be a stickler for the 9-5 approach. Ultimately though, you'll have more flexibility to shape all of this to suit you.

You'll also benefit from a more varied make up of classes, with students from all around the world as well as local students too. 

Finally, there is a greater emphasis on the social side of life while at university. All universities have a wide range of activities you can get involved in, including clubs and societies for almost anything you can think of. This ranges from your typical sports clubs such as football and gymnastics to sports like quidditch and korfball (look it up), to societies for appreciating hummus (yes, the chickpea dip) and board games. Whoever you are, there is a social place for you.