5 Years Too long? (2 Viewers)

[Skittled]

...depends why you're going to uni.

If you're going to uni to get a job, to get money, to live comfortably and then die, 5 years might be too long: it's 2 or 3 years less of living-well.

If you're going to uni and learning something you enjoy, I don't think 5 years is too much. I'm doing a 4 year degree, which if I can have it my way it'll blow out to at least 4 and a half, because I'm doing topics I like and wanna learn about... and from there I get a job I'm a lot more satisfied with, because it's what I love.

5 years is a long time for anything if you're not interested in the course... Besides, there often other ways of going out there and making as much money at something else, which don't require the extensive degree...

Why spend 5 years learning something, and then the rest of your life practising it, if you're not interested?

 

[theone123]

it really depends, 3 years is considered long already let alone 5 years! hmm fi we include primary and high school, 13 +5 = 18 years of your life is used on education :S

and i heard if u want to be a surgeon it is 13 + 14 years = 27 years of your life in the books.

 

[tyra]

5 years is nothing. you shouldn't be put off by how long it takes to finish your degree. i know a few people who were from the class of '99 and recently graduated last year. they say that they really miss and uni and that time flew when they were there. now they're out in the real world and they're having a tough time trying to find a job.

 

[Generator]

Five years is hardly a strain on your future life given that you are likely to die in your late 70s/early 80s, but at the same time five years can seem quite long when you are still working your way through the degree programme. Oh well, I don't mind, even though at the same time I really want to leave home, piss uni off to the side and travel (and as such avoid the 'real' world).

In other words, each to their own, and whatever you decide just be sure that you see it as being the appropriate choice.

 

[wind]

Is a year or two really all that much in the big picture?

Compared to the 40 or so years of using that degree and retiring at a ripe old age of 60, a year or two is not a big difference.

 

[jm1234567890]

And you can do work placement during that time

 

[hipsta_jess]

^ Exactly...in the 4 yrs of my degree, I will complete at least 1000 hrs of clinical placements, so its not as if I'm not aquiring practical skills.

 

[cro_angel]

my degree is 4 years.. ill be 21 when i finish
it doesnt really matter what age you are.. like others have said there are heaps of people who do degrees when they are alot older. im doing primary education and id say about half the people werent in year 12 last year (either transferred from another degree or are mature age students). apparently our generation is meant to have 7 career changes so you will probably end up back at uni doing something completely different one day anyway.. or at least constantly updating your skills/knowledge with all the new technology being introduced.
it cant be hard to uni people to get work right out of uni, but offering to do work experience for a week or so at different places really helps to build connections, and if they like the way you work they often find a position for you within their company. i know a couple of people who did design and it was hard to find somewhere to go straight out of college because everyone wanted people with experience, so they did work experience and after a few weeks each had a job offer and are now working full time.
i think i just went off on a tangent but yeh.. basically its not too long and you will be back soon enough anyway.

 

[Sarah]

5 years is long when you want to go out and gain some practical skills.

There are a few people i know of who started off with a 5 year combined degree but then opted to drop to a single degree. There are various reasons why which include entering the workforce earlier, they didn't enjoy the subjects studied in the degree they dropped.

I think 5 years can be too long as there's the possibility that you loose interest in what your studying because you don't have a chance to apply your knowledge in the real world and gain experience in the area you're studying. This is sort of what i'm going through at the moment.

 

[kow_dude]

Interesting thread. I'm currently doing a combined course and intend to transfer to a single degree course in the second semester, simply because i think 5 years is too long. Also, i am not very passionate about engineering. However, for those who still confused about their career or are passionate about two areas, then i think the combined degree is the way to go.

 

[Sarah168]

Im in a 4 yr degree and want to do grad law after ward so thats adds time as well. I dont really mind and dont really understand how people react saying im gonna be in uni forever. im not 100% in my plans but it is the path that i know i want to take more and more each day. Im not too concerened about length.

Some of my untis allow for internship opportunites in the public sector, so im working toward that in order to graner experience

 

[Slidey]

Five years is hardly a strain on your future life given that you are likely to die in your late 70s/early 80s, but at the same time five years can seem quite long when you are still working your way through the degree programme. Oh well, I don't mind, even though at the same time I really want to leave home, piss uni off to the side and travel (and as such avoid the 'real' world).

Dead at 80?! Or do you mean mentally dead?

 

[Generator]

Ah, what do you mean? I thought the 'likely to die in your late 70s/early 80s' should have been clear enough in suggesting that given current life expectancies, such an age would be your best 'bet' if you happen to be planning for your future. Of course, no matter your physical condition you could be lost in a sea of nostalgia at that age, but that's not worth worrying about at the moment.

If that was meant to be a joke of some sort... If so, I missed it, clearly.

 

[Korn]

it really depends, 3 years is considered long already let alone 5 years! hmm fi we include primary and high school, 13 +5 = 18 years of your life is used on education :S

and i heard if u want to be a surgeon it is 13 + 14 years = 27 years of your life in the books.

Well i would have spent 17 years without honours if i finish in 2007

 

[Korn]

5 years is nothing. you shouldn't be put off by how long it takes to finish your degree. i know a few people who were from the class of '99 and recently graduated last year. they say that they really miss and uni and that time flew when they were there. now they're out in the real world and they're having a tough time trying to find a job.

Depends on what degree you do, cause there are some degrees where u are guareented a job when finishing

 

[baker182]

Isn't experience more valued than the degree though?

You need a degree to get your foot through the door to start with.

 

[Korn]

You need a degree to get your foot through the door to start with.

Also depends on what job it is

 

[Cape]

You need a degree to get your foot through the door to start with.

A degree is just a piece of paper. It isn't going to garantee you a job.Many careers don't require you to have degrees, unlike doctors, lawyers, etc. If you don't require a degree for whatever career you want, nothing can beat experience.

For example, I want to get into the tourism industry, you don't need a degree to work in that, infact, you can lave school after year 10 and get a job in the industry. However, what is rated more highly than a degree or a diploma is personal experience ie, actually travelling around the world. Many tourism jobs require you to have travelled extensively around the world from anything from 6 months to 2 years.

Now, your thinking why am i at uni? Simple, I wanted to study something that I Love, and I had the opportunity to study it. And I don't want to become a travel consultant or anything. More of a designer.

 

[Korn]

A designer, if u wanna be a designer why are u doing tourism, why not enigeering or design

 

[stainmepink]

I'm 18 yrs of age but by the time I graduate I'll be 23 because of my combined degree. Realisitcally is it a worth spending so much time in university compared to going out into the real world?

sure it is! you'll get a better job anyways after you graduate. and cant you do both study and work at the same time?