Fashionising.com > Fashion Forums > Education

I'm constantly bombarded with "but, you're still a student" and "you don't have a degree" at work and so of course it is on my mind...really, how important is a degree from university? Obviously, for doctors it's uber important, but in the creative fields, is a degree necessary.
Note: I intend to finish my last year of school and have a degree.

In my experience (of a particular field and location of course) a degree is just a piece of paper that helps you get a job - and you learn all the important stuff on the job, doing whatever it is you are already meant to know how to do, in a hands-on and practical way. Like you say, for many areas degrees are completely necessary - I wouldn't want to go to a doctor or dentist or solicitor who didn't have the necessary qualifications! But for things like IT, arts, etc - it's the on the job experience that counts the most, and a degree is just a means to an end.
It's great that you're doing what you want to do and have come that far even though you've not finished studying - you'll be far ahead of all the others who have a degree, but no experience. :D

I think its fairly important to have an education if nothing else it gives you something to fall back on, and it gets you contacts in the industry you want to work in.. if nothing else.

Even in the creative fields with the right tutors you can really grow your abilities, but on the other hand being out in the work place will really push you to get to an industry standard faster, hmmm I think it really depends in which way you learn better.

I think that being at uni has helped me get a start but actually working helped me develop my skills and style much faster... soo uhhh I plead the fifth.

In my own experience (I've got two degrees) an education simply opens doors, the greater the education the greater the door that can opened (in a simplistic sense, knowing the right people will always get you further than a degree). Once you've got your foot in the door, in most fields, you're on your own again.

Now the biggest problem I encounter is "oh, you're 23?".

oh, you're 23?

sorry. couldn't resist.

He's vain he's really 24 :D

lol, funny :P

Yes indeed, sometimes people find it hard to take you seriously because you're young. Which sucks, but unfortunately that's just the way it is.

I guess its only as important to the extent of what you want to doâ¦

As you said, academically its probably a good idea. But heaps of people donât have degrees and are mega successful too because they aren't constrained by what they are taught. I guess if you are a fashion editor you will have to strike a balance between learning what your degree has to offer, but still maintaining your own creative thoughts!

from the perspective of someone who has seen a lot of uni students - i think that there is too much pressure for young people to get into university to obtain a degree for the sake of it. All too often students start courses without no real idea as to what the course really entails, career direction and the like. In terms of qualifications, I've met so many doctors that just shouldnt be doctors - despite their academic qualifications - due to inability to deal with people, lack of real world nous, etc. They could learn a lot more just if they were away from the books for a short period of time.

A degreee is great, but its not worth the piece of paper its printed on if that is all that defines you and your thought processes