A degree opens doors; it's as simple as that. You could have the best It knowledge of anyone in the planet but unless you have the piece of paper to prove it, you're going to have a harder time.

I understand what is meant by pressure from parents. Not so much about them making me do things but them picking and choosing from my likes and dislikes what I should persue with.

Heck, it's taken me 5 years of offers to get then to let me do modelling!!

In the end, follow what you want to do in life but remember university and a degree can allow for greater life experiences, connections, networking and assists with job opportunities in the future.

I get really annoyed when people say.. who needs niversity?? all you need is experience and the right connections in any industry plus you start somewhere and work your way up anyway..
i think that's just naive & ignorant.
at the end of the day.. talent is rewarded regardless. some people dont need university.. are entrepenuers have brilliant ideas or are 'superstars' & are millionaires. fine. respect!
we also need nerds though ok!!
plus glasses and men in suits are equally as hot as women in suits and glasses!

Agree with you Helen - I'm not an advocate for skipping uni for the sake of it, however just clearing the misperception that you NEED to go to uni to get a job.

Some people have amazing natural talent, however fear and lack of confidence in themselves stop them from fully realising and utilising their talent.

Not going to uni doesn't mean it's the end of the world, however going to uni also doesn't mean that the world will be your oyster. There's a fine balance and it's up to the individual's choice. If they want to go to uni, fantastic! If they don't want to go to uni and pursue a different path for their career, fantastic! Either way, it's going to take a lot of effort.

Well personally, I'm at university studying Arts/Commerce and never once have employers asked me for my marks at university during interviews (if they're needed in the first place!). For me it's been enough for them to just know that I'm educated.

I'm actually currently in 2nd year and have just gotten a part-time Marketing Manager position, after leaving an Intellectual Property Law firm doing Market Research and working as a Project Manager for a Rabbi, and before that, in 1st year uni I had a corporate internship at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. So what I'm trying to say is that there are definitely ways around a university degree, but only if you have great people skills, are educated, have common sense and a bit of luck! (If you want a professional job that is)

Julz- there are wys around uni if you are educated? isn't that WHY you go to uni?

interesingly enough, i have decided to go back to uni and study again (i already have a degree in Business) to do architecture...

to anybody who thinks uni guarantees you a job- it doesn't. it does give you a different perspective though. what you should do is figure out what it is you want to do, and how to get there, and then see if you need to go to uni...

my significant other is 33 and about to retire. he never went to uni and is crazily successful. and he is in a position which i would have thought needed some sort of study and is very good at what he does- but isnt the studying type. and funnily enough, he is the one who is encouraging me to study.

it all comes down to where you want to go in life..

I think, because careers in creative areas seem to be generally much more difficult to be successful in, having a degree can also serve as a necessary back up for jobs if the creative career path doesn't work straight away.

TBH i went to a grammar school so the idea of Uni after 6th form is pretty much stamped into your brain from the age of 11, so its the natural step for me.

Ok so I've discovered something crucial in the last few weeks of meeting lots of different people in europe.

A degree = CREDIBILITY. Being an "educated person" is a very high and critical card you hold, especially when moving among certain social and professional circles.

Education is an amazing privilege that so many people don't have. For girls, there are lots of girls out there that don't get educated because all they do is focus on finding a rich man and getting married. That disgusts me.

well im dropping out of uni simply because ive found the area i want to work in and been offered a job in that area so why do i need uni??? Yeah id love to have a backup with a degree but to me it feels like i just need to prove myself in the new job and show them i fit the job perfectly. No uni degree can hold more power then experience and a proven record in the industry